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, June 5, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chair Wickham called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m.
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
Vice Chair Wickham led the salute to the United States flag.
ROLL CALL
Vice Chair Kristel Wickham
Member Galen Kim Davis
Member Kathryn Filley
Member David Newswanger
Member Timothy Oey
Member Ken Olevson
Member Martin Pyne
Member Gail Rubino
Member Barry Vickrey
Present: 9 -
Chair Gustav LarssonAbsent: 1 -
Chair Larsson's absence is excused.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Steve Scandalis spoke towards the June 3 joint meeting between City Council and the Charter Review Committee (CRC).
CONSENT CALENDAR
Public Comment opened at 5:08 p.m.
No speakers.
Public Comment closed at 5:08 p.m.
Attachment 3
June 5, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft MOTION: Committee Member Pyne moved and Committee Member Oey seconded the motion to approve agenda items 1.A as submitted.
The motion carried with the following vote:
Yes: Vice Chair Wickham
Member Davis
Member Filley
Member Newswanger
Member Oey
Member Olevson
Member Pyne
Member Rubino
Member Vickrey
9 -
No: 0
Absent: Chair Larsson1 -
1.A 25-0583
Approve the Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes of May 1, 2025
Approve the Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes of May 1, 2025 as submitted.
PUBLIC HEARING/GENERAL BUSINESS
2 25-0585 Discussion of June 3, 2025 Council Direction and Next Steps for the Charter Review Committee Work Plan
Deputy City Manager Connie Verceles provided the staff report.
Public Hearing opened at 5:13 p.m.
Steve Scandalis spoke towards the five prioritized Charter amendments and shared support for potential Charter amendments that were not prioritized: Section 601 (City Council Term and Elections), Section 603 (City Council Qualifications), and Section 607 (Presiding Officer. Mayor)
Zachary Kaufman spoke towards Charter amendment Section 605 (Compensation) and Section 611 (Regular Meetings).
Mei-Ling Stefan spoke towards the June 3 joint meeting between City Council and
Attachment 3
June 5, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft the CRC specifically the discussion related to full-time compensation for Mayor and shared support for prioritized Charter amendments: Article 8 (City Manager) and Section 1309 (Contracts on Public Works).
Public Hearing closed at 5:20 p.m.
Vice Chair Wickham announced assignments as follows:
Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee 1 – Members Newswanger, Olevson, Pyne, Vickrey Topics:
Charter Section 606 (Vacancies)
Charter Section 611 (Regular Meetings)
Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee 2 – Members Davis, Filley, Oey Topic:
Charter Section 605 (Compensation)
Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee 3 – Chair Larsson, Vice Chair Wickham, Member Rubino
Topics:
Charter Article 8 (City Manager)
Charter Section 1309 (Contracts on Public Works)
Vice Chair Wickham provided an overview of the next steps which include committee reports that capture information on assigned topics such as public engagement/outreach. In addition, Committees will select one assigned topic and include in their report’s information related to research/background, questions of staff, and resources that are needed from staff. Reports are to be submitted to City staff a week before a scheduled meeting and in Adobe PDF format.
Committee Members provided comments or questions related to assignments:
- Question regarding the availability and reservation process of City facilities to host a public outreach or community meeting.
- Question regarding the availability and timeline process for conducting an online survey.
Attachment 3
June 5, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft - Question regarding funds available for outreach/community meetings. - Suggestion that community outreach can be accomplished via neighborhood association meetings, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, and school district meetings.
- Question regarding hosting community discussions via Nextdoor, Facebook, Threads, etc.
- Question regarding the possibility of conducting focus groups. - Question regarding Members conducting outreach on their own. For example, Members are permitted to attend a Rotary Meeting to get feedback on an assigned topic.
- Suggestion that Committee reports identify substantive issues and options that address issues.
Staff provided comments and answers:
- Comment that staff should be provided with potential community outreach meeting dates so that staff can identify City facilities that are available for reservation. - Comment that Staff can assist with conducting online surveys via available City platforms. Members were encouraged to submit requests to staff with a five-day lead time. It was suggested that one or two surveys be conducted instead of various surveys.
- Comment that there are allocated funds for polling that may be used for outreach. - Comment that Members hosting community discussions on social network platforms would increase the risk of a Ralph M. Brown Act violation. - Comment that Staff would have to determine if funds are available to conduct focus groups.
- Comment that individual Members are permitted to attend meetings to gather feedback on assigned topics.
Members were polled on their availability for a CRC meeting on June 30 or July 3.
Staff announced that the next CRC meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on June 30.
Public Hearing reopened at 6:16 p.m.
Steve Scandalis communicated support for the work and discussion on the prioritized Charter amendments be conducted in a public meeting by the entire Committee as opposed to Ad-Hoc Advisory Committees working independently and that outreach meetings be conducted in public settings.
Attachment 3
June 5, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft Zachary Kaufman spoke towards the workload of each Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee.
Public Hearing closed at 6:19 p.m.
NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS
-Committee Member Comments
None.
-Staff Comments
None.
ADJOURNMENT
Vice Chair Wickham adjourned the meeting at 6:20 p.m.
Attachment 3