CC 05-15-2025 (Special)
APPROVED MINUTES
CUPERTINO CITY COUNCIL
Thursday, May 15, 2025
SPECIAL MEETING
At 6:00 p.m., Mayor Liang Chao called the Special City Council Meeting to order in the
Cupertino Community Hall Council Chamber, 10350 Torre Avenue and via teleconference;
and Teleconference Location Pursuant to Government Code section 54953(b)(2) Sheraton
Stockholm, Tegelbacken 6, 101 23, 101 23 Stockholm, Sweden, Hotel Lobby.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Liang Chao, Vice Mayor Kitty Moore, and Councilmembers J.R. Fruen, Sheila
Mohan, and R “Ray” Wang (participated remotely). Absent: None.
POSTPONEMENTS AND ORDERS OF THE DAY - None
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Chao opened the public comment period and, seeing no one, closed the public
comment period.
MOTION: Wang moved and Moore seconded to approve the items on the Consent Calendar
as presented. The motion passed with the following vote: Ayes: Chao, Moore, Fruen, and
Wang. Noes: Mohan. Abstain: None. Absent: None.
1. Subject: Accept City Council Subcommittee recommendation regarding the 2025 July
4th fireworks
Recommended Action: Accept the City Council Subcommittee recommendation
regarding the 2025 July 4th fireworks
Written communications for this item included emails to Council.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
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2. Subject: Public Hearing Pursuant to Government Code Section 3502.3 to Receive a
Report on City of Cupertino Vacancies, and Recruitment and Retention Efforts.
(Continued from May 6, 2025)
Recommended Action: Receive the informational report on City of Cupertino
Vacancies, and Recruitment and Retention Efforts Pursuant to Government Code
Section 3502.3.
Written communications for this item included a staff presentation.
Director of Administrative Services Kristina Alfaro and Human Resources Manager
Vanessa Guerra gave a presentation.
Mayor Chao opened the public hearing and the following people spoke.
Planning Commissioner San R (representing self)
Planning Commissioner Seema Lindskog (representing self)
Mayor Chao closed the public hearing.
Moore requested an informational memorandum detailing when the vacancy
recruitments were posted, including those from 2022 and 2023.
Councilmembers asked questions and made comments.
MOTION: Moore moved and Wang seconded to receive the informational report on
City of Cupertino Vacancies, and Recruitment and Retention Efforts Pursuant to
Government Code Section 3502.3. The motion passed with the following vote: Ayes:
Chao, Moore, Fruen, Mohan, and Wang. Noes: None. Abstain: None. Absent: None.
ACTION CALENDAR
3. Subject: Per the Council's direction, review potential Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)
projects to be defunded from the current approved list. (Continued from May 6, 2025)
Recommended Action: City Council shall consider:
A) Which of the following projects to consider defunding and eliminating, or;
B) Reaffirm the current Capital Improvement Programs project list.
Written communications for this item included a staff presentation and emails to the
Council.
Public Works Director Chad Mosley and CIP Project Manager Susan Michael gave a
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presentation.
At 6:38 p.m. Mayor Chao recessed the meeting. The meeting reconvened at 6:44 p.m. with all
Councilmembers present.
Mayor Chao opened the public comment period and the following people spoke.
Bicycle Pedestrian Commissioner Herve Marcy (representing self)
Jean Bedord
Jennifer Griffin
Evan Lojewski
Planning Commissioner San R (representing self)
Betsy Megas
Planning Commissioner Seema Lindskog (representing self)
Jennifer Shearin
Louise Saadati
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Seema Swamy (representing self)
Mayor Chao closed the public comment period.
Councilmember Fruen stated that, based on prior advice from the City Attorney and
due to his financial interest in property at 6445–6447 Bollinger Road, which would be
impacted in value by the Bollinger Road Corridor Study, he would recuse from the
discussion.
At 7:21 p.m., Councilmember Fruen left the meeting.
Council deliberated on the Bollinger Road Corridor Study (Fruen recused).
Councilmembers asked questions and made comments.
MOTION: Wang moved and Moore seconded to defund the Bollinger Road Corridor
Study. The motion passed with the following vote: Ayes: Chao, Moore, and Wang.
Noes: Mohan. Recuse: Fruen. Absent: None.
At 7:41 p.m. Councilmember Fruen rejoined the meeting.
Council deliberated on the other projects on the CIP list (excluding Bollinger Road
Corridor Study).
Councilmembers asked questions and made comments.
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MOTION: Moore moved and Wang seconded to defund the Silicon Valley Hopper EV
Parking, subject to identifying alternative locations. The motion passed with the
following vote: Ayes: Chao, Moore, Fruen, Mohan, and Wang. Noes: None. Abstain:
None. Absent: None.
MOTION: Wang moved to defund the Stevens Creek Blvd Class IV Bikeway Phase 2A
and Stevens Creek Blvd Class IV Bikeway Phase 2B. There was no second and the
motion was not considered.
At 8:12 p.m. Mayor Chao recessed the meeting. The meeting reconvened at 8:18 p.m. with all
Councilmembers present.
STUDY SESSION
4. Subject: Initial Study Session on Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 Proposed Budget and FY
2025-26 Capital Improvement Programs
Recommended Action: Initial Study Session on Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 Proposed
Budget and FY 2025-26 Capital Improvement Programs
Written communications for this item included a staff presentation and desk item report
with staff answers to councilmember questions.
Mayor Chao opened the public comment period and, seeing no one, closed the public
comment period.
Councilmembers asked questions and made comments.
Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Seema Swamy, speaking on behalf of the
Commission, provided an update on the community grant funding process.
Council conducted the Initial Study Session on Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 Proposed
Budget and FY 2025-26 Capital Improvement Programs.
Council provided the following direction:
• Unanimously supported including a staff proposal in the budget for funding a
position to assist with hybrid commission meetings.
Councilmembers requested staff follow-up on the following items:
• Chao and Moore: Supported exploring a citywide traffic study; requested an
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informational memorandum evaluating process to collect data such as traffic
counts, flow, and speed surveys, along with proposed scope and cost.
• Moore: Requested historical data on the City's vacancy rates.
• Chao: Requested information about staffing trends, historical vs. current staffing
levels.
• Moore: Look into discontinuing the remaining $100,000 in funding for Rise
engagement project work program item.
• Moore: Requested clearer accounting on Sister City Program, facility use, and
free use of City facilities; requested review of agreements governing use of City
property.
• Chao: Requested consideration of adding a "nonprofit support" section in the
budget to show the actual costs associated with each supported nonprofit.
• Wang: Requested clearer distinctions between resident and non-resident benefits
in the fee schedule; requested a report/informational memo on the fee schedule’s
history and structure, with comparisons.
• Chao: Requested information on Blackberry Farm Pool summer staffing for
potential reopening for July 4 and impacts of decreased part-time staffing; and
whether the staffing shortage is due to reduced summer programs.
• Moore: Requested information on the $1.5 million budget transfers-in for
accounts -610 and -580 and report back.
• Wang and Chao: Requested an update on Active Transportation Plan (ATP)
progress and expenditures; provide spending data and return to Council for
direction before the consultant prepares the full analysis.
• Moore and Chao: Requested information on how to discontinue outdated work
program items; review policies, including carryover policy, to evaluate ongoing
project funding.
ADJOURNMENT
At 10:08 p.m., Mayor Chao adjourned the Special City Council Meeting.
Minutes prepared by:
Kirsten Squarcia, City Clerk