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CULTURAL HERITAGE BOARD INTERVIEWS
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission conduct interviews for the Cultural Heritage Board candidates, appoint six (6) new members, and forward the appointments to the City Council for approval.
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DISCUSSION
Background
Section 16.220.040.A of the Stockton Municipal Code (SMC) provides that the nine (9) members of the Cultural Heritage Board (“CHB” or “Board”) be selected and appointed by the Planning Commission, with the approval of the City Council. Board members serve four-year terms; terms expire on October 31st of the fourth year, or when new members have been appointed, whichever occurs last.
On July 27, 2021, the City Council approved the appointment of Matt Holmes to serve a four-year term that expired on October 31, 2025. On March 7, 2023, the City Council approved the appointments of Virtu Arora, Leon Bach, and William Maxwell to serve the remaining unexpired period of terms that expired on October 31, 2025, and Mary Jo Gohlke and Jewelian Johnson to serve terms to expire on October 31, 2026. Mary Jo Gohlke resigned from the Board effective July 1, 2023, leaving her seat vacant. On January 23, 2025, Jewelian Johnson was removed from the Board due to excessive absences.
As of this date, there are currently six (6) vacancies on the Board due to term limit expirations, resignation and removal. Board members whose terms have expired may continue to serve on the CHB in order to provide continuity of Board business until such time that new members have been appointed.
Present Situation
SMC Section 16.220.040.A.1 provides that, to the maximum extent possible, the Board shall have at least one (1) member from each of the following categories:
• A member with extensive real estate experience in the City
• A member with extensive experience in the construction industry
• An architect licensed by the State
• A historian
• A professional archaeologist
• A resident of the City for over forty years
Currently, the Board lacks members from the real estate, construction, archaeology and forty-year resident categories. The current Board make-up is as follows:
|
Member Name |
Term Expiration |
Membership Category |
|
Bryan Baldeon |
October 31, 2026 |
Historian |
|
Thomas Groom |
October 31, 2026 |
None |
|
Phillip Merlo |
October 31, 2026 |
Historian |
In response to the City’s citizen service recruitment efforts, the following eight (8) individuals submitted applications and confirmed their interest in appointment to the Board (Attachment A - Redacted Applications).
|
Name |
Submittal Date |
Membership Category |
|
De Nise Sanders |
11/11/2025 |
Historian; 40+ years |
|
Richard Slezak |
10/28/2025 |
40+ years |
|
Geneva Moorad |
9/23/2025 |
None |
|
Matt Holmes (incumbent) |
9/22/2025 |
Historian |
|
William Maxwell (incumbent) |
9/4/2025 |
Historian; 40+ years |
|
Leon Bach (incumbent) |
8/20/2025 |
Historian; Archaeologist |
|
Robert Holzer |
8/4/2025 |
Real Estate |
|
Cynthia Boyd |
1/14/2026 |
Real Estate |
During the in-meeting interview, each candidate will be asked three to four specific questions by staff. Upon completion of interviews, each Planning Commissioner will rank the candidates based on their responses using score cards that will be provided by staff. The score cards will then be tallied by the City Clerk and up to six (6) candidates will be appointed to the Board and forwarded to the City Council for approval. If the City Council does not approve any particular applicant, the Commission may make another appointment. All votes and selections will be made public and formally recorded in the meeting minutes.
Attachment A - Redacted Applications
The staff report was prepared by Scott Speer, Planning Manager, (209) 937-8195;
scott.speer@stocktonca.gov.