No city councilmember shall be invited to, nor participate in, any administrative interview panel for candidate selection of appointive officials or employees. At the conclusion of the initial administrative interview process, the mayor shall refer to the council at least three candidates for a city council confirmation process. The council resolution or motion made pursuant to LMC 2.06.020 may change the number of candidates to be referred by mayor based upon substantial justification acceptable to the council. At the conclusion of the city council confirmation process, the mayor may make an appointment from the group of referred candidates to the council for a confirmation vote; provided, that individual councilmembers may contact the mayor informally prior to the appointment to informally voice their opinions and recommendations, if any, but the city council shall take no action to recommend or direct the mayor’s appointment of any candidate. Prior to the city council’s vote on the confirmation of any appointive official or employee under this chapter, the candidate shall be subject to a full and complete background check, pursuant to the city’s personnel and policy manual, conducted by the human resources department’s assigned third-party employment background screening administrator. The final results of the background check shall be communicated to the city council by the city’s human resources director or the human resources director’s designee prior to the council’s confirmation vote in executive session to the extent authorized by law. (Ord. 3261 § 1, 2017; Ord. 2901 § 1, 2011; Ord. 2311 § 2, 2000)