Approved January 15, 2026
Thursday, December 18, 2025, at 6:00 P.M.
Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, California
Present: Mayor Kavita Tankha, Vice Mayor Rajiv Bhateja, Council Member Stanley Mok, Council Member Linda Swan, Council Member George Tyson
Absent: None
Staff: Acting City Manager Cody Einfalt, Public Works Director WooJae Kim, Community Development Director Jay Bradford, Finance Director Thomas Leung, and City Clerk Arika Birdsong-Miller
CALL TO ORDER (6:00 P.M.)
Mayor Tankha called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Mayor Kavita Tankha, Vice Mayor Rajiv Bhateja, Council Member Stanley Mok, Council Member Linda Swan, and Council Member Tyson were present.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
1. AGENDA REVIEW
The agenda was approved as presented.
2. PRESENTATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS
A. Appointment to the Los Altos Hills Finance and Investment Committee Vice Mayor Bhateja made a motion to appoint Vatsal Sonecha to the Finance and Investment Committee. Council Member Tyson seconded the motion. APPROVED, VOTE 5-0
B. Presentation Honoring Los Altos Hills 2025 Lifetime Volunteer Award Recipients Mayor Kavita Tankha presented the 2025 Lifetime Volunteer Award to Valerie Metcalfe, Patricia Radlo, Roddy Sloss, and Sue Welch.
C. Presentation Honoring Los Altos Hills Legacy of Service Award Mayor Kavita Tankha presented the Legacy of Service Award to Jitze and Nancy Couperus.
3. PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR
There were no public comments.
4. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS (items provided solely for informational purposes) A. Treasurer’s Report – This item was provided solely for informational purposes.
B. Disbursement Report - This item was provided solely for informational purposes.
5. CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Resolution of the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills Approving and Authorizing the Execution of Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement for City Attorney Services between the Town of Los Altos Hills and Redwood Public Law LLP.
Acting City Manager Cody Einfalt presented a report recommending that the City Council adopt a resolution approving Amendment No. 1 to the City Attorney Services Agreement with Redwood Public Law, LLP. He explained that Redwood Public Law has provided City Attorney services to the Town since March 2024 and has continued to provide services under the same compensation structure despite increased staffing and operational costs.
Mr. Einfalt noted that the proposed amendment would increase the monthly general counsel retainer from $13,465 to $14,777, representing a 9 percent increase, and would adjust hourly rates for special services, cost recovery matters, litigation, and paralegal work. He further explained that the amendment formalizes an increase in the estimated monthly retainer hours from 40 to 50 hours to more accurately reflect the level of services being provided.
He advised that the proposed rate adjustments would take effect on January 1, 2026, and that the associated costs can be absorbed within the existing City Attorney services budget without requiring additional appropriations. Staff will continue to monitor expenditures and report any material variances through the regular budget review process.
Public Comment:
1. John O’Connell, resident of Los Altos Hills, stated that because the item had been discussed in Closed Session, the public had limited information regarding the agreement. He requested that an update be provided outlining the agreement and the proposed changes prior to the item being considered on the Consent Calendar.
Vice Mayor Bhateja made a motion to approve the Resolution of the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills Approving and Authorizing the Execution of Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement for City Attorney Services between the Town of Los Altos Hills and Redwood Public Law LLP. Council Member Mok seconded the motion.
APPROVED, VOTE 5-0
MOTION PASSED: 5-0
AYES: Tankha, Bhateja, Mok, Swan, Tyson
NOES: None
RECUSE: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
6. SPECIAL ITEMS
A. Recognition of Mayor Kavita Tankha
Vice Mayor Bhateja thanked Mayor Tankha for her leadership and presented her with a plaque recognizing her Mayoral term.
Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga presented accommodation on behalf of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to Mayor Tankha.
B. City Council Reorganization
1. Election of New Mayor and Administration of Oath of Office Council Member Swan made a motion to appoint Vice Mayor Bhateja as Mayor.
Council Member Tyson seconded the motion. APPROVED, VOTE 5-0 MOTION PASSED: 5-0
AYES: Tankha, Bhateja, Mok, Swan, Tyson
NOES: None
RECUSE: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
2. Election of New Vice Mayor and Administration of Oath of Office Council Member Tyson self-nominated for the position of Vice Mayor.
Council Member Swan self-nominated for the position of Vice Mayor.
Public Comments:
1. Tina Walia, Vice Mayor of the City of Saratoga, addressed the City Council to offer congratulations to outgoing Mayor Kavita Tankha and incoming Mayor Rajiv Bhateja and Vice Mayor. She spoke to the strong working relationship between the City of Saratoga and the Town of Los Altos Hills, noting shared regional issues such as disaster preparedness, wildfire concerns, climate change, and law enforcement coordination. Vice Mayor Walia expressed appreciation for the collaborative efforts among regional jurisdictions and conveyed her respect and best wishes to the City Council.
2. Sergio Lopez, Council Member of the City of Campbell, Chair of the Valley Transportation Authority and President of the League of California Cities Peninsula Division, addressed the City Council to offer congratulations to outgoing Mayor Kavita Tankha and express appreciation for her leadership and service. He spoke to the strong sense of community in Los Altos Hills and emphasized the importance of preserving the Town’s character. Council Member Lopez expressed his support for continued regional collaboration and stated his willingness to work with the Town on shared priorities, including infrastructure funding, wildfire preparedness, and regional advocacy efforts.
3. Joan Denler, introduced a colleague from Assemblymember Berman’s office, Kevin Fong, and stated that she was representing Senator Josh Becker. She conveyed congratulations to the incoming Mayor, thanked the outgoing Mayor, and expressed appreciation for the City Council’s service to the Town of Los Altos Hills. Ms. Denler stated that the Senator’s office looks forward to continuing recent discussions with the Town and remains available for further coordination.
4. Allan Epstein, a Los Altos Hills resident, emphasized the importance of adhering to the Town’s established process for Council appointments. He stated that following the process helps avoid decisions based on personalities or perceived quid pro quo and referenced prior Council actions where the process was followed despite controversy. Mr. Epstein stated his view that the established process should be followed this year and that Council Member Tyson should be selected as Vice Mayor. He further noted that both candidates were qualified and experienced and expressed that maintaining the established process would help minimize controversy and provide continuity.
5. John O’Connell, a Los Altos Hills resident, stated that it is important for the City Council to solicit and consider resident input on difficult topics. He spoke to his experience interacting with Council Member Tyson, noting that while they have not always agreed, he found Council Member Tyson to be accessible, considerate, and willing to listen. Mr. O’Connell referenced a prior Council matter in which Council Member Tyson helped resolve a potential stalemate by working across differing viewpoints. He expressed his agreement with prior public comments that the established process should be followed and stated his view that Council Member Tyson should be selected as Vice Mayor.
6. The Vice Mayor of the Town of Portola Valley addressed the City Council to offer congratulations to the outgoing Mayor and the incoming Mayor and Vice Mayor. She spoke to the strong relationship between Portola Valley and Los Altos Hills and expressed appreciation for Council Member Linda Swan’s regional representation through the League of California Cities. The Vice Mayor noted that while she did not wish to weigh in on the Town’s decision, she shared her perspective that serving effectively as Vice Mayor requires time and experience.
7. Yen Zhao, Council Member of the City of Saratoga addressed the City Council to offer congratulations to the incoming Mayor and to thank outgoing Mayor Kavita Tankha for her years of service. She noted that the City of Saratoga has experienced similar leadership decisions and acknowledged the difficulty of the process. Council Member Zhao expressed her support for the City Council’s decision and stated that both candidates were qualified to serve, wishing the Council well moving forward.
8. Jim Waschura, a Los Altos Hills resident, addressed the City Council and stated that while both potential candidates were highly qualified, he agreed with prior comments emphasizing adherence to the established process. He referenced Council Member Tyson’s effectiveness in advancing significant infrastructure improvements and expressed his view that Council Member Tyson’s engagement and leadership, particularly on housing-related issues, would be beneficial to the Town.
Council Member Mok made a motion to appoint Council Member Tyson to serve a sixmonth term as Vice Mayor, followed by Council Member Swan for the subsequent sixmonth term. Mayor Bhateja seconded the motion. APPROVED, VOTE 5-0 MOTION PASSED: 5-0
AYES: Bhateja, Mok, Swan, Tankha, Tyson
NOES: None
RECUSE: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
7. ADJOURN
Mayor Bhateja adjourned the meeting at 7:26 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Arika Birdsong-Miller