REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Appoint Applicants to the Arts Commission, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, Board of Library Trustees, Heritage Preservation Commission, Housing and Human Services Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Personnel Board, Planning Commission and Sustainability Commission
Report
DISCUSSION
Appointments
The City has nine Council-appointed boards and commissions to recommend and advise City Council on specific policy-related issues for possible Council action, and to provide an opportunity for broad community participation on those items. The term length for board and commission seats is four years, with staggered terms expiring June 30 of each year. Council makes appointments annually in May or June to fill seats with new terms starting on July 1. The Council also fills vacancies at other times if needed.
Pursuant to Council Policy 7.2.19, Boards and Commissions, appointments of board and commission members are placed on the City Council meeting agenda. The appointment process is conducted by one of the following two methods, at the discretion of the Mayor:
Individual Candidate Votes: The Mayor will announce by board or commission each vacancy including its term, and will read each applicant’s name. Council will vote on each applicant. The candidate receiving the most affirmative votes and at least four affirmative votes will be appointed. The process is repeated for each board or commission.
Paper Votes: The Mayor will announce each board or commission in an order predetermined by the City Clerk to facilitate a speedy process and to accommodate applicants who specify multiple preferences. The City Clerk will distribute individual voting sheets to be completed by each Councilmember. The candidate receiving the most affirmative votes and at least four affirmative votes will be appointed. The process is repeated for each board or commission.
For each board or commission with both full 4-year terms and shorter-term vacancies that exist due to a resignation, the Mayor will ask Council for a motion to identify which applicant from among those with the most affirmative votes and at least four affirmative votes will be appointed. Council will identify which of the candidates who received the sufficient affirmative votes will be selected to serve the shorter term(s). The Council decision will be made by motion.
Resolving ties: Should a tie between the candidates receiving the most affirmative votes occur, the affected applicants will be voted on again. If a tie still remains, and the affected applicants each have received at least four affirmative votes, the Mayor would ask the City Attorney to draw the name of the person to be appointed.
Should no candidate receive at least four affirmative votes, the vacancy will remain.
Below is the list of current applicants, the applicants’ preferences as indicated on their application (when the applicant has applied for more than one board or commission), and terms of appointments. Applicant information is available as attachments to the April 27 and April 28 Council meeting packets and upon request from the Office of the City Clerk at cityclerk@sunnyvale.ca.gov or 408-730-7483.
Arts Commission (one term to 6/30/2030)
Ananya Bhai (1st preference)
Archana Varshney (1st preference)
Isabella Salim (Only preference)
Molly Kauffman (Only preference) - Incumbent
Nila Rajkumar (2nd preference)
Sara Salinaro (Only preference)
Sharmita Samanta (1st preference)
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission* (two terms to 6/30/2030 could be Category One or Category Two)
Ananya Bhai (Category One - 2nd preference)
Andy Yang (Category One - only preference)
Ashish Bhatia (Category One - 3rd preference)
Nila Rajkumar (Category One - 3rd preference)
Zohar Shvarzberg (Category One - only preference)
On April 28, Bryce Beagle withdrew their application for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission.
Board of Library Trustees (one term to 6/30/2030)
Ashish Bhatia (1st preference)
Chaitrali Amrutkar (1st preference)
Clyde Graham (Only preference)
David Liu (Only preference) - Incumbent
Marian Chen (4th preference)
Naomi Weiss (Only preference)
Paul Davis (Only preference)
Sarah Huq (Only preference)
Heritage Preservation Commission (two terms to 6/30/2030)
Annette Phan (1st preference)
Ashish Bhatia (4th preference)
Marian Chen (5th preference)
Orna Bitton Palmon (2nd preference)
Housing and Human Services Commission (two terms to 6/30/2030 and one term to 6/30/2027)
Ananya Bhai (3rd preference)
Annette Phan (3rd preference)
Elaina Babayan (Only preference)
Jim Davis (Only preference) - Incumbent
Kamille Lang (2nd preference)
Nila Rajkumar (1st preference)
Parks and Recreation Commission (one term to 6/30/2030)
Amir Weiss (Only preference)
Archana Varshney (2nd preference)
Chaitrali Amrutkar (2nd preference)
Dona Mason (Only preference) - Incumbent
Kamille Lang (3rd preference)
Marian Chen (2nd preference)
Sharmita Samanta (3rd preference)
On April 22, Pranjali Dani withdrew their application for the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Personnel Board (one Employee-nominated** term to 6/30/2030)
Ashish Bhatia (2nd preference)
Marian Chen (3rd preference)
Planning Commission (two terms to 6/30/2030)
Annette Phan (2nd preference)
David Kesting (Only preference)
Kamille Lang (4th preference)
Madhu Kashyap (1st preference)
Marian Chen (1st preference)
Michael Serrone (Only preference) - Incumbent
Neela Shukla (Only preference) - Incumbent
Orna Bitton Palmon (1st preference)
On April 22, Pranjali Dani withdrew their application for the Planning Commission.
Sustainability Commission*** (two terms to 6/30/2030 one must be Category Two and one could be Category One or Category Two)
Anmol Singh (Category One - only preference)
Annette Phan (Category One - 4th preference)
Annie Zhang (Category One - only preference)
Cynthia Li (Category One - only preference)
Emilie Chane (Category One - only preference)
Gay Howard (Category One - only preference)
Jeffery Nabhan (Category Two - only preference) - Incumbent
Kamille Lang (Category One - 1st preference)
Lena Garvey (Category One - only preference)
Madhavi Chodankar (Category One - only preference)
Madhu Kashyap (Category One - 2nd preference)
Mahboobeh Davar (Category One - only preference)
Parnikaa Jagaty (Category One - only preference)
Sharmita Samanta (Category One - 2nd preference)
Suparna Bhattacharya (Category One - only preference)
On April 22, Faramarz Maghsoodlou withdrew their application for the Sustainability Commission.
* Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission Category One Members represent bicyclists and pedestrians who live in Sunnyvale. Up-to-two Members may be Category Two Members, who live outside Sunnyvale and represent parent groups, school administrators, teachers, commute coordinators for major employers in the city. The balance of the current makeup is five Category One members.
** The Personnel Board term is an Employee-Nominated Seat as described in Sunnyvale Charter Section 1007 (Personnel Board). Sunnyvale Classified Employees did not make a nomination for the Seat. Since no employee nomination was made, the City Council may consider appointing an applicant to either the term.
*** Sustainability Commission must have a minimum of three Category One members (Sunnyvale resident) and a minimum of one Category Two member(s) (member of the Sunnyvale business community); the balance of the current makeup is five Category One Members and no Category Two Members.
Full 4-year terms will be effective July 1, 2026; shorter vacancies that exist due to a resignation will be effective May 20, 2026. Following appointments, the staff liaison for each board or commission will provide a board/commission-specific orientation and each new member is required to take the Oath of Office, sign the Model of Excellence and attend the board and commission orientation hosted by the Office of the City Clerk. A ceremonial oath will be offered to all incoming members. Continuing vacancies will be scheduled for the recruitment process in November 2026.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.2.19 Boards and Commissions
Administrative Policy, Chapter 1, General Management, Article 15 Boards and Commissions
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within 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.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
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. Appoint commissioners from the applicants listed in this report.
2. Provide other direction to staff on how to proceed.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff makes no recommendation.
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
___ Contract under $50,000 or non-fiscal
___ Contract between public agencies
_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: David Carnahan, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Links to Applicant Interview Recordings