City of Sunnyvale
Meeting Minutes
Council Subcommittee on Boards and
Commissions
4:00 PM Online and Council Chambers, City Hall,
456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086
(607 All America Way for map directions)
Monday, January 23, 2023
Special Meeting - 4 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Pursuant to Government Code Subdivision 54953(e), Subcommittee Members had the opportunity to participate in the meeting telephonically; pursuant to state law, the City Council made the necessary findings by adopting Resolution No. 1089-21, reaffirmed on January 10, 2023.
Subcommittee Member Melton called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Chair Larry Klein
Member Richard Mehlinger
Member Russ Melton
Present: 3 -
Chair Klein participated in the meeting via teleconference.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Public Comment opened at 4:04 p.m.
No speakers.
Public Comment closed at 4:04 p.m.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Public Comment opened at 4:05 p.m.
No speakers.
Public Comment closed at 4:05 p.m.
MOTION: Subcommittee Member Mehlinger moved and Chair Klein seconded the motion to approve agenda item 1.A.
January 23, 2023Council Subcommittee on Boards
and Commissions
Meeting Minutes
The motion carried with the following vote:
Yes: Chair Klein
Member Mehlinger
Member Melton
3 -
No: 0
1.A 23-0221 Approve the Council Subcommittee on Boards and Commissions Meeting Minutes of August 2, 2022
Approve the Council Subcommittee on Boards and Commissions Minutes of August 2, 2022 as submitted.
GENERAL BUSINESS
2 23-0165 Discuss Draft 2023 Annual Work Plan for the Human Relations Commission
Deputy City Manager Jaqui Guzmán and Equity, Access, and Inclusion Manager Fernanda Perdomo-Arciniegas provided the staff report.
The Subcommittee discussed or suggested recommendations regarding the draft 2023 Annual Work Plan for the Human Relations Commission:
- Suggestions and recommendations for additional scope in the Human Relations Commission work plan.
- Shared support for highlighting Heritage Months, Affinity Celebrations and Awareness Campaigns.
- Suggested that Council review the recruitment process and questions. - Sought clarification regarding the scope of work during the “Difficult Conversations” sessions that the Commission will be facilitating. - Suggested the Commission be highlighted at City sponsored events. - Suggestion to engage with the Sunnyvale School District and Fremont Union High School District to best facilitate youth participation. - Support for the Commission collaborating with Council to best manage the work plan schedule.
- Sought clarification to how the Commission’s June start date will be met. - Support for scheduling a study session with Council to update them with a broad overview once Commissioner interview questions and applications are finalized. - Advocacy for the subcommittee to continue to be involved in the recruitment process.
January 23, 2023Council Subcommittee on Boards
and Commissions
Meeting Minutes
- Commented that the Commission can be a resource for City Council to best understand how they can reach equity, access, and inclusion goals. - Commented that the Commissioners will need to be conflict adverse and ready to commit to a heavier workload compared to other City boards and commissions. - Suggestion to potentially appoint a 6th alternate Commissioner. - Support for expanding the Human Relations Commission to 7 members in the future.
Public Hearing opened at 5:06 p.m.
No speakers.
Public Hearing closed at 5:06 p.m.
MOTION: Subcommittee Member Mehlinger moved and Chair Klein seconded the motion to approve the preliminary work plan in concept, to schedule a future City Council study session on the Human Relations Commission application process, and for the finalized event calendar for the Commission be approved by City Council.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Chair Klein proposed a friendly amendment to include the comments Subcommittee Members made and an update to the presentation made today.
Subcommittee Member Mehlinger accepted the friendly amendment.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Subcommittee Member Melton proposed a friendly amendment to follow up with the Subcommittee on their findings regarding the application of The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (Sturgis) and Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) for Human Relations Commissioners.
Subcommittee Member Mehlinger and Chair Klein accepted the friendly amendment.
The motion carried with the following vote:
Yes: Chair Klein
Member Mehlinger
Member Melton
3 -
No: 0
January 23, 2023Council Subcommittee on Boards
and Commissions
Meeting Minutes
The Subcommittee took a recess at 5:10 p.m. and returned at 5:15 p.m. with Subcommittee Members Melton and Mehlinger present in the Council Chambers and Chair Klein present via teleconference.
3 23-0220 Discuss Decorum at Public Meetings
Deputy City Manager Jaqui Guzmán provided the staff report.
Public Hearing opened at 5:21 p.m.
No speakers.
Public Hearing closed at 5:21 p.m.
The Subcommittee discussed or suggested recommendations regarding decorum at public meetings:
- Shared concerns regarding subject matter of the agenda item and if it met the Ralph M. Brown Act (open meetings law) guidelines.
- Suggestions around taking on the legal risk to restrict certain types of the speech during public meetings.
- Support for exploring the legal framework for developing public meeting guidelines and decorum.
- Suggested exploring Senate Bill 1100 (Open meetings: orderly conduct) to help guide the process or discussion for a City policy.
- Shared the need for nuance to be considered when developing public meeting guidelines and any formal public speaking restrictions.
ADJOURNMENT
Subcommittee Member Melton adjourned the meeting at 5:35 p.m.