By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

The Downtown Benicia Alliance will convene Wednesday in a special meeting to discuss proposed changes to its bylaws that govern the selection of directors and how long each will serve.

The changes, designed to stagger terms so the entire board doesn’t experience turnover every two years, were drafted by city staff and will be presented to the board for discussion Wednesday. It will review and discuss them; a vote to adopt the changes is expected to occur at the DBA’s November meeting.

The board also must decide when that November meeting will be held. Originally scheduled for Nov. 11, it may be moved to Nov. 4 to avoid landing on Veterans Day.

Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani suggested at the DBA’s last meeting Oct. 14 how the staggered terms should be determined: the panel should draw lots to decide who will have a one-year term and who will have a two-year term.

There are nine current members of the board; five will have two-year terms and four will have one-year terms. However, current board Vice Chair Eric Hoglund of Estey Real Estate has announced he does not plan to serve past this year.

Giuliani said if the board decides to draw lots at its November meeting, he will provide a deck of cards for that purpose. Because of Hoglund’s planned resignation, the three lowest numbers will have a one-year term, and the remaining five will serve for two years.

Solicitations of nominations are being sought from all businesses within the Benicia Business Improvement District, and Wednesday’s meeting will serve as the 10-day notice for business owners to offer their own nominations — or to nominate themselves — to the board.

A solicitation letter and nomination application will be mailed by city staff to all BID businesses on Nov. 5 or 12. Nominations will be due to the committee by Dec. 2. The committee will then work with city staff to put together nomination packets for the DBA’s Dec. 9 meeting agenda.

Directors for 2014 will be selected at that meeting.

Melanee Cardoza, a paralegal at Civitas Advisors, will advise the board Wednesday.

If You Go
The Downtown Benicia Alliance will meet at 9 a.m. at Capitol Café, 104 West G St.

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