CC 04-13-2023 Item No. 3 Sister City funding_Written CommunicationsCC 04-13-2023
Item No. 3
Consider authorizing City
funding of up to $2,200 for
the visit to Sister City
Hsinchu, Taiwan
Written Communications
From:Peggy Griffin
To:City Council; Pamela Wu
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:2023-04-13 City Council Mtg - ITEM3 Sister City Trip to Taiwan for City Manager
Date:Saturday, April 8, 2023 6:12:54 PM
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Please include this email in the Written Communications for the above agenda item.
Dear City Council and City Manager,
The cultural exchange program is important to build understanding and acceptance. Mayor Wei will
be able to provide guidance and perspective to those attending from Cupertino.
I have several issues with the city paying for City Manager Wu’s travel.
In the “Sister City and Friendship City Policy 2018” (Attachment A), Page 4:
1-This approval is coming the NIGHT BEFORE THE TRIP! This is not asking for approval in advance.
The money has been spent! To do this in this manner is an abuse of the policy procedures. City
Manager Wu has pushed for policies to be in place and followed yet the ticket has been purchased.
Approval should come BEFORE spending the money, not after.
2-This request is to cover ALL City Manager Wu’s travel yet the mayor, who is entitled to go, is only
getting reimbursed for 50% of her trip. This is wrong. No one should have their full cost covered.
3-I cannot remember when a City Manager has gone on one of these trips. The City Manager has
not even been with the city a year and we’re being asked to pay all this? I could see this if it was a
long-time city manager and even then, only at 50%.
4-The optics look very bad. In the same City Council meeting as you present a budget crash (Agenda
Item #6), you are requesting to spend money that is not necessary just because there is money in an
account! Asking the public to “give up” when you are spending unnecessarily is inexcusable.
5-Approving this sets a precedent that policies and procedures are just words, that only apply to
“some people”, not all.
REQUEST: Do not approve this expenditure for the above 5 reasons. Words matter. Money
matters. Optics matter.
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin
From:Peggy Griffin
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:2023-04-13 City Council Mtg ITEM3 - Sister City Trip - allow CM to borrow vacation
Date:Tuesday, April 11, 2023 10:18:23 PM
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PLEASE INCLUDE THIS EMAIL AS PART OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE 4-13-2023 CITY
COUNCIL MEETING, AGENDA ITEM #3
Dear City Council,
I realized that since City Manager Wu has been with the city less than a year, she may want to go to
Taiwan but not have enough vacation time saved up. I do not know what the staff policy is for
borrowing vacation time or allowing days off without pay. It seems like these two options could be
provided to City Manager Wu.
It does not make sense that this trip is a “working trip” paying her salary using public funds for her
staff time “working” in a country where we have no city business. I would expect that all the adults
going on this trip are either using their vacation times or going without pay. Why should this person
be any different?
Please offer City Manager Wu the opportunity to either borrow from vacation or take the time
without pay.
Thank you,
Peggy Griffin
From:Liana Crabtree
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk; Cupertino City Manager"s Office
Subject:written communication: 4/13/2023 Council meeting, Agenda Item 3, consider authorizing City funding of up to
$2,200 for the visit to Sister City Hsinchu, Taiwan
Date:Wednesday, April 12, 2023 3:55:26 PM
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Honorable Mayor Wei, Vice Mayor Mohan, and Council Members Chao, Fruen, and
Moore:
Please include this letter as written communication for the 4/13/2023 City Council
meeting, Agenda Item 3 "Consider authorizing City funding of up to $2,200 for the
visit to Sister City Hsinchu, Taiwan".
I request that Council Members pull Agenda Item 3 from the Consent Calendar
for discussion and a vote.
I have reviewed the documents that are linked by reference to Agenda Item 3:
Staff Report
Attachment A - Sister City and Friendship City Policy 2018
It is my understanding that the request for $2,200 additional City funding of the
Hsinchu, Taiwan trip comes to Council 1 day before the 2023 Cupertino Sister City
delegation departs for Taiwan. I have no expectation that anyone changes travel
plans or jeopardizes the Sister City trip in any way as a result of whatever Council
may decide for Agenda Item 3.
The Cupertino Sister Cities program of cultural exchange is valued and revered. I
hope everyone who is part of the 2023 Cupertino Sister City delegation to Hsinchu,
Taiwan has a safe and rewarding trip.
Regarding Agenda Item 3, I have questions that I could not find answers to in the
Staff Report or in Attachment A. I hope Council Members will consider asking
questions similar to those I have included here during the discussion of Agenda Item
3.
The Staff Report states that City Manager Pamela Wu will join the 2023 Cupertino
Sister City delegation as "a part of the delegation and will be supporting the Mayor on
official City business".
Attachment A "Policies and Guidelines on Sister Cities, Friendship Cities, and
International Delegations for the City of Cupertino" describes the City's commitment
to reimburse travel expenses as limited to payment "for 50% of one trip per year, per
Councilmember, provided the trip is in conjunction with an official delegation." The
Policy also provides that "(a)ll other Council or City Staff travel for Sister City
programs must be funded by Sister City Committee fundraising activities, or by the
individual traveling council or staff member, unless authorized in advance by the City
Council."
Questions
Is the City Manager participating in the trip as a chaperone for the CUSD and FUHSD
students who are also part of the delegation?
If traveling as a chaperone (a volunteer role in support of a local 501[c][3] not-for-
profit organization), why is the City Manager's travel described as "supporting the
Mayor on official City business" in the Staff Report?
If "supporting the Mayor on official City business", will the City Manager record the trip
days as work days (paid by the City) or personal time off days (paid by the employee
by banked or future earned days off)?
If the Staff Report requests reimbursement for the City Manager's travel expenses not
to exceed $2,200 and the City Manager will be paid for days worked during the trip
(not taking personal time off), where is the accounting of funds to be paid to the City
Manager in the form of salary for the City Manager's participation in the trip?
Comment: If the trip days are recorded as work days by the City Manager, it seems
the true cost of the City Manager's travel for the City likely exceeds $2,200 before the
City Manager's flight and ground transportation expenses are considered.
If the City Manager participates in the trip on an official capacity not related to or
limited to a chaperone role, what is included in the City Manager's itinerary of official
City business that would be conducted in a foreign country? Who will the City
Manager and/or Mayor meet on official City business while visiting Taiwan? What
would be the purpose or nature of the meeting(s), if any? How and when will the
outcome(s) of meeting(s) held in a foreign country as part of official City business be
reported out to the Council and the public?
In light of information shared in the presentation for Agenda Item 6 "Consider
the FY 2023-24 10-Year Budget Forecast Informational Update" (also part of the
4/13/2023 Council meeting), where Staff recommendations include austerity
measures to be borne by Cupertino residents and Staff and not limited to sale
of "City Hall Annex, Byrne House, Municipal Water System, and Blackberry
Farm Golf Course" and numerous project deferrals and reductions of employee
positions and employee benefits, I request Council consider carefully its
decision whether to subsidize the City Manager's travel and/or salary expenses
for the purpose of participating in the 2023 Cupertino Sister City delegation to
Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Possibly, individual donors could pay for the City Manager's flight and ground
transportation costs. If the City Manager participates as a chaperone, possibly the
City Manager could draw upon accrued personal time off to cover time spent on the
trip. Or, if needed, possibly the City could float the City Manager a loan of personal
time off to extend until enough hours can be earned to resolve any debt incurred as a
result of participation in the 2023 Cupertino Sister City delegation.
Thank you for your consideration of the questions and comments I have shared in this
letter.
Sincerely,
Liana Crabtree
Cupertino resident