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 November and December 2024, Councilmembers for the 2025 term reviewed Council-appointed and Mayor-appointed assignments and provided input to staff about their interest in assignments.
Pursuant to Council Policy 7.4.12, Councilmembers Din and Melton release their appointments at the conclusion of their term on Council.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.4.12, Council Appointments to Intergovernmental Agencies
Council Policy 7.4.13, Council Subcommittees and Council- or Mayor-Created Advisory Task Forces
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 2025 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 2025 Council IGR Review Forms and 2025 Council IGR Interest Forms (Attachments 2 and 3, respectively). The 2025 IGR Appointments for Consideration (Attachment 1) includes the proposed rotation schedule for Board and Commission Liaisons for 2025. The rotation is based on Council Policy 7.2.19, Boards and Commissions, which outlines the annual method of rotation.
The 2025 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 2025 Council IGR Interest Forms express the interest of Councilmembers to serve on assignments.
Appointments made by the Mayor are provided for information only; the Mayor will make his appointments after the January 7, 2025, meeting. A list of all 2025 appointments, including Mayoral, will be included in an Information Only Report to Council at a subsequent Council meeting.
No Longer Active IGR Assignments
The following assignments have been removed from the consideration list for 2025 as they are no longer active assignments:
• Santa Clara County Unhoused Task Force
• Silicon Valley Leadership Group Silicon Valley Recovery Roundtable Mayor’s Circle;
• VTA State Route 85 Corridor Policy Advisory Board;
• Water Emergency Transportation Authority - Community Advisory Committee.
The following assignment is not listed on the consideration list for 2025 as it concluded at the adjournment of the City Summit 2024 in November 2024:
• National League of Cities 2024 Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee.
Combined IGR Assignments
The following assignments have been combined to correctly reflect the re-organization of the Cities Association of Santa Clara County (CASCC):
• CASCC Board of Directors;
• CASCC Board of Directors, Alternate;
• CASCC Joint Powers Agency;
• CASCC Joint Powers Agency, Alternate
The combined assignments are listed as:
• CASCC JPA Board of Directors
• CASCC JPA Board of Directors, Alternate
Not Currently Meeting 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.
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 NOVA Workforce Services 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 if needed
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 if needed; 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
___ Contracts under $50,000 or non-fiscal
___ Contracts 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: 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. 2025 IGR Appointments for Consideration
2. 2025 Council IGR Review Forms
3. 2025 Council IGR Interest Forms