City of Sunnyvale  
Meeting Minutes  
Charter Review Committee  
Thursday, December 4, 2025  
5:00 PM  
Online and Redwood Conference Room,  
City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale,  
CA 94086  
CALL TO ORDER  
Chair Larsson called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m.  
SALUTE TO THE FLAG  
Chair Larsson led the salute to the United States flag.  
ROLL CALL  
Present: 10 -  
Chair Gustav Larsson  
Vice Chair Kristel Wickham  
Member Galen Kim Davis  
Member Kathryn Filley  
Member David Newswanger  
Member Timothy Oey  
Member Ken Olevson  
Member Martin Pyne  
Member Gail Rubino  
Member Barry Vickrey  
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  
Zachary Kaufman spoke towards Charter Section 604: Term Limits and voiced  
support for limiting an appointed Councilmember's term to the length of the  
appointed term.  
Steve Scandalis shared information about term limits, specifically that communities  
can define who is an established member of the community to run for office, and  
that the residency requirement can extend beyond 30 days.  
CONSENT CALENDAR  
Public Comment opened at 5:11 p.m.  
No speakers.  
Public Comment closed at 5:11 p.m.  
MOTION: Committee Member Oey moved and Committee Member Davis seconded  
the motion to approve agenda item 1.A.  
The motion carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 9 -  
Chair Larsson  
Vice Chair Wickham  
Member Davis  
Member Filley  
Member Newswanger  
Member Oey  
Member Olevson  
Member Rubino  
Member Vickrey  
No: 0  
Abstain: 1 - Member Pyne  
1.A  
25-0512  
Approve the Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes of  
November 6, 2025  
Approve the Charter Review Committee Meeting Minutes of November 6, 2025 as  
submitted.  
PUBLIC HEARING/GENERAL BUSINESS  
2
25-0559  
Approve Charter Review Committee Report  
GENERAL SECTIONS AND CHARTER SECTION 611 – CITY COUNCIL  
MEETING SCHEDULE  
Committee Members provided non-substantive revisions to the general sections of  
the report.  
Public Hearing opened at 5:20 p.m.  
Zachary Kaufman requested that the sections being reviewed be referenced by  
page number(s) so that members of the public can follow along.  
Steve Scandalis shared a presentation outlining suggested revisions to Pages 5, 6,  
and 23 through 32 of the draft report.  
Daniel Howard shared support for increasing the City Council compensation to  
broaden the candidate pool and be more inclusive of who can serve.  
Public Hearing suspended at 5:26 p.m.  
Committee Member comment in support of revising Page 5 to include the vote  
results related to Measure F.  
MOTION: Committee Member Pyne moved and Committee Member Newswanger  
seconded the motion to approve the draft report, specifically Section I (Introduction),  
Section II (Summary of CRC Recommendations - prefatory language and item 3.  
City Council Meeting Schedule), Section III.3 (City Council Meeting Schedule),  
Section IV Conclusion, and Section V (Attachments 1-5) with suggested  
amendments incorporated into the report.  
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Committee Member Pyne offered a friendly amendment  
to include approval of Attachment 9 to the report in the motion. Committee Member  
Newswanger accepted the friendly amendment.  
The motion as amended carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 10 -  
Chair Larsson  
Vice Chair Wickham  
Member Davis  
Member Filley  
Member Newswanger  
Member Oey  
Member Olevson  
Member Pyne  
Member Rubino  
Member Vickrey  
No: 0  
CHARTER SECTION 605 – CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR COMPENSATION  
Committee Member Davis provided a Subcommittee report on Charter Section 605  
(City Council and Mayor Compensation).  
Committee Members provided comments or questions related to City Council and  
Mayor Compensation:  
- Comment that an explanation about the American Community Survey is needed on  
Page 9.  
- Comment that Sunnyvale was a charter law city in 1992, and that an explanation  
about Sunnyvale being similar to a general law city is needed on Page 9.  
- Comment that having the total council compensation and population for  
neighboring cities to reference would be useful.  
- Comments that including a red line of the proposed charter revisions to Section  
605 on Page 12 would be useful.  
- Comments that including inoperative language just because of its historical value  
may be confusing.  
- Comment that the Subcommittee researched other cities' council compensation,  
and determined that their findings would not be included in the report due to the  
large volume of information and confusing data.  
Public Hearing resumed at 6:05 p.m.  
Zachary Kaufman suggested revisions to the background section on Page 9 of the  
draft report, shared support for including neighboring cities' council compensation,  
and spoke towards the reference on Page 11 of the draft report about the amount of  
material a councilmember reviews.  
Steve Scandalis shared a presentation outlining suggested revisions to Pages 8, 9,  
10, 11 and 12 of the draft report.  
Public Hearing suspended at 6:11 p.m.  
MOTION: Committee Member Vickrey moved and Committee Member Davis  
seconded the motion to approve the language on Page 12 that reads “The  
proposed revisions to Charter Section 605…” followed by Charter language with the  
following amendments:  
1st paragraph of Charter Section  
- Replace “2012” with “2027”;  
- Replace “$2,088.64” with “$6,000”;  
- Replace “$2,784.86” with “$9,000”; and  
- Delete the last sentence.  
2nd paragraph of Charter Section  
- Replace “2013” with “2028”;  
- Revise “CPIU” to “CPI-U”; and  
- Replace “2012” with “2027.”  
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Member Rubino offered a friendly amendment to revise  
the last sentence to reflect October 2027. The sentence was revised to read “The  
CPI-U index month and year shall be October 2027”. Members Vickrey and Davis  
accepted the friendly amendment.  
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Member Newswanger offered a friendly amendment to  
delete the word “month and year” and “October” from the last sentence. The  
sentence was revised to read “The CPI-U index shall be 2027.” Members Vickrey  
and Davis accepted the friendly amendment.  
The motion as amended carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 10 -  
Chair Larsson  
Vice Chair Wickham  
Member Davis  
Member Filley  
Member Newswanger  
Member Oey  
Member Olevson  
Member Pyne  
Member Rubino  
Member Vickrey  
No: 0  
MOTION: Member Oey moved and Member Davis seconded the motion to approve  
the remainder of Section III.1 and Section II.1 as presented.  
The motion carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 10 -  
Chair Larsson  
Vice Chair Wickham  
Member Davis  
Member Filley  
Member Newswanger  
Member Oey  
Member Olevson  
Member Pyne  
Member Rubino  
Member Vickrey  
No: 0  
CHARTER SECTION 606 – CITY COUNCIL VACANCIES  
Member Vickrey provided Subcommittee revisions to Page 17, specifically the  
paragraph that reads “The CRC concludes that the average…”.  
Public Hearing resumed at 6:45 p.m.  
Zachary Kaufman suggested revisions to Pages 17 and 19 of the draft report.  
Steve Scandalis shared a presentation outlining suggested revisions to Pages 8,  
15, 16 and 19 of the draft report.  
Public Hearing suspended at 6:51 p.m.  
Committee Members provided comments or questions related to City Council  
Vacancies:  
- Comment in support of revising the first paragraph of Page 19 to reflect “…a single  
Council district” instead of “a single Council seat.”  
- Question related to the difference between a general municipal election and a  
statewide general election.  
- Question whether the proposed language amendment to Charter Section 606(d)  
(vacancies) permits Sunnyvale to conduct an election during the next statewide  
general election that coincides with Sunnyvale’s scheduled general municipal  
election.  
- Question whether it is acceptable to indicate that council appointees will hold  
office until the next general municipal election, November of an even-numbered  
year.  
Staff provided comments or answers:  
- Comment that statewide general elections occur every year and there could be a  
statewide general election on a date other than a Sunnyvale municipal election,  
particularly in odd-numbered years.  
- Comment that the proposed language amendment to Charter Section 606(d) would  
require Sunnyvale to conduct an election during the next statewide general election  
that may be an odd year and not Sunnyvale’s next general municipal election.  
- Comment that Sunnyvale’s Charter defines its general municipal election as  
November of even-numbered years.  
- Comment that it is acceptable to indicate that council appointees will hold office  
until the next general municipal election to be held in November of an  
even-numbered year if that is the Committee’s desire.  
MOTION: Committee Member Pyne moved and Committee Member Oey seconded  
the motion to approve Section II.2 (City Council Vacancies), Section III.2 (City  
Council Vacancies) with suggested amendments incorporated into the draft report,  
Attachment 6, specifically Sections 605 and 606, and Attachments 7 and 8.  
The motion carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 10 -  
Chair Larsson  
Vice Chair Wickham  
Member Davis  
Member Filley  
Member Newswanger  
Member Oey  
Member Olevson  
Member Pyne  
Member Rubino  
Member Vickrey  
No: 0  
CHARTER SECTION 1314 – CITY MANAGER AUTHORITY TO SETTLE CLAIMS  
Chair Larsson provided a Subcommittee report on Charter Section 1314 (City  
Manager Authority to Settle Claims).  
Committee Members provided comments or questions related to City Manager’s  
Authority to Settle Claims:  
- Comment in support of recommending to City Council a settlement authority limit of  
up to $150,000.  
- Comment in support of the Subcommittee’s recommendation of a settlement  
authority limit range of $100,000 to $150,000.  
Public Hearing resumed at 7:33 p.m.  
Steve Scandalis shared a presentation outlining suggested revisions to Pages 8  
and 23 through 32.  
Public Hearing suspended at 7:36 p.m.  
Committee Members provided additional comments or questions:  
- Revisions to the proposed language to Charter Section 1314(2) were  
communicated.  
MOTION: Committee Member Oey moved and Committee Member Pyne seconded  
the motion to approve Section III.4 (City Manager Authority to Settle Claims),  
recommend a settlement authority limit range of $100,000 to $150,000, and  
suggested amendments be incorporated into the report.  
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Committee Member Pyne offered a friendly amendment  
to approve Section II.4 (City Manager Authority to Settle Claims) with the addition of  
including a recommended settlement authority limit range of $100,000 to $150,000,  
and Attachment 6 specifically Section 1314. Committee Member Oey accepted the  
friendly amendment.  
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Committee Member Oey offered a friendly amendment  
to recommend to City Council a settlement authority limit of up to $150,000.  
Committee Member Pyne accepted the friendly amendment.  
The motion as amended carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 10 -  
Chair Larsson  
Vice Chair Wickham  
Member Davis  
Member Filley  
Member Newswanger  
Member Oey  
Member Olevson  
Member Pyne  
Member Rubino  
Member Vickrey  
No: 0  
The Committee took a recess at 7:57 p.m. and reconvened at 8:06 p.m. with all  
Members present.  
CHARTER SECTION 1309 – PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACTING  
Chair Larsson provided a Subcommittee report on Charter Section 1309 (Public  
Works Contracting).  
Public Hearing resumed at 8:07 p.m.  
Steve Scandalis shared a presentation outlining suggested revisions to Pages 8,  
and 23 through 32.  
Public Hearing closed at 8:10 p.m.  
Committee Members provided comments or questions related to Charter Section  
1309 (Public Works Contracting):  
- Revisions to the proposed language to Charter Section 1309 were communicated.  
MOTION: Committee Member Davis moved and Committee Member Oey seconded  
the motion to approve Section II.5 (Public Works Contracting), Section III.5 (Public  
Works Contracting) with suggested amendments incorporated into the draft report,  
direct staff to add explanatory language for the non-substantive changes to the  
Charter section, and approve Attachment 6, specifically Section 1309.  
The motion carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 10 -  
Chair Larsson  
Vice Chair Wickham  
Member Davis  
Member Filley  
Member Newswanger  
Member Oey  
Member Olevson  
Member Pyne  
Member Rubino  
Member Vickrey  
No: 0  
NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS  
-Committee Member Comments  
None.  
-Staff Comments  
Deputy City Manager Connie Verceles announced that the draft Charter Review  
Committee report is tentatively scheduled to be presented to City Council at their  
February 3, 2026 meeting.  
ADJOURNMENT  
Chair Larsson adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.