REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Appoint Councilmembers to Intergovernmental Assignments; Ratify Appointments of Councilmembers Made by Outside Agencies; and Take Action to Modify, Create, or Terminate Council Subcommittees
Report
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this report is for Council to review and ratify Councilmember appointments. Appointees represent the City’s interests and influence policies and regulations of other agencies. With a few minor exceptions, all Council appointments are made annually in January; at this time, Council also considers ratifying appointments made by outside agencies.
In the months of August and September 2025, Councilmembers reviewed Council-appointed and Mayor-appointed assignments and provided input to staff about their interest in assignments.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.4.12, Council Appointments to Intergovernmental Agencies
Council Policy 7.2.19, Boards and Commissions
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
DISCUSSION
When making IGR appointments, Council considers the City’s overall intergovernmental priorities as well as the interests and backgrounds of individual Councilmembers. The 2026 IGR Appointments for Consideration (Attachment 1) lists the names of all interested parties and number of appointments available, based on input received from Council on their 2026 Council IGR Review Forms and 2026 Council IGR Interest Forms (Attachments 2 and 3, respectively). The 2026 IGR Appointments for Consideration (Attachment 1) includes the proposed rotation schedule for Board and Commission Liaisons for 2026. The rotation is based on Council Policy 7.2.19, Boards and Commissions, which outlines the annual method of rotation.
The 2026 Council IGR Review Forms express the interest of Councilmembers to continue in their existing assignments (retain), withdraw (release), or make available (offer) assignments for other interested councilmembers.
The 2026 Council IGR Interest Forms express the interest of Councilmembers to serve on assignments. Councilmember Mehlinger expresses no interest in serving on additional assignments and therefore Attachment 3 does not include his list.
Appointments made by the Mayor are provided for information only; the Mayor will make his appointments after the January 13, 2026, meeting. A list of all 2026 appointments, including Mayoral, will be included in an Information Only Report to Council at a subsequent Council meeting.
Optional New IGR Assignment
Staff is proposing an optional IGR assignment this year. Sunnyvale has joined the ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability Network (ICLEI). Founded in 1990 as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, it is now branded solely as titled in this report. As part of our membership, we can appoint an elected official liaison if Council would like to add this as an IGR assignment. Per the ICLEI Elected Official Liaison Webpage (Attachment 4), the liaison’s role includes: keeping the elected body aware of progress made by local government in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and implementing sustainability plans; informing elected and appointed officials of grant, financing, and recognition opportunities; helping motivate local government personal and community members to accomplish climate protection goals; participating in ICLEI training workshops; reporting on the jurisdiction’s progress as it achieves ICLEI’s Five Milestones for climate protection; and helping build and maintain support for ICLEI’s mission and goals.
There are no regularly scheduled meetings to attend and no regular voting responsibility associated with this assignment. Should Council elect not to add this optional assignment for annual Council consideration, ICLEI will consider the Mayor to be the default elected official liaison.
Dormant IGR Assignments
For informational purposes, the following assignments are for committees that remain commissioned and active but are not currently meeting:
• Santa Clara County Expressway Policy Advisory Board;
• Valley Water Joint Recycled Water Committee.
These assignments still require Council appointment so that a Council representative can attend meetings when scheduled.
Removed IGR Assignment
On December 9, 2025, Council approved RTC 25-1114 Review, Discussion, and Potential Action to Amend Policies Within the Council Policy Manual Chapter 7 - Planning and Management (Attachment 5). That action converted the standing Council Subcommittee on Boards and Commissions to an ad hoc committee. As an ad hoc committee, its term and membership are no longer included in the annual IGR appointment process. It has been removed from the list of 2026 IGR Assignments for Consideration in Attachment 1. As Council completed their Review and Interest forms (Attachments 2 and 3, respectively) prior to that action, it is listed on both those forms.
As an ad hoc committee assignment, the Mayor may choose to convene a committee and appoint Councilmembers as part of the Mayoral IGR appointment process. Should that occur, the committee and members will be included in an Info Only RTC at a subsequent Council meeting.
Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board of Directors
Sunnyvale appoints a representative to serve on the VTA Board of Directors. The seat is part of the VTA’s North East City group, which is made up of Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Milpitas. The group is allocated two seats and one alternate on the Board, and the cities’ representatives serve on the primary seats or alternate seat based on a set rotation. The three cities are currently coordinating a new rotation, proposing that each city serves on a primary seat for two consecutive years and then on the alternate seat for one year. Under this proposed rotation, in 2026 Sunnyvale would fill the alternate seat.
Staff will provide the appointed Councilmember with details on the confirmed rotation and a copy of the cities’ agreement once completed.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the City Hall reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Ratify Community Member Appointments
2. Reaffirm Board and Commission Liaison Assignments
3. Take Action to Modify, Create, or Terminate Council Subcommittees
4. Appoint Councilmembers to Remaining Council Subcommittees and Standing Committees
5. Appoint members to serve on External IGR Agencies
6. Ratify Appointments made by Outside Agencies including Pre-ratification of appointments that are still pending
7. Other action as directed by Council
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternatives 1 through 6: 1) Ratify Community Member Appointments; 2) Reaffirm Board and Commission Liaison Assignments; 3) Take Action to Modify, Create, or Terminate Council Subcommittees; 4) Appoint Councilmembers to Remaining Council Subcommittees and Standing Committees; 5) Appoint Councilmembers to serve on External IGR Agencies; 6) Ratify Appointments made by Outside Agencies including Pre-ratification of appointments that are still pending.
Levine Act
LEVINE ACT
The Levine Act (Gov. Code Section 84308) prohibits city officials from participating in certain decisions regarding licenses, permits, and other entitlements for use if the official has received a campaign contribution of more than $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant in the previous 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
An “X” in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
___ Land development entitlements
___ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
___ Contract or franchise
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
___ Competitively bid contract*
___ Labor or personal employment contract
_X_ General policy and legislative actions
* "Competitively bid" means a contract that must be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Staff
Prepared by: Victoria Ketell, Executive Assistant
Reviewed by: Michelle Zahraie, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2026 IGR Appointments for Consideration
2. 2026 Council IGR Review Forms
3. 2026 Council IGR Interest Forms
4. ICLEI Elected Official Liaison Webpage
5. Link to RTC 25-1114