REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on a Council Written Request (Council Policy 030) Submitted by Vice Mayor Jain Requesting to Place an Agenda Item at a Future Council Meeting to Discuss Allocating up to $150K to create a Neighborhood Stadium Relations Committee using funds from the SCSA budget (not the City of Santa Clara’s General Fund)
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency
BACKGROUND
Council Policy 030 - Adding an Item on the Agenda (Attachment 1) sets forth the procedure for written petitions. Any member of the public or Council may submit a written request raising any issue or item within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council. Per the policy, the written request will be submitted on the agenda, in the form substantially provided by the requestor, without any staff analysis, including fiscal review, legal review and policy review. If a simple majority of the City Council supports further study of the request, then a full staff analysis shall be prepared within thirty (30) days, unless otherwise directed by the City Council.
DISCUSSION
The City Clerk’s Office received a Council Written Request on June 15, 2022 from Vice Mayor Jain requesting to place an agenda item at a future council meeting to discuss allocating up to $150K to create a Neighborhood Stadium Relations Committee using funds from the SCSA budget (not the City of Santa Clara General Fund)
(Attachment 2).
In the request, Vice Mayor Jain states:
The Council Policy 030 states: “Members of the City Council shall use the Council item Request form to submit a written request for inclusion of an item on a future city council agenda.” While the 030 policy doesn’t explicitly cover Stadium Authority agendas there seems to be no other mechanism for Authority members to add agenda items to Stadium Authority meetings so I’m taking the liberty of using this form to do so.
On November 24, 2021, I submitted a 030 request to consider the creation of a Stadium Relations Committee similar to the NURC committee. And during CIP budget discussions I ask a question about the cost of implementing such a Stadium Relations Committee. This is the reply I received from Staff.
“The estimated cost of the Stadium Neighborhood committee is premised on the Measure J requirement that all costs associated with the Stadium not be borne by the General Fund. Therefore, the cost of this committee would be a Stadium Authority cost to the extent it works on stadium-related issues. The high-level cost estimate of $156k was solely based on the presumed key staff involved and an estimate of the hours required to support the committee (e.g., agenda preparation, reports, meeting time and follow up) with staff from the City Manager’s Office, Police Department, Fire Department and Public Works Department. The estimate for other committees would be different based upon staff involved in those committees. There is currently not a separate accounting of the costs associated with Council committees as these are budgeted in the various departments. The cost for these committees can also be looked at as an assignment of resources or staff capacity. If staff resources were not used for committees, they could be re-deployed to support other areas. The number of Councilmembers on a Council committee does not markedly impact the costs associated with the implementation of a Council committee but rather the scope and breadth of the committee agendas and the follow up required.”
I’m now asking for a discussion to be agendized to allocate up to $150K to create a Neighborhood Stadium Relations Committee using funds from the SCSA budget (not the City of Santa Clara’s general fund).
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with considering the request to be placed on a future agenda except for staff time.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project" within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any report to Council may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Set a future Council meeting date to take action on the Written Petition received.
2. Take no action.
3. Any other City Council Action, as determined by the City Council.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff makes no recommendation.
Staff
Reviewed by: Nora Pimentel, Assistant City Clerk
Approved by: Rajeev Batra, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Policy and Procedure 030 - Adding an Item on the Agenda
2. Council Written Request submitted by Vice Mayor Jain dated June 8, 2022