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CC 01-16-03APPROVED MINUTES CUPERTINO CITY COUNCIL Special Meeting Thursday, Jan. 16, 2003 CALL TO ORDER At 1:05 p.m. Mayor Chang called the meeting to order at the Blackberry Farm Retreat Center, 21975 San Fernando Avenue, Cupertino. ROLL CALL City Council members present: Richard Lowenthal, Patrick Kwok, Dolly Sandoval, Vice Mayor Sandra James, and Mayor Michael Chang Staff present: City Manager David Knapp, Public Works Director Ralph Quails, Parks and Recreation Director Therese Smith, Administrative Services Director Carol Atwood, Community Development Director Steve Piasecki, Public Information Officer Rick Kitson, City Manager Secretary Linda Lagergren, and Administrative Clerk Karen Bernard ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None GOAL-SETTING WORK SESSION City Manager Knapp reviewed the functional organization chart and the Council goals update report. Council asked that the report incorporate activities of the Youth Probation Officer and the School Resource Officer. In considering the capital improvement program, Council asked for a report on the City Center Park sculpture and the possibility of parking along the edge of the Park. Councilmember Sandoval noted that substantial progress has been made on previous Council goals. She suggested that the City email schedules to registered skaters, rather than sending them by postal mail. She asked about the City's full cost of various festivals. Council members Lowenthal, James and Kwok agreed that a full cost breakout on festivals was needed. These events include Oktoberfest, Art and Wine festival, Moon Festival, Cherry Blossom Festival, Lunar New Year celebration, the Iranian Federated Women's Club Cultural Arts festival, and Ikebana flower shows. Councilmember Chang said the City should analyze and refine costs but not reduce support because these festivals build community. Councilmember Sandoval asked about the advisability of becoming a Charter City. She suggested that staff survey the businesses that leave town, and map the vacant spaces. She also confirmed with staff that the utility users tax applies to both DSL and broadband Internet connections. She suggested that the high school emergency preparedness program be expanded beyond Monta Vista High School, and the Administrative Services Director said those plans are under way. Councilmember Sandoval also suggested finding a way to educate pedestrians on the perils of crossing mid-block on Stevens Creek Blvd. January 16, 2002 Cupertino City Council Page 2 Councilmember Kwok suggested that any savings from the library project should go into the General Fund, or that the Council should have an opportunity to vote on adding alternates to the construction contract. Staff indicated that Council would have that opportunity. Council-member Kwok suggested changing "Youth Issues" to "Citizen Issues" and add "Explore creating a Senior Citizen Commission". Council agreed to add exploring a Senior Citizen Commission under the new category "Senior Services". Councilmember Kwok suggested addressing Vallco development aggressively, placing a limit on new hotels, encouraging mixed use development, pursuing the red light program and looking at the fee structure with respect to residents vs. nonresidents. Vice Mayor James expressed delight at the accomplishments of Council and staff over the past year. She felt that both would be challenged to follow through on the work to which they are already committed. She announced that her efforts to bring Borland's headquarters here from Scotts Valley had borne fruit, and that Borland will move to town by May 15. She also announced that the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group would be holding its Emerging Technologies conference in Cupertino on April 18. Councilmember Lowenthal felt that a great job had been done on Councils goals and that the alignment of staff with council goals is the best he had seen since he had been in government. He encouraged staff to pursue the land transfer from the O'Brien Group to the County so that the City can obtain grant money and build the Stevens Creek Trail in the Oak Valley area. He also asked that staff concentrate enforcement on the Saratoga Creek Trail when it opens. Vice Mayor James suggested that staff look into the use of volunteers to patrol the trail. Councilmember Lowenthal supported the idea that the mobile skate park be left in one location without staff as a to save money. He also asked that staff do an excellent job in rehabilitating the Sports Center and involve the Teen Commission in that effort. He expressed enthusiasm for a teacher-housing proposal and asked that it be brought to Council in the near future. He supported the idea of archways across major entryways into the City to create a greater sense of community identity. Mayor Chang stated that the staff is doing a wonderful job and that things are done transparently and in a collegial way. He asked for a community update on the Library~ involvement in the Lunar New Year Unity Parade, refinement of the City's translation and interpretation efforts, and more frequent updates on Vallco. He suggested May 23rd as a Community Congress date and asked that the work of the School Resource Officer and Youth Probation Officer be included in the annual report and goals update. The Council agreed that those efforts should be included in the two reports. By consensus, Council asked that a new category be added to the goals update. This category would highlight continuous organizational improvements in areas such as communication, for example Webcasting and E-Government. January 16, 2002 Cupertino City Council Page 3 Councilmember Kwok mentioned the need to insure that contractors are paid prevailing wages. Councilmember Sandoval suggested that exit surveys be done on businesses closing in town. Councilmember Lowenthal suggested that the intemal improvement section of the goal update include indices such as employees per population and cost per person for city services. Councitmember Sandoval asked about staff taking advantage of educational opportunities. Consensus council requests for staff action include: 1. Report when the sculpture will be ready for City Center Park and examine the possibility of parking along the edge of the park. 2. Hold a community meeting on March 18th at 7:30 PM with the Library Commission, to update the community on the Library project. 3. Provide a full cost breakout of all city costs for festivals. 4. Add the location of the Library model to the City's Web site. 5. Add a project goal category called "Senior Services" and add the goal, "Explore Senior Commission." 6. Report activities of the School Resource Officer and the Youth Probation Officer to the city's annual report and goal update under "Public Safety." 7. Add a project category called "Internal Improvement" and show organizational improvements such as Webcasting and E-Government. ADJOURNMENT At 4:40pm the meeting was adjourned. g .'~o, o$ City Manager For more information: Staff reports, backup materials, and items distributed at the meeting are available for review at the City Clerk's Office, 777-3223. Televised Council meetings may be viewed live on Cable Channel 26, and may also be viewed live or on demand at www.cupertino.org. Videotapes of the televised meetings are available at the Cupertino Library, or may be purchased from the Cupertino City Channel, 777-2364.