REPORT TO GOVERNANCE AND ETHICS COMMITTEE
SUBJECT
Title
Review and Action on the 2026 Governance and Ethics Committee Workplan (CONTINUED FROM MARCH 30, 2026)
Report
BACKGROUND
On an annual basis, the Governance and Ethics Committee establishes a workplan with items prioritized for the calendar year. Additional items may be recommended by the Committee or staff, which staff will bring forward as appropriate.
On March 30, 2026, this agenda item was brought forth for review and consideration to the Governance and Ethics Committee. Committee members discussed and added a few additional items for consideration to the workplan. In addition, Committee members stated the meeting schedule for the Governance and Ethics Committee should be reviewed with more meetings to allow time to complete the workplan items. The Committee directed staff to schedule a special Committee meeting to review, prioritize and vote on the workplan items.
DISCUSSION
To prepare and plan for the Committee workload, staff developed a proposed workplan for the 2026 calendar year. The workplan includes items which have been carried over from the previous approved workplan, and potential new items requested by Committee members and/or recommended by staff. It is also important to note, some work plan items listed may require more than one meeting to allow for full discussion and Committee action. During the year the Committee and staff may amend the workplan to add, delete, or re-prioritize items as desired or needed.
Proposed 2026 Workplan Items
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Committee Meeting Date: |
Agenda Item(s): |
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March 30, 2026 |
1) Review and Provide Direction on the 2026 City Council Priority Setting Session 2) Action on Council Policy Establishing an Annual Performance Review Process for Council Appointees 3) Review and Action on 2026 Workplan |
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April 13, 2026 |
4) Review and Action on 2026 Workplan (CONTINUED) 5) Action on Council Policy Establishing an Annual Performance Review Process for Council (DEFERRED) |
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April 30, 2026, Special Meeting |
1) Presentation by Outside Consultant for the Review of and Recommendations Regarding Potential Adoption of an Ethics Commission or Ethics Program and the Approval of Proposed Changes to City's Existing Ethics Policies Previously Presented to Committee (Continued) 2) Review and Approval of Amendments to Council Policy 042 (“Reconsideration of Council Action”) |
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May TBD (Special Meeting) |
1) Review of Council Policy 055 (“Meeting Management Protocol”) 2) Discuss and Provide direction to Staff on Council Policy that provides guidance on the scheduled start times and frequency of regular City Council meetings 3) Process for Scheduling Special City Council meetings and Closed Sessions |
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June 1, 2026 |
1) Review of a Policy Limiting Resolution Matters Outside Jurisdiction of the City |
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September 14, 2026 |
1) Review of additional Text Messaging Retention applications (in addition to Smarsh) (Continued) |
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December 7, 2026 |
1) Review of Proposed Comprehensive City Council Policies and Procedure manual (1st draft) |
Additional Committee Member Workplan Items for Consideration
At the date of this agenda posting, staff requested Committee members to submit any additional referrals for consideration for the workplan discussion. The following is a list of the items submitted for consideration by the Committee members:
1. Gift policy for under $50
2. City Council Meeting Schedule: Increase the number of calendared City Council Meetings from 2 per month to 3 per month or 36 total. July and August split for break is inconsistent with other agencies
3. Review Council Policy 042 (“Reconsideration of Council Action”) including adjunct topics such as definition of prevailing party
4. Review Council Policy 030 (“Adding an Item to the Agenda”): Clarify ability to do 030 requests in response to public presentations without consultation of City Staff in advance and confirm if the rule is no action from public presentations
5. Develop a policy to defer items when there is a quorum but requires unanimous vote. Perhaps also when an item requires N votes and N+1 councilmembers are present
6. City Council Meeting Agenda Posting: Improve tentative meeting agendas and require agenda packets published by end of business on Thursdays instead of Fridays
7. Public Record Act (PRA) Policy Review: Restrictions on spurious PRA requests
8. Rank Choice Voting
9. More funding for commissioners to attend conferences - a budget process
10. Healthcare for Councilmembers
11. Per Councilmember travel budgets by district
12. Increasing City Council pay
13. Hiring an “ethics” consultant to guide candidates for elections. “Last word forum” - not dependent on City Clerk. Use of Council Chamber for debates, etc. Hiring League of Women’s voters to run a candidate forum.
14. Fix Lobbyist ordinance and registrations
15. Separate “mayorandcouncil” email account for public and for councilmembers to use
16. Clarification of Councilmember behests
17. Tracking of District level services and budgets
18. Change policy on action minutes from commissions and committees or require transcripts of meetings to be posted on Legistar
19. Clearer process for how Commissions create their workplans - less staff driven
20. Update City Code on HOA bylaws to be approved by Council (Keith Stattenfield at 1/11/2022 City Council meeting)
21. Formal Standards for Reappointments to Boards and Commissions:
• Consistent attendance and active engagement at board meetings;
• Fulfillment of general or assigned board duties and responsibilities;
• Compliance with all applicable City rules and regulations;
• Maintenance of any required qualifications to serve;
• Legal conflicts of interest that may materially restrict a member’s ability to participate in board or commission’s decision-making;
• Communicated reservations or apparent limitations on a member’s availability or capacity to serve for the duration of the upcoming term.
22. Formalize when Commissioners absence can be excused or not excused
23. Review of all policy changes since 2023
24. Review of Council Priorities since 2021
25. Democracy in processes (in particular review of Council Policy 030)
26. AI policies
27. Data Retention schedules
28. Policies regarding response times to public outreach
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 by 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
Approve the 2026 Governance and Ethics Committee Workplan with any additional amendments.
Staff
Reviewed by: Maria Le, Assistant to the City Manager, City Manager’s Office
Approved by: Jovan D. Grogan, City Manager