City of Santa Clara
Meeting Minutes
Governance and Ethics Committee
10:00 AM City Hall – Council Chambers
1500 Warburton Avenue
Santa Clara, CA 95050
10/30/2025
Special Meeting
The City of Santa Clara is conducting Governance and Ethics Committee meetings in-person and continues to have methods for the public to participate remotely or in-person.
• Via Zoom: https://santaclaraca.zoom.us/j/98559951444
• Webinar ID: 985 5995 1444
• By phone: +1 669 444 9171
To submit written public comment before meeting:
Send email to [email protected] by 10 a.m. one day before the date of the meeting. Emails will be forwarded to Committee members and will be uploaded as supplemental meeting material.
Note: Emails received as public comment will not be read aloud during the meeting.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Chair Suds Jain called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m.
Member Raj Chahal, Chair Suds Jain, and Member Kevin ParkPresent 3 -
CONSENT CALENDAR
10/30/2025Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
1. 25-1544 Approval of the September 8, 2025 Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the minutes of the September 8, 2025 Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting
Chair Jain proposed revisions to the minutes of the September 8, 2025 including: 1) Fix titles for Chair Jain and Member Chahal, 2) Reference additional details of the discussion regarding Council Policy 043 regarding circumstances when itemized receipts were not available, a request may be made to approve reimbursements up to the maximum GSA rate for travel.
Member Raj Chahal motioned to approve the minutes for September 8, 2025 with the revisions. The motion was seconded by Member Kevin Park and approved by the Committee.
Aye: Member Chahal, Chair Jain, and Member Park3 -
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
Member of the public Wanda Buck commented that the Ethics program was voted on in 2024 has not yet been presented in 2025 on today's agenda. Also, Wanda noted why there is an urgency for ticket provisions for events.
City Manager Jovan Grogan responded the consultant working on the Ethics documents and the efforts to look into the possibility of establishing an Ethics Committee was scheduled for a prior Committee meeting, however, was unavailable due to illness. The Ethics item is scheduled to be heard at the December 1, 2025 meeting.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Chair Jain moved the Item on Discussion on Council Policy 050 (Gifts to Elected and Appointed Officials) ahead of the Item for Consideration and Possible Action on a Proposed New Council Policy for Ticket Distribution to City Officials.
10/30/2025Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
2. 25-1576 Discussion on Council Policy 050 [Gifts to Elected and Appointed Officials] Recommendation: Provide input to staff on the existing Gift Policy and direct staff to return with specific proposed changes consistent with this direction for Committee review and consideration
City Attorney Glen Googins provided an overview of the current Council Policy 050 (Gifts to Elected Officials) to seek initial feedback and further direction from the Committee.
City Attorney Googins provided background of the updates to Council Policy 050 in 2018 which added a list of factors City officials had to consider in deciding whether to accept gifts, required any gift accepted of less than $50 be disclosed at a public meeting, and noted that most terms of the City's gift policy are restatements of applicable state law. The presentation noted other approaches vary among other jurisdictions on a gift policy, and some cities may have a policy or some do not have a policy and defer to state law.
Committee members discussed the current policy and proposed the following for consideration in the policy: clear definition of independent expenditures, determine if gifts received in a business capacity are allowable, the Levine Act, applying the policy to individuals at the City who must complete a Form 700, define exemptions, defining events that provide food, raffle prizes, favors, etc.
City Attorney Googins stated he will return to the Committee with a summary of proposed factors for consideration for the Gift Policy.
Member of the Public Wanda Buck stated she took offense to comments that her input was not a representation of the City about ethics.
10/30/2025Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
3. 25-1543 Consideration and Possible Action on a Proposed New Council Policy for Ticket Distribution to City Officials
Recommendation: Approve for presentation to the City Council the proposed Council Policy for Ticket Distribution to City Officials, in the form presented, with such modifications as the Committee may authorize or direct.
Assistant to the City Manager Maria Le presented on the proposed Council Policy (Ticket Distribution for City Officials). The presentation included proposed guidelines and procedures for the acceptance, distribution and reporting of event tickets or passes received by the City for use by City officials, Councilmembers, and designated employees. The presentation included accountability measures to ensure ticket distributions serve City-related public purposes, are properly documented and publicly disclosed through the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) regulations and state laws.
Committee members discussed the proposed policy and considered factors such as: City sponsor more events to fill tables at community events; develop a lottery system to provide free tickets to employees; community groups,;City sponsoring events through the policy; a process to offer tickets to Councilmembers based on priority of Committee assignments; establishing potential district budgets for purchasing for event ticket in City capacity.
Member of the public Wanda Buck stated that disclosure of gifts to the public should consider allowing larger amounts.
Chair Jain motioned to approve staff’s recommendation for a new Council Policy ("Ticket Distribution for City Officials") with an amendment directing that when tickets are available in limited quantities, priority be given to City officials whose committee assignments and/or policy responsibilities are directly related to the subject matter of the event. The motion was seconded by Member Park and approved.
Aye: Member Chahal, Chair Jain, and Member Park3 -
10/30/2025Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
STAFF REPORT
Staff provided updates on questions from the last meeting including: 1) Response to State of the City 2024 inquiry from Committee Member Park about why it did not occur and no response was provided. Staff confirmed the City returned with a response on the question about State of the City at the November 14, 2024 City Council meeting. 2) Requested information on how to correct media reporting, staff shared City website for media corrections and clarifications which focuses on City business matters. 3) Responded to the requested process for all emails received in the Mayor and Council inbox should be forwarded to the full Council, which is reviewed and distributed by City staff.
COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS/ FUTURE REFERRALS FOR CONSIDERATION None.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Jain adjourned the meeting at 12:33 p.m.
Adjourned