CC 01-17-2023 Item No. 2 - Consider modifying Committees and Commissions responsibilities_Written CommunicationsCC 01-17-2023
Written Communications
Item No. 2
Study Session to
consider modifying
Municipal Code Title
2 regarding
compositions and
responsibilities of
existing Commissions
and Committees
From:Peggy Griffin
To:Pamela Wu; Christopher Jensen
Cc:City Clerk; City Council
Subject:2023-01-17 City Council Agenda Item #2 is misleading and should be renoticed
Date:Monday, January 16, 2023 2:24:19 PM
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Dear City Manager Wu and City Attorney Jensen,
The 1-27-2023 City Council Agenda Item #2 (below) is misleading and should be re-noticed. It does
not mention the possible elimination of committees and sub-committees. People reading this would
think that you’re just changing what they do but they’d have NO CLUE that you are planning to
delete long standing commissions and committees!
California Office of the Attorney General’s Brown Act text
LINK: https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/the-brown-act.pdf
Below is an example of inadequate notice when a school board described an agenda item as
“continuation school site change” when in reality it was closing schools. I see the description of
“compositions and responsibilities” equally misleading when in reality it is a discussion of
eliminating commissions and sub-committees.
Page 30-31 of 114
REQUEST: Please re-notice this agenda item with a clear description stating it is to consider
eliminating several commissions and committees, preferably listing them.
Clear messaging improves trust.
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin
From:Connie Cunningham
To:City Council; City Clerk; Christopher Jensen
Subject:23-1-17 CC Agenda Item 2, Study Session on Commissions/Committees
Date:Tuesday, January 17, 2023 3:37:34 PM
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Dear Mayor Wei, Vice-Mayor Mohan, and Councilmembers, City Manager and City
Attorney,
I enthusiastically support this reform package of changes to the City
Commissions and Committees.
1) reduce staff work load that will allow more work to move forward on resident
services
2) clear rules make life easier for everyone—especially residents, since they less
frequently interact with Council, Commissions or Committees
3) take more of the politics out of day-to-day governance of the City. Good for
residents who want Council to get things done.
I urge you to direct staff to proceed with the ordinance amendment to
consolidate existing Commission and Committees as presented by Pamela Wu,
City Manager. (Municipal Code Title 2)
Thank you for this time to comment.
Connie Cunningham
Housing Commissioner (self only)
From:Rhoda Fry
To:City Clerk; City Council
Subject:City Council Agenda January 17, 2022 STUDY SESSION #2 compositions and responsibilities of existing
Commissions and Committees
Date:Tuesday, January 17, 2023 3:40:51 PM
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Dear City Council,
Regarding, City Council Agenda January 17, 2022 STUDY SESSION #2
compositions and responsibilities of existing Commissions and Committees
Please retain the Design Review Committee and Environmental Review
Committee and Economic Development Committee and Legislative Review
Committee
1. Please retain the Design Review Committee and Environmental Review
Committee
These committees already do not meet very often and it would be much
easier to keep them on standby than to have to re-form them if necessary.
The City of Los Altos actually has a Design Review Commission – it
isn’t even a committee. Don’t we want to make Cupertino a better place
to live? The types of people who serve on Design Review are going to be
somewhat different from the types of people who serve on the Planning
Commission. Someone who serves on Design Review has a narrower
focus and specific expertise. The same is true for the Environmental
Review Committee. Many of these meetings are already being cancelled
– but let’s keep them penciled-in in case they’re needed. Again, specific
interest/expertise is required for this work. You might have an architect
serve on design review and an environmental specialist serve on the
environmental review committee. Members on one would not likely
serve on the other. Moreover, having a meeting of people with a specific
focus on a specific topic will yield superior results and advice to the
planning commission.
2. “Council discontinue all previously formed subcommittees and delegate
the areas of concerns to the City Manager to review and research.” This
is troubling. It should be up to the City Council to determine whether a
subcommittee is needed.
3. The staff is recommending getting rid of Design Review, Economic
Development, Environmental Review, and Legislative Review. This is
not okay. We have members of the public who can serve on these and
can assist the City in providing superior solutions. Please note that the
Chamber of Commerce is not a substitute for Economic Development.
The Chamber serves its members, many of whom have businesses
outside of our City. When people contact the Chamber, the Chamber will
provide recommendations to members of their organizations – not non-
member businesses within our City. Having seen the presentations on the
Economic Development Committee, I thought it was going to be an
amazing asset for our community. Similarly, we need a forum under
which staff and the community can review the effects of new legislation
on our community. Please explain how the City spent 40 hours on the
Design Review Committee in 2022? It never met in 2022.
Sincerely,
Rhoda Fry
From:Connie Cunningham
To:City Council; City Clerk; Christopher Jensen
Subject:23-1-17 CC Agenda Item 2, Study Session on Commissions/Committees
Date:Tuesday, January 17, 2023 4:19:20 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor Wei, Vice-Mayor Mohan, and Councilmembers, City Manager and City
Attorney,
I enthusiastically support this reform package of changes to the City
Commissions and Committees.
1) reduce staff work load that will allow more work to move forward on resident
services
2) clear rules make life easier for everyone—especially residents, since they less
frequently interact with Council, Commissions or Committees
3) take more of the politics out of day-to-day governance of the City. Good for
residents who want Council to get things done.
I urge you to direct staff to proceed with the ordinance amendment to
consolidate existing Commission and Committees as presented by Pamela Wu,
City Manager. (Municipal Code Title 2)
Thank you for this time to comment.
Connie Cunningham
Housing Commissioner (self only)