COUNCIL AGENDA : 2/24/2026
FILE : 26-195
ITEM : 2.14
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND FROM: Toni J. Taber, MMC
CITY COUNCIL City Clerk
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: February 18, 2026
SUBJECT: Approval of the Free Use of City Hall Wing Committee Rooms and Waiver of Gross Admission Receipts Percentage Fee for the Sister Cities International Spring Leadership Meeting Sponsored by Council District 9 as a City Council Sponsored Special Event to Expend City Funds and Accept Donations of Materials and Services for the Event
Recommendation
As recommended by the Rules and Open Government Committee on February 18, 2026:
(a) Adopt a resolution authorizing “Free Use” and Waiver of Gross Admission Receipts Percentage Fee for the private, ticketed Sister Cities International 2026 Spring Leadership Meeting event held at City Hall Wing Committee Rooms on March 7, 2026, hosted by Vice Mayor Foley’s Office.
(b) Approve the Sister Cities International Spring Leadership Meeting on March 7, 2026 as a City Council Sponsored Special Event and approve the expenditure of funds. (c) Approve and accept donations from various individuals, businesses or community groups to support the event.
CEQA: Not a Project, File No. PP17-011, Temporary Special Events resulting in no changes to the physical environment. (Foley)
[Rules Committee referral 2/18/2026 - Item B.4]
RULES AGENDA: 02/18//2026
ITEM: B.4
Vice Mayor Pam Foley HONORABLE MAYOR AND
CITY COUNCIL
TO: FROM:
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: 2/12/2026
Approved Date
SUBJECT: Approval of Free Use of City Hall Wing Committee Rooms on Saturday, March 7, 2026, and Waiver of Gross Admission Receipts Percentage Fee for the Sister Cities International Spring Leadership Meeting sponsored by Council District 9 as a City Council Sponsored Special Event to Expend City Funds and Accept Donations of Materials and Services for the Event.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt a resolution authorizing “Free Use” and Waiver of Gross Admission Receipts Percentage Fee for the private, ticketed Sister Cities International 2026 Spring Leadership Meeting event held at City Hall Wing Committee Rooms on Saturday, March 7, 2026, hosted by Vice Mayor Foley’s Office;
2. Approve the Sister Cities International Spring Leadership Meeting (March 7, 2026) as a City Council Sponsored Special Event and approve the expenditure of funds; and
3. Approve and accept donations from various individuals, businesses, or community groups to support the event; and
4. Place the item on the February 24, 2026 City Council Agenda for action.
BACKGROUND
In June 2019, the City adopted the Schedule of Fees Resolution No. 79138, Section
13.080 for free use of the City Hall facilities and Plaza. Presently, the resolution allows the City Council and City departments to have “Free Use” of the facilities for those events that 1) qualify as official city business; 2) are free and open to the public; 3) occur on a Sunday through Friday; and 4) are booked 30 days in advance. The Mayor’s Office 02/12/2026
and each Council Office may each use up to seven free uses per calendar year while City departments may each use up to five free uses per calendar year. Resolution No. 79138 does not apply to free use requests for Saturday events or for private, ticketed events that are not free and open to the public and as such City Council approval is required to authorize free use for the Sister Cities International Spring Leadership Meeting on Saturday, March 7, 2026.
Sister Cities International Spring Leadership Meeting will be held on March 7, 2026 in the Wing Committee Rooms at City Hall.
ANALYSIS
The City of San José has been a member of Sister Cities International since approximately 1961 and has 8 Sister Cities: Okayama, Japan (1957); San Jose, Costa Rica (1961), Veracruz, Mexico (1975); Tainan, Taiwan (1977); Dublin, Ireland (1986); Pune, India (1992); Ekaterinburg, Russia (1992) and Guadalajara, Mexico (2014). Each sister city affiliation is part of San José’s rich history and represents a bond between the city and people of San José with the city and people of our sister city.
Additionally, Vice Mayor Foley currently sits as an at-large Board Member of the Sister Cities International Board of Directors. Hosting the Sister Cities Spring Leadership Meeting at City Hall qualifies as Official City Business because Sister Cities International’s activities impact City operations, services, projects, programs and policies. The organization’s mission aligns with the City Council’s goals and supports economic development and community advancement.
The purpose of this meeting is for Sister Cities International to come together to help attract investment, promote tourism, and advance shared initiatives that enhance the City of San José’s overall community well-being. This event is expected to significantly benefit the community if scheduled on a Saturday as it would enhance attendance of participants requiring international travel.
Approval for this event’s free use designation is required because the event will be a private, ticketed event with a registration price of $150. Approval by the City Council of the event will ensure compliance with the Council’s prior direction regarding Council Special Events. In observance of existing fundraising disclosure requirements, Councilmember Pam Foley will report any cash or in-kind donations received for the event on their Disclosure of Fundraising Report (DFR-1). Approval of this memorandum will enable Council District 9, City departments, and the Office of the City Clerk to proceed with the event. Any cash donations received will be processed pursuant to the City’s normal financial and budgetary procedures.
The Sister Cities International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, cooperation-one individual, one community at a time. With established sister city relationships in Dublin, Ireland and Okayama, Japan, sister city relationships provide mutual benefits to communities far
beyond traditional one-off exchanges—they reach every part of their community and improve quality of life.
COST SUMMARY/IMPLICATIONS
The total cost of this event is $2,228.43 which will be paid by Sister Cities International.
There was no loss of 4th Street parking garage revenue due to the event being held on the weekend when parking is free at the 4th Street garage. Each year Council Office is allotted seven free uses for events qualifying for free use. Approval of this action will go towards the remaining free uses for Council Office 9.
Event Captain: $353.40
Free Use Application Fee: $100.00
Electrician Supervisor (Setup and Takedown): $549.27
Facility Set-up and Take Down: $515.10
Weekend Cleaning Fee: $350.00
Good Guard Security: $420.66
Total: $2,228.43
The City will also incur a loss of revenue from the 5% gross ticket admission receipts for Non-Profit Users, estimated at $562.50.
PUBLIC OUTREACH/INTEREST
The Office of the City Clerk will post the item on the City’s Website for the February 18, 2026 Rules Committee Agenda and the February 24, 2026 City Council Agenda.
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-011, Temporary Special Events resulting in no changes to the physical environment.
Reviewed by:
TONI J. TABER, CMC
City Clerk
For questions, please contact Toni Taber, City Clerk, at (408) 535-1260.