REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Appoint Applicant to the Human Relations Commission
Report
DISCUSSION
Appointments
The City has ten Council-appointed volunteer boards and commissions to advise City Council on specific policy-related issues for possible Council action, and to provide additional opportunity for community participation in items within advisory bodies’ scope of work. The term length for board and commission members is four years, with staggered terms expiring June 30 of each year. Council makes appointments annually in May or June to fill seats with expiring terms. In addition, the Council fills vacancies as necessary quarterly throughout the year.
Pursuant to Council Policy 7.2.19, Boards and Commissions, appointments of board and commission members are placed on a 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 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.
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 remains, and the affected applicants each 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 and term of appointment. Applicant information is included in Attachment 1 and available upon request from the Office of the City Clerk at cityclerk@sunnyvale.ca.gov or 408-730-7483.
Human Relations Commission (one term to 6/30/2026 could be Category One or Category Two)*
• Joshua Charnota (Category One)
• Pranjali Dani (Category One)
• Nili Helman-Caspi (Category One)
• Manjula Jayaraman (Category One)
• Betsy Gissell Ortega Florez (Category One)
• Idan Kestenbom (Category One)
• Vidushi Prayag (Category One)
• Nila Rajkumar (Category One)
• Aaditri Ramisetty (Category One)
• Ofri Vaisman (Category One)
• Yuriana Valencia (Category One)
• Adithya Vishwanath (Category One)
Shani Zafary withdrew their application.
*Human Relations Commission Category One Members live in Sunnyvale. Up-to-two Members may be Category Two Members, who live outside Sunnyvale and are representative(s) of nonprofit service agencies that serve Sunnyvale residents. The balance of the current makeup is five Category One members and one Category Two member.
The terms will be effective November 19, 2025. Following appointments, the staff liaison will provide a board/commission-specific orientation and the 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 the incoming member.
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 a commissioner from the applicants listed in this report.
2. Provide other direction to staff.
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
ATTACHMENT
1. Links to Applications and Interview Recordings