Hayward Accepting Applications For Open City Council Position

HAYWARD, CA — Hayward is accepting applications from city residents for appointment to vacant seats on the Hayward City Council and Planning Commission, the city announced in a news release.

Appointment to 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 Tuesday, Dec. 15.

The deadline to apply for appointment to the council seat vacated by Salinas is 9 a.m. Jan. 3, 2023 and appointment to the seat will be decided by a majority vote of the Council.

Council decided to appoint a resident to the seat at the city's regular council meeting Dec. 15 and approved the process to accept applications during a special called meeting scheduled for Jan. 3. Council will select up to five applicants to be interviewed and considered for the role by noon Jan. 5, the city said.

According to the city, applicants will be interviewed 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," the city said.

Appointment to the Planning Commission would be to complete the terms of commission seats vacated by new Councilmember Julie Roche and former Commissioner Zachariah Oquenda, who resigned Nov. 14.

Like the city council vacancy, the residents applying for the two planning commission seats will be decided by a majority vote of the city council.

According to the city, the term of the commission seat vacated by Roche ends Sept. 30, 2023; the term of the seat vacated by Oquenda ends Sept. 30, 2026. The deadline to apply for appointment to either Commission seat 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," the city said. "Applicants selected through the council screening process will be invited for an interview before the city council at a special meeting on Jan. 17."

Service on 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.

Online applications for appointment to the city council are available on the city's website as are applications for appointment to the planning commission.

For paper copies of both applications, visit the Office of the City Clerk at Hayward City Hall, 777 B Street, 4th Floor, Hayward, or call (510) 583-4400.

City Hall will be closed to the public during a holiday business closure from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2.