The City of Gilroy is searching for a new city clerk after Thai Pham resigned from the position earlier this month. Pham was appointed Gilroy City Clerk in 2021.
At the Feb. 26 Gilroy City Council meeting, the council unanimously approved the appointment of Beth Minor as interim city clerk. Minor, a Gilroy resident, retired in 2021 from a 47-year career as a city official. Her most recent full-time position was as Palo Alto City Clerk. Minor worked for the City of Palo Alto for 14 years, also as an assistant city clerk, according to a city staff report.
“Given her work in Palo Alto, Ms. Minor is well versed with the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters and election processes,” says the city staff report. “In addition, she has experience with (the) Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) and the required filings as well as the requirements of the Public Records Act. She is well-versed in open meeting laws, preparing agenda packets, taking minutes, maintaining records, and all of the important functions of a full-service City Clerk’s Office.”
Minor “has the education, skills and experience to hit the ground running and serve as Gilroy’s Interim City Clerk beginning Feb. 27,” adds the city staff report.
As a CalPERS retiree, Minor is considered a “retired annuitant” and may not work in another CalPERS position for more than 960 hours in a fiscal year, city staff said.
City Hall has already begun the recruitment process for a new full-time city clerk. That process includes applications, screening and interviews. City staff hope to complete the recruitment process and present a new city clerk for the council’s appointment by June 1.
As interim city clerk, Minor will be responsible for Gilroy’s typical city clerk duties including preparing public noticing of meetings and hearings; preparing and distributing city council meeting agenda materials; follow-up after city council meetings to ensure actions are implemented; processing election documents; coordinating filings for FPPC documents; and more.
Pham recently accepted an appointment as the new City Clerk for Union City, according to Pham’s LinkedIn page. “My time at Gilroy has been incredibly rewarding and filled with learning, growth, and meaningful connections,” reads a post on Pham’s LinkedIn page. “I am deeply grateful to my colleagues and the community for their support and collaboration.”
Pham has previously served as Deputy City Clerk for the City of Emeryville.
