REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Annual Appointment of Vice Mayor and Chaplain
Report
BACKGROUND
At the beginning of each calendar year, the City Council appoints a member of the City Council into the positions of Vice Mayor and Chaplain to serve for approximately one year until a successor Vice Mayor and successor Chaplain are appointed the following year.
On June 9, 1998, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 6442, which established, pursuant to Section 705 of the City Charter, a procedure for selection of Vice Mayor and selection of Chaplain of the City Council. On January 15, 2019, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 19-8650 to repeal and replace Resolution No. 6442, establishing, pursuant to Section 705 of the City Charter, a procedure for selection of Vice Mayor and selection of Chaplain of the City Council (Attachment 1).
Resolution 19-8650 includes the following procedure for selection of a Vice Mayor and selection of a Chaplain:
1) In January of each year, the City Council shall select a Vice Mayor and a Chaplain by majority vote of a quorum of the City Council.
2) The Vice Mayor and Chaplain shall commence service immediately upon selection and shall serve for approximately one (1) year until the next Vice Mayor and Chaplain are appointed, provided that such service shall be at the pleasure of the City Council. by a majority vote of a quorum of the City Council.
3) The Vice Mayor shall be the Councilmember with the highest seniority in consecutive years on the City Council and who has not previously served as Vice Mayor.
4) The most recent outgoing Vice Mayor will serve as Chaplain.
5) If two or more Councilmembers have the same seniority in number of consecutive years served on the City Council, the Vice Mayor selected will be the Councilmember who received the most votes in the most recent applicable council election.
6) No Councilmember shall serve more than once as Vice Mayor unless all Councilmembers, expressly including those joining the Council from a later election, have had an opportunity to serve in that position.
7) A Councilmember may choose to not serve as Vice Mayor or exchange such service opportunity. Councilmembers may exchange places in the Vice Mayor rotation (i.e., allow another member to take his/her position in the rotation) if a majority of a Council quorum votes to approve the request.
8) The Chaplain will be selected in January of each year by majority vote of a quorum of the City Council. The Chaplain will be the most recent outgoing Vice Mayor.
DISCUSSION
Appointment of Vice Mayor
The City Charter Section 705 provides that the City Council will designate one of its members as Vice Mayor to perform the duties of the Mayor during the Mayor’s absence or disability.
The table below lists the City Councilmembers who have served as Vice Mayor since 2019.
|
Vice Mayor |
Calendar Year |
|
Patricia M. Mahan |
2019 |
|
Karen Hardy |
2020 |
|
Raj Chahal |
2021 |
|
Sudhanshu “Suds” Jain |
2022 |
|
Kevin Park |
2023 |
|
Anthony Becker |
2024 |
Resolution No. 19 8650 states the following:
• No Councilmember shall serve more than once as Vice Mayor unless all City Councilmembers, expressly including those joining the Council from a later election year, have had an opportunity to serve in that position.
• If two or more Councilmembers have the same seniority in number of consecutive years served on the City Council, the Vice Mayor selected will be the Councilmember who received the most votes in the most recent applicable council election.
Based on the current City Council, Councilmember Kelly G. Cox and Councilmember Albert Gonzalez are the only two Councilmembers who have not served in the position of Vice Mayor. On December 17, 2024, Councilmember Kelly G. Cox and Councilmember Albert Gonzalez were sworn into office. Consistent with the process in the Resolution, if two or more Councilmembers have the same seniority in number of consecutive years served on the City Council, the Vice Mayor selected will be the Councilmember who received the votes in the most recent applicable Council election.
On December 17, 2024, the City Council ratified the election results from the November 5, 2024 election. The election results reported that Councilmember Kelly G. Cox had 4,040 votes and Councilmember Albert Gonzalez had 2,507 votes.
Based on the process outlined in Resolution 19-8650, City Councilmember Kelly G. Cox would be considered for the position of Vice Mayor until the appointment of a successor Vice Mayor in January 2026.
Appointment of Chaplain
As outlined in Resolution No. 19 8650, the selection process states the Chaplain will be selected in January of each year by majority vote of a quorum of the City Council. The Chaplain will be the most recent outgoing Vice Mayor. In 2024, Anthony Becker served as Vice Mayor and is no longer a member of the City Council. The Resolution language does not specifically address a procedure, in the case the most recent outgoing Vice Mayor is not currently in office.
The table below lists the City Councilmembers who have served as Chaplain since 2019.
|
Chaplain |
Calendar Year |
|
Kathy Watanabe |
2019 |
|
Patricia Mahan |
2020 |
|
Karen Hardy |
2021 |
|
Raj Chahal |
2022 |
|
Suds Jain |
2023 |
|
Kevin Park |
2024 |
There a few options the City Council could consider:
• The most recent outgoing Vice Mayor is Councilmember Kevin Park. Appoint Councilmember Kevin Park to continue to serve as Chaplain for 2025.
• Appoint Councilmember Karen Hardy to serve as Chaplain as the sitting Councilmember who served first in the rotation.
• Appoint a new member of the City Councilmember to serve as Chaplain. With this option, if Councilmember Cox is appointed as Vice Mayor, per the process outlined above, Councilmember Gonzalez would be the appropriate appointee for Chaplain.
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 fiscal impact to the City other than staff time.
COORDINATION
This report was coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office and 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 <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Appoint Councilmember Kelly G. Cox as Vice Mayor for approximately one year until the appointment of a successor Vice Mayor in January 2026; and
2. Appoint the Councilmember Council deems appropriate to serve as Chaplain for approximately one year until the appointment of a successor Chaplain in January 2026.
Staff
Reviewed by: Maria Le, Assistant to the City Manager, City Manager’s Office
Approved by: Jovan D. Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. 19-8650