Applications being accepted for appointment to Hayward City Council, Planning Commission

The City of Hayward is accepting applications from City residents for appointment to vacant seats on the Hayward City Council and Planning Commission.

Under the City Charter, service on the City Council is limited to Hayward residents who are registered to vote while service on the Planning Commission is open to all Hayward residents regardless of whether they are registered to vote or eligible to be registered to vote.

Appointment to the City Council would be to complete the remaining two years of the term of the Council seat vacated by Mayor Mark Salinas with his swearing-in as Mayor on Tuesday.  Appointment to a Council seat is by majority vote of the Council. The deadline to apply for appointment to the Council seat vacated by Mayor Salinas is 9 a.m. Jan. 3, 2023.

Under a process approved by the City Council on Tuesday, Councilmembers will formally receive the applications for appointment to the vacated Council seat during a special Council meeting on Jan. 3 and select, by noon on Jan. 5, up to five applicants to be invited to be interviewed and considered for appointment during a special Council meeting on Jan. 9. If no appointment is made, the Council will direct the City Clerk to call a special municipal election to fill the vacant Council seat.

Appointment to the Planning Commission would be to complete the term of the Commission seat vacated by new Councilmember Julie Roche and an alternate vacancy resulting from the departure of former Commissioner Zachariah Oquenda, who resigned on Nov. 14. Appointment to the Planning Commission is by majority vote of the City Council. The term of the Commission seat vacated by Councilmember Roche ends Sept. 30, 2023.  The deadline to apply for appointment to the vacated Commission seat or alternate vacancy is 5 p.m. Jan. 12, 2023.

To fill the vacant Planning Commission seats, applications received by the 5 p.m. Jan. 12 deadline will be reviewed by members of the City Council. Applicants selected through the Council screening process will be invited for an interview before the City Council at a special meeting on Jan. 17.

Online applications for appointment to the City Council are available here. Online applications for appointment to the Planning Commission are available here. For paper copies of both applications, visit the Office of the City Clerk at Hayward City Hall, 777 B Street, 4^th Floor, Hayward, or call (510) 583-4400. Please note City Hall will be closed to the public during a holiday business closure from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2.