Something of a land use night, it looks like.
We start out with a closed session regarding the Downtown. I don’t know anything more than you do, but it may be nothing more than a status report for the new council. Or something else. We’ll see. Well, you won’t see. I’ll see. Then we go to the public session, starting with the ceremonial swearing-in of Mayor Spitaleri and Vice Mayor Whittum, always a fun event. Then it’s to business.
I’ve got a question for you folks.
You probably hear all the time about cities adopting resolutions in favor of this or that. San Jose just voted to support the CA DISCLOSE Act, which requires greater disclosure in political advertising. This is pretty common practice in the larger cities, and even some smaller cities pass resolutions like that at the drop at a hat. Sunnyvale doesn’t. We have our legislative advocacy positions that we update once a year (coming up soon), and we’ll consider endorsing ballot measures at election time, but that’s it. Otherwise, we’re hands-off.
But I frequently get asked to have the city take some position supporting or opposing some principle that, at best, has a very indirect impact on city operations. And I often find myself wanting the city to take positions on issues that matter to me personally. But we don’t, for the most part, and I don’t push for it because it’s usually not really city business, and because we have a council policy that issues have to impact city business before we take them on.
So what are your thoughts? Do you like the notion of a more activist city taking a stand on important bigger picture issues? Or do you prefer that we stay focused on our core mission of delivering services and not get distracted by issues beyond our control? I’m curious to hear your reactions. Let me know.
I’ve started up my annual study issue survey, which you can find here. I do this every year to gauge interest in the various study issues that have been proposed for examination. I hope you’ll take the time to take the survey and let me know what concerns you.
A very long and tiring night.
We started the evening as usual, with the six of us seated and a packed audience, going back into the lobby and with overflow in the West Conference Room. You’d think it was a special night or something…
The California Farm Bureau holds an annual photography contest to recognize “hard work, rural beauty and family traditions”. It has just announced the winner of its 30th annual contest, and the winner is Sunnyvale’s own Charlie Olson, for a photo taken in Sunnyvale’s Heritage Orchard. The photograph, titled “Cutting the Mustard”, shows 80-year-old Ralph Appio driving a tractor through waist-high mustard in the orchard.
As it turns out, I use a similar photo as my blog banner, above. I just love that image, and clearly I’m not the only one.
Congratulations to Charlie for winning the California Farm Bureau photo contest, and for spotlighting one of Sunnyvale’s most beautiful locations.
Follow