Fremont City Council Meeting: 09/01/26 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: City Attorney's Office
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Plans, Policies and Studies
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5811) DOC ID: 5811
Updated: 8/27/2026 1:10 PM by Alberto Quintanilla Page 1 Governance and Organizational Modifications - Governance and Modifications As Follow-Up From Charter City Initiative
Contact Persons:
Name: Rafael Alvarado Christina Briggs
Title: City Attorney Assistant City Manager
Div/Dept: City Attorney's Office City Manager's Office
Phone: 510-284-4030 510-284-4022
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: At a special meeting on July 28, 2026, the City Council opted to defer consideration of a City charter to a future election. As part of that decision, the City Council directed City staff to return with a list of items from the draft City charter that can be considered and/or adopted through existing legislative and administrative authority under the City’s current general law structure. This report is responsive to that direction and presented for the City Council’s review and direction.
Background: In February 2026, the City Council adopted then-Vice Mayor Yajing Zhang’s referral to explore transitioning the City of Fremont from a general law city to a charter city. Subsequently, the City Council developed and adopted a charter work plan and approved the Mayor’s appointments to a Charter Advisory Committee (“Committee”). The Committee convened six meetings in the months of March and April 2026 to develop recommendations responsive to the City Council-approved charter work plan.
On June 2, 2026, and July 7, 2026, the City Council held two public hearings as required by State law to consider the Committee’s recommendations and provide feedback on the draft City charter. The City Council initially approved the Committee’s recommendations and during the public hearings, Council suggested additional amendments to the draft Charter. Subsequent to each public hearing, City staff amended the draft City charter to incorporate the City Council’s feedback and direction.
On July 28, 2026, the City Council decided to defer consideration of a City charter to a future election and directed City staff to return with a list of items from the draft City charter that can be considered and/or adopted through existing legislative and administrative authority under the City’s current general law structure.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5811) Meeting of September 1, 2026 Updated: 8/27/2026 1:10 PM by Alberto Quintanilla Page 2
Discussion/Analysis: City staff has compiled the Charter Committee and City Council recommendations that were included in the final draft charter to determine which components can be implemented through the City’s existing legislative or administrative authority. Below is a list of items that can be implemented in a general law city, as well as a tentative implementation timeline.
Potential Timeline Item
September 2026
Staff report summarizing actions
from the draft City charter that can
be adopted in a general law city.
Draft ordinance (introduction) to
increase City Council salary as
currently authorized in the Fremont
Municipal Code, and a draft
resolution to increase City Council
health benefits as authorized under
state law.
Draft ordinance (adoption) to
increase City Council salary as
authorized in the Fremont Municipal
Code.*
October 2026
Draft resolution amending the City
Council Handbook to authorize the
Mayor to place items on the City
Council agenda and to amend the
Council vacancy procedure.
November 2026
Staff report seeking Council
direction on whether to return in
2028 with a ballot measure to
increase term limits to three
consecutive four-year terms.
FY 2026/27 Mid-Year Budget
Update, including budget
adjustment to include an additional
0.5 FTE to support City Council. (1
FTE already included in current
adopted budget.)
Council Staff Report (ID # 5811) Meeting of September 1, 2026 Updated: 8/27/2026 1:10 PM by Alberto Quintanilla Page 3 Winter 2026/27
Staff report and draft ordinance
(introduction) authorizing the City
Council to confirm the City
Manager’s appointments of City
department heads.
Staff report and draft ordinance
(adoption) authorizing the City
Council to confirm the City
Manager’s appointments of City
department heads.
* This action has to be accomplished in September 2026 in order for members of the City Council to receive scheduled increases following the November 3, 2026, election.
If approved, each item above will come back separately to the City Council for an independent discussion and decision.
Fiscal Impact: At the time the recommendations were made, the net increase to the City’s annual, ongoing General Fund expenditures resulting from potential increases to the Mayor’s and Councilmembers’ health benefit allowance, and from the allocation of 1.5 full-time employees (FTE) to staff the Mayor and Councilmembers, was estimated to be $328,214. Since then, staff included one new FTE in the Fiscal Year 2026/2027 adopted operating budget to account for a portion of this cost. The resulting net ongoing increase to the City’s General Fund for the remaining costs is estimated at $161,872 annually.
Environmental Review: Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Governance and Organizational Modifications Presentation
Recommendation: Receive the staff report and provide direction on whether to proceed with the implementation of each action according to the proposed timeline.