CC 09-04-2024 Item No. 1 Closed Session - City Manager Evaluation_Written Communications (2)CC 9-04-2024
#1
Closed Session - City
Manager Evaluation
Written Comments
From:Anne Ezzat
To:City Council; City Clerk
Subject:City Manager"s Eva;uation
Date:Wednesday, September 4, 2024 12:04:08 PM
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Dear Council Members,
I understand that Ms. Wu's performance is being evaluated today and as a resident I felt
compelled to weigh in on her performance. I had high hopes that Ms. Wu would do a good
job when she began her employment with the City of Cupertino, but no more. She interrupts
and corrects staff while on the dias. She treats residents curtly and dismissively, promising to
get back to them regarding their issue, but comes across as trying to silence discussion in a
public forum. She has taken over the council member's office--don't council members deserve
working space in city hall?
Please encourage Ms. Wu to act in a fashion that brings credit to her employer, not in a
fashion that makes residents cringe when they need to interact with her.
Best regards,
Brooke Ezzat.
From:Peggy Griffin
To:City Council; Kristina Alfaro; City Clerk
Subject:2024-09-04 City Council Meeting ITEM1 - City Manager Evaluation
Date:Wednesday, September 4, 2024 12:00:57 PM
Attachments:image001.png
2024-06-18 CC Mtg-Supplemental Reports.pdf
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Dear City Council, City Clerk and Director Alfaro,
REQUESTS:
1. Please include this email and the attachment as part of Written Communications for the
2024-09-04 City Council Closed Session Item #1 City Manager Wu’s Evaluation.
2. Please also include this in her personnel file.
City Manager Wu has not followed the powers and duties of her position as City Manager.
1. She has created new positions without approval. (2.28.040 D)
2. She has not kept the City Council fully informed regarding the financial conditions/needs of
the City. (2.28.040 G)
3. She has not followed City Council directions. (2.28.040 O)
The following are details in support of the above statements.
2.28.040 D. “The power to appoint…does not include the power to create a new
position…”
Yet, City Manager Wu created the Economic Development Manager position without approval!
2.28.040 G. “To keep the City Council at all times fully advised as to the financial
conditions and needs of the City;”
Not only has this not been done, but the information has been late, delayed and misleading.
The Council and public has been told we are in a financial crisis then she continues to
authorize non-essential studies, projects and consultants spending millions of dollars
while cutting services to residents.
Contracts are “approved” by Council then 1-2 months later appended to add more!
She continues to mislead the Council and the public.
EXAMPLE: Recently, she described the 19400 Stevens Creek Blvd building as a
“turnkey” building. This implies it is ready to move in without alterations which is
no where near the truth! This is an old building requiring significant seismic and
other upgrades! She has already hired an architect yet the building has not been
purchased, nor should it.
EXAMPLE: City Hall…the actual plans and needs have not been discussed in
public. The “wisdom of the purchase” must be discussed in public before any
purchase is considered. The Council and the public has no idea what has been
decided behind closed doors spending money we don’t have.
EXAMPLE: She stopped the progress of the Torre Ave Annex without notifying or
discussing it with Council! It just quietly was stopped and only disclosed when it
came up in some other discussion.
EXAMPLE: Continually dodges direct questions regarding the plans for City Hall,
the EOC and the Sherriff’s Office. These are key financial, health and safety
issues that need to be addressed in public and the Council and the public should
have a right to know how our tax dollars will be spent on these items yet she
continually evades and refuses to put them on the agenda to be discussed!
2.28.040 O. To make reports and initiate recommendations as may be desirable or as
requested by the City Council.
City Manager Reports continue to be video ads for the city rather than actual informative
reports to Council. We used to get CM reports that were of substance rather than fluff
pieces produced by someone else.
When City Manager Wu spoke at a recent Cupertino Rotary meeting, she presented
information on the state of the city that one would expect to be presented to Council and the
public but never was presented to Council.
https://vimeo.com/915834364?share=copy
In addition, at that same Cupertino Rotary meeting, City Manager Wu divulged Closed
Session information of the name of the Cupertino business that was being audited in the
CDTFA audit!
City Manager Wu has NOT followed Council direction regarding what to do about City
Hall renovation. She was directed to look into but NOT execute! She has yet to present
the options, the costs, what is and is not available to the Council. This would allow
them to make a decision yet she has decided for them! She is attempting to purchasing
a building without a “plan” approved by Council and discussed in public.
I have attached her 2024-06-18 City Council Supplemental Report for reference so you
can go back and listen to the meetings for yourself to see what was directed.
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin
CC 06-18-2024
#12
Consider acquisition of
property located at 19400
Stevens Creek Blvd
Supplemental Report
Lead Negotiator for a
Property Transaction
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
June 18, 2024
•Aging infrastructure,
seismic deficiencies,
inadequate space
•Subcommittee and
Council discussions
about this topic since
2022
•Cost of renovation
estimated at $27.5 M,
cost of a new City Hall
estimated at $80 M
Background
Prior Council Direction
•November 15, 2022: include a City Hall retrofit
project in the CIP
•February 21, 2023: suspend work on renovation plan
and explore options for a new City Hall
•October 17, 2023: pursue conceptual development
with financing strategies for new or renovated City
Hall; bring back examples of public private
partnership projects and pursue potential
partnerships
•Turnkey office space located at 19400
Stevens Creek Boulevard
•1.2-acre lot, 20,700 square feet of office
•Accessible location for the community
•Could serve as an interim City Hall while
potential partnership and funding options
are explored for current site
Key Elements and Opportunities
Authorize the City Manager to act as the
lead negotiator for purchase of the property
located at 19400 Stevens Creek Boulevard
Recommendation
Lead Negotiator for a
Property Transaction
From:Rhoda Fry
To:City Clerk; City Council
Subject:City Council 9/4/24 Agenda 1 City Manager Eval
Date:Wednesday, September 4, 2024 11:43:42 AM
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Dear City Council,
My opinions pertaining to the city manager have not changed since the previous eval.
I find that troubling because our public funds have gone toward training her in order for her to
improve her performance
We have lost transparency. So many council meetings and planning commission meetings
canceled.
Excuses made for $50M sitting in a zero-interest checking account and then quietly investing
it instead of thanking councilmember Moore for finding the problem publicly and fixing it
publicly and explaining what happened.
And, way back in mid-February, I found that our precious BMR funds were mis-allocated and
there has been no resolution. Why?
I am so very disappointed.
Please also refer to previous comments made.
Sincerely,
Rhoda Fry, 40-year resident