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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/16/2016 05A Council Nominating Committee Report Regarding Appointment to Yakima Housing Authority 01 00 l r V 641 )4/#1ihilll b, lye BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 5.A. For Meeting of: August 16, 2016 ITEM TITLE: Report from Council Nominating Committee regarding appointment to the Yakima Housing Authority SUBMITTED BY: SUMMARY EXPLANATION: ITEM BUDGETED: STRATEGIC PRIORITY: STAFF RECOMMENDATION: BOARD /COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Description Upload Date Type D Y1H III roc ommenciabon 8/12/2016 1;1201 CA) ?ir Memo , i j l�rir r riii H � r f���� pr, HOUSING YAKIMA r �i rr r .., i� r, rdue ouiiiiyian. rmr, �mr�frrmurrrrrrrnrrriaaoriar ,ronmrrriiwrniuir 01441 11M tar u ar "Committed to Safe and Affordable Housing" August 11, 2016 To: Yakima City Council Board Nominating Committee � From: Bob Ponti, Chairman, Yakima Housing Authority Board of Commissioners "P, Subject: Board of Commissioners membership selection I am offering this written statement to the Nominating Committee for its consideration regarding its upcoming review of applicants and recommendation decision to the Yakima City Council, which will make the appointment to fill and serve the open position on the YHA Board of Commissioners (BOC). I have several purposes in doing so. First, it is important that the Nominating Committee understand the role of the BOC and its governance of YHA, the BOC's current composition, and the skill sets necessary for carrying out the business of the BOC. Second, I wish to offer my evaluation of the candidates and make my recommendation as to the candidate that I believe would best fill the open position. Last, I feel it is important to express and address some concerns about recent issues that have arisen due to what appears to be a lack of procedural process for advertising, screening, interviewing and selecting candidates when BOC positions become available. On this last point, it is my aim to begin addressing these issues so that the BOC has more direct involvement and a greater voice in these processes because YHA is a distinct entity having no real functional ties to the City excepting the few laws governing appointment and removal of BOC commissioners. The BOC governs YHA and provides leadership and direction to YHA's Executive Director. Understand that YHA is a complex, multi- faceted organization that develops, operates, and maintains multiple housing projects within its areas of operation. YHA also has onerous responsibilities for administering and meeting the requirements of federal /state /local funding programs that make the projects and rental assistance programs possible. These projects and assistance programs are sophisticated to say the least. They require the utmost attention and dedication of BOC members who, working with YHA Executive Director, have to make critical decisions about them to carry out YHA's basic mission to provide safe, decent, and sanitary housing for the people YHA serves. In my experience, serving on the BOC is a rewarding, though very challenging role, and not to be taken on lightly. The present composition of the BOC is diverse with two men and two women presently serving. In my experience, BOC members have traditionally been selected to complement each other's skills to be able to meet the important roles I just outlined above. At present, the skill sets across the group includes, among others, governmental program management for low income individuals, contract management, mortgage banking for first time homebuyers, low- income consumer and homeless advocacy and volunteerism, and executive directorship of educational programs for children. P.O. BOX 1447 Yakima WA 98907 www.yakimahousing.org 810 N. 6th Ave. Yakima WA 98902 PH 509. 453. 3106 FX 509. 453. 31 1 1 TDD 1. 800. 545. 1833 ext 560 With the above in mind, and from my own evaluation of the applications that the City forwarded to YHA, I am recommending and encouraging the Nominating Committee to select Nick Marquez as its recommendation to the City Council for appointment as the new BOC member. Understand that this is my own evaluation and recommendation, and not that of YHA, because the Open Public Meetings Act does not allow me to meet or solicit input or consensus from my fellow BOC members without holding a public meeting, which has not occurred due to the process issues I will address further below. I am recommending Mr. Marquez because YHA is embarking on an innovative veteran's housing and education project in conjunction with Perry Technical Institute to provide stable housing and a consolidation of veteran's services in Yakima. YHA has the backing of Federal, State and Local government and is in process of procuring the site which is the former Armory on S. 16th Avenue. As a military veteran, Mr. Marquez brings expertise from his logistical training and employment and credibility that will be necessary and beneficial for working with our veteran based service providers. Veterans' issues, needs, and services are very much at the forefront of people's minds and transcend politics. In my opinion, Mr. Marquez's veteran status would provide crucial credibility with the veterans that YHA is going to assist. He is also of Hispanic origin which is another demonstrated element of Board diversity. Though another male candidate has an extensive financial lending and mortgage industry background with desirable skills, that skill set is currently represented with one of the existing BOC members at present. Finally I do not recommend the other female candidate because I see clear issues presenting conflicts of interest, whether real or potential. First, she is the mother of the Yakima Mayor. It is my understanding that the current law provides that the Mayor is vested with the authority to remove a commissioner for inefficiency or neglect of duty or misconduct in office. It would seem to me that the City would avoid any potential situation where that could become an issue. Second, she is also a landlord, which in my experience has been a disqualifying factor in the past. Even if deemed a legal appointment, the conflicts, however interpreted by City leaders, will exist in practice whether real or potential. Just the perception of the conflict should be enough that the Nominating Committee would disqualify this candidate. Though this candidate has extensive program experience and low income advocacy, that particular skill set is already present with other BOC members in my opinion. The issues I raise regarding the other two applicants stem from what are larger, procedural problems with what I perceive as a lack of a more formalized process that directly involves YHA and its BOC when advertising, screening, interviewing and selecting candidates for appointment. The BOC has usually had an active role in the selection of Board members when vacancies become available. The BOC's recommendations are then forwarded to the Nominating Committee, which has usually resulted in its support and subsequent City Council approval. That did not occur with respect to the current vacancy. YHA and its BOC was practically left out of all phases of the Nominating Committee's process (or lack thereof) this time and had to utilize its legal counsel at the last City Council meeting to postpone their appointment of the Nominating Committee's selected candidate. I do not understand the urgency of this appointment by either the Nominating Committee or the City Council. First, the BOC currently has a quorum of members, so I really question the necessity for the accelerated process being undertaken by the Nominating Committee and City Council at this time when the BOC is fully capable of governing YHA's business. An even greater concern that I have is that the accelerated process to fill this vacancy seems to negate meaningful advertising for the position and the fair, essential, and thoughtful processes required for candidate screening, interviewing, and deliberation. This appointment process has fallen short of those aims, which is a genuine problem in my opinion because the BOC serves such a critical role in the success of YHA as an organization. The accelerated time frame has not allowed the BOC as a whole to consider the applicants through a formal meeting, as I addressed above. Quite simply, there must be more consideration given to the needs of the BOC going forward and greater opportunity for meaningful input from the BOC, which should be given great weight and due deference when BOC positions open. Whether the Nominating Committee and City chooses to keep the appointment of BOC members as its own function, or looks to the BOC to take on some of those functions to streamline the process for the Nominating Committee, I expect and look forward to a more thoughtful procedures by City officials at all levels for future BOC member appointments. To that end, I hope that we could develop a more workable process and formalized procedures for all parties in the future that serves the City's responsibilities, YHA's requirements, needs and aims, and our shared responsibility to applicants, who are deserving of a more full, fair, and standardized approach for selection to serve in a challenging and rewarding role that advances the honorable mission of YHA.