HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-03-29 - City Commission Special Meeting Minutes1
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SUMMARY OF SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS -- DISTRICT 1 VACANCY PROCESS
Monday, March 28, 2011
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bushnell called the special City Commission meeting to order
at 1:40 p.m. on Monday, March 28, 2011, in Room 105 of Tamarac City Hall,
7525 NW 88th Avenue.
PRESENT: Mayor Pamela Bushnell, Vice Mayor Michelle J. Gomez, Commissioner
Diane Glasser and Commissioner Harry Dressler.
ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Michael C. Cernech, Assistant City Manager Diane Phillips,
City Attorney Sam Goren and City Clerk Peter Richardson.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Mayor Bushnell, City Attorney Goren presented an overview
of the process to appoint a City Commissioner to the legally temporary vacancy presently existing in
District 1. Mr. Goren stated that the appointment process would be conducted in the sunshine,
consistent with Florida statutes, including potential background checks (criminal, financial, etc.) on
applicants. He also said that the Mayor and City Commission had the prerogative of developing a "short
list" of applicants following the initial interviews of applicants. Throughout the balance of the
afternoon, the Mayor and City Commissioners interviewed applicants for the District 1 vacancy in the
following order: Susan Buzzi, Maida Genser, Lawrence Wark, Connie Earle and Bob Malkoff.
Mr. Goren noted that the Mayor and City Commissioners would be interviewing six
applicants tomorrow (Tuesday, March 29, 2011) in Room 105, commencing at 10:00 a.m.
The meeting adjourned at 5:43 p.m.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bushnell called the special City Commission meeting to order
at 10:01 a.m.. on Tuesday, March 29, 2011, in Room 105 of Tamarac City Hall,
7525 NW 88th Avenue.
PRESENT: Mayor Pamela Bushnell, Vice Mayor Michelle J. Gomez, Commissioner
Diane Glasser and Commissioner Harry Dressler.
ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Michael C. Cernech, Assistant City Manager Diane Phillips,
City Attorney Sam Goren (Assistant City Attorney Julie Klahr served in the
capacity of Acting City Attorney between approximately 5:17 p.m. and
the conclusion of the meeting at 5:31 p.m.) and City Clerk Peter Richardson.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Mayor Bushnell, Mr. Goren presented an overview of the
continuation of the interview process to fill the legally temporary vacancy existing in the District 1 seat.
He stated that a short -listing of applicants could possibly take place today or tomorrow, with City staff
needing some time to complete detailed criminal, financial and other background checks of select
applicants. Following a brief discussion, there was agreement by the Mayor and City Commission to
determine a date and time for a special City Commission meeting sometime early next week to continue
the selection process to fill the existing vacancy for the City Commission District 1 seat.
Throughout the majority of the balance of the day, the Mayor and City Commissioners interviewed
applicants in the following order: Diane Rechner, Michelle Changar-Coe, Deborah Quigley, Ileana
Castillo -Roman, Lois Schwartz and Marion Swenson. Following the conclusion of interviews, the Mayor
and City Commissioners agreed to each select their top three candidates for second interviews at a
future date and time to be determined. There was a brief break between 5:18 and 5:28 p.m., during
which the Mayor and City Commissioners made their selections. Following the break, City Clerk
Richardson announced the tally results, as follows: Marion Swenson 4 (four), Connie Earle 3 (three),
Lawrence Wark 2 (two), and 1 (one) designation each for Michelle Changar-Coe, Ileana Castillo -Roman,
and Lois Schwartz. Original documents, including the tabulation sheet, are on file in the City Clerk's
Office. Following a brief discussion, the Mayor and City Commissioners agreed to hold a special City
Commission meeting to conduct second interviews and potentially make a final selection at a special
City Commission meeting on Monday, April 4, 2011, beginning at 1:30 p.m. in Room 105 of Tamarac
City Hall. The special City Commission meeting of March 29, 2011 adjourned at 5:31 p.m.
SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING
Monday, April 4, 2011
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bushnell called the special City Commission meeting to order
at 1:39p.m. on Monday, April 4, 2011, in Room 105 of Tamarac City Hall,
7525 NW 88t" Avenue.
PRESENT: Mayor Pamela Bushnell, Vice Mayor Michelle J. Gomez, Commissioner
Diane Glasser and Commissioner Harry Dressler.
ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Michael C. Cernech, Assistant City Manager Diane Phillips,
City AttorneyS�m Goren and City Clerk Peter Richardson.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Mayor Bushnell, Mr. Goren reviewed the process to date,
noting that the Mayor and City Commissioners had interviewed a total of eleven (11) applicants for the
legally temporary vacancy in District 1. He noted that three (3) applicants, Lawrence Wark, Connie
Earle and Marion Swenson, would receive second interviews this afternoon, and the Mayor and City
Commissioners would conclude their process today to potentially fill the legally temporary vacancy in
District 1. For the majority of the balance of the afternoon, the Mayor and City Commissioners
conducted second interviews of applicants in the following order: Lawrence Wark, Connie Earle and
Marion Swenson. At the conclusion of the second interviews, Mr. Goren reviewed the status of the
process, noting that the Mayor and City Commissioners had the option of either moving forward with
the appointment process today or defer for consideration on another day in the near future. The
Mayor and City Commissioners thanked all eleven of the applicants for their participation in the
appointment process. The Mayor and City Commissioners each marked ballots indicating their
preference to fill the legally temporary vacancy in the District 1 City Commission seat. City Clerk
Richardson read the results of the ballot, as follows: Marion Swenson 3 (three) votes and Connie Earle
I (one) vote.
Vice Mayor. Gomez moved, seconded by Commissioner Dressler, to appoint Marion
Swenson to fill the legally temporary vacancy in the District 1 City Commission Seat.
The motion was approved unanimously (4-0). City Clerk Richardson administered the oath of office
to City Commissioner Designate (District 1) Marion Swenson. Commissioner Swenson's original signed
oath of office is on file in the City Clerk's Office. Audio recordings of all three special City Commission
meetings relative to the District 1 appointment process are also available in the City Clerk's Office.
The special City Commission meeting adjourned at 4:08 p.m.
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Pamela Bushnell, Mayor
Peter M. J. Richar t
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City Clerk
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