REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Approve Official Travel Request from Vice Mayor Suds Jain for the 31st Annual CivicWell Policy Makers Conference
Report
BACKGROUND
The 31st annual CivicWell Policymakers Conference (often referred as the Yosemite Policymakers Conference) will be held March 16-19, 2023 at the Asilomar Hotel and Conference grounds in Pacific Grove, CA. The conference is designed to support local elected officials with tools and partnership opportunities to implement innovative solutions to pressing community challenges like climate resilience, decarbonization, transportation, and affordable housing.
The conference is hosted by CivicWell (formerly the Local Government Commission), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supporting sustainable policies and engages local elected officials, government agencies, and community-based organizations through policy guidance for local innovation and community change, responding to the climate crisis and its impacts on their communities.
The City Council has identified Council priorities including the Council Pillar to Promote Sustainability and Environmental Protection. Vice Mayor Jain is active in the City of Santa Clara sustainability efforts and has been involved in requesting the City review EV charging requirements for new development, building electrification, incentives and rebates from Silicon Valley Power and solar, and overall Climate Action Plan goals.
DISCUSSION
The CivicWell Policymakers Conference was not previously approved in the FY2022/23 Adopted Operating Budget for official Mayor and City Council travel. Based on Council Policy 043 for Official Travel by Elected Officials (Attachment 1), for any official travel that has not been pre-approved in the respective department's Operating Budget, requests for travel approval must be submitted to the City Council with sufficient time to ensure that, if approved by Council, arrangements can be made before the first day of travel. The Civic...
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