City of Sunnyvale  
Meeting Minutes  
Council Subcommittee on Boards and  
Commissions  
Monday, January 23, 2023  
4:00 PM  
Online and Council Chambers, City Hall,  
456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086  
(607 All America Way for map directions)  
Special Meeting - 4 PM  
CALL TO ORDER  
Pursuant to Government Code Subdivision 54953(e), Subcommittee Members had  
the opportunity to participate in the meeting telephonically; pursuant to state law,  
the City Council made the necessary findings by adopting Resolution No. 1089-21,  
reaffirmed on January 10, 2023.  
Subcommittee Member Melton called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.  
ROLL CALL  
Present: 3 -  
Chair Larry Klein  
Member Richard Mehlinger  
Member Russ Melton  
Chair Klein participated in the meeting via teleconference.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
Public Comment opened at 4:04 p.m.  
No speakers.  
Public Comment closed at 4:04 p.m.  
CONSENT CALENDAR  
Public Comment opened at 4:05 p.m.  
No speakers.  
Public Comment closed at 4:05 p.m.  
MOTION: Subcommittee Member Mehlinger moved and Chair Klein seconded the  
motion to approve agenda item 1.A.  
The motion carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 3 -  
Chair Klein  
Member Mehlinger  
Member Melton  
No: 0  
1.A  
23-0221  
Approve the Council Subcommittee on Boards and  
Commissions Meeting Minutes of August 2, 2022  
Approve the Council Subcommittee on Boards and Commissions Minutes of August  
2, 2022 as submitted.  
GENERAL BUSINESS  
2
23-0165  
Discuss Draft 2023 Annual Work Plan for the Human Relations  
Commission  
Deputy City Manager Jaqui Guzmán and Equity, Access, and Inclusion Manager  
Fernanda Perdomo-Arciniegas provided the staff report.  
The Subcommittee discussed or suggested recommendations regarding the draft  
2023 Annual Work Plan for the Human Relations Commission:  
- Suggestions and recommendations for additional scope in the Human Relations  
Commission work plan.  
- Shared support for highlighting Heritage Months, Affinity Celebrations and  
Awareness Campaigns.  
- Suggested that Council review the recruitment process and questions.  
- Sought clarification regarding the scope of work during the “Difficult  
Conversations” sessions that the Commission will be facilitating.  
- Suggested the Commission be highlighted at City sponsored events.  
- Suggestion to engage with the Sunnyvale School District and Fremont Union High  
School District to best facilitate youth participation.  
- Support for the Commission collaborating with Council to best manage the work  
plan schedule.  
- Sought clarification to how the Commission’s June start date will be met.  
- Support for scheduling a study session with Council to update them with a broad  
overview once Commissioner interview questions and applications are finalized.  
- Advocacy for the subcommittee to continue to be involved in the recruitment  
process.  
- Commented that the Commission can be a resource for City Council to best  
understand how they can reach equity, access, and inclusion goals.  
- Commented that the Commissioners will need to be conflict adverse and ready to  
commit to a heavier workload compared to other City boards and commissions.  
- Suggestion to potentially appoint a 6th alternate Commissioner.  
- Support for expanding the Human Relations Commission to 7 members in the  
future.  
Public Hearing opened at 5:06 p.m.  
No speakers.  
Public Hearing closed at 5:06 p.m.  
MOTION: Subcommittee Member Mehlinger moved and Chair Klein seconded the  
motion to approve the preliminary work plan in concept, to schedule a future City  
Council study session on the Human Relations Commission application process,  
and for the finalized event calendar for the Commission be approved by City  
Council.  
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Chair Klein proposed a friendly amendment to include  
the comments Subcommittee Members made and an update to the presentation  
made today.  
Subcommittee Member Mehlinger accepted the friendly amendment.  
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Subcommittee Member Melton proposed a friendly  
amendment to follow up with the Subcommittee on their findings regarding the  
application of The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (Sturgis) and Fair  
Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700)  
for Human Relations Commissioners.  
Subcommittee Member Mehlinger and Chair Klein accepted the friendly  
amendment.  
The motion carried with the following vote:  
Yes: 3 -  
No: 0  
Chair Klein  
Member Mehlinger  
Member Melton  
The Subcommittee took a recess at 5:10 p.m. and returned at 5:15 p.m. with  
Subcommittee Members Melton and Mehlinger present in the Council Chambers  
and Chair Klein present via teleconference.  
3
23-0220  
Discuss Decorum at Public Meetings  
Deputy City Manager Jaqui Guzmán provided the staff report.  
Public Hearing opened at 5:21 p.m.  
No speakers.  
Public Hearing closed at 5:21 p.m.  
The Subcommittee discussed or suggested recommendations regarding decorum at  
public meetings:  
- Shared concerns regarding subject matter of the agenda item and if it met the  
Ralph M. Brown Act (open meetings law) guidelines.  
- Suggestions around taking on the legal risk to restrict certain types of the speech  
during public meetings.  
- Support for exploring the legal framework for developing public meeting guidelines  
and decorum.  
- Suggested exploring Senate Bill 1100 (Open meetings: orderly conduct) to help  
guide the process or discussion for a City policy.  
- Shared the need for nuance to be considered when developing public meeting  
guidelines and any formal public speaking restrictions.  
ADJOURNMENT  
Subcommittee Member Melton adjourned the meeting at 5:35 p.m.