City of Santa Clara
Meeting Minutes
Governance and Ethics Committee
1:00 PM City Hall – Council Chambers / Hybrid
1500 Warburton Avenue
Santa Clara, CA 95050
03/04/2024
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Chair Chahal called the meeting to order at 1:01 p.m.
Chair Raj Chahal, Member Suds Jain, and Member Kevin ParkPresent 3 -
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. 24-240 Approval of the December 4, 2023 Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the minutes of the December 4, 2023 Governance and Ethics Committee meeting
Committee Member Jain motioned and seconded by Committee Member Park to approve the December 4, 2023 minutes.
Aye: Chair Chahal, Member Jain, and Member Park3 -
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
No public presentations were made.
GENERAL BUSINESS
03/04/2024Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
2. 24-988 Review and Discussion on Email Retention Policy Recommendation: Consider and Direct Staff to Develop Possible Modifications to the City’s Email Retention Policy for City Council and Potentially other forms of City Council communications, for ultimate Consideration for Approval by the City Council
Staff presented information on the current email retention policy for City emails which is currently 90 days. The Committee discussed options to move from 90 days to two year retention policy for City Councilmembers.
Committee Member Jain also brought up text messaging retention and storage. Staff shall return to a future Committee meeting with additional information in regards to text messaging.
The Committee directed staff to bring forth to the full Council the recommendation to change email retention for City
Councilmemebers from 90 days to two years.
3. 24-1267 Report and Request for Direction on Proposed Amendments to SCSC Chapter 2.155 (“Regulation of Lobbying Activities”) and SCSC Chapter
2.160 (“Calendars of Certain City Officials”) to Better Align the Requirements
Recommendation: Provide direction on the proposed amendments to SCSC Chapter 2.155 (“Regulation of Lobbying Activities”) and SCSC Chapter 2.160 (“Calendars of Certain City Officials”).
Staff presented information regarding proposed amendments to SCSC Chapter 2.155 and SCSC Chapter 2.160. The Committee had a discussion on the staffing needs for regulation and enforcement of the Lobbying Ordinance. Staff will return to a future Committee meeting with a staffing analysis and conduct benchmarking to review other jurisdiction's ordinances.
03/04/2024Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes 24-244. Review and Discussion on Council Policy 020 (“Proclamations, Commendations and Certificates of Recognition”) and Council Policy 009 (“City Representation at Meetings, Ceremonies and Special Events”) Recommendation: Make Recommendations, if any, to amend Council Policy 020 (“Proclamations, Commendations and Certificates of Recognition”) and amend Council Policy 009 (“City Representation at Meetings, Ceremonies and Special Events”), for further development by staff if necessary/appropriate, for the ultimate consideration by City Council Staff presented information on the current procedures for Council Policy 020 (“Proclamations, Commendations and Certificates of Recognition”) and Council Policy 009 (“City Representation at Meetings, Ceremonies and Special Events”) which included benchmarking and procedures from nearby cities. The Committee discussed options to amending the policy to include Council District recognition from City Councilmembers and the addition of City Councilmembers' signatures on recognition items.
Staff presented the current procedures for Council Policy 009 (“City Representation at Meetings, Ceremonies and Special Events”). The Committee discussed options to allow City Councilmembers to address the public as a speaker, in addition to the Mayor for ceremonial events.
Based on the Committee feedback, staff will return to a future Committee meeting with options for further review and discussion on amending Council Policy 020 and Council Policy 009.
5. 24-233 Action on the 2024 Governance and Ethics Committee Workplan Recommendation: Approve the 2024 Governance and Ethics Committee Workplan with any additional amendments.
Staff presented the tentative Governance and Ethics Committee workplan for 2024. Committee members brought forth additional items for consideration for the workplan. Member of the public Tom Shanks noted the workplan should include an item on Ethics. Staff will return to the next Committee meeting with a revised workplan based on the feedback.
Committee member Jain motioned and Chair Chahal seconded the motion to approve recommended Governance and Ethics Workplan.
Aye: Chair Chahal, and Member Jain2 -
Excused: Member Park1 -
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6. 24-258 Discussion Regarding the Start Time of City Council/Stadium Authority, Special and Closed Session Meetings
Recommendation: Discuss current practices for scheduling closed sessions or special meetings, and provide feedback on potential changes, if any, to the process for consideration by the City Council.
Staff provided information on the process to determine start times for City Council
meetings and Closed sessions, including procedures to poll the City Councilmembers for availability. The Committee made no action on this item.
STAFF REPORT
None.
COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS / FUTURE REFERRALS FOR CONSIDERATION None.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Chahal adjourned the meeting at 3:01 p.m.
03/04/2024Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
MEETING DISCLOSURES
The time limit within which to commence any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City is governed by Section 1094.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, unless a shorter limitation period is specified by any other provision. Under Section 1094.6, any lawsuit or legal challenge to any
quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City must be filed no later than the 90th day following the date on which such decision becomes final. Any lawsuit or legal challenge, which is not filed within that 90-day period, will be barred. If a person wishes to challenge the nature of the above section in court, they may be limited to raising only those issues they or someone else raised at the meeting described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Santa Clara, at or prior to the meeting. In addition, judicial challenge may be limited or barred where the interested party has not sought and exhausted all available administrative remedies.
If a member of the public submits a speaker card for any agenda items, their name will appear in the Minutes. If no speaker card is submitted, the Minutes will reflect "Public Speaker."
In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), the City of Santa Clara will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities, and will ensure that all existing facilities will be made accessible to the maximum extent feasible. The City of Santa Clara will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities including those with speech, hearing, or vision impairments so they can participate equally in the City’s programs, services, and activities. The City of Santa Clara will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities.
Agendas and other written materials distributed during a public meeting that are public record will be made available by the City in an appropriate alternative format. Contact the City Clerk’s Office at 1 408-615-2220 with your request for an alternative format copy of the agenda or other written materials.
Individuals who require an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or any other disability- related modification of policies or procedures, or other accommodation, in order to participate in a program, service, or activity of the City of Santa Clara, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at 408-615-3000 as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.