AGENDA PACKET
Town of Atherton
City Council
AUGUST 18, 2026
SPECIAL MEETING
12:00 PM
Council Chambers
80 Fair Oaks Lane, Atherton, CA 94027
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This Agenda may not reflect the actual order of items. The order of items is subject to change based on Council action.
SPECIAL MEETING
REMOTE PARTICIPATION:
TELECONFERENCE NOTICE Pursuant to Government Code Section 54953, Subdivision (b), the following City Council meeting includes teleconference participation by Council Members
Council Member Stacy Holland
2 Odell Place
Atherton, CA 94027
Council Member Elizabeth Lewis
600 Airport Road
Room 336
Medford, OR 97504
ROLL CALL – Lane, Widmer, Lewis, Vice Mayor DeGolia, Mayor Holland PUBLIC COMMENT – Public Comments can be emailed directly to [email protected]
As a Special Meeting, this portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the Council on any matter on the Agenda. Speakers’ time is limited to three minutes. Speakers may also speak when the item appears on the Agenda during the meeting. State law prohibits the Council from acting on items not listed on the Agenda except by special action of the City Council under specified circumstances. The Mayor may, at the Mayor’s discretion, restrict or grant additional speaker time based on such considerationsasagendalengthnumberofspeakerscomplexityoftheitemor Meeting Agenda Packet – August 18, 2026
ROLL CALL – Lane, Widmer, Lewis, Vice Mayor DeGolia, Mayor Holland PUBLIC COMMENT – Public Comments can be emailed directly to [email protected]
As a Special Meeting, this portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the Council on any matter on the Agenda. Speakers’ time is limited to three minutes. Speakers may also speak when the item appears on the Agenda during the meeting. State law prohibits the Council from acting on items not listed on the Agenda except by special action of the City Council under specified circumstances. The Mayor may, at the Mayor’s discretion, restrict or grant additional speaker time based on such considerations as agenda length, number of speakers, complexity of the item, or looming threat of loss of quorum. Please refer to the footnote at the end of the posted agenda for additional notice regarding public comments.
SPECIAL MEETING ITEMS
1. CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION TO APPOINT FOUR (4) QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR THE NOVEMBER 3, 2026 BALLOT TO CITY COUNCIL AND CANCEL THE ATHERTON CITY COUNCIL ELECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ELECTION CODE 10229
Report: ANTHONY SUBER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER/ CITY CLERK
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Council consider adopting a Resolution to appoint four (4) qualified candidates for the November 3, 2026 ballot to City Council and consider cancellation of the Atherton City Council election in accordance with the Election Code 10229.
Description: This item will be a City Council discussion to consider appointing four members to the City Council in accordance with the State of California Elections Code and consideration to cancel the election.
COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMENTS
ADJOURN
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
If you challenge a Town zoning, planning, or any other decision in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this agenda, or in written correspondence delivered to the Town at, or prior to, the public hearing. Judicial review of any Town administrative decision may be had only if a petition is filed with the court not later than the 90th day following the date upon which the decision becomes final. Judicial review of environmental determinations may be subject to a shorter time period.
Copies of all staff reports and documents subject to disclosure that relate to each item of business referred to on the agenda are available for public inspection by 5:00 p.m. the Friday before each regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (650) 7520500. Notification of 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. (29 CRF
35.104 ADA Title II)
Public Comments:
Meeting Agenda Packet – August 18, 2026
Copies of all staff reports and documents subject to disclosure that relate to each item of business referred to on the agenda are available for public inspection by 5:00 p.m. the Friday before each regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (650) 7520500. Notification of 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. (29 CRF
35.104 ADA Title II)
Public Comments:
The Town of Atherton Council and Committee or Commission meetings are a limited public forum, and all public comment must relate to something that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council or Committees. If comments do not relate to the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council or Committee, we will stop the comment and a warning may be provided. If the comment continues to be outside of the subject matter jurisdiction the speaker will be stopped, and we will move on to the next speaker. Speakers found in violation of this rule of procedure may be removed from the meeting.
Meeting Agenda Packet – August 18, 2026
Item No. 1
Town of Atherton
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT – ACTION ITEM
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
GEORGE RODERICKS, CITY MANAGER
FROM: ANTHONY SUBER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER/ CITY CLERK
DATE: AUGUST 18, 2026
SUBJECT: CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION TO APPOINT FOUR (4) QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR THE NOVEMBER 3, 2026
BALLOT TO CITY COUNCIL AND CANCEL THE ATHERTON
CITY COUNCIL ELECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH
ELECTION CODE 10229
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council consider adopting a Resolution to appoint four (4) qualified candidates for the November 3, 2026 ballot to City Council and consider cancellation of the Atherton City Council election in accordance with the Election Code 10229.
BACKGROUND | ANALYSIS
The candidate filing period for the November 3, 2026, election closed Friday, August 7, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Two sitting Council Members opted not to submit Nomination Forms and Declaration of Candidacy Forms (Eric Lane and Stacy Holland). As a result, the Town was required to extend the candidate filing period for five (5) calendar days for both the full-term seat expiring December 2030 and the short-term seat expiring December 2028. The extended period closed on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at 5:00 PM. No additional candidates filed for candidacy.
Four (4) candidates for City Council (Bill Widmer, Rick DeGolia, Christine David, Jerry Leugers) qualified for the open seats to be voted on at the General Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Below is a list of the terms that each candidate filed to be considered for:
• Bill Widmer, 2-year term expiring December 2028
• Rick DeGolia, 4-year term expiring December 2030
• Christine David, 4-year term expiring December 2030
• Jerry Leugers, 4-year term expiring December 2030
Cancelling November 2026 Municipal Election
AUGUST 18, 2026
Elections Code 10229 states that if there are not more candidates qualified for the ballot than offices to be elected at a municipal election, one of the following courses of action may be taken by the City Council;
1. Appoint to the office the person(s) who have been nominated;
2. Appoint to the office any eligible voter if no one has been nominated; or
3. Hold the election if either no one or only one person has been nominated.
Option number 2 is not applicable because four (4) candidates have completed the nomination process during the candidate filing period qualifying for the ballot.
By Resolution (Attachment 1), the City Council may appoint Bill Widmer to the 2-year term expiring December 2028, Rick DeGolia to a 4-year term expiring December 2030, Christine David to a 4-year term expiring December 2030, and Jerry Leugers to a 4-year term expiring December 2030. These are the offices to which each were nominated. The persons appointed shall qualify and take office and serve exactly as if elected at a municipal election for the office.
A notice of publication that there are not more candidates than offices to be elected must be published in a newspaper of general circulation for at least five (5) days before the City Council can take action on Election Code § 10229. A notice ran in the San Mateo Daily and Almanac on August 13, 2026.
If the City Council does not take action to appoint the candidates by the 75th day before the election, August 20, 2026, EC 10229 states that the election will be held. This would allow for write-in candidates. If the Council makes the appointment and cancellation pursuant to EC 10229, the City Clerk shall not accept any filing documents or nomination documents of write-in candidates submitted after the appointment is made.
Public notification of the nominated period consisted of a Notice of Election published in local newspapers, electronic distributions, and use of public noticing boards.
FISCAL IMPACT
If the Council chooses to appoint the four (4) qualified candidates to office and cancel the election, the $15,000 budgeted for FY26-27 elections costs will be returned to the Unallocated General Fund.
GOAL ALIGNMENT
This Report and its contents are in alignment with the following Council Policy Goals:
• Goal F - Build Community & Promote Civic Engagement
• Goal D - Be Forward Thinking
Cancelling November 2026 Municipal Election
AUGUST 18, 2026
POLICY FOCUS
The recommendations in this report are consistent with Town policies and Council Goals. If the Council chooses to cancel the election and appoint the four (4) nominees, each would assume office in December 2026 and serve exactly as if elected at the election. The City Council opted to cancel elections based on the numbers of qualified candidates in 2016, 2018, and 2024.
If Council chooses not to cancel the election nomination papers for write-in candidates can be accepted from September 7 to October 20, 2026.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notification was achieved by posting the agenda, with this agenda item being listed, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting in print and electronically. Information about the project is also disseminated via the Town’s electronic News Flash and Atherton Online. There are approximately 1,200 subscribers to the Town’s electronic News Flash publications. Subscribers include residents as well as stakeholders –to include, but be not limited to, media outlets, school districts, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, service provides (water, power, and sewer), and regional elected officials.
COMMISSION/COMMITTEE FEEDBACK/REFERRAL
This item has not been before a Town Committee or Commission
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. 26-XX Cancel Nov 2026 Election
2. Notice of Facts (Exhibit A to Resolution)
Resolution No. 2026-XX Page 1 of 2 August 18, 2026
RESOLUTION NO. 26-XX
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF ATHERTON, CALIFORNIA,
PROVIDING FOR THE APPOINTMENT TO THE OFFICES OF THIS TOWN THAT WERE TO BE ELECTED ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 10229 of the Elections Code of the State of California, as of the close of the nomination period on August 7, 2026, there are not more candidates than offices to be elected and that Section 10229 of the Elections Code allows one of the following courses of action to be taken by the City Council:
1. Appoint to the office the person who has been nominated.
2. Appoint to the office any eligible voter if no one has been nominated.
3. Hold the election if either no one or only one person has been nominated.
WHEREAS, only four candidates were nominated for the four City Council seats to be filled at the November 3, 2026, election; therefore the City Council may take action pursuant to No. 1 or No. 3 above; and
WHEREAS, there are no other offices to be filled at the November 3, 2026, election, and no measure has qualified to be submitted to the voters at the November 3, 2026, election; WHEREAS, on August 12, 2026, after 5:00 p.m., the City Clerk delivered to the City Council the certificate required by California Elections Code Section 10229, which is attached hereto as Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, a notice was published in a newspaper of general circulation pursuant to law.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council of the Town of Atherton, California, does hereby declare, determine and order as follows:
Section 1. That pursuant to Section 10229 of the Elections Code of the State of California, the following action is being taken:
(a) The following persons are being appointed to the offices to which they were nominated, and the election scheduled to be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, is now cancelled:
Bill Widmer , City Council (2-Year Term)
Rick DeGolia, City Council (4-Year Term)
Christine David, City Council (4-Year Term)
Jerry Leugers, City Council (4-Year Term)
Section 2. The persons appointed, if any, shall qualify and take office and serve exactly as if elected at a municipal election for the office.
Resolution No. 2026-XX Page 2 of 2 August 18, 2026
I hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the City Council of the Town of Atherton at a Special Meeting thereof held on this 18th day of August, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES: 5 Council Members: Holland, DeGolia, Widmer, Lewis, Lane NOES: 0 Council Members:
ABSENT: 0 Council Members:
ABSTAIN: 0 Council Members:
Stacy Holland, Mayor
ATTEST:
Anthony W. Suber, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Mona Ebrahimi, City Attorney
80 FAIR OAKS LANE | ATHERTON, CALIFORNIA 94027 | PH: (650) 752-0500 EM: [email protected] www.ci.atherton.ca.us
TOWN OF ATHERTON
NOTICE THAT THERE ARE
NOT MORE CANDIDATES THAN OFFICES TO BE ELECTED
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comments in writing in advance of the meeting. The
following email will be monitored during the meeting
and public comments received will be saved for the
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Email: [email protected]
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to Section 10229 of the Elections Code of the State of California, relating to the General Municipal Election in the Town of Atherton to be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026:
As of the close of the nomination period on August 7, 2026, and the extended candidate filing period closing on August 12, 2026, there are not more candidates than offices to be elected.
That Section 10229 of the Elections Code allows one of the following courses of action to be taken by the City Council:
1. Appoint to the office the person who has been nominated.
2. Appoint to the office any eligible voter if no one has been nominated.
3. Hold the election if either no one or only one person has been nominated.
No. 2 is not applicable because three individuals have been nominated.
The City Council will meet on Tuesday, August 18 at 12:00 PM in the City Council Chambers at 80 Fair Oaks Lane, Atherton, CA to take one of the above courses of action as allowed by EC 10229. An agenda will be available through the City Clerk’s Office by Monday, August 17. The persons appointed if any, shall qualify and take office and serve exactly as if elected at a municipal election for the office.
If, by the 75th day before the municipal election, no person has been appointed to the offices pursuant to (1) or (2) above, the election shall be held.
If the City Council makes an appointment pursuant to Section 10229, Elections Code, the City Clerk shall not accept for filing any statement of write-in candidacy that is submitted after the appointment is made.
Date Published: August 13, 2026
Date Posted: August 13 2026
/s/ Anthony Suber
Anthony Suber, City Clerk
TOWN OF ATHERTON
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
80 FAIR OAKS LANE
ATHERTON, CALIFORNIA 94027
(650) 752-0500