REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Annual Appointment of Vice Mayor and Chaplain [Council Pillar: Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency]
Report
BACKGROUND
On January 15, 2019, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 19-8650 (Resolution) establishing, pursuant to Section 705 of the City Charter, a procedure for selection of Vice Mayor and selection of a Chaplain of the City Council by majority vote of a quorum of the City Council. The Resolution is attached as Attachment 1.
Per the Resolution, the selection is scheduled to take place at a City Council meeting in January each year. The Resolution also states that the Vice Mayor shall be the Councilmember with the highest seniority in consecutive years on the Council and who has not previously served as Vice Mayor. The resolution further states that, if two or more Councilmembers have the same seniority in number of years served on the City Council, the Vice Mayor selected will be the Councilmember who received the most votes in the most recent council election. The Councilmember serving as Chaplain will be the most recent outgoing Vice Mayor.
DISCUSSION
Vice Mayor Patricia M. Mahan is the most recent outgoing Vice Mayor. In Mayor Lisa M. Gillmor’s letter to the City Council (Attachment 2), she recommends the City Council appoint Vice Mayor Mahan to the position of Chaplain until the appointment of a successor Chaplain in January 2021.
The Councilmembers with the most consecutive years on the City Council are Councilmembers Debi Davis and Teresa O’Neill, who both started serving on the Council in 2012. The table below identifies the Councilmembers who have served as Vice Mayor since 2012.
|
Vice Mayor |
Calendar Year |
|
Lisa M. Gillmor |
2012 |
|
Patrick Kolstad |
2013 |
|
Jerry Marsalli |
2014 |
|
Debi Davis |
2015 |
|
Teresa O’Neill |
2016 |
|
Dominic Caserta |
2017 |
|
Kathy Watanabe |
2018 |
|
Patricia M. Mahan |
2019 |
As both Councilmember Karen Hardy and Councilmember Raj Chahal have not yet served as Vice Mayor and have the same seniority in number of consecutive years served on the City Council, the Vice Mayor will be the Councilmember who received the most votes in the Consolidated Special Municipal Election held on November 6, 2018, with the Statewide General Election. Councilmember Karen Hardy received 3,578 votes and Councilmember Raj Chahal received 2,690 votes. Resolution No. 18-8637, which declares the results of the Consolidated Special Municipal Election held on November 6, 2018 and includes the County of Santa Clara Certificate of Election Results, is included with this report as Attachment 3.
In Mayor Gillmor’s letter to the City Council (Attachment 4), she recommends the City Council appoint Councilmember Hardy to the position of Vice Mayor until the appointment of a successor Vice Mayor in January 2021.
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.
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
Appoint Karen Hardy as Vice Mayor and appoint Patricia M. Mahan as Chaplain for approximately one year until the appointment of a successor Vice Mayor and successor Chaplain in January 2021.
Staff
Reviewed by: Genevieve Yip, Staff Analyst I
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. 19-8650
2. Letter from Mayor Lisa M. Gillmor recommending Patricia M. Mahan as Chaplain
3. Resolution No. 18-8637
4. Letter from Mayor Lisa M. Gillmor recommending Karen Hardy as Vice Mayor