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January 15, 2025
MINUTES OF THE
JOINT MEETING OF THE RULES AND OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE AND
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
SAN JOSÉ, CALIFORNIA WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2025
The Committee meeting was held in the Council Chambers, and convened at 2:02 p.m.
Present: Councilmembers - Cohen, Foley, Kamei, Doan, Candelas.
Absent: Councilmembers - None.
Staff: Assistant City Manager, Lee Wilcox; City Clerk’s Office, Megan Roche; Assistant City Attorney, Kevin Fisher; City Manager’s Office, Rachelle Blattman; and Deputy City Clerk, Daniel Aguilar.
A. City Council (City Clerk)
1. Review January 21, 2025 Final Agenda – Meeting Cancelled.
2. Review January 28, 2025 Draft Agenda.
a) Add New Items to Draft Agenda
b) Assign "Time Certain" to Agenda Items (if needed)
c) Review of Notice of Waiver Requirements for Agenda Items or Documents (if needed) Public Comment: None provided.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Pam Foley, seconded by Councilmember Bien Doan, and carried unanimously, the Committee approved the final agenda for the meeting on January 28, 2025. (5-0-0)
B. Consent Calendar
Public Comment: None provided.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Pam Foley, seconded by Vice Mayor Rosemary Kamei, and carried unanimously, the Consent Calendar was approved as a whole, with the below actions taken as indicated. (5-0-0)
1. Approve Monthly Report of Activities for December 2024. (City Auditor) The City Auditor’s Monthly Report of Activities for December 2024 was approved. -2
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January 15, 2025
C. Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals
1. Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget Priority Study Session. (Mayor) a) Amend the 2024-2025/2025-2026 City Budget Calendar to schedule a two-part Study Session following the regular City Council meeting on February 11, 2025, as follows:
i. 2025-2026 Budget Development: Preliminary General Fund Forecast and Impacts to Budget Priorities; and
ii. 2025-2026 Budget Development: Reducing Unsheltered Homelessness City Council Focus Area. b) Direct the City Manager to prepare an agenda to engage the City Council in a discussion of the preliminary outlook of the General Fund in 2025-2026, potential strategies to address the anticipated shortfall, and potential impacts to City services and tradeoffs that will be discussed during the 2025- 2026 Proposed Budget development process.
c) Direct the City Manager to prepare an agenda to engage the City Council in a strategic planning discussion with the Administration on the housing and shelter components of the Reducing Unsheltered Homelessness City Council Focus Area.
Public Comment: None provided.
Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Rosemary Kamei, seconded by Councilmember Foley, and carried unanimously, (a) the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget Study Session was approved, amending the 2024-2025/2025-2026 City Budget Calendar to schedule a two-part Study Session following the regular City Council meeting on February 11, 2025; and directing the City Manager to (b) prepare an agenda to engage the City Council in a discussion of the preliminary outlook of the General Fund in 2025-2026, potential strategies to address the anticipated shortfall, and potential impacts to City services and tradeoffs that will be discussed during the 2025-2026 Proposed Budget development process, and (c) to prepare an agenda to engage the City Council in a strategic planning discussion with the Administration on the housing and shelter components of the Reducing Unsheltered Homelessness City Council Focus Area. (5-0-0)
2. Request for Informational Memorandum on Actions to Protect San José Residents from Harms Proposed by Incoming U.S. Presidential Administration. (Ortiz, Campos, Cohen, and Candelas)
1. Direct the Office of Racial and Social Equity and the Office of Administration, Policy, and Intergovernmental Relations to provide the City Council with an informational memorandum detailing:
a. Existing efforts and options to preserve and strengthen the Rapid Response Network and possible actions to expand its reach into the most vulnerable communities in the City; b. Initial activity and additional options, as appropriate for public disclosure, that the City Administration is undertaking or could undertake to protect the rights of all San José residents in the face of ongoing threats from the incoming presidential administration.
2. Direct the City Manager to prepare a Manager’s Budget Addendum outlining additional funding needed to provide communities with legal assistance and other support services, along with options to strengthen the City’s response.
3. Return to the City Council with a resolution reaffirming the City’s commitment to preserving the safety and dignity of all its residents, regardless of national origin or legal status:
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January 15, 2025
a. Add the draft resolution of the City Council of the City of San José protecting the rights and safety of immigrant communities to the City Council Agenda. b. Authorize the City Attorney’s Office to make such formatting and non-substantive changes and additions as it deems appropriate or necessary.
4. Direct the City Manager to coordinate the above efforts with the on-going efforts of the County of Santa Clara, including the Office of the County Executive, County Counsel and Office of Immigrant Relations, and relevant community stakeholders, including the Rapid Response Network.
Councilmember Peter Ortiz introduced the January 8, 2025, joint memorandum co-authored by Councilmember Ortiz, Councilmember Campos, Councilmember Cohen, and Councilmember Candelas.
Due to the high volume of speaker cards submitted, Chair David Cohen announced that public comments would be limited to 90 seconds for the Item.
Public Comment: Fred Buzo, Misrayn Mendoza, Uriel M., Sameena Usman, Jeremy Barousse, Amanda, Ofisa, Jeffrey B., Cindy Bautista, Dilza Gonzales, Tony Romero, Carmen Torres, Liyon, Laisha Martinez, Cynthia Chagolla, Gabriel Manrique, Socorro Montano, Carlos A., Kim Guptill, Olivia Ortiz, Citlali Martinez, Samantha Rojas, Kylie Clark, (assisted by in-person translator) Maria Bello, (assisted by in-person translator) Zenaeda Munuz, (assisted by in-person translator) Guadalupe Sanchez, (assisted by in-person translator) Cecilio Vallafana, Estela Hernandez, Yurina Guzman, Sagrario Garcia, Eloisa, Damanis Estrada, Veronica, Karla Coyoc, Teresita Garcia, and Donna Furuta offered public comment.
Motion: Vice Mayor Rosemary Kamei moved approval of the Request for Informational Memorandum on Actions to Protect San José Residents from Harms Proposed by Incoming U.S.
Presidential Administration. Councilmember Pam Foley seconded the motion.
Friendly Amendment: Councilmember David Cohen requested to move recommendations 1, 2, and 4 for approval from of the joint memorandum co-authored by Councilmembers Ortiz, Campos, Cohen, and Candelas, dated, January 8, 2025; and return with recommendation 3 to the February 4, 2025 City Council meeting for action. The friendly amendment was accepted by the maker of the motion and seconder.
Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Rosemary Kamei, seconded by Councilmember Pam Foley, and carried unanimously, the Office of Racial and Social Equity and the Office of Administration, Policy, and Intergovernmental Relations were directed to provide the City Council with an informational memorandum regarding actions to protect San José residents from harms proposed by incoming U.S.
Presidential Administration.
Including Acceptance of only recommendations 1, 2, and 4 of the joint memorandum co-authored by Councilmembers Ortiz, Campos, Cohen, and Candelas, dated, January 8, 2025 recommending:
1. Direct the Office of Racial and Social Equity and the Office of Administration, Policy, and Intergovernmental Relations to provide the City Council with an informational memorandum detailing:
a. Existing efforts and options to preserve and strengthen the Rapid Response Network and possible actions to expand its reach into the most vulnerable communities in the City; b. Initial activity and additional options, as appropriate for public disclosure, that the City Administration is undertaking or could undertake to protect the rights of all San José residents -4
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January 15, 2025
in the face of ongoing threats from the incoming presidential administration.
2. Direct the City Manager to prepare a Manager’s Budget Addendum outlining additional funding needed to provide communities with legal assistance and other support services, along with options to strengthen the City’s response.
3. Return to the City Council with a resolution reaffirming the City’s commitment to preserving the safety and dignity of all its residents, regardless of national origin or legal status:
a. Add the draft Resolution of the City Council of the City of San José Protecting the Rights and Safety of Immigrant Communities to the City Council Agenda. b. Authorize the City Attorney’s Office to make such formatting and nonsubstantive changes and additions as it deems appropriate or necessary.
(Recommendation 3 was cross-referenced to the February 4, 2025 City Council meeting for action.)
4. Direct the City Manager to coordinate the above efforts with the on-going efforts of the County of Santa Clara, including the Office of the County Executive, County Counsel and Office of Immigrant Relations, and relevant community stakeholders, including the Rapid Response Network. (5-0-0) D. Open Forum
None provided.
E. Adjournment
Councilmember Cohen adjourned the Committee meeting at 3:11 p.m.
Minutes Recorded, Prepared, and Respectfully Submitted by, ______________________________________
Daniel Aguilar
Deputy City Clerk, City of San José
Approved at Council on: 8/19/2025
Number of actions: 4
Attest by:
______________________________________
Toni J. Taber, MMC
City Clerk, City of San José