CC 11-18-2024 Item No. 1 City Manager Evaluation_Written CommunicationsCC 11-18-2024
Item No. 1
City Manager Pamela Wu
Evaluation
Written Communications
From:Tracy Kosolcharoen
To:City Clerk; City Council
Subject:Feedback for 11/18 Performance Eval
Date:Monday, November 18, 2024 12:37:08 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
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Dear City Clerk,
Please include the below as written communications for items on agenda for the upcoming city
council meeting on Nov 18, 2024.
Dear Cupertino City Council Members,
With full understanding that the job of a City Manager is not easy, here is some specific and
actionable feedback from the past year.
To level set, here are some of the core responsibilities of a Cupertino City Manager, as
stipulated in a 2021 job listing from 2021: optimizing the City's long-term fiscal position,
helping to coordinate and lead discussions in a highly engaged community, high standards of
integrity and quality, and ensure complete and accurate communication with the public.
I believe in constructive feedback, and that all of us have room to improve. As such, here are
specific examples of situations and high level suggestions for solutions.
Need for Communication Improvement: At a meeting with Scofield residents, the City
Manager told residents it was essentially between them and the developer to figure out how to
move forward on the highly contested Scofield development. To this, several residents
responded, "so you're just going to leave us?" Afterwards, many residents I talked to
mentioned that they felt the city just didn't care.
Constructive feedback/suggestions: Please help create standard processes for the City to
partner with residents and developers when necessary. Residents want a way to resolve
situations productively, but most of us are not experts in muni code and/or city planning and
cannot do so ourselves. Please also help devise a better way to notify residents about changes
to developments, that is complete and does not rely upon 1-2 block leaders or points of
dissemination.
Opportunity to Increase Integrity/Transparency: During the recent City Council elections,
city staff removed Kitty Moore and Ray Wang signs from Bollinger Road. This is in direct
violation of the muni code which stipulates that candidates will always be notified beforehand
about potential sign removals. We appreciate the City Manager's apology regarding the sign
removals. However, a key question remains unanswered -- how did the mistaken decision
happen? The issue I now raise is less about the signs, but more about the larger underlying
issue of how decisions are being made and approved across the City.
Constructive feedback/suggestions: Please help increase visibility and accountability around
decisions -- many companies use workflow ticketing systems successfully -- that will help
build public trust and increase transparency around how decisions are made.
Complete and Accurate Information: Recently, many topics that should be City Council
discussions have turned into memos. For example, the future of our City Hall, a very
important topic impacting many residents, turned into a memo with significant cost disparities
from prior public discussions, with no explanation regarding the differences. The short term
gain of a shorter city council meeting is coming at the expense of the public that will be
impacted by decisions that they have no visibility into.
Constructive feedback/suggestions: Please restore important agenda items to Council
meetings and do not relegate them to eternal TBD lists or memos.
Many thanks,
Tracy
From:Ying Dillaha
To:Kitty Moore; Liang Chao; Sheila Mohan; J.R. Fruen; Hung Wei; City Clerk
Subject:Feedback on City Manager Pamela Wu Performance
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 11:00:25 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
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Dear City Clerk,
Please include the below as written communications for items on agenda for the upcoming city council
meeting on Nov 18, 2024.
Dear Mayor Mohan and Cupertino City Council Members,
I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the performance of the City Manager Pamela Wu in
2024.
From the Cupertino city code I understand that the City Manager is entrusted by the City Council with
ensuring the effective and efficient operation of the City. Acting under the collective direction of the City
Council, the City Manager is tasked with implementing the City’s adopted goals and objectives.
Additionally, the City Manager’s Office plays a critical role in fostering community-building initiatives to
promote citizen engagement in local government.
However, in recent years, many of the City Manager’s actions have not only fallen short of these
expectations but have actively worked against them. Her actions have undermined the efficient operation
of the City, obstructed the implementation of adopted goals, and suppressed citizen involvement.
I cite the following evidence to support these claims. Much of this evidence comes from the events
surrounding the upzoning of Evulich Ct when the Linda Vista neighborhood organized a petition to the
City. During this process, we encountered significant barriers, many of which were directly the results of
the City Manager’s actions.
1. In 2024, when the plot of land on Evulich Court was designated as a Housing Element target
for upzoning, the City failed to adequately notify the affected residents as required under
California law. Many citizens, including myself, were not notified by the city, were completely
unaware of this significant zoning change until it was already finalized.
Of the few citizens who were fortunate enough to be subscribed to the City’s E-Notification
system and those who frequent the city web sites, when learned about the upzoning proposal
through an online survey, only 18% expressed support for the change, an stunning low level of
support which should have caused the City to redouble its effort for more public engagement
before going ahead.
Despite this clear lack of public awareness and significant community opposition, the City
proceeded with the upzoning, Evulich Ct, an R1-zoned single-family plot was rezoned to an R3
designation. This change, combined with additional density bonuses allowed under SB330,
permits the construction of more than 80 housing units on the site.
The City’s actions clearly violated multiple provisions of California Government Code §§ 65090,
65091, 65092, and 65854, which mandate public notification and hearings for zoning changes.
This failure to adhere to well-established laws and procedures suggests that it was not merely an
accidental oversight but a deliberate attempt to withhold information from the public, enabling
those in power to advance their own objectives under a veil of secrecy.
This blatant disregard demonstrates not only the City Manager’s lack of respect for Cupertino
residents but also a troubling indifference to the state laws designed to protect citizens and
ensure transparency in governance.
2. After news of the upzoning broke, concerned citizens rallied to voice their grievances. In
September 2024, Randy Ong delivered a petition, signed by 745 residents of the Linda Vista and
Monta Vista neighborhoods, to the City Manager and Mayor Mohan. The petition challenged the
improper upzoning of the area and was addressed to the entire City Council.
However, after being handed over, the petition effectively vanished, as both the City Manager
and the Mayor deliberately suppressed its existence for over two weeks. This obstruction
prevented the petition from reaching its intended recipients on the City Council, undermining the
citizens' efforts to seek accountability.
It was only through the persistent efforts of Council Members Moore and Liang Chao that the
petition was uncovered and finally presented to its intended audience. This blatant disregard for
transparency and accountability demonstrated that the City Manager placed herself above the
citizens and even the City Council. Such actions represent a clear violation of city code and a
grave abuse of public trust, undermining the democratic process.
3. In the time between when we submitted the petition and when it was eventually rediscovered,
many of us reached out to the city via email, seeking engagement on this matter. However, we
were confronted with the reality that there are complex rules governing when and how written
communications must be submitted in order to be included in official records. It was far from
being as simple as emailing cityclerk@cupertino.org. It also seemed that the guidelines for
submitting emails to be considered part of the written communications continued to change, with
little explanation for why. As a result, an increasing number of emails from citizens were deemed
ineligible to be included in the written records, preventing them from being preserved as a record
of public concerns.
This shift in policy did not seemed to be sanctioned by city council resolutions; rather, the city
clerk's department simply began applying these new restrictions. Cupertino has made this
process unnecessarily complicated and frequently changing, hindering transparency and citizen
involvement. This reflects yet another attempt to suppress the democratic process, directly
contradicting the responsibilities the City Manager is meant to uphold.
4. After uncovering our petition and finally having it officially recorded in the Written
Communications, we reached the point where we had to stand before the city and request formal
acknowledgment of this issue. Since the up-zoning had never undergone a public hearing, we
asked for it to be added as an agenda item at an upcoming city council meeting for public
discussion. Despite numerous emails and multiple residents speaking at city council meetings,
no agenda item was ever allowed.
Because the issue was excluded from the agenda, the City Manager and City Council remained
silent on it for several meetings—a convenience afforded by the Brown Act. At that point, a
troubling reality became clear: those who control the agenda decide what is important to the
people of Cupertino, not the actual citizens who elected the City Council who hired the City
Manager.
During multiple council meetings, we witnessed the frustration of Council Members Liang Chao
and Kitty Moore as they attempted to raise the issue. However, Mayor Mohan and Council
Member Fruen voted against it, and Pamela Wu made no effort to support the residents. In this
situation, if she had the best interests of the citizens in mind at all, she could advocate for an
agenda item. It is difficult to believe that an issue of such significance to hundreds of families in
Cupertino could be denied even a basic discussion. This made the earlier lack of public
notification and suppression of the petition seem far from accidental.
After efforts to suppress the petition and exclude it from the Written Communications, the City
Manager and Mayor used their remaining influence to prevent a public hearing. This action goes
directly against the principles outlined in the city charter and undermines the democratic process,
adding further insults to the earlier injury.
Rezoning, conducting public hearings, and accepting public input are standard practices in any city’s
operations, governed by both city codes and state law. So why, then, in our city, have these routine
processes been made so difficult, and seemingly calculated to suppress public engagement. The
evidence above shows that the City Manager bears significant responsibility for these dysfunctions that
have eroded trust between the city and its residents.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We hope that the City Manager will endeavor to
improve in the coming year to carry out the duties entrusted to her by the City and the Citizens.
Sincerely,
Ying Sosic
Cupertino resident
From:charles kong
To:Kitty Moore; Liang Chao; Sheila Mohan; J.R. Fruen; Hung Wei; City Clerk
Subject:Feedback on City Manager Pamela Wu
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 8:47:43 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
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Dear Cupertino City Council Members,
I am writing to express my concerns about Pamela Wu’s performance as Cupertino’s City
Manager, particularly in light of recent events. As a resident, I feel it is essential to address
these issues to ensure that our city’s leadership upholds the highest standards of
accountability, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.
1. Lack of Transparency and Trustworthiness: Residents are significantly disappointed with
the handling of their petition signatures, which did not appear to have been properly visible or
acknowledged. This raises questions about trust and transparency in the city’s decision-
making processes.
2. Collaboration Challenges: The tensions observed between the City Manager and City
Council members, primarily when clarification questions were raised, are concerning.
Effective collaboration is critical for the smooth functioning of our city, and such discord
undermines confidence in the city’s leadership.
3. Missed Opportunities in Fund Management: It is disheartening to learn that approximately
$70 million of city funds were not placed in an interest-bearing account, particularly during
historically high interest rates. This oversight represents a missed opportunity to maximize
returns for the benefit of our community.
I believe addressing these concerns is essential to restoring trust and improving the efficiency
of our city’s governance. I encourage further evaluation of these issues and welcome steps to
rectify them.
Thank you for considering this feedback. Please feel free to reach out if you need any more
clarification.
Best regards,
Charles
Cupertino resident
From:TSY Chuang
To:Liang Chao; Kitty Moore; Sheila Mohan; J.R. Fruen; Hung Wei; City Clerk
Subject:Feedback on City Manager
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 5:45:01 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
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Dear Cupertino City Council Members,
I am writing to share my concerns regarding Pamela Wu’s performance as Cupertino’s City Manager,
particularly in light of recent events. As a resident, I feel it is important to address these issues to ensure
that our city’s leadership upholds the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and fiscal
responsibility.
1. Lack of Transparency and Trustworthiness: There is significant disappointment over the handling of
residents’ petition signatures, which did not appear to have been given proper visibility or
acknowledgment. This raises questions about trust and transparency in the city’s decision-making
processes.
2. Collaboration Challenges: The tensions observed between the City Manager and City Council
members, especially when clarification questions were raised, are concerning. Effective collaboration is
critical for the smooth functioning of our city, and such discord undermines confidence in the city’s
leadership.
3. Missed Opportunities in Fund Management: It is disheartening to learn that approximately $65
million of city funds (tax collected from Apple) were not placed in an interest-bearing account, particularly
during a period of historically high interest rates. This oversight represents a missed opportunity to
maximize returns for the benefit of our community when the city is projecting a fiscal deficit.
I believe addressing these concerns is essential to restoring trust and improving the efficiency of our city’s
governance. I encourage further evaluation of these issues and welcome steps to rectify them moving
forward.
Please include my written communication here to the agenda for the upcoming city council meeting on
Nov 18, 2024. Thank you!
Best regards,
Tania
Reply Reply all Forward
From:TSY Chuang
To:Liang Chao; Kitty Moore; Sheila Mohan; J.R. Fruen; Hung Wei; City Clerk
Subject:Feedback on City Manager
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 5:45:01 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 Cupertino City Council Members,
I am writing to share my concerns regarding Pamela Wu’s performance as Cupertino’s City Manager,
particularly in light of recent events. As a resident, I feel it is important to address these issues to ensure
that our city’s leadership upholds the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and fiscal
responsibility.
1. Lack of Transparency and Trustworthiness: There is significant disappointment over the handling of
residents’ petition signatures, which did not appear to have been given proper visibility or
acknowledgment. This raises questions about trust and transparency in the city’s decision-making
processes.
2. Collaboration Challenges: The tensions observed between the City Manager and City Council
members, especially when clarification questions were raised, are concerning. Effective collaboration is
critical for the smooth functioning of our city, and such discord undermines confidence in the city’s
leadership.
3. Missed Opportunities in Fund Management: It is disheartening to learn that approximately $65
million of city funds (tax collected from Apple) were not placed in an interest-bearing account, particularly
during a period of historically high interest rates. This oversight represents a missed opportunity to
maximize returns for the benefit of our community when the city is projecting a fiscal deficit.
I believe addressing these concerns is essential to restoring trust and improving the efficiency of our city’s
governance. I encourage further evaluation of these issues and welcome steps to rectify them moving
forward.
Please include my written communication here to the agenda for the upcoming city council meeting on
Nov 18, 2024. Thank you!
Best regards,
Tania
Reply Reply all Forward
From:Helena Cohen
Subject:Feedback on City Manager Pamela Wu
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 3:55:15 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
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Dear City Council Members and Staff,
I am writing to share my concerns regarding Pamela Wu’s performance as Cupertino’s City
Manager, particularly in light of recent events. As a resident, I feel it is important to address
these issues to ensure that our city’s leadership upholds the highest standards of
accountability, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.
1. Lack of Transparency and Trustworthiness: There is significant disappointment over the
handling of residents’ petition signatures, which did not appear to have been given proper
visibility or acknowledgment. This raises questions about trust and transparency in the city’s
decision-making processes.
2. Collaboration Challenges: The tensions observed between the City Manager and City
Council members, especially when clarification questions were raised, are concerning.
Effective collaboration is critical for the smooth functioning of our city, and such discord
undermines confidence in the city’s leadership.
3. Missed Opportunities in Fund Management: It is disheartening to learn that approximately
$70 million of city funds were not placed in an interest-bearing account, particularly during a
period of historically high interest rates. This oversight represents a missed opportunity to
maximize returns for the benefit of our community.
I believe addressing these concerns is essential to restoring trust and improving the efficiency
of our city’s governance. I encourage further evaluation of these issues and welcome steps to
rectify them moving forward.
Thank you for considering this feedback. Please feel free to reach out if further clarification is
needed.
Best regards,
Helena Cohen
Cupertino resident
From:Helena Cohen
Subject:Feedback on City Manager Pamela Wu
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 3:00:25 PM
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Dear City Clerk,
Please include the below as written communications for items on agenda for the upcoming city
council meeting on Nov 18, 2024.
Mayor Sheila Mohan
Council Members
City of Cupertino
10300 Torre Avenue
Cupertino, CA 95014
Dear Mayor Mohan and Cupertino City Council Members,
I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the performance of the City Manager
Pamela Wu in 2024.
From the Cupertino city code I understand that the City Manager is entrusted by the City
Council with ensuring the effective and efficient operation of the City. Acting under the
collective direction of the City Council, the City Manager is tasked with implementing the
City’s adopted goals and objectives. Additionally, the City Manager’s Office plays a critical
role in fostering community-building initiatives to promote citizen engagement in local
government.
However, in recent years, many of the City Manager’s actions have not only fallen short of
these expectations but have actively worked against them. Her actions have undermined the
efficient operation of the City, obstructed the implementation of adopted goals, and suppressed
citizen involvement.
I cite the following evidence to support these claims. Much of this evidence comes from the
events surrounding the upzoning of Evulich Ct when the Linda Vista neighborhood organized
a petition to the City. During this process, we encountered significant barriers, many of which
were directly the results of the City Manager’s actions.
1. In 2024, when the plot of land on Evulich Court was designated as a Housing Element
target for upzoning, the City failed to adequately notify the affected residents as required
under California law. Many citizens, including myself, were not notified by the city, were
completely unaware of this significant zoning change until it was already finalized.
Of the few citizens who were fortunate enough to be subscribed to the City’s E-Notification
system and those who frequent the city web sites, when learned about the upzoning proposal
through an online survey, only 18% expressed support for the change, an stunning low level of
support which should have caused the City to redouble its effort for more public engagement
before going ahead.
Despite this clear lack of public awareness and significant community opposition, the City
proceeded with the upzoning, Evulich Ct, an R1-zoned single-family plot was rezoned to an
R3 designation. This change, combined with additional density bonuses allowed under SB330,
permits the construction of more than 80 housing units on the site.
The City’s actions clearly violated multiple provisions of California Government Code §§
65090, 65091, 65092, and 65854, which mandate public notification and hearings for zoning
changes. This failure to adhere to well-established laws and procedures suggests that it was
not merely an accidental oversight but a deliberate attempt to withhold information from the
public, enabling those in power to advance their own objectives under a veil of secrecy.
This blatant disregard demonstrates not only the City Manager’s lack of respect for Cupertino
residents but also a troubling indifference to the state laws designed to protect citizens and
ensure transparency in governance. I understand that Ms. Wu lives in Sunnyvale and perhaps
doesn’t care about the city she’s supposed to be serving.
After news of the upzoning broke, concerned citizens rallied to voice their grievances. In
September 2024, Randy Ong delivered a petition, signed by 745 residents of the Linda Vista
and Monta Vista neighborhoods, to the City Manager and Mayor Mohan. The petition
challenged the improper upzoning of the area and was addressed to the entire City Council.
However, after being handed over, the petition effectively vanished, as both the City Manager
and the Mayor deliberately suppressed its existence for over two weeks. This obstruction
prevented the petition from reaching its intended recipients on the City Council, undermining
the citizens' efforts to seek accountability.
It was only through the persistent efforts of Council Members Moore and Liang Chao that the
petition was uncovered and finally presented to its intended audience. This blatant disregard
for transparency and accountability demonstrated that the City Manager placed herself above
the citizens and even the City Council. Such actions represent a clear violation of city code
and a grave abuse of public trust, undermining the democratic process.
3. In the time between when we submitted the petition and when it was eventually
rediscovered, many of us reached out to the city via email, seeking engagement on this matter.
However, we were confronted with the reality that there are complex rules governing when
and how written communications must be submitted in order to be included in official records.
It was far from being as simple as emailing cityclerk@cupertino.org. It also seemed that the
guidelines for submitting emails to be considered part of the written communications
continued to change, with little explanation for why. As a result, an increasing number of
emails from citizens were deemed ineligible to be included in the written records, preventing
them from being preserved as a record of public concerns.
This shift in policy did not seemed to be sanctioned by city council resolutions; rather, the city
clerk's department simply began applying these new restrictions. Cupertino has made this
process unnecessarily complicated and frequently changing, hindering transparency and
citizen involvement. This reflects yet another attempt to suppress the democratic process,
directly contradicting the responsibilities the City Manager is meant to uphold.
4. After uncovering our petition and finally having it officially recorded in the Written
Communications, we reached the point where we had to stand before the city and request
formal acknowledgment of this issue. Since the upzoning had never undergone a public
hearing, we asked for it to be added as an agenda item at an upcoming city council meeting for
public discussion. Despite numerous emails and multiple residents speaking at city council
meetings, no agenda item was ever allowed.
Because the issue was excluded from the agenda, the City Manager and City Council
remained silent on it for several meetings—a convenience afforded by the Brown Act. At that
point, a troubling reality became clear: those who control the agenda decide what is important
to the people of Cupertino, not the actual citizens who elected the City Council who hired the
City Manager.
During multiple council meetings, we witnessed the frustration of Council Members Liang
Chao and Kitty Moore as they attempted to raise the issue. However, Mayor Mohan and
Council Member Fruen voted against it, and Pamela Wu made no effort to support the
residents. In this situation, if she had the best interests of the citizens in mind at all, she could
advocate for an agenda item. It is difficult to believe that an issue of such significance to
hundreds of families in Cupertino could be denied even a basic discussion. This made the
earlier lack of public notification and suppression of the petition seem far from accidental.
After efforts to suppress the petition and exclude it from the Written Communications, the
City Manager and Mayor used their remaining influence to prevent a public hearing. This
action goes directly against the principles outlined in the city charter and undermines the
democratic process, adding further insults to the earlier injury.
Rezoning, conducting public hearings, and accepting public input are standard practices in any
city’s operations, governed by both city codes and state law. So why, then, in our city, have
these routine processes been made so difficult, and seemingly calculated to suppress public
engagement. The evidence above shows that the City Manager bears significant responsibility
for these dysfunctions that have eroded trust between the city and its residents.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We hope that the City Manager will
endeavor to improve in the coming year to carry out the duties entrusted to her by the City and
the Citizens.
Sincerely,
Helena Cohen
Cupertino resident.
From:Rhoda Fry
To:City Clerk; City Council
Subject:City Council 11/18/2024 Agenda item #1 City Manager
Date:Monday, November 18, 2024 1:53:07 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
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Dear City Council,
Regarding the City Manager performance evaluation, in my opinion, Ms. Wu continues to
show growing pains in her role as City Manager and continues to disappoint.
And the City has gone through the expense of getting her training that does not have appeared
to resulted in a performance improvement.
Most recently, she was yelling at residents during a mayor meeting.
I happened to be standing next to her and covered my ears with my hands.
This is unacceptable.
And it is frustrating that she attends the mayor meetings and speaks over the mayor.
She appears to have forgotten that she works for the City Council and not vice versa.
Additionally, Ms. Wu has accused me in an email to other City staff that I had been rude or
some such in a zoom meeting.
I was invited by another resident to a zoom meeting with City Staff.
The resident was quite rude and I was unable to say anything because my microphone was not
working yet.
At some point, Ms. Wu left the zoom because she did not like the behavior of the resident and
sent a hostile message to the resident, myself, and staff.
I did not play a part in the resident’s behavior and was accused of it and shamed in front of
multiple staff members.
This is wrong.
And I heard from another resident that Ms. Wu had stated that I was responsible for delays at
Vallco when I have not been closely involved with issues there and would certainly not wield
that type of power.
Furthermore, she has engaged in more gossip with others in stating that I was running for City
Council.
It is inappropriate that Ms. Wu be involved in politics.
When she started on council, she acted as though she was in service to the council when Darcy
Paul was mayor.
This changed under the mayorship of Hung Wei and Sheila Mohan.
I also observed her attacking other councilmembers from the dais.
This is inappropriate.
And she overstepped by intimidating council members into voting for a brightly lit public
storage sign that faces residences. I have written about this before. It is wholly unacceptable.
There is more and you can refer to previous commentary.
I would have hoped that Ms. Wu would have grown into her role and am saddened to see that
she has regressed.
Sincerely,
Rhoda Fry, 40+ year resident of Cupertino
From:Lisa Warren
To:City Clerk; City Council
Cc:City Council
Subject:Written Communication for November 18, 2024 Closed Session items 1 and 2 Employee Performance Evaluations
CM and CA
Date:Monday, November 18, 2024 2:57:40 PM
Attachments:JR Fruen Letter to CC May 11, 2018 - City Attorney"s Duty - city"s Mission Statement.pdf
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
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Mayor Mohan, Vice Mayor Fruen and Councilmembers Chao, Moore and
Wei.
I have written and/or spoken about City Manager and City Attorney
'performance' in, I believe, the last three closed meetings on the subject.
I had hoped for improvement, but it seems that things are getting worse,
or at least more well known. I have recently spoken to several community
members who have shared bad, to horrible, experiences as they tried to
engage with Sr. Staff. This is not a good trend at all.
I continue to see erosion in transparency from City Manager Wu, and I
have made statements to that effect in public meetings. Some of this
'behavior' is supported by the current council majority, which is also a
significant disappointment.
I personally chose not to communicate directly with emails to CM Wu
because the 'answers' were not helpful. I did try again after several
months of opting not to, and again I felt that it was not a good use of
time. No real answers and, I felt, dismissive replies. I wish that it were
not so.
I am forwarding a previous email (from over a year ago) that touches on
my own concerns, as well as other members of the public. I have read
some emails, and heard multiple residents discuss and report poor
judgement on behalf of city attorney Jensen. Things do not appear to
have improved related to the way that Mr. Jensen communicates with
residents, and seem to be getting worse. Something needs to be done,
and the public should be made aware of efforts to take this seriously.
There is an increasing amount of money being spent on 'consultants' such
as David Sykes and the contracts indicate that 'coaching' is for multiple
staff members.
Have any of these consultants been made aware of the discontent of city
residents ? If not, why not ?
While I understand that these two positions are not 'easy'. That should in
no way create a culture that allows for 'misuse of power' or unacceptable
treatment related to people who the positions are meant to serve.
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Lisa Warren <la-warren@att.net>
To: cityclerk@cupertino.org <cityclerk@cupertino.org>; City Council <citycouncil@cupertino.org>
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2023 at 04:39:50 PM PDT
Subject: Written Communication for Oct 30, 2023 Closed Session item #1
To: City Council
Re: Item #1 of Oct 30, 2023 Closed Session Performance Evaluation City
Attorney
I have attached a letter submitted by JR Fruen, Resident, to city council
members on May 11, 2018.
The subject of the message was the performance of a previous city
attorney
I have would like to draw attention to the initial comments quoted below in
bold.
The letter was submitted under the Public Employee Performance
Evaluation: City Attorney, (Randolph Hom)
I do hope that Mr. Fruen, and others, see why this is relevant.
I have concerns related to the way that CA Jensen's actions have altered
in the last several months and don't believe they have not supported the
city's mission statement. I hope that Mr. Jensen can get back on the right
path for our residents, who any city attorney is expected to serve.
" The heart of an attorney's duty of loyalty is his protection and
furtherance of this client's interests. For any client, those
interests range beyond shielding against legal exposure. In the
case of this city, they include community cohesion and vitality as
memorialized in the city's mission statement 'to provide
exceptional service, encourage all members of the community to
support one another, and support the values of education,
innovation and collaboration'. "
There is a later comment that suggests an additional concern :
"I can not recall encountering the city attorney at public events."
--- Lisa Warren
From:S B
To:Kitty Moore; Liang Chao; Sheila Mohan; J.R. Fruen; Hung Wei; City Clerk
Subject:Feedback on City Manager Pamela Wu
Date:Monday, November 18, 2024 3:42:38 PM
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Dear Cupertino City Council Members and City Clerk,
Please include this in the city written communications!
I had the opportunity to work with the City Manager in my role as a commissioner in 2023.
Since then, I have observed a troubling shift in her approach to her responsibilities and
interactions with residents. It appears either the Council has redefined her role, or she has
chosen to disregard residents' concerns. Below are several key issues I’ve identified, along
with suggestions for improvement:
1. Lack of Transparency
The Scofield and Linda Vista cases highlight a lack of transparency. In the Scofield case,
residents were directed to work directly with the developer, with no involvement from the city.
In Linda Vista, 745 signatures were collected but ignored until Council members Chao and
Moore intervened. The City Manager should establish clear communication channels and a
structured process to engage residents and developers, ensuring timely responses to
community concerns.
2. Lack of Fiscal Responsibility
In 2023, the City Manager traveled to Taiwan with Councilmember Wei, and this year, she is
on a similar trip to India with Mayor Mohan. No public report has been provided on the
Taiwan trip, including costs and benefits. Meanwhile, city services like the July 4th fireworks
have been cut due to budget constraints. The City Manager should provide detailed reports on
such trips and the council must scrutinize travel expenses, especially during times of fiscal
austerity.
3. Lack of Respect for Democracy
Changes to resident communication processes have become increasingly complex, now
requiring explicit requests for attaching memos to written communications for public access.
Furthermore, important issues like the future of City Hall and the removal of bike lanes on De
Anza are often relegated to memos instead of being discussed in open Council meetings. The
City Manager should ensure that all major topics are openly discussed in meetings, with clear
opportunities for public input, restoring transparency and inclusivity in decision-making.
4. Lack of Respect for Elected Council Members
Council members Chao and Moore are often unable to express their views due to time
constraints or because the issue was discussed in private meetings. This leaves the public
unaware of important discussions. Additionally, at events like the Mayor’s Chai, the City
Manager has sometimes taken on a speaking role intended for the Mayor, which can confuse
residents about who is speaking on behalf of the city. Council members should be given the
opportunity to share their views during meetings, and the City Manager should respect the role
of the Mayor, ensuring that residents hear directly from elected officials.
5. Questioning Integrity and Accountability
During the recent City Council election, city staff removed campaign signs for candidates
Kitty Moore and Ray Wang without prior notice, violating the municipal code. While the City
Manager issued an apology, the underlying question remains: how did this happen? This
incident highlights the need for more transparent and accountable decision-making. The City
should implement a clearer process for approvals, including public visibility and tracking (e.g.,
a workflow ticketing system), to increase transparency and rebuild public trust.
I believe in constructive feedback and would like to see the city manager committed to
working toward a more transparent, accountable, and resident-focused city government.
Sincerely,
Sashi Begur