REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
City Council 2016 Appointments to Intergovernmental and Internal Assignments, Council Subcommittees, and Community Member Appointments
Report
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this Report is for Council to review and possibly ratify Councilmember appointments to a variety of intergovernmental agencies as presented in Attachments 1 through 4. Appointees represent the City's interests and influence policies and regulations of other agencies. All Council appointments are made annually in January; at this time, Council also considers ratifying appointments made by outside agencies.
At its November 17, 2015 Study Session, Councilmembers who are currently serving on a variety of intergovernmental assignments confirmed their desire to keep all of their assignments, with none slated to be dropped.
Councilmember Hendricks will replace Councilmember Whittum in 2016 on the Fremont Union High School District Standing Subcommittee to Discuss Issues of Mutual Interest with Local School Districts. This change has been itemized in this report and also reflected in Attachment 3 (2016 Council Subcommittees and Council- or Mayor-Created Advisory Task Forces).
Councilmembers clarified a few position titles for the coming year regarding their assignments, and these title clarifications are reflected in Attachment 1 (2016 Council Intergovernmental Assignments), as follows:
• Mayor Jim Griffith was promoted from 1st Vice President to President of the Executive Committee of the Cities Association of Santa Clara County (CASCC).
• Vice Mayor Tara Martin-Milius has been selected as Vice Chair of the Environmental Quality Policy Committee of the League of California Cities (LCC).
• Councilmember Jim Davis will remain the Chair of the Large Cities Council of the National League of Cities (NLC).
Mayor-appointed IGR appointments will be determined after Council’s January 5, 2016 selection of a new Mayor.
As noted in Council Policy 7.4.12, Council Appointments to Intergovernmental Agencies, staff support will be provided to Councilmembers serving on IGR bodies as directed by the City Manager. Typically, staff support consists of reviewing and advising on upcoming committee agendas for issues pertaining to Sunnyvale and, as needed, assisting Council in presenting those issues.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.4.12, Council Intergovernmental Appointments.
Council Policy 7.4.13, Council Subcommittees and Council- or Mayor-Created Advisory Task Forces
2015 Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
N/A.
DISCUSSION
When making IGR appointments, Council considers the City’s overall intergovernmental priorities as well as the particular interests and backgrounds of individual Councilmembers. For reference, the 2015 City Council Intergovernmental Appointments list and the Historical List of Council IGR Assignments, noting IGR agencies and committee assignments for the past five years, are posted on the City’s website at CouncilAdvocacy.inSunnyvale.com. The historical list includes agency name, committee name, the agency or committee description, the appointing body, and the Councilmembers who have served on the various committees.
2016 Appointments for Consideration by Council
Attachment 1, 2016 Council Intergovernmental Assignments, as discussed by Council during their November 17, 2015 Study Session, lists current intergovernmental assignments, current Council appointees, assignment term limits, Council assignment interests, and assignment meeting information (where available).
Attachment 1 includes three types of appointments, as follows:
Appointments Made by Council: Lists assignments that are at the discretion of the Council and are proposed to be ratified during the January 5, 2016 Council Meeting.
Appointments Made by Mayor: Indicated by [M], “Mayoral Appointment,” lists assignments that are to be appointed by Mayor. Mayoral-appointed assignments will be established after January 5, 2016, upon Council’s selection of a new Mayor.
Appointments Made by Outside Agencies: Indicated by [OA], “Outside Agency,” plus the agency’s name (i.e., CASCC), lists assignments that are proposed to be ratified by Council during the January 5, 2016 Council Meeting. Assignments included in this section are those where the Councilmember has, in accordance with City Policy, advised staff in advance.
All Outside Agency [OA] appointments in Attachment 1 must be ratified by Council before the respective appointee(s) are officially approved to serve on those assignments.
Council action in March of 2013 revised the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials to include a provision that “City Councilmembers, Board and Commission Members, and Council appointees who do not sign the Model of Excellence shall be ineligible for intergovernmental assignments or Council subcommittees.”
Board and Commission Liaison Assignments
Previous Council direction established Council Liaisons to Boards and Commissions (except for the Planning Commission, the Personnel Board, and the Board of Building Code Appeals). The assignments for 2016 are noted in Attachment 2. Because these assignments are on a set biannual rotation, no Council action is required.
Council Subcommittees - Standing Committees
As established by Council Policy 7.4.13, Council Subcommittees and Council or Mayor-Created Advisory Task Forces, standing committees exist with a set membership unless and until modified by the Council. As identified in Attachment 3, seven Standing Council subcommittees are set to continue into 2016 with the noted changes below, unless otherwise directed by Council:
Committee to Review Board and Commission Bylaws Amendments: 2015 committee members were Councilmember Glenn Hendricks (Chair), Mayor Jim Griffith and Councilmember David Whittum; there are no vacancies at this time.
Community Event Grant Distributions Committee: 2015 committee members were Vice Mayor Tara Martin-Milius and Councilmembers Glenn Hendricks and Jim Davis; there are no vacancies at this time.
Committee to Study Parametric Services as a Service to be Provided by the City of Sunnyvale: 2015 committee members were Councilmembers David Whittum, Jim Davis and Glenn Hendricks; there are no vacancies at this time.
Committees to Discuss Issues of Mutual Interest with Local School Districts:
• Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD): 2015 committee members were Vice Mayor Tara Martin-Milius and Councilmember Jim Davis.
• Sunnyvale Elementary School District (SESD): 2015 committee members were Vice Mayor Tara Martin-Milius and Councilmember Pat Meyering.
• Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD): 2015 committee members were Councilmembers David Whittum and Jim Davis. Councilmember Glenn Hendricks will replace Councilmember David Whittum in 2016.
• Cupertino Union School District (CUSD): 2015 committee members were Councilmembers Mayor Jim Griffith and Councilmember Gustav Larsson; there are no vacancies at this time.
Council Subcommittees - Ad-Hoc Committees
As established by Council Policy 7.4.13, Council Subcommittees and Council or Mayor-Created Advisory Task Forces, the Mayor may create ad hoc committees of the Council to assist in particular matters as they arise. Members of the committee shall be appointed by the Mayor. As identified in Attachment 3, four Ad-Hoc subcommittees are set to continue into 2016 unless otherwise directed by the Mayor:
Lawrence Station Area Plan Citizen Advisory Committee: 2015 committee members were Mayor Jim Griffith and Councilmembers David Whittum and Gustav Larsson; there are no vacancies at this time.
Performance Evaluations Tools and Recruitment Process for the City Attorney and City Manager: 2015 committee members were Mayor Jim Griffith, Vice Mayor Tara Martin-Milius, and Councilmember Jim Davis; there are no vacancies at this time.
El Camino Real Corridor Plan Advisory Committee Appointment Committee: 2015 committee members were Vice Mayor Tara Martin-Milius and Councilmembers David Whittum and Glenn Hendricks; there are no vacancies at this time.
Civic Center Core Team Subcommittee: 2015 committee members were Vice Mayor Tara Martin-Milius and Councilmembers Jim Davis and Glenn Hendricks; there are no vacancies at this time.
Community Member Advisory Task Forces
There are currently no Community Member Advisory Task Forces.
Mayor’s Task Force
As established by Council Policy 7.4.13, Council Subcommittees and Council or Mayor-Created Advisory Task Forces, the Mayor may create advisory task forces of members of the public to address specific issues of the day. These task forces may be composed solely of community members, but may also include Councilmembers. As identified in Attachment 3, one Mayor’s Task Force is set to continue into 2016 unless otherwise directed by the Mayor:
Community Choice Energy (CCE) Task Force: 2015 task force members were Mayor Jim Griffith (Sunnyvale), Mayor John McAlsiter (Mountain View), Mayor Rod Sinks (Cupertino), and Supervisor Dave Cortese (Santa Clara County); there are no vacancies at this time.
Community Member Appointments
As established by Council Policy 7.4.13, Council Subcommittees and Council or Mayor-Created Advisory Task Forces, the City Council may, on occasion, appoint a non-Councilmember to represent the City's interest on an intergovernmental body. As listed in Attachment 4, the current appointments expire in June of 2016; no Council action is required at this time. Staff will return later this year with an opportunity for Council to make appointments for the new term.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Determine appointments to external assignments and ratify appointments by outside agencies.
2. Determine membership of the 2016 Council Subcommittees.
3. Other action as directed by Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternatives 1 and 2: 1) Determine appointments to external assignments and ratify appointments by outside agencies; and 2) Determine membership of the 2016 Council Subcommittees.
Staff
Prepared by: Yvette Blackford, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Kent Steffens, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2016 Council Intergovernmental Assignments
2. 2016 Boards and Commissions - Council Liaison Rotation
3. 2016 Council Subcommittees and Council- or Mayor-Created Advisory Task Forces
4. 2016 Community Member Appointments