April 21, 2026 Item # 5
Governance &
Ethics Committee
Action on the 2026 City
Council Priority Setting
Session Framework
1852 (Deferred from April 7, 2026)
THE MISSION CIT
Maria Le, Assistant to the City Manager
Agenda Item 5 (#26-387)
April 21, 2026
City of
Santa Clara
Tha Conter of Whats Possible
Background
• Current Process:
• Annual City Council Priority Sessions
• Goal: Establish citywide priorities and initiatives
for upcoming fiscal year
• 2024 & 2025 Council Priority Sessions
- Consultant Raftelis selected as meeting facilitator
- In 2024, Priority Areas of Focus with Strategic Outcomes were established • 2026 Council Priority Sessions
- Discussed proposed framework at Governance and Ethics Committee on March 30, 2026
POST MEETING MATERIAL
1 April 21, 2026 Item #5
City of
Santa Clara
Components of 2026 Process
Status on 2025/26
Priorities Budget Update
Priority Setting -
Council Identifies Public Comment
Top Priorities
Conflict Resolution Dashboard for
Training Progress Updates
Committee's Proposed Framework
Component Annual Priority Setting Sessions 2026 Priority Setting Session Forum Retreat (multi-day, breakout Same
sessions)
Schedule January - June (early in the year, May TBD 2026 - 1st initial session (Staff aligned with the budget process) led, no consultant)
May 27, 2026 - 2nd session (with
consultant)
Timeframe At least one session held from Same
afternoon into the evening
Community • Scientific Survey Same except:
Engagement • Commissions, Boards, • Commissions, Boards, Committees to Committees to submit 1-2 be surveyed rather than submittin priorities for consideration items directly
• Public Comment periods
• Hybrid (Zoom and in-person)
Bolded Blue = Committee Recommendations
2 April 21, 2026 Item # 5
Committee's Proposed Framework (continued)
Component Annual Priority Setting Sessions | 2026 Priority Setting Session Council • Submit priorities in advance (3 Same
Priorities weeks)
• Staff analysis prior to meeting
• At least 1 priority per
Councilmember on final list
• Final priorities ranked by City
Council
Facilitator Pre-session meeting with each Same
Councilmember
Reporting Dashboard to track priorities and status Same & 6-month check in
Old Priorities • Update on completed and ongoing • Distribute 2024 priorities to priorities Council
• Update on completed and ongoing
priorities
Bolded Blue = Committee Recommendations
City of
Santa Clara
Thu Center of What's Possible
Recommendation
• Approve the 2026 City Council Priority Setting
Session Framework and Annual City Council
Priority Setting Session Framework
3