EDB to pick chair, vice chair

The Economic Development Board will perform its annual “housekeeping” Wednesday when members elect a new chairperson and vice chairperson, appoint members to the Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction committee, and approve the panel’s 2015 meeting calendar.

City staff recommends that the board move to nominate and elect a chair and vice chair to one-year terms that will begin January 2015.

“Per the Brown Act, the EDB must hold open elections,” Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani wrote. “At that time board members may nominate a member for the designated office.”

Once nominations are finished, the elections will begin. Seconds are not required for nominations. If there is only one nomination, that nomination may be approved by acclimation without a vote.

If there are multiple nominations, the chairperson will conduct an election in the order that the nominations were received. The nominee who receives the majority of “Ayes” will be the new chair.

John Johnsen is currently the EDB’s chairperson; Claire McFadden is vice chairperson.

Also Wednesday, up to three board members will be appointed to the Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction committee.

“The BREA Committee will meet on an as-necessary basis to review and discuss business opportunities and schedule business visits,” Giuliani said.

Because of the nature of the makeup of the committee and the fact that its meetings are intermittent and at different locations, BREA is not considered a “standing committee” as defined by the Open Government Ordinance and is not subject to it, Giuliani wrote.

The EDB’s own meetings will take place the third Wednesday of every month in 2015, except in July. The EDB will take part in a special joint meeting with the City Council Jan. 20.

In other business, the board will hear a report on the city’s second quarter sales tax receipts and vacancy rates. Should it choose to, it also can hear updates on the Arsenal, the BREA Committee, minutes from last month’s Tourism Committee meeting, commercial and industrial vacancies, Wolf Communications and Benicia Main Street.

If You Go
The Economic Development Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Commission Room at City Hall, 250 East L St.