PREPARED BY: MATT RODRIGUEZ MEETING: 01/20/26
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER AUTHORIZATION ON CITY COUNCIL APPOINTIVE PROCESS TO FILL ONE (1) VACANCY ON THE SAN PABLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR A TWO-YEAR STAGGERED TERM FROM FEBRUARY 2026 - JANUARY 2028
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Proceed with discussion and selection of one of the policy options to fill one (1) vacancy on the San Pablo EDC Board of Directors for a 2-year staggered term from February 2026 through January 2028 via minute action vote, as follows:
• Option #1:
If the City Council determines by minute order that as a policy matter the City nominee to the SPEDC Board does not need to be a resident in San Pablo, then consider advertisement of said vacancy for a short period to solicit any new applications. If the City Council chooses this option, then the City Manager can suggest during the meeting possible dates for the application period and when the City Council could schedule a future meeting to conduct interviews, and appointment of City nominee via majority vote approval; OR
• Option #2:
Proceed with selection of one (1) City Councilmember nominee, and make by motion and approve by majority vote via minute order, to serve a 2-year staggered term from February 2026 - January 2028, and submit the City Councilmember nominee to the SPEDC Board for approval; OR
• Option #3:
Proceed with City Council authorization, by minute order to waive the City’s nominee for this particular term to be filled by subsequent appointment by the SPEDC Board of Directors per SPEDC By-Laws Article II requirements.
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2025-27 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statement
City Council Assignments and San Pablo Economic Development Corporation Board Appointments are not subject to being adopted policy items contained in the FY 2025-2027 City Council Adopted Priority Workplan, effective Apil 7, 2025, but are important for City governmental operations.
CEQA Compliance Statement
This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA
BACKGROUND
The City of San Pablo maintains the ability to nominate two (2) City appointees to serve with 2-year staggered terms on the San Pablo Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors (SPEDC Board). Currently, SPEDC By-laws do not require that any of the Board Members be local residents or business owners in San Pablo. The prior and ongoing practice has been that all City nominees have been San Pablo residents presumably to ensure that representation on the SPEDC Board.
Current City Appointees to SPEDC Board of Directors
The following City of San Pablo appointees who are serving on the SPEDC Board include, as follows:
1) Mr. Saman Farid, San Pablo resident
On March 1, 2021, San Pablo resident Saman Farid was first appointed by the City Council to a two-year staggered term to the SPEDC Board from February 2021 - January 2023 via Resolution 2021-022.
On December 19, 2022, Mr. Saman Farid was nominated for re-appointed by the City Council by majority vote via minute action to another 2-year term from February 2023 - January 2025. The SPEDC Board subsequently affirmed this appointment.
On January 21, 2025, the City Council re-appointed Mr. Farid for an additional two-year staggered term from February 2025 - January 2027. The SPEDC Board subsequently affirmed this appointment.
2) Ms. Patricia Ponce, San Pablo Councilmember
On February 18, 2020, pursuant to adopted Resolution 2020-022, following an open, public application process, then Councilmember Patricia Ponce was nominated for appointment to the SPEDC Board of Directors for period February 2020 - January 2022. The SPEDC Board of Directors subsequently affirmed this appointment.
On January 18, 2022, the City Council nominated then Councilmember Patricia Ponce for re-appointment by majority vote via minute action to another 2-year term from February 2022 - January 2024. The SPEDC Board of Directors subsequently affirmed this appointment.
On December 18, 2023, the City Council nominated Mayor Patricia Ponce for re-appointment by majority vote via minute action to another 2-year term from February 2024 - January 2026. The SPEDC Board of Directors subsequently affirmed this appointment.
Note: Current Councilmember Patricia Ponce will not eligible for re-appointment per SPEDC By-Laws requirements for another consecutive, two-year staggered term, and is deemed termed out.
SPEDC Board of Directors Vacancy
On October 13, 2025, the SPEDC Executive Director notified the City Manager via e-correspondence of a forthcoming City appointee vacancy on the SPEDC Annual Board meeting to be held in January 2026, including outlining the formal procedure for the City to make a nomination and selection of a new City nominee for subsequent SPEDC Board approval in accordance with the adopted SPEDC By-Laws (Article II) requirements (See Attachment).
SPEDC Board Term (February 2026 - January 2028)
The existing SPEDC Board vacancy is for the next 2-year staggered term from February 2026, and ends on the first meeting or annual meeting of the year for the SPEDC Board in January 2028 as noted above.
Regardless of time of appointment, SPEDC Board nominations made by the San Pablo City Council, and subsequently appointed by SPEDC Board, shall serve terms of no more than two (2) years. Additionally, San Pablo Board of Directors may serve up to three (3) consecutive 2-year terms. San Pablo business ownership and residency are not legal requirements of the City nominee(s) - but can remain a policy requirement of the City Council for City Council appointees to the SPEDC Board under the current adopted SPEDC By-Laws requirements.
City Council Options to Fill SPEDC Board Vacancy
The following recommended three (3) options by the City Manager are listed below for formal consideration by the City Council to fill upcoming one (1) vacancy on the SPEDC Board for a 2-year staggered term from February 2026 through January 2028, as follows:
• Option #1:
If the City Council determines by minute order that as a policy matter the City nominee to the SPEDC Board does not need to be a resident in San Pablo, then consider advertisement of said vacancy for a short period to solicit any new applications. If the City Council chooses this option, then the City Manager can suggest during the meeting possible dates for the application period and when the City Council could schedule a future meeting to conduct interviews, and appointment of City nominee via majority vote approval; OR
• Option #2:
Proceed with selection of one (1) City Councilmember nominee, and make by motion and approve by majority vote via minute order, to serve a 2-year staggered term from February 2026 - January 2028, and submit the City Councilmember nominee to the SPEDC Board for approval; OR
• Option #3:
Proceed with City Council authorization, by minute order to waive the City’s nominee for this particular term to be filled by subsequent appointment by the SPEDC Board of Directors per SPEDC By-Laws Article II requirements.
Previous Councilmembers Appointed to Serve on SPEDC Board
For additional information, Table A provided below lists all City Council-appointed nominees who were former or current Councilmembers appointed to the SPEDC Board since 2011, as per its adopted By-Laws and confirmed with SPEDC staff on 12/18/25, as follows:
|
TABLE A PREVIOUS COUNCILMEMBERS APPOINTED TO SERVE ON SPEDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2011 - Present) |
|
City Council Nominee |
SPEDC Board Role |
Term First Appointed |
End of Term |
Comments |
|
Cecilia Valdez |
Chair |
2011 |
12/31/2012 |
1 Term Served |
|
Kathy Chao-Rothberg |
Director |
04/01/2012 |
01/23/2019 |
3 Terms Served (Termed Out) |
|
Genoveva Garcia Calloway |
Chair |
12/05/2012 |
01/15/2020 |
3 Terms Served (Termed Out) |
|
Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado |
Treasurer |
07/01/2015 |
02/23/2018 |
1 Term Served |
|
Rich Kinney |
Director |
02/20/2019 |
03/17/2021 |
1 Term Served |
|
Patricia Ponce |
Director |
02/26/2020 |
01/31/2026 |
3 Terms Served (Termed Out) |
|
Source: SPEDC e-communication dated 12/18/25 |
City Manager Recommendation
The City Manager recommends the City Council strongly consider Option #2.
Should the City Council choose Option #2, majority vote action via minute order is required to submit City nominee to the SPEDC Board for approval at their forthcoming SPEDC Board meeting on January 21, 2026 per SPEDC By-Laws requirements.
SPEDC Interview with SPEDC Governance Committee
Following City Council action under Option #2, the City’s nominee will be required to attend a mandatory interview with the SPEDC Governance Committee on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 @ 5:15 pm to complete the formal nomination process for the SPEDC Board per SPEDC By-laws requirements.
City Councilmember and SPEDC Conflict of Interest Issues
There is no conflict of interest for the City Council in considering this nomination to the SPEDC Board, as it concerns a new nominee's prospective term (February 2026 - January 2028).
FISCAL IMPACT
None associated with this action.
ATTACHMENTS:
Att A - Email correspondence received 10/13/25 from SPEDC Executive Director to City Manager re: SPEDC Board Re-appointment Process for Expired Term per SPEDC By-Laws Requirements (Article II)