REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Council, Authorities Concurrent, and Santa Clara Stadium Authority Schedule of Meetings for 2027
Report
BACKGROUND
Setting the Council and Authorities Concurrent and Stadium Authority meetings in advance allows for the proper planning and agenda management.
Pursuant to Charter Section 707, the City Council shall hold regular meetings at least twice each month.
DISCUSSION
The City Charter requires two Council meetings per month. For 2026 the annual calendar includes combined Council and Authorities Concurrent and Santa Clara Stadium Authority Board meetings. The calendar takes into consideration regularly scheduled significant workload (i.e., Stadium Authority and City budget development), City business conferences (i.e., League of California Cities, New Mayors and Council Members Academy, etc.), avoids major observed holidays, and includes a four-week summer recess from July 19 - August 13.
In addition to the regular meeting dates, the 2027 calendar identifies the alternate Tuesdays that fall between regular meetings. These dates have been set aside and placed on hold in the event a special meeting is needed to take up carryover items from the prior week's agenda that were not heard, or other items that need to be brought forward to the City Council. Reserving these dates in advance provides scheduling certainty for the Council, staff, and the public, and reduces the need to identify a special meeting date on short notice. Any special meeting called on a held date would be noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act.
In recent years, the policy matters, budgetary items, closed session matters, and general business items before the City Council and Authorities Concurrent and Santa Clara Stadium Authority Board have resulted in the need for several special meetings, and meetings regularly go until the early morning hours. For example, in addition to the 24 regular meetings each year, on average, for the last three years, the City has scheduled 16 special meetings annually (18 in 2023, 14 in 2024, and 17 in 2025).
In response, the City Council amended Council Policy 055, to limit the duration of its meetings so that they will end at midnight unless Council approves to extend. Additionally, the Governance & Ethics Committee’s work plan includes a review of the frequency and start times of regular meetings. Any recommendations from the Committee to adjust the number of meetings and/or the regular start times will go before the full City Council for review and action.
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 governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no additional cost to the City other than administrative time.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the City Manager’s Office.
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 agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Set the 2027 regular meeting calendar for Council, Authorities Concurrent and Santa Clara Stadium Authority Board, including the alternate Tuesdays held in reserve for special meetings.
Staff
Reviewed by: Nora Pimentel, Assistant City Clerk
Approved by: Jovan D. Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed 2027 Meetings Calendar