City of Santa Clara
Meeting Minutes
Governance and Ethics Committee
Draft
10:00 AM City Hall – Council Chambers
1500 Warburton Avenue
Santa Clara, CA 95050
05/21/2026
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 Jain called the meeting to order at 10:04 a..m.
Present 3 - Member Raj Chahal, Chair Suds Jain, and Member Kevin Park
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. 26-548 Approval of the April 13, 2026 Governance and Ethics Committee Special Meeting Minutes
Recommendation: Approval of the April 13, 2026 Governance and Ethics Committee Special Meeting Minutes
Staff Maria Le pulled the item to approve the minutes for the April 13, 2026 Governance and Ethics Committee meeting. Staff stated the minutes should note the action during the work plan item to include the Committee's approval for bringing an Internet Disruption Policy, as part of a requirement of SB707 , directly to the City Council and the item will not be brought to the Governance and Ethics Committee first. Staff will revise the minutes and bring back to the next Committee meeting for approval.
05/21/2026Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
Member of the Public Anthony Becker requested the Committee consider action on updating the City's YouTube channel to organize the meeting videos and to consider adding ticker to include agenda item titles.
He added the items for Special Order of Business on the agenda are busy and to consider consolidating items in order to allow agenda items to be completed, and stated City Council meetings have a certain stop time and its a challenge to get all agenda items done.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Chair Suds Jain stated we would take Item 3 - Discussion and Possible Action on Updates to Council Policy 042 ("Reconsideration of Council Action") first on the agenda due to the City Attorney needing to leave for another meeting.
Committee Member Park asked a general question to what the protocol is moving an agenda item. City Attorney Glen Googins stated the rearrangement of agenda items is typically proposed by the Presiding Officer.
2. 26-574
Discussion and Action on Proposed Special Meeting Scheduling Policy Recommendation: Approve the proposed Special Meeting Scheduling Policy, with any revisions directed by the Committee, and forward the Policy to the full City Council for consideration and adoption.
This item was continued to the next Governance and Ethics Committee meeting and was not heard due to the meeting ending. City Manager Jovan Grogan stated we are currently starting to poll for additional special meetings if needed per month.
05/21/2026Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
3. 26-573 Discussion and Possible Action on Updates to Council Policy 042 ("Reconsideration of Council Action")
Recommendation: Discuss and provide direction to staff on any proposed modifications to Council Policy 042 (“Reconsideration of Council Action”) City Attorney Glen Googins presented on the item to discuss Council Policy 042 ("Reconsideration of Council Action") and provided a presentation on the current policy and a summary of the steps outlined in the policy to request a reconsideration of a Council action.
The Committee had a robust discussion on the Council Policy 042.
Committee Member Park asked about what language was redundant in the current policy. City Attorney Googins responded there was repeated language in different sections of the policy which could be cleaned up.
Committee Member Chahal requested the need for clarification on the definition of prevailing party in the policy. He noted in Robert's Rules of Order and Rosenberg Rules have language that could be considered for clarity purposes and referred to a table from an article by Angie McFarlane about Robert Sue defining prevailing party. Chair Jain requested the policy update consider the prevailing party be based on the actual event, e.
g. if something failed, the people who voted against it are the prevailing party.
Committee Member Park motioned that staff bring back a proposed Council Policy 042 to add clarity on prevailing party and including a table, defining scenarios, add clarity on the difference between who can make a request versus who can make the motion, meaning anyone can make the request, and not to remove information unless there justification.
Aye: Member Chahal, Chair Jain, and Member Park3 -
STAFF REPORT
None.
COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS / FUTURE REFERRALS FOR CONSIDERATION Chair Jain mentioned the list of referrals for consideration for the work plan. Committee Member Park mentioned the need for more meetings to complete work plan items. City Manager Grogan noted staff are working to bring the draft of the comprehensive City Council Policy manual for Committee review.
05/21/2026Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting Minutes
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned 12:20 p.m.
The next regularly scheduled Governance and Ethics Committee meeting will be held on June 1, 2026 at Santa Clara City Hall - Council Chambers.
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.