Council to consider slew of appointees

Since the Austin Monitor ran a story outlining the need for more citizens to volunteer to serve on the city’s boards and commissions, there has been a big uptick in applications, according to the City Clerk’s office. On today’s Council agenda, Council Member Leslie Pool has nominated four citizens to serve, including Garry Brown to the Human Rights Commission; Brian Thompson to the Ethics Review Commission and also to the Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Committee; William Teddy McDaniel to the Airport Advisory Commission; and Rhonda Paver, a current member, to the Early Childhood Council. Council Member Ann Kitchen has made eight nominations, including Melissa Hawthorne, a current member, to the Board of Adjustment; current member Christianne Castleberry to the Water and Wastewater Commission; Mary Ann Neely, a current member of the Environmental Board, to the Environmental Commission; Karen Hadden, a current member, to the Electric Utility Commission; Cathy Gattuso, a current member, to the Zero Waste Advisory Commission; David King to the Parkland Events Task Force; Vincent Cobalis, a current member, to the Asian-American Quality of Life Advisory Commission; and Dr. Aletha Huston, a current member, to the Early Childhood Council. Council Member Don Zimmerman has nominated Sharon Blythe to the Parks Board and to the Parkland Events Task Force; Michael Wilson to the Planning Commission; and Rebecca Forest to the Commission on Immigrant Affairs. Council Member Delia Garza has nominated Nhat Ho to the Water and Wastewater Commission. Mayor Steve Adler has nominated six people to serve in temporary positions until the new commission system starts on July 1. These include James Shieh, currently the chair of the Design Commission, to the Planning Commission; Sharon Mays and Dustin Fedako to the Sustainable Food Policy Board, Jill Ramirez to the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission, and Nick Van Zandt to the Commission on Veterans Affairs.