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, December 4, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Larsson called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m.
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
Chair Larsson led the salute to the United States flag.
ROLL CALL
Chair Gustav Larsson
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: 10 -
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Zachary Kaufman spoke towards Charter Section 604: Term Limits and voiced support for limiting an appointed Councilmember's term to the length of the appointed term.
Steve Scandalis shared information about term limits, specifically that communities can define who is an established member of the community to run for office, and that the residency requirement can extend beyond 30 days.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Public Comment opened at 5:11 p.m.
No speakers.
Public Comment closed at 5:11 p.m.
Attachment 1
December 4, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft MOTION: Committee Member Oey moved and Committee Member Davis seconded the motion to approve agenda item 1.A.
The motion carried with the following vote:
Yes: Chair Larsson
Vice Chair Wickham
Member Davis
Member Filley
Member Newswanger
Member Oey
Member Olevson
Member Rubino
Member Vickrey
9 -
No: 0
Abstain: Member Pyne1 -
1.A 25-0512
Approve the Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes of November 6, 2025
Approve the Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes of November 6, 2025 as submitted.
PUBLIC HEARING/GENERAL BUSINESS
2 25-0559 Approve Charter Review Committee Report
GENERAL SECTIONS AND CHARTER SECTION 611 – CITY COUNCIL
MEETING SCHEDULE
Committee Members provided non-substantive revisions to the general sections of the report.
Public Hearing opened at 5:20 p.m.
Zachary Kaufman requested that the sections being reviewed be referenced by page number(s) so that members of the public can follow along.
Steve Scandalis shared a presentation outlining suggested revisions to Pages 5, 6, and 23 through 32 of the draft report.
Attachment 1
December 4, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft Daniel Howard shared support for increasing the City Council compensation to broaden the candidate pool and be more inclusive of who can serve.
Public Hearing suspended at 5:26 p.m.
Committee Member comment in support of revising Page 5 to include the vote results related to Measure F.
MOTION: Committee Member Pyne moved and Committee Member Newswanger seconded the motion to approve the draft report, specifically Section I (Introduction), Section II (Summary of CRC Recommendations - prefatory language and item 3.
City Council Meeting Schedule), Section III.3 (City Council Meeting Schedule), Section IV Conclusion, and Section V (Attachments 1-5) with suggested amendments incorporated into the report.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Committee Member Pyne offered a friendly amendment to include approval of Attachment 9 to the report in the motion. Committee Member Newswanger accepted the friendly amendment.
The motion as amended carried with the following vote:
Yes: Chair Larsson
Vice Chair Wickham
Member Davis
Member Filley
Member Newswanger
Member Oey
Member Olevson
Member Pyne
Member Rubino
Member Vickrey
10 -
No: 0
CHARTER SECTION 605 – CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR COMPENSATION Committee Member Davis provided a Subcommittee report on Charter Section 605 (City Council and Mayor Compensation).
Committee Members provided comments or questions related to City Council and
Attachment 1
December 4, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft Mayor Compensation:
- Comment that an explanation about the American Community Survey is needed on
- Comment that Sunnyvale was a charter law city in 1992, and that an explanation about Sunnyvale being similar to a general law city is needed on Page 9. - Comment that having the total council compensation and population for neighboring cities to reference would be useful.
- Comments that including a red line of the proposed charter revisions to Section 605 on Page 12 would be useful.
- Comments that including inoperative language just because of its historical value may be confusing.
- Comment that the Subcommittee researched other cities' council compensation, and determined that their findings would not be included in the report due to the large volume of information and confusing data.
Public Hearing resumed at 6:05 p.m.
Zachary Kaufman suggested revisions to the background section on Page 9 of the draft report, shared support for including neighboring cities' council compensation, and spoke towards the reference on Page 11 of the draft report about the amount of material a councilmember reviews.
Steve Scandalis shared a presentation outlining suggested revisions to Pages 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the draft report.
Public Hearing suspended at 6:11 p.m.
MOTION: Committee Member Vickrey moved and Committee Member Davis seconded the motion to approve the language on Page 12 that reads “The proposed revisions to Charter Section 605…” followed by Charter language with the following amendments:
1st paragraph of Charter Section
- Replace “2012” with “2027”;
- Replace “$2,088.64” with “$6,000”;
- Replace “$2,784.86” with “$9,000”; and
- Delete the last sentence.
2nd paragraph of Charter Section
Attachment 1
December 4, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft - Replace “2013” with “2028”;
- Revise “CPIU” to “CPI-U”; and
- Replace “2012” with “2027.”
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Member Rubino offered a friendly amendment to revise the last sentence to reflect October 2027. The sentence was revised to read “The CPI-U index month and year shall be October 2027”. Members Vickrey and Davis accepted the friendly amendment.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Member Newswanger offered a friendly amendment to delete the word “month and year” and “October” from the last sentence. The sentence was revised to read “The CPI-U index shall be 2027.” Members Vickrey and Davis accepted the friendly amendment.
The motion as amended carried with the following vote:
Yes: Chair Larsson
Vice Chair Wickham
Member Davis
Member Filley
Member Newswanger
Member Oey
Member Olevson
Member Pyne
Member Rubino
Member Vickrey
10 -
No: 0
MOTION: Member Oey moved and Member Davis seconded the motion to approve the remainder of Section III.1 and Section II.1 as presented.
The motion carried with the following vote:
Attachment 1
December 4, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft Yes: Chair Larsson
Vice Chair Wickham
Member Davis
Member Filley
Member Newswanger
Member Oey
Member Olevson
Member Pyne
Member Rubino
Member Vickrey
10 -
No: 0
CHARTER SECTION 606 – CITY COUNCIL VACANCIES
Member Vickrey provided Subcommittee revisions to Page 17, specifically the paragraph that reads “The CRC concludes that the average…”.
Public Hearing resumed at 6:45 p.m.
Zachary Kaufman suggested revisions to Pages 17 and 19 of the draft report.
Steve Scandalis shared a presentation outlining suggested revisions to Pages 8, 15, 16 and 19 of the draft report.
Public Hearing suspended at 6:51 p.m.
Committee Members provided comments or questions related to City Council Vacancies:
- Comment in support of revising the first paragraph of Page 19 to reflect “…a single Council district” instead of “a single Council seat.”
- Question related to the difference between a general municipal election and a statewide general election.
- Question whether the proposed language amendment to Charter Section 606(d) (vacancies) permits Sunnyvale to conduct an election during the next statewide general election that coincides with Sunnyvale’s scheduled general municipal election.
- Question whether it is acceptable to indicate that council appointees will hold office until the next general municipal election, November of an even-numbered year.
Attachment 1
December 4, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft Staff provided comments or answers:
- Comment that statewide general elections occur every year and there could be a statewide general election on a date other than a Sunnyvale municipal election, particularly in odd-numbered years.
- Comment that the proposed language amendment to Charter Section 606(d) would require Sunnyvale to conduct an election during the next statewide general election that may be an odd year and not Sunnyvale’s next general municipal election. - Comment that Sunnyvale’s Charter defines its general municipal election as November of even-numbered years.
- Comment that it is acceptable to indicate that council appointees will hold office until the next general municipal election to be held in November of an even-numbered year if that is the Committee’s desire.
MOTION: Committee Member Pyne moved and Committee Member Oey seconded the motion to approve Section II.2 (City Council Vacancies), Section III.2 (City Council Vacancies) with suggested amendments incorporated into the draft report, Attachment 6, specifically Sections 605 and 606, and Attachments 7 and 8.
The motion carried with the following vote:
Yes: Chair Larsson
Vice Chair Wickham
Member Davis
Member Filley
Member Newswanger
Member Oey
Member Olevson
Member Pyne
Member Rubino
Member Vickrey
10 -
No: 0
CHARTER SECTION 1314 – CITY MANAGER AUTHORITY TO SETTLE CLAIMS Chair Larsson provided a Subcommittee report on Charter Section 1314 (City Manager Authority to Settle Claims).
Committee Members provided comments or questions related to City Manager’s Authority to Settle Claims:
Attachment 1
December 4, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft - Comment in support of recommending to City Council a settlement authority limit of up to $150,000.
- Comment in support of the Subcommittee’s recommendation of a settlement authority limit range of $100,000 to $150,000.
Public Hearing resumed at 7:33 p.m.
Steve Scandalis shared a presentation outlining suggested revisions to Pages 8 and 23 through 32.
Public Hearing suspended at 7:36 p.m.
Committee Members provided additional comments or questions:
- Revisions to the proposed language to Charter Section 1314(2) were communicated.
MOTION: Committee Member Oey moved and Committee Member Pyne seconded the motion to approve Section III.4 (City Manager Authority to Settle Claims), recommend a settlement authority limit range of $100,000 to $150,000, and suggested amendments be incorporated into the report.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Committee Member Pyne offered a friendly amendment to approve Section II.4 (City Manager Authority to Settle Claims) with the addition of including a recommended settlement authority limit range of $100,000 to $150,000, and Attachment 6 specifically Section 1314. Committee Member Oey accepted the friendly amendment.
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Committee Member Oey offered a friendly amendment to recommend to City Council a settlement authority limit of up to $150,000.
Committee Member Pyne accepted the friendly amendment.
The motion as amended carried with the following vote:
Attachment 1
December 4, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft Yes: Chair Larsson
Vice Chair Wickham
Member Davis
Member Filley
Member Newswanger
Member Oey
Member Olevson
Member Pyne
Member Rubino
Member Vickrey
10 -
No: 0
The Committee took a recess at 7:57 p.m. and reconvened at 8:06 p.m. with all Members present.
CHARTER SECTION 1309 – PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACTING
Chair Larsson provided a Subcommittee report on Charter Section 1309 (Public Works Contracting).
Public Hearing resumed at 8:07 p.m.
Steve Scandalis shared a presentation outlining suggested revisions to Pages 8, and 23 through 32.
Public Hearing closed at 8:10 p.m.
Committee Members provided comments or questions related to Charter Section 1309 (Public Works Contracting):
- Revisions to the proposed language to Charter Section 1309 were communicated.
MOTION: Committee Member Davis moved and Committee Member Oey seconded the motion to approve Section II.5 (Public Works Contracting), Section III.5 (Public Works Contracting) with suggested amendments incorporated into the draft report, direct staff to add explanatory language for the non-substantive changes to the Charter section, and approve Attachment 6, specifically Section 1309.
The motion carried with the following vote:
Attachment 1
December 4, 2025Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft Yes: Chair Larsson
Vice Chair Wickham
Member Davis
Member Filley
Member Newswanger
Member Oey
Member Olevson
Member Pyne
Member Rubino
Member Vickrey
10 -
No: 0
NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS
-Committee Member Comments
None.
-Staff Comments
Deputy City Manager Connie Verceles announced that the draft Charter Review Committee report is tentatively scheduled to be presented to City Council at their February 3, 2026 meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Larsson adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.
Attachment 1