City of Sunnyvale
Meeting Minutes - Draft
Charter Review Committee
5:00 PM Online and Redwood Conference Room,
City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale,
CA 94086
Thursday, March 6, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Larsson called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m.
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
Chair Larsson led the salute to the United States flag.
ROLL CALL
Member Galen Kim Davis
Chair Gustav Larsson
Member David Newswanger
Member Timothy Oey
Member Ken Olevson
Member Martin Pyne
Member Gail Rubino
Member Barry Vickrey
Vice Chair Kristel Wickham
Present: 9 -
Member Kathryn FilleyAbsent: 1 -
Member Filley's absence is excused.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Steve Scandalis requested that multiple public comment opportunities be made available to members of the public during agenda item one.
PUBLIC HEARING/GENERAL BUSINESS
1 25-0290 Review and Discussion of Sunnyvale City Charter to Identify Amendments to the Charter
Public Hearing opened at 5:11 p.m.
No speakers.
Attachment 4
March 6, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft Public Hearing closed at 5:11 p.m.
Committee Members provided comments or questions related to the review of the City Charter:
- Question regarding Section 1100 specifically if the requirement is consistent with best practices for determination of merit and fitness.
- Comment in support of clarifying Sections 1103 and 1104 specifically language related to pay plan and classified services.
- Comment in support of simplifying the Charter such as removing sections that are governed by other regulations.
- Comment that the review process should include presenting to the voters the sections that require substantive changes first. Sections that are being simplified and do not have substantive changes can be presented to the voters later. - Comment in support of simplifying Section 1107.
- Comments regarding Section 1100 and adding language related to diversity, diverse view-points and experience.
- Comment regarding adding a preamble that includes credo to cover items such as diversity, values and morals.
- Comment in support of utilizing a matrix to track and organize the Committee’s list of items being considered.
- Comment in support of including a phrase that covers the fact that a law being referenced may have changed. For example, state the law name/title followed with “as amended”.
- Comments in support of simplifying Section 1200.
- Questions regarding Section 1302 specifically the City’s requirement to balance a ten-year budget and ten years of long-range financial planning. - Concern voiced regarding a twenty-year budget approach. - Comments in support of a twenty-year budget approach. - Comments in support of simplifying Article XIII specifically to remove excessive detail that refers to how tasks are to be completed. For example, “the City Manager shall hold conferences” and “copy shall be placed”.
- Comment in support of streamlining Section 1315.
- Comment that a section regarding districts/redistricting will need to be added to the Charter.
- Comment that Section 1405 will need to be revised specifically the language related to reportable contribution amount.
- Comment that Sections 1403, 1404 and 1405 include inapt references to laws. - Comment in support of clarifying Section 1405 so that language directs the reader to relevant State laws.
Attachment 4
March 6, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft - Question regarding Section 1405 and the need to have the provision in the Charter.
- Comments in support of reviewing Article XVI in more detail later in the review process.
- Question regarding Section 1803 and the need to have the provision in the Charter.
- Comment in support of including a table of contents.
- Comment in support of including a section that references a reconstitution of the City in the event of a disaster.
Staff provided comments and answers:
- Comment that the City’s Civil Rules implements the provision of Section 1100 and provides details about the examination process.
- Comment that the provisions of Section 1103 and 1104 are a minimum and that the City must also comply with regulations set by the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS).
- Comment that equity, access and inclusion is a Council strategic priority. - The Committee’s list of items will be tracked in a document, and it will be shared at an upcoming meeting.
- Comment that the City has a twenty-year budget which is a balanced ten-year budget and ten years of long-range financial planning. This also includes a review of the budget every two years of the operating and project budgets which allows staff to adjust accordingly.
Committee Member Vickrey left the meeting at 6:41 p.m.
Public Hearing reopened at 6:42 p.m.
Zach Kaufman provided comments related to the 30-day residency requirement for mayor and city council, citizenship requirement to serve on non-advisory boards and commissions, and twenty-year budgeting.
Steve Scandalis shared support for adding to Section 1104 that the City has a pay schedule for unclassified positions, simplifying Section 1107 and 1200, and clarifying Section1108 specifically “governmental agency”. They also shared support for simplifying the sections related to contracts for public works, franchises and campaign disclosure.
Committee Member Pyne left the meeting at 6:50 p.m.
Attachment 4
March 6, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft Public Hearing closed at 6:52 p.m.
NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS
-Committee Member Comments
Member Oey shared support for a forum that will allow for larger participation from members of the public.
Member Newswanger clarified that Committee meetings are scheduled for 5 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month and 6 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month. -Staff Comments
None.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Larsson adjourned the meeting at 6:55 p.m.
Attachment 4