Pleasanton council keeps clerk search open; requests formal proposal for temporary clerk at $97 an hour

Pleasanton’s City Council on July 15 voted to keep applications open for the vacant city-clerk position and asked staff to obtain a formal, written proposal from J Hancock for temporary clerical services at $97 per hour plus travel and hotel expenses.

Mayor Mathew Young read a rough proposal from J Hancock at the start of the special meeting. The council then moved into a 10-minute executive session to discuss nonelected personnel and potential appointments; the motion to enter the session was made by Councilmember John Bowley and seconded by Councilmember Alex Wills and was recorded as being approved "all in favor." The meeting minutes record the council returning from that session at 6:19 p.m.

After the executive session, the council instructed staff to keep the application window for the city-clerk vacancy open and directed that a formal proposal from J Hancock be prepared and provided to the council by Monday. The minutes do not specify whether that proposal would include a maximum dollar cap, a start date, or an explicit duration for temporary services.

Why this matters: the city clerk handles records, minutes and official filings; how the vacancy is filled could affect routine city operations and deadlines. The council did not set a formal hiring timeline beyond requesting the written proposal and said it would take up additional information at an upcoming meeting.

What’s next: the council expects to receive the written proposal from J Hancock by Monday and to discuss the clerk recruitment and any contract terms at a future council meeting. The minutes do not list a target date for appointing a permanent clerk.