Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout03 - March 27, 2026 - Mayor and Commission Chairs Meeting on March 18, 2026 CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE CITY HALL 10300 TORRE AVENUE • CUPERTINO, CA 95014-3255 TELEPHONE: (408) 777-3223 • CUPERTINO.GOV CITY COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM Date: March 27, 2026 To: Cupertino City Council From: Kirsten Squarcia, Deputy City Manager Re: Mayor and Commission Chairs Meeting on March 18, 2026 Background On March 18, 2026, Mayor Kitty Moore convened the first Mayor and Commission Chairs Meeting of the year at the Quinlan Community Center. The meeting followed the standard format of welcome remarks, commission updates, and closing remarks, providing an opportunity for commission leadership to share updates and discuss citywide priorities. Mayor Moore opened the meeting by welcoming attendees, after which commission representatives provided updates on recent activities and areas of focus. Attendees included Audit Committee Chair Eno Schmidt; Bicycle Pedestrian Commission Chair Gerhard Eschelbeck; Economic Development Committee Vice Chair Selina Kaing; Housing Commission Chair Connie Cunningham; Library Commission Chair Minna Xu; Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Seema Swamy; Planning Commission Chair Tracy Kosolcharoen; Public Safety Commission Vice Chair Sidharth Rajaram; Sustainability Commission Chair Susan Hansen; Teen Commission Chair Anushree Misra; and Technology, Information and Communication Commission (TICC) Commission Chair Prabir Mohanty. Commissioner Kiran Rohra attended on behalf of the Arts and Culture Commission. Discussions included ongoing transportation and safety efforts, including active transportation planning and the costs associated with programs such as Safe Routes to School and crossing guard services. Public Safety Commission updates also highlighted continued promotion of AlertSCC to support emergency preparedness and evacuation communication. Economic Development Committee updates reflected increased activity associated with the Big Game and strong local engagement. City Manager Tina Kapoor also shared updates on the upcoming implementation of a business license amnesty program to address unregistered businesses. Housing-related discussions included interest in further review of the Below Market Rate Housing Program Manual and greater clarity on the use and allocation of housing funds. Parks and Recreation Commission updates focused on community funding grant applications and upcoming funding decisions, while youth engagement efforts were highlighted through Teen Commission programming and events. Additional updates included library programming and anticipated facility improvements, as well as broader facility considerations. Sustainability Commission efforts focused on community outreach and upcoming events, with interest in expanding public education opportunities related to energy-efficient technologies. Technology- related updates included continued engagement with industry partners to explore innovation opportunities that may enhance City operations and service delivery. Mayor Moore also shared updates on with topics presented during recent Mayor’s Chats, including Cupertino Sports Center membership data, Silicon Valley Hopper ridership, and Santa Clara County’s budget review, and reinforcing alignment between community priorities and commission discussions. The meeting concluded at approximately 6:30 p.m. Each Commission’s three summary bullet points and meeting attendance are attached for your reference. Sustainability Impact No sustainability impact. Fiscal Impact No fiscal impact. California Environmental Quality Act No California Environmental Quality Act impact. _____________________________________ Prepared by: Serena Tu, Executive Assistant to the City Manager/Council Reviewed by: Kirsten Squarcia, Deputy City Manager Approved for Submission by: Tina Kapoor, City Manager Attachments: A – March 18, 2026 – Mayor and Commission Chairs Meeting Summary Bullet Points ATTACHMENT A 2026 Mayor and Commission Chairs Meeting Quinlan Community Center, Social Room 10185 N Stelling Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014 MEETING AGENDA Wednesday, March 18, 2026 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM 5:00 PM – 5:10 PM Welcome and Introductions Mayor Moore 5:10 PM – 6:10 PM Commission Updates All 6:10 PM – 6:30 PM Closing Remarks Mayor Moore ATTACHMENT A AGENDA ITEMS Please use this space to include up to three summary bullets highlighting key activities from each commission. AUDIT COMMITTEE Chair: Eno Schmidt (ESchmidt@cupertino.gov) Vice Chair: Hanyan Wu (HWu@cupertino.gov) • City Cash & Investments – Total $310M: The Committee reviewed, approved, and forwarded the Treasurer’s Investment Report for December 31, 2025 to Council. Total City cash and investments were $310 million, an $8 million increase over the prior quarter, including $204 million managed by Chandler Asset Management and $73 million held in LAIF (Local Agency Investment Fund). • Pension & OPEB Trusts – 16% 2025 Return: The Committee reviewed, approved, and forwarded the performance reports to Council. The two City portfolios achieved 2025 total net returns of 16%, in line with the City benchmark and overall market performance. • Audit Recommendations – 51 Completed: The Committee reviewed the Internal Auditor’s tracking report covering 78 recommendations issued since 2022, of which 51 have been validated as completed, with 27 remaining open and in progress. ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION Chair: David Wang (dwang@cupertino.gov) Vice Chair: Gurmeet Lamba (glamba@cupertino.gov) Kiran Rohra will be representing the ACC, as both the Chair and Vice Chair are unable to attend. • Created an Art Assets and Inventory, documenting 43 public art pieces (including photos for over half) and 10 art facilities and organizations within the community. Planning to review during March 23 Commission meeting to discuss how best to leverage this information. ATTACHMENT A • Artist Awards Ceremony on January 26. Celebrated artists in our community with an art exhibition and award ceremony. There were 164 participants in this program in 2025, ranging from Young Artist A (6 – 10 years old) to Distinguished Artists. • Upcoming Public Art review for 7-unit townhome project on Bianchi Way, planned for March 23 Commission meeting. BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN COMMISSION Chair: Gerhard Eschelbeck (GEshelbeck@cupertino.gov) Vice Chair: Munisekaran Madhdhipatla (MMadhdhipatla@cupertino.gov) • Review and Provide Feedback on Prioritized Project List for Cupertino Active Transportation Plan • Review and Make Recommendations for Torre Av/Town Center Lane Pedestrian Crossing • Cupertino Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission involvement and coordination with respect to upcoming City bicycling events (i.e. Bike to Work and Wherever Days) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Chair: Jane Lin (JLin@cupertino.gov) Vice Chair: Selina Kaing (SKaing@cupertino.gov) The Economic Development Committee held a regular meeting on January 29, 2026, during which the following items were addressed: • Received a presentation on marketing and engagement tools for promoting Cupertino during the Big Game (Football Championship) celebration. • The committee approved outreach to local eateries to encourage participation in the City’s Big Game Shop Local campaign, where they offer deals and specials during the Big Game week. ATTACHMENT A • The committee approved our 2026 regular meeting schedule by establishing quarterly meetings on the last thursday of the first month of each quarter: January 29 (past), April 30, July 30, and October 29, 2026. The Economic Development Committee will meet for a special meeting on March 27, 2026. HOUSING COMMISSION Chair: Connie Cunningham (CCunningham@cupertino.gov) Vice Chair: Usha Narayan (UNarayan@cupertino.gov) • On December 8, 2025 the Housing Commission held a special meeting to study policies and programs for tenant protections and anti-displacement for renters in market rate units, as required by the Housing Element. The Commission approved including the following policies and programs to be included in an implementation plan for further study and potential enaction to be presented to the City Council: rent mediation, tenant legal services, rent stabilization, just cause eviction protections, and deposit/fee regulations. • At the same meeting, the Housing Commission approved a Housing Commission Resolution to recommend the City Council approve an annual funding increase of $152,000 in funding to local housing programs through the Human Services Grant (HSG) program (for a grand total of $281,000 with annual CPI increase) in response to instability in the federal government and uncertainty • regarding the future of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. • Throughout the month of February, Housing Commissioners reviewed applications for funding in response to the FY 26-27 Notice of Funding Available (NOFA) for the CDBG and Below Market Rate (BMR) Affordable Housing Fund for capital housing projects. The commission will meet on March 26 LIBRARY COMMISSION Chair: Minna Xu (mxu@cupertino.gov) ATTACHMENT A Vice Chair: Chandra Sakthivel (csakthivel@cupertino.gov) • Commissioners shared project proposals and discussed the issues they hope the library and the city will address in 2026. • The 2026 Santa Clara County StoryWalk program aligns with our Mayor’s 2026 initiative. However, we are currently facing a location challenge. A subcommittee will be formed to address this issue, and we hope to launch the program as soon as possible. • Recent updates on various library programs and is looking forward to several facility upgrades. • PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Chair: Seema Swamy (sswamy@cupertino.gov) Vice Chair: Claudio Bono (cbono@cupertino.gov) • The Commission received presentations for Community Funding Grants from various applicants. The Commissioners asked follow-up questions, and the ratings/decisions for awarding funding will be made at the April Commission meeting. • There were 22 applications received overall. Of these, 14 were new applicants, • and seven were applicants that had applied previously for Community Funding from the City of Cupertino. However, only 17 presentations were made to the Parks and Recreation Commission. o The range of applications was widespread in their focus. o The funding approved for disbursement is $32,500 whereas the total amount requested by all the applications total $167,120. o The Cupertino City Staff found that 17 of the applicants met the rules of eligibility for funding, and 5 applications are pending approval subject to the discretion/evaluation of the Commissioners. • The selection of the Chair and the Vice Chair will be held at the April Commissioners meeting. PLANNING COMMISSION ATTACHMENT A Chair: Tracy Kosolcharoen (Tkosolcharoen@cupertino.gov) Vice Chair: Steven Scharf (SScharf@cupertino.gov) • On March 11-13, three Planning Commission members attended the Planning Commissioners Academy. This was an excellent opportunity to meet other commissioners from across the state, learn about the latest state housing legislation coming down the pipeline, and further our knowledge on topics like CEQA, wildfire risk, and the planning/building process. • On February 10th, the Planning Commission received and provided feedback on the Active Transportation Plan. The Commission asked to revisit the scoring system and put more weight on intersections in High Injury Network, as well as reinstate proximity to parks in addition to schools. • On March 9th, the Planning Commission received and provided feedback on the draft Health & Safety Element. The Commission asked to incorporate more supply-side recommendations from the evacuation study, and heat safety into the draft revision. PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION Chair: Vacant Vice Chair: Sidharth Rajaram (SRajaram@cupertino.gov) • We are working on ways to increase AlertSCC enrollment. • Would like to discuss resources and funding for increased AI-focused cybersecurity campaigns. • Working to put quick safety tips for the AI era (voice spoofing scams, etc.) in SCENE / City communications. SUSTAINBILITY COMMISSION Chair: Susan Hansen (shansen@cupertino.gov) Vice Chair: Alexander Fung (JCarter@cupertino.gov) • Received a presentation about Cupertino’s waste sorting operations and how they are different from other jurisdictions in the area. ATTACHMENT A • Commissioners discussed potential projects for 2026 and voted on a workplan. • The commission has been networking in the community and will be tabling at several Earth Day related events and Cherry Blossom Festival. TEEN COMMISSION Chair: Anushree Misra (AMisra@cupertino.gov) Vice Chair: Harly Liu • Received presentation on city-wide and program level events as well as festivals coordinated with outside organizations. • Received a presentation on SR25 • Received a presentation on Youth-led Organization, Young Leaders in Cybersecurity and AI • Received a presentation on teen programs: Teen Speaker Series, Teen Splash Bash, and Pizza and Politics. TECHNOLOGY, INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION COMMISSION Chair: Prabir Mohanty (pmohanty@cupertino.gov) Vice Chair: Sudeep Kumar (SudKumar@cupertino.gov) • TICC conducted an AI Powered City Modernization meeting with senior AI Leadership and AI Technologists of Google. • TICC conducted an AI Powered City Modernization meeting with senior AI Leadership and AI Technologists of Microsoft. • TICC is also planning some meetings with AI Start-ups and also reaching out to Robotics companies to learn next gen Robotics Initiatives that can significantly improve City Operations, enhance service efficiency and reduce operating costs.