Councilmember Howe has proposed additional Councilmember outreach to neighborhoods and neighborhood associations in order to expand citizen input in city governance and enable Councilmembers to be better informed of resident and neighborhood concerns. Three ideas are examined below:

Meetings that include majority Councilmember attendance need to meet Brown Act requirements.

Council outreach to neighborhoods supports various goals and policies set forth in the Community Participation Sub-Element of the City’s General Plan, including the following:

Goal 7.2A Achieve a community in which citizens are informed about local issues and City programs and services.

Policy 7.2.A 1 Use community and business organizations and networks as a resource for community education and outreach.

Policy 7.2B.3 Support local neighborhood organizations and strengthen contacts between the City and community groups.

Goal 7.2C.1 Representation – Plan for and encourage an appropriate cross-section of the community when obtaining public input for policy decisions.

1. Associations provide residents with an opportunity for neighbors to meet and get to know one another.
   
2. Neighborhood associations enable residents to engage collectively in improving or maintaining their neighborhoods.
   
3. Neighborhood association meetings provide an informal venue for residents to dialogue with city staff and elected officials.

Sunnyvale currently has seven neighborhood associations that meet regularly: Lakewood, San Miguel, S.N.A.I.L., Gavello Glenn, Heritage District, Charles Street, and Fairwood. Most meet once per month. Other neighborhood associations include HOLA, Kodiak Court, Raynor Park, Reseda, Rhonda Village, Victory Village, Washington Park and Vine Avenue. As previously noted, neighborhood association meetings provide a natural venue for dialogue between residents and city officials. Currently, representatives from the City’s Neighborhood Preservation staff (and other City staff as appropriate to the meetings) attend association meetings regularly.

Staff has found that while neighborhood associations occasionally prefer to have meetings without staff or Councilmember representation, they generally welcome staff and Councilmembers at meetings. Residents and associations appreciate being recognized by staff and Councilmembers and also appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback and share their thoughts about City and neighborhood issues.

If Council would like maximum community outreach, staff recommends that Council formally notify neighborhood association officers of its interest in attending their meetings. Associations can then invite Council to meetings at the association’s discretion. Associations will be able to plan in advance for Councilmember attendance, assure that pressing issues are included in the agenda, and publicize the meetings to local residents.

Staff proposes that Neighborhood and Community Services staff in the Office of the City Manager provide process support to Council as follows:

• Staff will publicize Council’s interest in attending meetings to neighborhood association officers.
• When associations request Councilmember attendance, staff will forward the requests to Council. Councilmembers should then notify staff of their availability to attend specific neighborhood association meeting(s). Staff will notify the neighborhood association regarding which Councilmember(s) will be attending and ascertain any topics of interest they would like Council to address.
• To prepare Councilmembers for the meetings, staff will provide a brief summary of pressing local issues (if any), as well as the meeting agenda (if available).
• The Councilmembers’ role at the meetings will be to listen to community concerns, respond to questions, and entertain suggestions. To ensure fair and timely responses to resident concerns, Councilmembers should not react or make commitments (other than a commitment that staff will explore operational issues). Since resources are limited, every issue will need to be addressed in the context of available resources. While staff can address operational issues, policy issues will require formal Council action at a regular Council meeting or through the Council Study Issue process.

Staff does not foresee any issues for concern on Councilmembers attending neighborhood association meetings other than the need for Councilmembers to be informed about pressing neighborhood issues. Additionally, while staff can apprise Council in advance of planned agenda topics and ensure that appropriate staff are present to address them, a broad range of issues may surface and Council (or staff) may be asked to respond to questions that were not anticipated, and for which they are not prepared. Should this happen, it can be addressed via staff follow-up.

2) Hold City Council Meetings at Neighborhood Meeting Places

At least two Council meetings have been held at off-site neighborhood locations -- with varying degrees of success. One meeting was held at a local school and had very low attendance. The other meeting, held at a mobile home park and including agenda topics that were of great interest to the neighborhood, was quite successful and well attended.

There are several issues to be considered when holding City Council meetings off-site:

• Due to limited technology at off-site locations the "roll call" method of voting must be utilized. In a roll call each member is called upon to vote, with the Mayor being the last to vote.

• The estimated additional out-of-pocket cost incurred by the City for live telecasting of off-site meetings will be approximately $3,000 per meeting.
  
• Off-site locations must meet ADA requirements. Meetings also cannot be held in any facility that prohibits attendance based on race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry or gender, nor can a meeting be held where the public must make a payment or purchase in order to be present.
  
• Additional staff time will be required to notify the community of the change in venue since by law regular meetings are to be held at an established location, and to set up and take down the meetings.

3) Hold Council-led town hall meetings in City neighborhoods

A significant portion of the City of Sunnyvale is not included in a neighborhood association (see attached map, City of Sunnyvale Neighborhood Associations). Council-led town hall meetings can be used to conduct outreach to residents in these areas.

Town hall meetings would provide a forum for Sunnyvale Councilmembers to provide information and answer questions about subjects of interest to the community. Topics for these meetings would be planned in advance and focus on City government issues and policies. Residents would be encouraged to suggest topics of interest. A portion of the meeting would be devoted to open-ended opportunities for attendees to express themselves on topics different from the planned meeting topic. Town hall meetings could be televised on KSUN and replayed. Residents who are unable to attend would be encouraged to offer thoughts in writing via e-mail or traditional mail. The meetings would feature Councilmembers and would provide information on important and timely issues – significantly in advance of any Council vote. Dialogue would be encouraged. Staff would be present to address questions regarding operational issues.

To maximize outreach, staff recommends that these meetings be well publicized via news releases, newspaper ads, flyers, postings on the City’s web site, and perhaps other means. As with any new program offering, it would be important to repeat the meetings often enough for the public to become familiar with them – staff’s recommendation is that they be held two times per year in neighborhoods according to a fixed schedule.

Meetings will need to meet Brown Act requirements.

• Estimated additional OCM staff time is approximately three hours per meeting for Neighborhood and Community Services staff (for meeting preparation, coordination, and attendance). Additional time will be required for other attending staff.

2) Hold City Council Meetings at Neighborhood Meeting Places

• The estimated cost that will be incurred by the City for live telecasting of Council meetings from an off-site location is approximately $3,000 per meeting.
  
• Estimated additional staff time is approximately one hour per off-site meeting for OCM staff for coordinating and publicizing the change of location, and approximately three hours per meeting for Building Facilities staff to set up and take down the event.

If Council directs these meetings to be held, associated costs will be incorporated into the upcoming two-year budget process.

3) Hold Council-led Town Hall Meetings in City Neighborhoods

• Approximately eight hours of OCM staff time for meeting planning and coordination, publicity, and attendance; and approximately three hours per meeting for Building Facilities staff to set up and take down the event. Additional time will be required for other attending staff.

• Approximately $1,500 per meeting in out-of-pocket expenses for publicity including newspaper display ads and flyers.
  
• Approximately $3,000 per meeting for live telecasting on KSUN.

Prepared by: 
Coryn Campbell
Manager, Neighborhood and Community Services

1. Attachment 1, Map of City of Sunnyvale Neighborhood Associations