Qualifications & Appointment to Office

Interested citizens who live within the Town of Atherton are encouraged to submit applications for positions on committees and commissions. The application form is available from the town staff and includes space for the applicant to state the qualifications, experience, and skills that he or she can bring to the service of the town. Applications may be submitted at any time. Completed forms are kept on file at Town Hall and may be considered by the City Council when vacancies occur.

You may fill out an online application for Town Committee or Commissions. You may also download the application (PDF) and drop it off at Town Hall. To fill out an application you can click on the application link, email Anthony Suber, or call 650-752-0500.

Terms

Term expiration dates end on June 30th of each year. However certain committees may be set up for specific purposes with no expiration dates. Appointed committee/commission members shall serve no more than two full consecutive terms on the committee or commission to which they are appointed. A member may be reappointed to the committee or commission following a minimum two (2) year hiatus. However, if a seat is vacant and no one applies, the City Council may grant an exemption.

Specific Information

Serving on a commission or committee may require occasional attendance at night meetings. You may also be asked to serve on additional subcommittees. Members are expected to attend all meetings.

Information about the Appointment Process

Notice of openings and requests for applications for committees and commissions are posted and published in the Almanac, town website, through email blasts, and, if timely, in The Athertonian newsletter. The application process may take from six weeks to two months. Vacancies are advertised for approximately 30 days with a specific filing deadline. Deadlines may be extended. Please return your application, along with any attachments, to the City Clerk. All appointments will be made by nomination and vote of the City Council at a Council meeting. Questions about the application process should be directed to the City Clerk at (650) 752-0529 or by emailing Anthony Suber.

The members of committees and commission are appointed by a simple majority vote of the City Council.

The council seeks a diversely representative body of membership for the planning commission and each committee so that there will be a broad balance of views. For all of the town’s citizen advisory bodies, the City Council may decide to refrain from appointing candidate(s) if, in its judgment, the qualifications and/or experience of the candidate(s) are insufficient. When this occurs, the City Clerk will again advertise the vacant position(s) involved and the appointment process will be included on a subsequent City Council agenda.

The town is grateful for the service of members of a committee or commission, recognizing that the service to the community is voluntary. Even so, it is important to understand the legal requirements that apply to the role because failure to comply may result in stiff penalties. The City Clerk, City Attorney, or City Manager is available to assist with any questions. Their job is to ensure that representatives are able to do the job freely and without apprehension.

City Council Liaisons

Each of the town’s advisory committees is assigned a city council member to serve as a liaison between the council and the committee (excluding the Planning Commission). The mayor makes these appointments in January of each new calendar year. The Council Liaisons do not have voting powers.