Town Council Meeting / August 4, 2026 / 7:00 PM

Skip the second one. Unfortunately, Elaine, who is going to be recognized by Silicon Valley Clean Energy, is sick today. Um and so hopefully she'll come back, but we do have a very, very exciting presentation from the Friends of the Los Gatos Library. So please come on up, Friends of the Los Gatos Library. As you can see the Los Gatos Library has many friends.

[laughter]

So before the big reveal or or or during the big reveal I'll just say a little bit about the Friends of the Los Gatos Library. So for those that don't know Los Gatos is very very fortunate and a little bit unique in that we have a foundation that supports our library. They create and fund many of the programs that you all know and love from our library. We're very very fortunate for that and each year they donate tens of thousands of dollars to the library. Which we are so incredibly grateful for. They run one of Los Gatos's three bookstores. They have a used bookstore just above us or or just adjacent to above us. And I'll just tell you a little bit about the Friends. So they put in over 5,000 hours of volunteering between all of them which I think is is incredible. Yes, that deserves a round of applause. Absolutely.

[applause]

They have 96 volunteers and are always welcoming more volunteers. I highly recommend the Friends of the Los Gatos Library as a way to get involved in the community and give back. They from my understanding are relatively flexible and you can come in you know at your pace and you can staff the bookstore and and do other things and they fund over 700 they fund exactly 764 programs at the library in just this last year. If you divide that by 365 that's about two programs a day. So thank you very much for that. And they raise money through sales of their second hand bookstore, used book sales through Amazon, they receive direct donations and produce fundraising events in cooperation with town of Los Gatos businesses and I will not steal their thunder. So, would you like to announce how much money you'll be donating to the Los Gatos library this year?

Yes, this year it's my pleasure as current president of the Friends of the Los Gatos library to give this check for $75,000 to Ryan Baker. It's 5,000 more than last year and we hope it'll be 5,000 more next year. Anyway, thank you for donating those used books. We really appreciate it and thanks for buying used books and attending our fundraisers. I know a lot of you do attend and we really appreciate it. Also, become a member. Go to our website. We have a new website as of January. Friends of Los Gatos library, you can just Google it.

Thank you very much. Here. Do we want to all get in the picture?

Yes, everybody.

[applause]

We might need a few folks on that sign. Thank you and and truly all of that could not be possible without the Friends of the Los Gatos library. So, if you participate in our library, if you go to any of your programs or any of your kids did, please consider supporting the Friends. Thank you all very much for being here this evening. Thank you.

[applause]

Okay, so as I shared we'll be skipping our second presentation this evening and hopefully Elaine will be able to join us at another meeting. Which brings us to the consent items. Um, consent items are genuinely considered routine um and non-controversial and may be approved in one uh motion. And so, before I move to public comments on consent, um does any member of the council wish to pull an item from the consent calendar? Okay, seeing none, I will move to Gus Who, who has a comment. You will have 3 minutes.

Gus Who. Uh Okay, I sent in uh a couple uh uh emails. I'm not a public speaker, but uh you know, uh is they're in the uh supplemental, two of them, but um for the record, um one doesn't even have video and or audio and it says it says member of the public and it says you know, you you can't even know I don't know what was said. Nobody knows what it was said because there's no record of it. Um and then uh one, let's see, uh I'm doing three, four, uh five, seven. Uh let's see. Uh um amendment to services, there's transparency uh transparency needed. There's a uh um you know, you're you're you're contracting out these things. Nobody's really the public's not looking at it. Staff is the only one looking at it. I don't think you guys look at it in detail. Uh the number three, like holiday traffic, you know, I'm pretty sure you know, who is that cops or you know, that's a lot of money and and you're paying paying a lot of overtime in cops. It was 100% and so, is that part of the you know, the public should know? Is that part of the police force you know, that money? Or is that a separate? Number seven, you know, I I um I tried to appeal the the WVMA um stuff and this is a part of that. That's cup. Um I I'm in the process of submitting forms to San Francisco and I'm I'm it's not for money, but it's you know, the the right to appeal. And I I had to include the the San Jose you USDC court because I was just getting the runaround. And that's you know, because you know, they just were little peons here. And I think we have a right to appeal or express our grievances. So, that's $10,000 on this cup thing and that's that's the blow up, you know, it's it's it's you know, that's something that's to have to be discussed in federal court. Thank you. That's my Those are my comments.

Thank you very much. Um it looks like we have two hands raised for consent. So, just to clarify this is for items that are on the consent calendar, not for verbal communications. Um if you would still Okay, so we have looks like one speaker, which is Yamamoto.

Hi, good evening. Can you all hear me okay?

We can, thank you.

All right. Hi everybody. Um I believe this is going to be item number 13 on the VTA. I'm not quite sure what all you're agreeing to when I was reading through it, but I know we do have a problem with the VTA in trying to get our kids um youth Clipper cards and I just want to say we need somebody in Los Gatos that can help our kids actually get their cards to in order for them to ride the bus in town, especially since school is happening next week. And I still I have tried about 4 hours on the website, thought I did it right, and I still haven't received the card. I've tried calling. I've tried everything. So, having somebody in Los Gatos that I can communicate with to try to help our kids get a bus pass would be actually beneficial. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes, Vice Mayor Ardo.

Thank you. Um I have a question for Ms. Yamamoto if she's still on. Um and I could be wrong, but my impression is to first get a um Are you on, Karen?

Yeah, I'm on.

Okay. So, when I've gotten Clipper cards in the past, so my impression is especially if you're a senior or a student for a discounted rate, you have to go in person, and I thought they were available at Walgreens. Have you looked into

find them.

Okay. All right. Well, we'll see what we can find out. Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you. Um Okay, it looks like we have one other hand raised for consent, um which is Nima Ruhi.

Yes, hi everyone. Can you hear me?

Yes, we can.

All right. Um this is a personal matter uh that I'm in discussion with Parks and Public Works Department. I don't know if it's related to this session or I have to wait.

Yeah, so if it's not on one of these items that's on the agenda, you can speak in just a few moments when we go to verbal communications on non-agendaized items.

Okay. Um so,

This is So, so if that's if that's what you'd like to do, um uh you just put your hand down and I'll call on you in a few minutes. Okay. Sure. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Um moving on. Um we I will entertain a mo- a motion on the consent calendar. Yes, Councilmember Vedami. I move to approve uh consent items 1 through 13. Vice Mayor Ristor. Second. Um can I ask a question? Please. Um I just wanted to ask the town manager to clarify because I think a member of the public brought something up that clearly didn't read the report, but I just want to make sure members of the public understand item three, which um is the Halloween and Christmas rental that we do for roadblocks. Do you have any clarification on that? This is uh I can turn over to Nicole, but this is traffic control for the holiday parade and for the Halloween events that occur uh on Tate and Johnson Avenue. Okay, thank you. And my impression having read the report is that these are for uh rental and um some personnel that are outside of our police department that support these special one-off events. I'll ask Nicole to talk about the vendor that provides that service. Thank you. Hi, good evening. Nicole Burnham, Director of Parks and Public Works. Yes, the town manager is correct. This is a contractor and a vendor that provides both the signage as well as staffing to support um the closures on Johnson, Tate, and also all up in um I'm sorry, Loma Alta and Tate, and then at the holiday parade, the entire route, and it's extensive and requires an extensive amount of staff to support that. And PBW doesn't have that staff. We support the contractor in that effort, and then PD supports all of the public safety related to the event. Great, thank you. I appreciate the clarification for the public. Thank you. Um so, we'll be taking roll call votes this evening because we have a member of the council participating remotely, so I'll turn to the town clerk.

Councilmember Rennie?

I.

Councilmember Hedges?

I.

Councilmember Badame?

I.

Vice Mayor Ristow?

I.

Mayor Moore?

I.

That passes unanimously. Thank you. Um, so we will now move to verbal communications, which is the time for members of the public to address the council on items that are not on tonight's agenda. Um, and you'll have 3 minutes to address the council. Um, we will start with the speaker cards in the room and then move to Zoom. Um, we will start with James Wetra.

Hi, I'm James Wetra. I've lived in Los Gatos for over 20 years. I manage a gift store at the Los Gatos Shopping Center here in Los Gatos. This business has served Los Gatos for over 18 years. The beach traffic issue has been a problem as far back as I can remember. Years ago, the town actually put some time and some effort and financially invested in providing some some relief to this issue. But now, you, Mr. Moore, you, Ms. Ristow, you, Mr. Rennie, are all so entitled with yourselves, so far removed from any business-related issues, it's appalling. You should all be fired for your lack of action. You were all too busy and on vacation while every Saturday for the month of July, we at the Los Gatos Shopping Center had business-crippling gridlocks around every corner of the largest shopping center in Los Gatos. Completely boxing the shopping center in. The few that did make it to our store that gave feedback, the first thing they said was, "What is with all this traffic?" Residents in Los Gatos stuck for 45 minutes just to go a quarter of a mile. God forbid there were had been an emergency at the shopping center. You all have done nothing. Mr. Mayor, you say communication is one of your most important roles as mayor. Instead of focusing on your youth programs, which by the way, why is this such a passion for you? There are no records of you having any prior mentoring or teaching credentials, let alone even a background check. Your newsletter, your Instagram page, your Facebook page, your LinkedIn page, your campaigning against fracking, nobody cares. You say you managed an 80 resident homeless shelter in Santa Clara. Well, you may have to make some more room for all the people who have had to go home because they couldn't work cuz they couldn't even get to Los Gatos. Maria Ristow, you have chaired the Transportation and Parking Commission in the past. What have you done since 2019 to help mitigate the beach traffic? You were busy enlarging bike lanes, taking away city streets, making gridlock even worse with big ugly green cones all the way up and down Winchester Boulevard. You say you're an advocate for inclusion. Well, certainly not for the Mexican-American Marcelina who couldn't work the last 3 weeks because she couldn't even get to the store.

[clears throat]

Or our African-American worker Katrina who couldn't even work due to the traffic conditions with a zero traffic mitigation. And you, Mr. Rob Rennie, you're too busy giving up our public land to private special interest groups like Tesla charging stations. If you don't think the entire town doesn't know the hidden deals you have with these groups, you're sorely mistaken. Don't look at me. You did this yourselves. You think you're immune? Accountability matters. Voters matter. That's why you have these jobs. Now, do your job. Thank you.

Thank you.

We will move to Bobcat, who'll be followed by Joe Ends.

Okay, Bobcat. This is a little uh intense right there. I I think uh he the public has to know you guys are are not getting paid that much, but you it's like a a thing, but uh um that's not my what what I'm here uh um I I just gave you two. I don't know if you guys got these, but I uh you're supposed to you're supposed to pass them out. I attended a meeting last night um concerning the Creek start Creekside Park soccer and lacrosse field. I believe anyone who spoke up was upset with the 1-minute allotted time to speak. Uh including uh I mean the the and let's see. For the record, I counted 12 people at the start, which grew to about 20 altogether, including Vice Mayor Ristow. Um I asked if they received my email, and that's this one that's in the picture. Uh and I sent you that. I don't know if you got this email the email with this. Did you guys I don't think you guys did it. But, I think the the the anybody that saw that would see uh you know, I've been uh talking about this this problem for a while. And I don't think people know that the soccer field's closed. And uh when it gets out, it's going to get out. There was like I said, there were 20 people there, and they they were you know, you have to listen to the tape. Um and if they would have known that the the the the supplemental material that I tried to put in the couple hours before a 195-page popped in an hour before starting as about uh let's see. One of it says $37,000 for a 91724 report and I hadn't seen this report and I guess it came out in June 1st or of 26. So, 2 years later I'm still trying to gather facts on all this stuff cuz this is more down my aisle. Um I'm uh I have major concerns that require some, you know, some kind of legal stuff that you know they you know, this they fenced off the the their picture. I was out there today. I walked an entire perimeter in mid-June. I also walked out there and looked around and see how things and people are are mad because the all the kids are mad and and the coaches and stuff like that cuz they're all looking for places to go. Let's see uh I don't know what what's what's doing, you know, there has to be some transparency there. This we on 526 we hired a contractor to put the the stuff in there for $27,000 and now it's not usable. You know, what what happened? It was that was supposed to be fixed. That was supposed to continue the life of it. There's a time factor thing the things. I don't have that much time to talk about it, but my sister works in in uh in plastics and we talked about it 45 minutes and she says that it's now it's double or triple the cost of what you know, the $1 million that I was I was saying that it would cost now it's like four.

Move to Joe Ends.

Thank you very much. Joe Ends, uh Friends of Los Cerritos Creek. I'm kind of liaison for the homeless, but not so much anymore

[snorts]

because they're too fragmented. And the ones that are two main groups of them are down at Miles and the Miles Avenue. We all know who they are and they're all on that drug that's a scourge with fentanyl and whatever meth and mean. The other [snorts] group and then all four of the people that live down there you know, and the police were just there and there's arguments and fighting and the usual things that go along with that kind of abuse. You know, I would just suggest that the police take uh more action and then maybe, you know, people that are living down there Well, there's nothing you can do about it really and I'm just whatever. And the other group over there, um by the high school next to the high school are doing much better as far as that goes. That's not my concern or for you for you either. Just don't throw your garbage in the Los Gatos Creek. This is where this all started. Um oh, and I we took a month off and I was working with the town manager concerning uh

[snorts]

getting the tunnel. I'm not sure if it's our jurisdiction or whose it is, but it's it's who and we I was working with property manager for a year if you can get somebody to call you back or team whatever with the uh property manager is right behind St. Luke's. Somebody's responsible for the fence that's hanging on the hinges and the you know, the homeless are going to start going down into the tunnel again, which they do. And then you got a problem down there of uh police don't even want to go down there. It's too scary for them. And there's people down there doing things they shouldn't be doing and [snorts] um I guess I'm just concerned about the liability of that for the town and and what represents for liability for the town. But once again, you can't really control these people's behavior. I'm not all like beyond that in the old days or whatever. I'm just older and just putting it out there that I can't be like that. I'm I work for the city of Santa Cruz. That's where I retired for. I realized I'm not happy unless I'm working for a municipality, which is this one. And I was a SEIU, SEIU union president for 600 and whatever it was, 383 workers. So, that's why I'm doing what I'm doing. Just to be helping in my old age and feeling like I'm making things better. I would hope that some of my friends and cohorts uh do [snorts] the same thing as they get older instead of sitting around doing nothing and drinking and doing drugs all day and just not contributing at all. So, um I'll be talking to you manager personally, I guess. We'll try to get all of us together with you on it uh through emails and whatnot. We'll make this thing work with closing that tunnel down. So, thank you very much.

Thank you. All right, we will now move to our Zoom speakers um and we'll start with Nima Rouhi.

Good afternoon and uh thanks for your time. Uh so, the matter that I'm bringing today to the um in front of the council is regarding my uh interaction with Parks and Publics Department. So, uh to give you a brief context, back in June 2024, I um sent out a request for some curb issues that I had um around like in front of my house and then after a few follow-ups on April 2027, they um sent some crew to fix that, but uh the problem is that there is a huge um tall tree right next to my driveway that um damaged the curb, but more importantly damaged the driveway and and the crew that came in saw that, tried to fix and patch it, but um looks like because of that tree uh growth and stuff, uh it it doesn't um go away. So, it's in a way that my driveway is now uh whenever it rains, uh it creates a huge puddle and I'm having trouble getting in and out of the house with one of my cars that has a like a low clearance. So, it scratches every time I get it in and out. So, I mean having that tree sort of tilted, I don't know if I can show images here. I already sent out an email to the mayor and the whole council members 4 weeks ago. So, you guys should have that the images, but I if I can share, that would be great.

You are not able to share during public comments.

All right. I mean again, I refer you guys to email I sent on July 13th, 2026. And again, when it rains, there's a huge puddle even without raining getting in and out of the driveway is not easy for me. So, after a lot of back and forth with the park and publics, they agreed that the tree needs to be removed before any curb or driveway work is being done. And that's after 2 years of like discussions and and back and forth. Now, they were supposed to fix it this July, but then they postpone it to next spring. So, that brings me to 3 years of waiting for for this project. And again, it's hazardous. The tree is tilted and it it damaged the curb, sidewalk, driveway, and It's on Los Carneros Boulevard. I keep hearing from HPC and other town members that this is our gateway to the town. We have to keep it like cool and cute, but when it comes to these projects, I don't see the same treatment for residents. So, yeah. That's I can't.

Thank you. Um

So, I'd like you guys to just look into that, the images that I emailed you, and uh bring it with the parks and public department, and have the project done as soon as possible.

Thank you very much for your comment, and we did receive your email. Looks like Councilmember Hedges has a question for you.

Uh yeah, thank you. Um and I I did receive the photographs. Um I I don't know if you're uh comfortable, but are you willing to say what the location is? I don't think you said that at at the beginning of your talk.

Oh, sure. Yeah. And and uh um Councilmember Hedges, thank you very much for following up on a on a full phone call actually um after my email. Uh the location is 241 Los Gatos Boulevard.

Thank you.

Thank you. Um and we have another speaker uh for public comment, which is Yamamoto.

Hi, yeah. Um I had an issue getting downtown in Los Gatos. Traffic is was really backed up on Saturday. Um it seems that even though you hired somebody to mitigate the whole traffic issue, it just it's not working. Um maybe a suggestion of getting a group of public citizens together to come up with a better solution rather than hiring and spending a fortune on people that just don't understand Los Gatos. Um it was really ridiculous. From my house to just the downtown to just go to the Apple Store. Took me 45 minutes. And it normally only takes 10. So, that's a major issue. And like like the other speaker said, um it needs to be better addressed. So, my suggestion is to get a group of citizens to maybe troubleshoot to come up with a way of dealing with our issues. Thank you.

Thank you. All right, that concludes uh verbal communications. Um and I'll just look briefly to the Parks and Public Works um department to see if uh they can provide any background on the issue um that Nima brought up. If there's anything that we need to Yeah.

I mean, I think it was accurately described by the resident. Um we have evaluated it, looked at it. We work does need to be done there. The work is at the driveway apron, not the driveway. So, it's right where the um the driveway intersects with Los Gatos Boulevard. The tree is living and healthy. Um and it we didn't get the information. So, what we have is that we received information, you know, in May, June of this year and the paving and concrete projects were already set for the year. So, and we couldn't fit it into the schedule for this year. So, we would roll it into next year. Unfortunately, it's just a little bit of a of it's the kind of work that we really can't do with our in-house staff. Some concrete work we can, but but not this particular location. Um so, that's the response we've been giving to the resident that they're

Okay. Um Councilmember Hudas?

Uh thank you. Just a brief follow-up. Um the the tree work, is that something that um come before the repair of the apron and is that something that maybe could be accomplished sooner?

Um it can come before the apron and it and it will. Um we can look into that. Right now, we are only responding to emergency repair work for sure emergency tree work. We really don't have the funding um and contractor capacity to to be doing work that doesn't isn't vital for safety um and security.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you. Uh yes, Vice Mayor Risto.

Thank you. Um I think there's nobody in this room that doesn't know about the beach traffic issue, the cut-through. And it is interesting to me that sometimes when people talk about it, they do not really understand that everybody up at this dais actually lives in Los Gatos and we live that traffic. Um so yes, I was caught in it as well. I am fortunate that I had an option not to use a car on Saturday, but um I think sometimes there's a thought that nothing's been done and our website hasn't been updated since 2023 on the cut-through traffic, but I know that we have traffic counts. I know that we're doing modeling. I know that the town is working really hard to look at what are mitigation measures that will not create unintended consequences such as we've done in the past where we do one thing and it actually makes things worse somewhere else. So I don't know if our town manager wants to address or Parks and Public Works where we are in the middle of and what we There is work ongoing by experts.

There has been work going on for a number of years. Uh the most recent one is we brought on board Dudek that's doing our our town-wide, including Monte Sereno, traffic counts. They conducted their some of their traffic study that included weekend summer beach traffic days. Uh and that work is ongoing. So, we will be looking forward to the report they'll be issuing. We've also had conversations on a longer-term solution. I mean, we have to recognize that this issue isn't an issue that's happened this year, last year, the year before. This is multi-decade issues. This is an issue that has come up in our community survey as a very high priority of something we need to grapple with. Um, and having worked now for in 30 for 30 years for six, seven different organizations, I can tell you this is one of those extremely difficult problems that makes a nice challenge for us to solve. That a longer-term solution that's innovative is something we need to consider. Uh, we're currently in conversations. I'm not ready to talk about in more details about something that has a lot of moving parts that potentially could help. But, you're right. We have not just been starting work. This has been ongoing for a number of years.

Thank you. Cuz we're all living the pain. Trust me.

Thank you. So, that concludes verbal communications. Um, and we will now move to our public hearings. Our first public hearing this evening is to conduct a public hearing to consider objections to the 2026 weed abatement program. Um, and I will turn it over to staff to present the report.

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council members. My name is Paul Gonia, and I'm a project analyst with Parks and Public with the Parks and Public Works Department. Article two of the town municipal code requires that property owners remove hazardous growth such as weed and weeds and other combustible debris from the property in order to help protect the town from fire hazards. This code section is implemented through the weed abatement program, which is administered by the County of Santa Clara and funded through assessments on properties placed in the program. The town started its 2026 weed abatement program on December 2nd, 2025 with the passing of resolution 20 25-60, which declared hazardous growth hazardous growth a nuisance and ordered its abatement. On February 3rd, 2026, a public hearing was held to consider objections to the order of abatement on identified properties. Associated inspections and enforcements were carried out between February and June. The items before you tonight include two recommendations, conduct a public hearing to consider objections to the proposed assessment report charges, and adopt a resolution confirming the report and authorizing collection of assessment charges. A property remains within the weed abatement program until three consecutive compliant years. Each year, county staff visits properties and performs an annual inspection. This inspection cost for 2026 is $296. If required, additional fees are assessed for items such as follow-up inspections, administrative costs associated with enforcement, and actual abatement services to remove hazardous growth. An examination or an explanation including the breakdown of the 2026 fees was included in the county's January 2026 notice, which was sent to all property owners in anticipation of the February public hearing. In regards to this item, the town clerk has received one written protest, which is included in the staff report as attachment five. The county's response is included as attachment six. Here tonight as a representative on behalf of the county is Garrick, the weed abatement manager. Uh this includes my report, and I'm happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

Thank you. I will look to uh my fellow council members to see if there are any comments or questions. Yes, Vice Mayor Esto.

Thank you. I did read the report, and it looked like we had one objection. Um have any Is anything else come in, or has anybody um change their mind?

Uh nothing has come in to my knowledge in terms of what parks and public works. We haven't received anything additional.

Okay. And then to clarify, I want to make sure I understand, the protest isn't for the fee for the inspection. The protest is asking to be removed from um the ongoing inspection list.

I believe they were asking to be removed, yeah, from it. And as the county identified in its response that that hearing actually occurs at a different period in the time year. I believe it's February. So, that's when that matter should be brought.

Okay. So, that objection does not apply to tonight's hearing. That is for a future hearing.

Correct.

Okay. So, are there any objections to what we have to decide on tonight?

No.

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you.

Great. Um seeing no other questions, I will turn to um verbal communications for this item. I have no uh comment cards and no hands raised on Zoom. Um so, seeing none, I will close um comment on that and turn back to the council. Yes, Councilmember Badami.

Thank you. Uh with no objections, um I have to emphasize that wildfire risk is a real threat to our town. We take this very seriously, and the weed abatement program um is integral to mitigating uh the risk. So, with that, I move to adopt a resolution confirming the 2026 weed abatement abatement program assessment report and authorize the collection of assessment charges.

Thank you. Councilmember Huteson.

I second.

Great. Um yes.

I just want to confirm that motion includes adopting the resolution confirming the report.

Yes, it it includes adopting the resolution to confirm the report.

Thank you. And I did have one other comment. So, I was looking at some of the larger dollar amount you know, costs or the assessments. And it looks like some of them are public property or or semi-public property like the Laura Drive one which is the largest. Is that are we abating Southern Pacific Railroad's property or And so they just aren't Can you give a little bit of detail on on what's going on there cuz that was a little bit surprising that a a railroad wouldn't be taking care of their land.

I'll [clears throat] defer to the county representative.

Hi, good evening. Garrick Yooselovsky, I'm the weed abatement program manager for the county. Yes, we actually have a large number of railroad properties on our weed abatement program throughout the entire county not just in Los Gatos. And so we do find annually that they are not taking care of the weeds on their property. So, we do end up doing a lot of the work for them.

Okay, thank you. And that's disappointing and so is the for instance on this property the $3,800. That's full cost recovery, right? So, that that covers everything but you still have to spend the time having staff go out there and and do the work.

Correct. So, that covers the cost of inspections, the cost of the contractor performing the work and also the administrative fees.

Okay, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Okay, seeing no other questions. I will turn to the town clerk for a roll call vote.

Councilmember Ernie.

I.

Councilmember Hedges.

I.

Councilmember Badame.

I.

Vice Mayor Rista.

I.

Mayor Moore.

I.

Um pass is unanimously. We will now move to item 15 which is to consider a recommendation of approval by the planning commission and introduce an ordinance regarding ADUs. Um and I will turn to Sean Mullen, our planning manager, for the staff report.

Thank you. I'll give the clerk one moment to pull up the presentation. Perfect. Thank you and good evening, Mayor. Before you tonight is consideration of a draft ADU ordinance responding to changes to state law. Next slide, please. The town previously updated the zoning code regarding ADUs in 2017, 2020, and 2023. New housing legislation continues to be signed into law impacting ADUs on an almost annual basis. The latest bills impacting ADUs shown on the right-hand side of the slide uh made additional changes to ADU ADU law necessitating an update to the town's ADU ordinance once again. Next slide, please. The draft ordinance being considered tonight carries forward much uh from the current ordinance with some revisions and reorganization to align with state laws detailed in your staff report. The most substantive change uh has to do with the maximum number of ADUs the state requires the town to allow on a residential property and the two development options provided in the draft ordinance. Next slide. There are several different types of ADUs as shown here. Detached ADUs are those that are physically separated from the main dwelling. Attached ADUs are those constructed as an addition to an existing residence or as part of a new residence. Conversion ADUs are units created from existing space within a residence or accessory building. And finally, uh junior ADUs or JADUs are smaller units located within the main residence. Next slide, please. One of the most significant changes coming from state law is the creation of two categories of ADUs included in the draft ordinance as town standard ADUs and by right ADUs. A town standard ADU is subject to the town's standard ADU development regulations and continues to benefit from a 10% FAR increase approved by the council some years ago. By right ADUs, which is something new to the town to the draft ordinance, are exempt from FAR and in some cases do not have maximum size limitations. Next slide. The draft ordinance is consistent with state law in allowing for multiple ADUs on a residential property. Uh single-family properties are now allowed one town standard ADU and three by right ADUs. Um existing multi-family properties are allowed at least one town standard ADU, one conversion ADU, and up to eight detached ADUs. And a new multi-family development would be allowed one town standard ADU and two detached by right ADUs. Next slide. The planning commission considered the draft ordinance on on June 10th and forwarded a recommendation of approval to the town council. Um today the down the town did receive a letter from the California Housing Defen- Defense Fund included as a desk item asserting that several provisions of the draft ordinance are inconsistent with state law. If the council would like a response from the town attorney addressing each of those issues raised, staff recommends continuing the item to allow sufficient time to prepare that response. Staff also recommends that the council proceed with a full discussion of the draft ordinance this evening. Doing so would allow the council to identify any additional revisions it would like staff to address and incorporate into the ordinance if the matter is continued. This concludes staff's presentation and we are available to answer any questions.

Thank you very much. Questions? Yes, Councilman Huitus.

Yeah, thank you for the report and and the information. I understand that there's been a great deal of change uh pushed to localities um by the state with regard to ADU. Numerous numerous laws. And um you know, as I read uh as I read this, um I think they think it's one-size-fits-all. And I think that there's some significant challenges um with uh the the laws that have been pushed. Um I wanted to explore the by-right option. Um I think you mentioned that there are uh maximum sizes in some cases. Could you elaborate on that? Are you know, are they 500 square feet or are there cases where the by-right are are larger than that?

Thank you for that question. So, in the draft ordinance table 1.3 really provides some of the development standards um for by-right ADUs. Um what you'll notice there uh about halfway down the table is maximum size of interior livable space. Um as you go across the different categories, the only one that has a maximum size is a new construction detached ADU. And that's capped at 800 square feet. Conversion ADUs, whether that's on a single-family property or a multi-family property, um do not include a uh maximum size limitation in state law.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, please go ahead.

Um and so with regard to the uh the town standard ADUs, um is there currently and is there any uh any reason that we would have to change the 1,200 square foot maximum size?

Um I don't see a reason from the state law perspective why we would need to change that.

Okay, so just because this is very important point because we struggled with this several years ago about how ADUs can actually contribute to affordable housing stock. And uh we went through a debate about what's the best way to accomplish that. We talked about putting income restrictions on ADUs or income categories on ADUs. But the town settled on what we called affordable by design. And that design was limiting to 1,200 square feet. Um I understand that ADUs are allowed to be up to 50% of the square footage of the primary residence. But is that capped at 1,200 or if there were a 4,000 square foot residence, would that maximum be 2,000 square feet?

So thank you for that question. I think there's a distinction that needs to be made between an attached ADU and a ADU created by converting existing space. So if it were an attached ADU and met that definition under a town standard ADU, you'd be limited to 1,200 square feet. If it were a conversion unit that met that definition, there's no natural cap or nominal cap. It would be limited to the ratio cap of no more than 50% of the remaining portion of the residence.

If I could just follow up, is that the case with our existing ADU requirements now? I thought they were all capped at 1,200.

The original understanding of state law, and I would actually have to dig in a little bit to research if there was a deviation, but the original understanding was that we could cap all ADUs at 1,200. This is before we had the two different ADU product types. And that's what we have been enforcing for a long time. Recently, it's become clear through HCD that conversion ADUs are not capped by square footage.

And so does that is that language reflected in the draft that we have tonight?

Yes.

Okay. So that may be an area if if this does get continued to follow up on in terms of exactly where because uh we from from what I see, there's a possibility of us having numerous 2,000, 3,000 square foot ADUs plus below grade space, I believe. Um and is that is that correct?

Currently, the town code existing and proposed requires the ADUs be located on one single floor. So you couldn't have a basement underneath it and you couldn't have a second story above it. They can't be connected. It doesn't mean you can't have a basement ADU, a ground floor ADU, or a second story ADU. They just can't be multiple stories within this that unit.

But could you have three units with uh three dwelling units within a structure?

You could. Yes, you could have a conversion unit, an attached unit, and a junior ADU.

Okay, I'm going to have questions later when we get around on that.

Yeah, Vice Mayor Ariston and Council Member Badami.

Thank you. Yeah, this gets tricky really quickly. So, um um uh Manager Mullen, when you were talking about you could have the conversion and the junior and, you know, the attached um are any of those town ADUs or are those by right ADUs?

Thank you for that question. It's a combination thereof. So, if on um page three of the staff report, there's a table that outlines the maximum number of ADUs uh allowed per property and the state code uh is very clear that you can combine all the different product types. So, for a single-family property, when you read that you can have four total ADUs, um it's not always that easily to actualize that. You would need a to combine a one town standard ADU um and then under the by right category, you would use three, which would be one detached new construction ADU, one conversion ADU, and one junior ADU.

Okay. Um and then to follow on to um Councilmember Hudes' comments about the conversion ADU, um a conversion ADU can you explain to me, is that actually literally taken out of the existing footprint? So, if somebody had a 4,000 square foot house and created a 2,000 square foot ADU, would they essentially be cutting their living space in half? Would they be taking their 4,000 square foot house down to 2,000 square feet?

Yes.

They're essentially creating a duplex.

Yes.

Okay.

In that scenario.

Cuz they can't create 2,000 extra square feet out of there, right? Or can they?

The conversion is modification of existing space.

Okay.

So, you couldn't build to convert. That would be considered an interior by some folks' definitions or an attached unit.

And is that the only type of ADU that does not have a maximum square footage?

Conversion under the town standard ADU it not have a maximum square footage.

Okay. And under Okay. But the other ADUs do have maximum square footage?

The town standard non-conversion ADU is limited to 1,200 square feet, whether that's an attached unit or detached unit. Um a by-right junior ADU is limited by definition to 500 square feet. And then when you get into the um Make sure I'm on the right table to answer that. Um the conversion ADU uh to answer your question, yes, the conversion ADU by-right it would not have a limit. A new by-right detached new construction is limited to 800 square feet.

Okay. So, it does sound like what I'm hearing is conversion ADU is the only one that doesn't have maximum square footage. And at that point, the homeowner I'm hearing is then if as they enlarge that, they're decreasing their space.

That's one scenario. There is another scenario where you take a 3,000 square foot barn and convert it into an ADU.

Okay.

Detached structure, you can convert that. It could be more than 1,200 square feet. That's a by-right um ADU or could be a town standard ADU.

So, an existing structure on the property, a garage, a barn.

Correct.

A pool room or whatever. Okay, got it. Thank you.

Councilmember Budami.

Thank you. I want to make sure I understand this. So, if it were the will of the council and and if we continue the item, we could um discuss or or maybe again, the will of the council move forward with limiting conversion ADUs to 1,200 square feet?

Um in my opinion and my read of the state law, no. State law and HCD have opined that there's no floor area maximum applicable to conversion ADUs.

Thank you.

Um and so just to ask a little bit more on that. So it sounds like we've gotten I read the the letter from um the Housing Defense Fund. The recommendation from staff is that the town attorney reviews that, provides comments in response. Staff brings back a similar recommendation, perhaps with some minor modifications in response to that, to make sure that we comply with state law. But essentially this ordinance is just to get us to comply with state law and our our understanding of state law.

Yes, that's correct. So the last two rounds of update I can speak to personally cuz I worked on them.

Thank you.

We we endeavored only to just get it to the state state level.

Great. Thank you.

Yes, Councilmember Hedges.

Um yeah, I was I really shocked by the letter coming from the Housing Defense Fund. Um I believe today. Um and I'm curious whether there's been communications with them previously.

Um not with my office.

So they just dropped that on us on the eve of our hearing.

It was received today.

Oh, okay.

All right. Um well then I will open up public comment on this item um and then we'll get to a motion and discussion. We have two speaker cards um in the room. We'll start with Kathy uh Weiner Weiner and then followed by uh Linda Swenberg.

Um

Can you speak into the mic? Sorry.

I'm so sorry. I'm new to this part. Okay, I've lived in Los Gatos over 40 years. And I've raised my kids here. I know a lot about the community. I live in the Almond Grove. We have a 300 square foot ADU. It's been a godsend for my husband and I retired fixed income. And I feel like the council, as you said, one size does not fit all. You could add a little something to this ADU idea. I know you have a You can't have a ADU over a detached garage unless the main house is two stories. And I'm guessing that had to do with privacy and so forth. But for instance, a lot of Almond Groves on alleys. So, there is no adjacent property up to the And my situation, many people in Almond Grove, I'm surrounded by two-story houses. Front of me, back of me, side of me. Many, many people. And I just don't think it's fair to think, "Okay, so the people that can afford a two-story house get to have it over their detached garage." And that maybe you could make that a little more flexible and think about how many more ADUs there could be to provide, you know, affordable housing in this community. You know, I young adult children and they can't afford to live here. So, I think being more equitable across the whole community, that as long as you're doing this, I hope you're going to table it till the next meeting, maybe you could add something in there that there are situations where it would be okay to have it over a detached garage. We'd have more green space, which is better for the environment. Some people have really small lots, they can't have an ADU. So, I want you to just sort of think about the message you're giving to the community. On one hand, I get it's privacy. I get you have to be black and white. But you're also sort of saying, "Well, if you're wealthy enough to have a big house, you get to have this, too." And that doesn't seem fair to me. So, I just like like you to consider that as you're looking at this.

Thank you. Um our next commenter is Linda Swenberg.

Good evening, Mayor and Council members. I'm Linda Swenberg. And Manager Mullen, hi. Um I've lived in the town for more than 30 years. And in 2004, we moved to a different house just a couple blocks from our previous home. And at this house, there's a beautiful, brand newly built at that time, accessory structure. And it was fully permitted as a habitable pool house. At that time, and and it even has a spot for for a kitchen. But at that time, the town refused to allow the previous owner to put a kitchen in. That wasn't a thing. ADUs were not a thing at that time, and it wasn't something that Los Gatos was interested in. Well, now we have this state law. And I know we're all a little bit confused about these conversion structures. Um I think that there are probably lots of people like who are in our situation, who have beautiful, completely permitted, habitable structures with a big pool, a big bathroom, a big bedroom. We even have fire sprinklers, which aren't even required today. What we don't have is a kitchen. And I don't think that this current revision um makes a great distinction between different types of conversion units. Like something like I'm dealing with, it seems to be treated exactly the same as somebody converting a barn or a garage or a storage shed into living space. We already have living space. We just need to do an internal renovation, which obviously requires building permits and stuff for safety, but um you know, why not actually put it in your ordinance. Why not consider something um because I think that you could come up with a lot of new housing inventory this way uh and it could be very good for the town without doing a lot of extra building or anything like that. So, I want you to consider that um maybe move away from a from a one-size-fits-all approach on the conversion ADUs. Um I hope that helps. Oh, and I did go speak to the building department about some other things today and they said, "Well, now we're kind of working around that and you can maybe just give a marked-up floor plan, but it's not in the ordinance." So, like I I really think they need some more legislative direction on that. It would be it would be a good idea. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong.

Thank you.

I'm confused.

Thank you. All right. I have no other speaker cards in the room and I see no hands on Zoom and so I will close public comment on that item um and I'll turn to Vice Mayor Arista.

Thank you. I I just want to check with um our planning manager. Is there anything about our rules right now that would preclude I mean, a conversion's a conversion. Would it preclude a pool house or something that's most of the way there?

Not at all.

Okay. So, I know someone who put a kitchen in their garage with an existing almost

Yeah, conversion of existing space. There's no limitation on what that space is used for. The um scenario described by the um speaker sounds like all they would need to do would would be to pull a building permit to put a kitchen in the unit and then it would be classified as an ADU. And I would encourage them to contact me directly. I'd be happy to walk through that with them.

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes, Council Member Hudes.

Yeah, I mean in the spirit of uh our new agenda policy in Rosenberg, I'm going to make a motion.

Please.

Um, to continue this item to a date recommended by staff.

Vice Mayor Esto.

Thank you. I'll second the motion. I mean, upon seeing that email today, I immediately sent questions to staff, which I realized there was no way they could be answered by tonight, so I appreciate coming up with that option that we start the discussion and then take time to look at this. So, I appreciate that extra work.

Mhm. Council member Donny.

Uh, with the continuance then, I I would just like confirmation that all would be needed is a building permit to accommodate the last speaker. Um

I apologize. Could you repeat the question?

Um, I'll be supporting the motion, but I want to make sure that with the continuance that the last speaker could be accommodated by just simply applying for a building permit.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Yeah. There's nothing in the current ordinance or in the the draft ordinance that would hold that scenario back.

Thank you. I'll be supporting the motion.

Thank you. Yeah, to the town attorney.

Um, if the council's interested in continuing the item, I think September 16th would allow enough time for staff to look into the questions raised in the letter. And I want to confirm with planning that that day works for planning as well.

That would work as long as it's September 15th, which is the Tuesday. It's hard to read from here.

Um, that sounds great. And what is the timeline on the necessity for the town to implement these changes?

Thank you for that question. So, most of these changes are already in in effect since we are out of compliance with the state law, which is very common because of how quickly they sign bills and how long it takes to get ordinances lined up. Um we are already enforcing what we understand to be compliant state law. Um HCD has reached out to us to check in and we have communicated what our hearing schedule is. Um so if they check in again, we can let them know, but we we're actively working on it.

Okay, great. Thank you very much.

Actually, can I revise my request to be the first meeting in October? And I I think it says October 6th.

Yes.

Okay.

Yes.

Would that work for planning?

Yeah.

Okay.

Great. Thank you. We'll have We'll hear the item by then and if um if it happens to come in sooner, we'll we'll take it. Thank you. Yes, Council member Hudas.

Yeah, I did have a number of other um questions that I think maybe could be addressed um at that time, but not necessarily um on the fly, but maybe maybe some of them. Um the first one um relates to uh ADUs in historic districts. And one of the things um that we uh debated and uh included in our ordinance was that um an ADU shall not be built in front of a historic structure. Um does our uh does the revised ordinance continue that policy of not allowing an ADU in front of a uh historic structure, whether it's a by-right or whether it's a a town ADU?

Um I can start um with my recollection because that was one of the issues raised in the letter that was received today. Um because the town's proposed ordinance did uh prohibit um ADUs from being built in the front yard if they can be built elsewhere on the property. Um and the letter stated that uh that provision is prohibited. And so, that's one issue I would want to look into. And that applied to both standard ADUs and by-right ADUs.

And so, if I could just follow up on that, um I looked at the letter. I didn't see anything about historic. I saw something about setbacks, and I saw something, you know, else. I would just say that I think that needs a great deal of attention because uh if ADUs are allowed in front of historic structures, it would decimate the historic character of our town. And I I think we need to really look very, very closely at that um before we eliminate that that's in our current code. Um so, I I would again appreciate that if we did a little more research into that topic. Um I had another um another question. Um So, coming back to the the size limit, you know, one of the things, and I think ADUs have a lot of potential to add to our housing stock, our affordable housing stock. And despite the fact that we have all of these SB 330 applications, many of them will not get built. Um but ADUs can be an effective way of providing affordable housing in town. And so, um if we're not able to um limit the size of these conversion um ADUs or any other ones, um is there a possibility of doing what other municipalities have done and putting income requirements, particularly on rental ADUs, uh to ensure that these ADUs that are created are actually affordable and not just another way to get around our zoning and create uh you know, large uh large single-family or other homes that we wouldn't otherwise allow. So, could um and I I I think I passed on a report from ABAG that addressed ways that other municipalities have uh tried to get affordable stock out of that. Is that something that we have looked at or could we look at that?

So, thank you for that question and and following on a discussion that um Councilmember and I had, um I looked into it a little bit. The kind of initial thought is that what's in front of you tonight is the different product types um could not be deed restricted to lower-income or affordable units. Um the the information that Councilmember Huda has passed on uh to staff from ABAG really is relating to uh an incentive-based program that would be adopted by the council. And in fact, the existing town code explicitly says if the council the council may adopt an incentive program um and if if an ADU is created through said program, it needs to be deed restricted to um a lower-income. So, it's really a carrot-based system. That means um there's there's other municipalities as the councilmember mentioned that do things like you know, additional units above and beyond what the state allows, additional um floor area, uh waving fees, waving uh there's no interest loans. There's all sorts of different uh menu items. Um it really needs to be an incentive-based approach before the town could impose a a deed restriction on affordability.

So, is is that something that we'd be prepared to look at in October, or is that something that we might um look at later?

Yeah, I realized I didn't answer the second part of that question, so I appreciate you uh repeating it. So, the housing element has programs in it and specifically program Q that speaks to this. Um in exploring incentive programs and exploring other ways to to incentivize and encourage ADUs, um we can start some We've already had some preliminary conversations about program Q in the past. Um we can continue that conversation and come back with some feedback related to program Q um in October uh and see how we can uh move forward with that uh at the council's direction and what kind of incentive programs you may be interested in.

Well, I I for one would be very interested in ways of accomplishing affordable uh living spaces as we're revising our ADU policy. Um you know, as compared to uh just allowing development to uh to run over the town.

Thank you. So, I'll just add a a few quick things. Um so, one thing that you know, as uh a younger person that lives in an apartment, I was thinking about this as I was thinking about this item. All of my friends under the age of 30 who live in the town of Los Gatos either live in an ADU or in an apartment. That's the only way for someone who, you know, makes less than $150,000 a year to live in the town of Los Gatos. And talking about, you know, our historic districts, and I really appreciated the comment um from our our first speaker on this. The um several of my friends that live in ADUs live in the Almond Grove. There's a lot of ADUs in the Almond Grove. There's lots of smaller housing units, none of which are below market rate. They're not deed restricted affordable, yet, you know, uh not to to out anyone, but these people pay between, you know, a thousand and three thousand dollars a month, which sounds expensive, but is actually quite affordable um for rent in this town. And so, I'm I'm very philosophically supportive of ADUs. I think they're a really, really good way to create more um naturally affordable housing stock. Um and they also, of course, support uh you know, homeowners that are able to build these that then they can create a second income stream or have their family uh live in them. I think ADUs are very, very good, and so I think um I'm always glad when we are creating ways to to make it easier to build ADUs. Um I would be interested in the incentives-based program. I would not be supportive of putting any BMR requirements on, you know, our exi- on what we're talking about here. It sounds like we can't anyway. Um but I think it's it's really important to recognize that well, below market rate units have a huge place in creating affordable housing. Uh most of the affordable housing in Los Gatos is naturally affordable. Um again, the type of housing that I live in um is naturally affordable. If you were to put uh income requirements on my affordable housing, I couldn't live in it, and then it would no longer be affordable to me um because I would not meet the income qualifications um and have to go through that onerous process. Uh anyway, um uh I'm I'm interested in the incentives-based program. I'm also interested in in staff's just perspective on what the first speaker shared about the um sort of issues with second story ADUs in, you know, I what she's was speaking about it, you know, if a home is surrounded on all sides by single or by two-story homes, um, and this second story ADU is not going to be particularly impactful, I would be interested in exploring that. Um, not asking staff to come up with that, but just get some perspective on that when we, um, return in October. I think that's all I've got. Thank you. Not seeing any comments or questions from Councilmember Rennie, so I will call

You know, uh, I think for us it would be helpful to have direction on the second story issue because I think planning's hope is to have the ordinance ready for introduction on October 6th.

Sorry, so just to be clear on on what I'm asking for. I don't think we're at a place to intro put it into this particular version, but it's not It seems like we do this every year, and so I'd like to get staff's perspective on on how big of an undertaking that would be to create that. Is it a good idea? Is it a bad idea? Um,

I mean, I I could respond now. I mean, the the history of that, um, speaking of incentives was all the way back uh, in one of the original iterations, probably around 2018, 2017. Um, as Council was exploring the FAR 10% increase to help allow these, there was a recognition of places like the Almond Grove that have smaller lots cuz they're they're very old and smaller subdivisions that didn't have footprint um, to build these things. And so we're we're back then, we were giving folks a 10% bump, but nowhere to put it. Um, and so it was decided through the Council's decision, um, with the ordinance to allow for second story ADU above a detached structure, so long as the primary house was already two stories. Um, it wasn't about privacy, as I recall. Um, we actually had to address that later from second story ADUs. Um, it was more about making sure that the accessory use the accessory unit was truly um accessory to the primary and it didn't end up dominating a small 900-1200 sq. ft cottage by putting an 800 sq. ft second story on a detached garage. Um so that's been that that's where that that's the origin story. Um to change that would not be a lift. I mean I mean we would look to council's guidance and what you're interested in or is there any limitation or are we just going to allow it? Um and then we could write that um very quickly.

Okay. Yeah, I don't personally I don't know that I've given it enough thought or know, you know, well enough what that would uh how big of a change that would be. Um so I guess perhaps my recommendation would be that the next time this goes to planning commission, we hear how they think about that. That would be one way to do this. I'm I'm open to other thoughts from council members. I wasn't around um when that was was first discussed, but um I'll look to Vice Mayor Rice so.

Thank you. Yeah, I don't think I would be willing to support that in this update right now. I think we've got a lot of other changes and looking at the fact that somebody could potentially add four new four ADUs on an existing structure, I don't want to start adding floors. I also live in a historic district where we don't have an alley and so most of our garages are next to people's homes. And so the idea that suddenly the garage is going to pop up and you're going to have it hanging over your yard or looking into your house, I think it'll create a lot of privacy issues that we can probably avoid. Unless this letter that we've received that says we can't preclude a second story garage comes up, but I think right now good idea to like put that on the back burner and the next time we address a series of laws and who knows maybe the next series of laws will make this conversation irrelevant. Um but I would prefer that it not be brought back to us in October.

Yeah, I I'm not Yeah, asking for that.

Okay.

Councilmember Renny.

Yeah, I I thought that we were already out of compliance with state law, that state law um said that you could have an ADU on a second story, um and we what what we currently have is not in compliance. Is there Is there some subtlety here?

I don't recall offhand, um the letter from today brings up a different issue that may if what there's if what the H uh HDF is saying is correct for the 66 Sorry, the by-right units, um it's possible that they would be allowed now, but we don't have clarification on that. So, we need to we need to explore that.

Okay. So, it sounds like we'll get a more thorough update in October on on all these things.

Yeah, cuz I I spent some time exploring the idea of um adding a second story ADU on my house, and I had communication with Director Paulson and with HCD on it, and basically I my understanding through HCD is we the town cannot prevent me from putting a second story ADU on my one-story house.

Looks like Director Paulson has some input.

Thank you, through the mayor. Um Joel Paulson, Community Development Director. So, I think the the issue Councilmember Renny is raising um is very site-specific. So, there are parameters where in his case, that would be the only place he may be able to put one, so we would have to allow it. Um but there's a lot of other nuances depending on the site-specific conditions.

Okay, so at a high level, it sounds like there's maybe a little bit of misunderstanding or or or lack of understanding, at least for me, among, you know, where can where is the second story ADU allowable? So, maybe if staff just comes back to the council in October with that information, I think that'd be informative for how we think about this moving forward. Thank you. Okay, does staff have all the direction they need on this? Thank you. Um will the town clerk please do a roll call vote?

Council member Annie?

I.

Council member Hutto?

I.

Council member Badami?

I.

Vice Mayor Arista?

I.

Mayor Moore?

I.

Passes unanimously. Thank you all. Um we will now move on to other business. Um and we have the introduction of an omnibus ordinance amending the town code to make minor updates and clarifications. Um and I will look to the town attorney for this item.

Thank you. Uh Gabrielle Weland, town attorney, and I have a uh PowerPoint presentation that will accompany my talk. Um so, this proposed ordinance is the result of a annual review of the town code to see if there are any cleanups that are needed. Next slide, please. Um and so, the purpose of it is to really fix non-substantive uh simple things that are errors or things that don't match um current town procedures or current town titles, etc. Next slide, please. Um and then and other element of this is we're updating cross-references to make sure that references to other sections of the code are still accurate. Next slide, please. Um and also to make sure that we're in alignment with current state and federal law. Um Next slide, please. And so, I have the ordinance changes the proposed ordinance changes listed in numerical order, um but I won't describe each and every change. I'll talk about them in terms of categories. Um and so one category of proposed changes is updating position titles. And so the town's finance director position has been replaced with an administrative services director position. And so those references are proposed to be updated in the code. Next slide, please. Um another category of changes has to do with what the town manager's supervisor supervisorial responsibilities are. Um and the code needs to be corrected because the code used to say that uh the town manager did not have supervisory responsibility over the town clerk or town treasurer. Um and that's incorrect. And so we're proposing to update that language. Next slide, please. Um and then with regards to the powers and duties of the town manager, uh the proposed change would state that the town manager can designate another employee to attend town council meetings in his or her stead in the event that he or she is unable to attend. Next slide, please. Um and then another position title update is currently the code references a town administrator, which is a position that no longer exists. And so those references have been replaced with references to the town clerk. And then there is a change a proposed change to personnel board meeting requirements. The code currently states that the personnel board meets annually. Um however, in Stop's experience, there's not a need to meet annually because there's no guarantee that there will be business to conduct each year. And so the proposal is to change the requirement so that the meetings occur as needed. And the meetings will still occur at the date and time that's specified for personnel board meetings, but they would only be held if there was business to conduct. Next slide, please. Um the next two changes have to do with referring to the administrative services director. Next slide, please. Um in the town's sidewalk vending ordinance, there is a holdover reference to pushcarts, which is the term that we used before the state law came into effect. And so, for consistency with state law, we're recommending that that term be replaced with the state term, which is vending device. And the next one has to do with the town's special events ordinance. Um the ordinance talks about penalties for um having a special event without a permit. And uh there's just a typo in the cross-reference, and so the proposal is to change the cross-reference to the correct section. Next slide, please. Um with regard to the second change that's noted on the slide, um that codified an urgency ordinance, um and the urgency ordinance has expired. And so, we're proposing to remove that code section since the ordinance that authorized it is no longer in effect. Next slide, please. Um with regard to animals in parks, um it's come to our attention that our code um prohibits animals off-leash under all circumstances. And pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, there will be some instances in which service animals can be off-leash, and so we're proposing an amendment to the code to reflect that. Next slide, please. Um these two sections have to do with the bonds and insurance that the town requires for its contracts. Um the code had specific um insurance and bond amount requirements in the code, but those requirements really should be tied to the risk associated with a specific contract. And so we're proposing an amendment to the code to give the town manager or designee the authority to determine what the appropriate amount of insurance or bond is to require. Next slide, please. Um those have to do with changes to titles. Next slide, please. Same. Next slide, please. And so those That's um a list of the changes that are proposed to the town code. Um tonight, staff is recommending introduction of the ordinance. Um and if it is introduced tonight, it would return for adoption on August 18th. And if it's adopted by the council on August 18th, it the changes would take effect 30 days after that. And that concludes my presentation.

Great. Thank you very much. Are there questions for the town attorney? Seeing none, I will open up public comment on this item. I have no hand uh no cards in the room and no hands raised on Zoom. So I will close public comment and I'll look to Councilmember Badame.

Thank you. Um this item is essentially general housekeeping um in regard to legalities. So I move to introduce an ordinance amending various sections of the Town of Los Gatos Municipal Code to correct grammatical errors, clarify existing provisions, ensure consistency with current state and federal law, and make administrative, technical, and non-substantive changes.

Thank you, Vice Mayor Ristow.

Thank you. I'll second it. I also want to extend thanks to um it looks like our administrative technician Bridget Falcone did this work and you know I know every time I find a typo or an inconsistency I'm sure coming through this was very tedious but hopefully somewhat satisfying to clean it up and I really appreciate probably the hours that she put into this.

Thank you. I will just echo those sentiments appreciate our town attorney and town clerk for making sure everything all of our T's are crossed and I's are dotted seeing no other comments I will turn to the town clerk for a roll call vote.

Councilmember Ernie.

I.

Councilmember Hooters.

I.

Councilmember Badami.

I.

Vice Mayor Arista.

I.

Mayor Moore.

I.

Passes unanimously. Thank you all. Okay, so we will now move to item 17 which is regarding electronic pet containment in the town's fence regulations and I'll be turning to the town attorney to hear about that item.

Thank you mayor. So this item relates to a request that was made by a resident at a meeting about 6 months ago. The resident had asked whether the town council would consider changing the town code to specifically allow for the use of electronic pet containment systems in the hillside areas. Next slide please. An electronic pet containment systems use a buried wire around the property that establishes a boundary for pets and the pets wear a collar and when they cross the boundary they receive an electric shock. Next slide please. State law does allow for the use of electronic pet containment systems for ordinary pets but it does require an actual physical enclosure for potentially dangerous or vicious dogs. Next slide, please. The town code currently requires that dogs either be on a leash or confined behind a 6-ft fence. Um and that's contained in section 4.40.005. Next slide, please. Um however, there is also a town code section in the zoning chapter um applies to properties in the hillside areas and it provides that uh fences in the hillside areas cannot exceed 6 ft. And then further, on properties that are 1 acre or more, the perimeter fencing must be wildlife-friendly. And wildlife-friendly is defined in the code as a fence that wildlife can pass through and it requires um an 18-in difference between the base of the fence and the ground level. Um so, wildlife-friendly friendly fencing would not be effective in containing a pet. Next slide, please. Um and so, there is a conflict within the code because in one place there's a requirement for 6-ft fence and then in another place in the hillside areas there's a cap at 42 in uh s plus it needs to be wildlife-friendly. Next slide, please. Um the resident who made the request also referenced the Room the Room to Roam Act, which is a state law um and he mentioned that he believed an ordinance change would bring the town closer in alignment to that state requirement. Um the Room to Roam Act is a state law that requires uh cities and towns to consider wildlife movement when they're planning new development. So, it's not directly related to the issue of the town code, um but it is related to the issue of wildlife movement um to the extent that an electronic pet containment system would allow for wildlife movement. Next slide, please. Um so, I've composed a list of pros and cons of amending the town code to allow for electronic pet containment. Um there may be others, um but this is a starting place. Um so, the first pro would be that it would resolve a conflict within the town code. Um it would support wildlife movement. It is a more cost-effective option than building physical fences. Um and electronic pet containment systems do work well on uneven terrain where it's difficult to build a physical fence. Next slide, please. Um the cons are that electric correction can cause discomfort to pets. Um and then it's important to note that an electronic pet containment system would not keep wildlife off the property. Um it only works for the pet that's wearing the collar. Um pets have been known to escape if the system fails. Um and it will be more difficult for town staff to verify whether or not property owners are in compliance. Next slide, please. Um so, we did research on which other jurisdictions currently allow specifically allow electronic pet containment. Um and we located a number of jurisdictions in Southern California. Um the first is the County of San Diego. The next is the City of Del Mar. Next slide, please. Um and then in Northern the city of Salinas, um, does allow it, and so does the county of Monterey. Next slide, please. Um, City of Rolling Hills allows it as well. Um, and then with regard to jurisdictions that are closer to us, Santa Clara County and Los Altos Hills are working on wildlife-friendly fencing regulations, but I did not locate, um, any information that they were considering allowing electronic pet containment specifically. Next slide, please. Um, and so the purpose of this presentation was to provide the council with information regarding electronic pet containment and the town code. And, um, I'm here to answer questions, and if the town council is interested in pursuing amendments to the town code, um, that's something that I can work on.

Thank you very much. Uh, questions for the town attorney. Uh, my question is, uh, if this is something we were to provide direction for you to pursue, what would be the approximate ballpark timeline on preparing an ordinance?

Um, there's a number of, uh, very important public hearings that the town council will be hearing regarding, um, SB 330 applications and other applications. So, my thought would be that, uh, the town council could direct that this work be undertaken after those hearings are complete. Um, and so I would anticipate that this amendment could be undertaken, um, in November.

Great. Thank you. All right, seeing, uh, no other questions or comments, I will turn to the public. Um, we have one speaker card from Keith Blaine.

Good evening, Mayor Moore, members of the council. Um as you know, my name is Keith Bohannon, and I was the my family and my pet were the ones that brought this to your attention. Um so, thank you for all your attention so far. I really wanted to sincerely thank our town attorney for going through this and putting together um a fair, well-researched report. Um and pointing and confirming that there is this conflict with between our two code sections. Um and that it didn't appear to be uh intentional. It was it wasn't uh wasn't something that the town was trying to do. I think it's great that we found four more jurisdictions than I did. I think we have total of 11 between our two reports. Um I wanted to just speak to the the cons if I could. And so, the one on the the pain uh that uh an animal, a pet, or dog might uh experience. With all the major systems, I'd say there's Dog Watch, Pet Safe, and SportDog. Um they start with an audible noise within about 10 ft. They vary between device. Um and then not Dog Watch, but the other two have coincide with the vibration also in the collar. So, there is this uh a non-painful warning system before you get within the actual fence itself. Um and so, then that that shock or that what we Dog Watch refers to is kind of it's more like a static or uh like when you touch a doorknob, it's kind of like a static shock. It's not like a punishment pain intended type thing. Um in my personal experience with our dog, um I'd say like with most training aids for dogs, once they've been trained on it, uh the collar can be taken off and they don't really they've learned that this is where I don't go. Um, so on the second con was related to power failure. And uh, in my proposed uh, addendum language, uh, thinking about this and thinking about it from the public and my neighbor's standpoint, I would recommend uh, 24-hour battery backup, which is very similar to motorcycle battery that you see in this building's fire alarm sprinkler system. Um, and then you're kind of like your your your home uh, alarm system. Um, and then on the escape, again, once the dog has been properly trained on the system, um, it's common for them to no longer need the collar. Um, and then the fourth item uh, on compliance, um, like all fences within our town, uh, inspections and owner maintenance is required. And the proposed uh, permitting process is included in uh, in my kind of five-step suggestion for the the amendment. Um, and then I think I just wanted to clarify that the room to room to roam act is going into effect in 2028, not in the not in 2025. So, anyways, I kindly ask that we direct staff to draft a an amendment. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Looks like we have a question for you from Councilmember Hudes.

Yeah, thank you. Um, thank you for all the work on this. Um, the in in your understanding, does town current town code prohibit you from implementing uh, this type of a system?

I have personally been cited for having this type of a system and not having a 6-ft fence on my hillside property.

So, the issue is not having the required fence.

Um,

or is the issue that this type of a system is not allowed?

If I were to put up a property line 6-ft fence on my property, it would prevent it'd be in conflict with the uh hillside resident fence uh wildlife movement code.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you. Um, any other questions for the speaker?

I did I did a little the 1-acre versus hillside resident. I find that pretty gray, and I would I personally want to read more about how to find it cuz I always refer to it as hillside residents, and there is the 1-acre version, but I think it would be I would include both because hillside residents I I just don't I don't know if the 1-acre minimum requirement is [snorts] encapsulating everything.

Thank you. Oh, yep, now we have another question.

So, um, your citation, just digging a little deeper, was that an administrative warning or did it um involve a fee that you would have to pay to the town?

Um, it it's a $100 fee for each citation.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments.

Thank you, guys. Appreciate it.

Okay, seeing no other comments, um, I will turn back to the council. Yes, Vice Mayor Resto.

Thank you. First of all, I appreciate um the dilemma this resident has, and it sounds like most of our hillside residents would have because it's impossible to comply with both of our regulations. And over the years, I've attended ad hoc meetings about the fence ordinance and updates, and And it is really important, and state laws going to codify that that our wildlife have the right to roam. Um the con about the electronic fence is that it won't keep wildlife out. Well, that is a property owner's issue, not our issue. And I would imagine that there can be a smaller enclosure on the property where the dog could be out unsupervised, but you know, speaking as a downtown resident, we've had a mountain lion run through our backyards. They can jump over a 6-ft fence. So, if you're worried about your dog's safety, you don't leave them out alone at night anyway. Um I also have personal experience with using what would be called um correction or a shock collar. Um I had a Vizsla, which is a dog that likes to exercise a lot, and we do we use if when I had him, we did a lot of um off-leash hiking in the East Bay hills where it's legal, and there are a lot of rattlesnakes there. And so, those of us who had sporting breed dogs got together, and we brought in an agency that did um rattlesnake aversion training. And you really can't do that without inflicting a little bit of discomfort on the dog when it smells the skin, when it hears the rattle, and when it sees an actual rattlesnake. And I can speak from experience, my dog, who had very short fur, was on the lowest setting of the shock. I touched it, I barely felt anything, but he elevated. Um and he only needed one. And he was solid. We did we renewed the training period maybe like 5 years later, but I will tell you he was the best he kept me from getting bitten by rattlesnakes because he would give the warning as soon as he thought he came anywhere near it. Now, generalized to other snakes, too, but I was okay with that. So, I think the argument that this could be cruel to an animal, I also think it's cruel if they can't go outside, if they can't go outside of a 5-ft enclosure, if they can't run and be free, and I know that compassionate pet owners will choose systems that will train the dog well and with the audible and with the vibration. Dogs are smart. They'll they'll figure it out. So, I think this is a really important thing for us to do. It also looks like we have about 400 properties that are already using this type of system. And so, I really would love to I'll I'll make a motion that staff come back to us in November with an ordinance change for us to consider allowing electronic fences in the Hillside, but also perhaps for properties that may not be in the Hillside that are over an acre.

Councilmember Braden, I mean

For the multiple reasons cited by the vice mayor, I'll be supporting the motion.

Great. Yeah.

Councilmember Braden, I mean

Yeah, it was at a second.

Yeah, I took that.

Yes.

I I wanted to understand from town staff perspective two things. Uh One is the level of effort to create this system. And then the second or this ordinance, and then the second is what level of effort or cost would be incurred to ensure compliance as compared to the current code requirements. Um and related to that, who on town staff would be tasked with this? Is this currently budgeted? Um and if it does incur additional costs would these be permitted in a way that we could recover fees for this for the work.

So with regard to the first question, I mean I know it's a simple fix, but whenever you change the ordinance, you have to make sure it's internally consistent. So it's you know, it's not as much effort as the ADU ordinance for for say, but you know, there's still a level of effort. And it would for the council would require first reading, a second reading. And then with regard to enforcement, the town currently does complaint-based code enforcement and there's one code enforcement officer. I think the second code enforcement officer is out of funding. And so the officer responds whenever there's a complaint. And to my recollection, the complaints that the officer has received pertain to dogs being off property. And so the citations that I'm familiar with have been issued for dogs being off property. And then with regard to permitting, I imagine that it would be the same process that the town requires for fence permits, but I would have to defer to the community development department and I can work with them on this later.

If I may add to that, the cost will be associated with the regulatory structure we want to put into place, what type of inspection occurs up front, what kind of periodic review, if there is a complaint, to what extent are we going out there. We'd also have to look at to what extent animal services would be responding to dog-related incidents that are occurring because we typically call them. Lastly, I do want to highlight that I don't believe this fits any of your strategic priorities. So I know that the town attorney mentioned we can get it done by November, but I would raise caution that if there are other priorities that get bumped, that this is not currently a strategic priority. So, if it is an item you would like us to consider, uh it may be a little looser timeline. Um might be beneficial to make sure that other strategic priorities are not impacted.

Yeah, so I could just follow up on that. Um I know I know I don't believe it is a strategic priority. Is this an issue that we're hearing about from a lot of residents? Um or is, you know, are there other ways that this might be perceived as a priority? Are there um a lot of residents who are complaining about the existing uh fence ordinance or are um feel that they're being prohibited from implementing this type of a system?

My understanding is that a lot of property owners have already implemented electronic fence systems. Um they just haven't been cited because their dogs haven't been found off the property. And so, the request that I'm familiar with is coming from the the single resident. Um but I I do think there are other properties that are using the electronic fence system that the town's not aware of.

Vice Mayor Ristow.

Um I have two thoughts. One is um we've just found an internal inconsistency. We're telling people that live in Hillside that they cannot have a solid 6-ft fence because it has to be wildlife permeable. And we're also telling them if they have a dog, they have to have a solid 6-ft fence. So, I think right there, that's an issue. Um I can be, I would say, um as soon as November in my motion, understanding that other things might cause it to push back. So, this isn't a mandate that it come to us. The other thought The other comment is people who do have fences have gates, and those gates open sometimes. I personally, probably in the last 6 years, have come across easily 20 dogs where I'm walking along and there's just a loose dog, and I most of the time can get them to come to me, look at the collar, call the phone number, and sometimes the owner is like, "Ah, the gardeners must have let him out." I one time had to bring the dog back to that house because no one was there. And, you know, if you don't have a leash with you, it's not very fun to walk a mile and a half holding onto a collar. So, um dogs get out with any system, or they can, and we don't go around and inspect that every gate is closed when a dog is in there. We're not going to go around, I imagine, and inspect to make sure every day that electronic fences are working. Our all of our things are big gas blower issue, everything is on a complaint basis. And, um we if we already have 400 properties with electronic fences, I have not seen 400 dogs running through town, so they must be working.

Yeah, and just a question for the town attorney. We don't prohibit electronic fencing, correct? It's the requirement for the fencing that's the trigger.

Um so, we have a section in the animal chapter of our code that says the owners need to control their dog by either a leash or a fence not less than 6 ft high. Um and so, that's a minimum height for the fences, and so that that would preclude the electronic fence system.

Two thoughts. So, an electronic fence that the sensor activates within 6 ft, both in height and distance, wouldn't that qualify as a in the a fence that's of 6 ft of height.

Um it says keep such dog confined behind a fence not less than 6 ft high.

So, the internal consistency in my mind I don't I don't know the exact nature of the citation, but if there was an internal inconsistency in hillside properties and we review that case, I would have a problem enforcing a citation against somebody when there's two different codes. When the bottom line intent is that you must take measures to protect that dog from being outside of your property. And so, I don't have a problem with the ordinance. I just want to make sure we're not accelerating its implementation to the detriment of something else. And so, if if you can get to it by November, great. If there's no other priorities that are impacted, but if it takes a little bit longer, I think that latitude be beneficial.

Okay, great. I I have no issues with that. Um and and I'll just uh add my thoughts that um the vice mayor articulately said everything that I feel about this. I think this is a very common sense uh way to approach this issue. I think it's clearly um clearly is an issue, and I do um as a big animal lover, I think this is actually much much uh you know, more kind to the animals um than it is uh cruel. And so, I would be very supportive of this. Yeah, Councilmember Hutas.

Yeah, I have trouble getting my head around the um priority of this relative to the other things that are in front of the town. Um I think it's a good idea. Um but uh I you know, if this uh motion passes, um I would only be supportive of implementing this if I really knew what the cost would be to ensure compliance um and whether those costs could be covered by uh, permits. Um, I'm not so much worried about the cost of developing the ordinance. I'm more concerned about the ongoing burden of uh, uh, this and and while it may make common sense to do it, um, we are in a very constrained budget environment and uh, I I'm not sure that I've heard evidence that this rises to the level of some of the other things that we're we're dealing with. So, um, you know, for that for that reason I won't be supporting this motion, but I'll be looking for information about what the cost of compliance would be when this comes forward.

If I may, I know a while ago we were talking about the cost of fees when we were looking at the fee study. The structure of the regulations and requirements we put into place are a direct correlation to the cost. And so, without looking at this a little more with the town attorney, if the fix could be as simple as adding another provision that says an electronic fence shall for the purposes of the section the 6-ft fence constitute a 6-ft fence. And that the regulatory structure is just if your dog isn't contained by that electronic fence, there really is nothing else for us to inspect. It's you're in violation and then you're fined. And so, if you streamline it and make it very simple and easy, there should not be a huge cost for somebody to say I'm putting it in and there shouldn't be a huge cost to enforce it. We're re- we're reactive code enforcement. So, if there's a complaint of a dog that gets out, then we enforce with the presumption that if there's not a 6-ft fence, which is there's inter- there's some inconsistency in the hillsides, that your electronic fence may be your only option, then the presumption is your electronic fence failed and therefore you're in violation. So, I think we can design it if you'd like very simplistically to reduce the cost on us and the cost on the individual who's putting it in.

Um yeah, I I mean that makes uh sense to me, but I'm looking at something with a proposed ordinance that is quite complex and cause and calls for a compliance efforts, you know, modeled on uh some other municipalities that are much larger than us and may have um you know, more resources available than we than we do.

If If you If the council allows some latitude to staff, we could look at a simplistic solution that fits us from a implementation and cost perspective on both the applicant and us. Unless you have some specific requirements that you absolutely want to see in an ordinance that would then increase the compliance costs, the cost to the applicant. If it's as simple as allowing this as an option, we can make this very simplistic.

Yeah.

I'm in favor of pure simplicity. Essentially, if a dog gets out, whether there's a 6-ft fence or an electronic fence, it's a violation and that's a code compliance issue. So, I don't really want to get into the details of how the electronic fence has to be installed or um what the current is or anything else. Um I don't know if we want to add an electronic fence with battery backup is, you know, you can think about that when it comes back to us, but I think just I I'm fine with simple and it's already in effect. It's just not compliant or consistent with our present code.

Yeah. So, question for the town attorney. It Are these comments helpful in terms of the work that's in front of you because, you know, I'm looking at a model ordinance and some very complex things and um it it sounds like there may be at least a majority of the council that would like to see a much simpler solution. Are you uh

Yeah, I'm I hear direction that the solution should be as simple as possible and I think it will be as simple as amending a couple of code sections and then adding some definitions.

That makes me more comfortable.

Yes, Councilmember Badami.

I'm all in for simplistic solution and a loose timeline.

Great. Um with that I will turn to the town clerk for a roll call vote.

And just for clarification, the motion specifically stated November. Is that still

As early as November, but that's not a requirement.

So, maybe maybe we just take

The motion was that staff come back in November with an ordinance to change um for changes to consider allowing electronic fences in the hillside and also properties that may be in the hillsides that are over an acre.

Okay, then I will adjust my motion to strike the timeline and just say that staff come back to us and remove the by November. If that's okay with the seconder.

Uh so approved as a seconder.

Okay. Okay, great.

Thank you.

Councilmember Renny.

I

Councilmember Hudas.

I

Councilmember Badami.

I

Vice Mayor Aristo.

I

Mayor Moore.

I passes unanimously. Okay, we are just 1 minute shy of 9:00 p.m. So, we'll take a very quick 10-minute break. We will come back at 9:10 and hear our last item. Thank you.

Mhm.

All right, good evening. I'm going to reconvene this meeting of the Los Gatos Town Council for our last item tonight, which is item 18, which is to review the request for supplemental sustaining grant funding, um allocate the available supplemental funding, and determine whether Cassie should remain a sustaining grant recipient. I'll turn it over to the library director, Ryan Baker.

Good evening, Council. I'm excited because it's the first time I've started my presentation before 11:00. So, this [laughter] is great. Uh I've got two things for you tonight as it pertains to the sustaining grants. The first is that back in June, in the budget, you put an additional 20,000 in supplemental sustaining grants, and you said, "Hey, Ryan, could you talk with go out to the uh sustaining grant recipients and ask them what they would do if they had some additional funds?" And what they came back with, I had uh three organizations uh came put four little proposals in, and those are all attached for you. The total dollar amount of those comes to 19,200, which falls under your 20,000 that you allocated for uh for that amount. Um so, uh so the first part is just to determine if you want to allocate those as such, or if you want to move in a different direction. And then the second part of that is that uh we have one of our our long-time sustaining grant recipients, which is uh Cassie Counseling Support Services for Youth, who's been doing amazing work at Los Gatos High School for years and years and years and years and years. Starting next year, um the high school is going to be taking those services internal. So, they're they're having their um they'll they're they're they're restructuring. And so, starting in fall, um there will not be a a contract with with Cassie any longer at the high school. We would give them uh 10,000 a year. And so, the question that I didn't know cuz this isn't hasn't something like this hasn't really popped up before is uh since that was kind of the the main reason we were giving this sustaining grant, uh should they continue to uh be sustaining grant recipients? Um and uh they they do still operate in town at St. Mary's, um and uh also in in uh, Lee High School, Lee High School. Um, uh, so those so they do still have a presence in town, uh, just not at the high school where they were where you used to having their main presence. So, you just have to make a little determination there if um, if they uh, they still qualify for as a St. Anne Grant recipient. Um, in which case I would just process the the $10,000 that's already earmarked there. If you decide that that uh, they no longer qualify there, then that $10,000 would just go back to general fund. Those are the two things I've got and um, I have a feeling that you've got a lot of questions for me. I saw some questions uh, in in an addendum there and so um, I'm I'm available to answer anything you've got.

Great. Questions of Director Baker. Council member Yudis.

Um, yeah, with regard to the Cassie situation, um, you know, one of the things that I know that you look at is the organization sustainable. Have Do you have any sense about with the scale back, um, whether Cassie as an entity will be sustainable in in um, you know, existing as a 501c3 and in providing services to St. Mary's and Lee High School and it is is that was it like 1/3 1/3 1/3 or was it a a smaller um, effort for them to serve those In other words, with discontinuing the high school, are is the is the organization really getting very much smaller?

Got it. So, it's a great question. I don't know the answer to that one. Um, I do believe that there are some Cassie um, uh, board board members or employees here in the audience and they may mentally take a note of that um, when for public comment, but I I do not know the answer to that one myself. Uh, I haven't looked um, more into that. Uh I I didn't actually know that everything was in transition until uh fairly recently. So.

Thank you. Vice Mayor Resto.

Um and I just want to highlight a question I asked that I got an answer to, but to make sure everyone knows it. Um I know Cassie in the past has provided counseling services to Fisher Middle School. Um but it sounds like or maybe that'll be for staff. Are they They did not include that as a school that they cover right now, is it?

Uh so in uh in the communication that I had with them, uh Fisher Middle School didn't get listed. Um and so I I can't verify if they're they are at Fisher at the moment. Um that may be another one what during public comment that they

That'd be a pretty big omission on their part, but

Okay. All right. Yeah, so my apologies there. I I uh that did that one didn't uh come to light for me.

Yeah. No, I understand. Thank you. Yep. One more question. Did they request uh when they sent the letter, did they still want the $10,000, but they're letting us know that they're not doing the high school anymore?

Oh, no, the the way it worked out was that when I was starting to do all of the stuff for the sustaining grantees um for all the the back end administration, uh was when I learned that they would no longer be at the high school. And at that point, I was confused because we've never really been in a situation where one of our sustaining grantees um has has fallen off. The The only other um time something sort of similar has happened was when Live Oak Adult Day Services uh shuttered their doors completely, and that was during the uh during the pandemic. Um and so obviously there was no grant in that situation. Um this one's a little different. I just didn't know how to proceed. Um so I thought it best to take it before council. Um the money is earmarked in the budget. You've already approved that budget. Um I just didn't know how we determined if they had still qualified under sustaining grants for for that. So

that a lot. Thank you.

Great. So I know we have at least one speaker um from Cassie, so I'll open up public comment and look to Amy Gibson um who we have in the room and then I will look to Zoom.

Good evening, Mayor Moore and Vice Mayor Ristow and members of the council. Thank you. Oh um my name is Amy Gibson. I'm here as a Los Gatos resident as as well as as the development manager for Cassie. Our um interim executive director is participating via Zoom online. And together we hope we can answer your questions. Yeah. Um would you like me to first start with those or to address the things that I came to say?

Um so you'll have 3 minutes to speak um and then uh so please proceed and then we will ask any questions we have.

Beautiful. Beautiful. I um we've lived in Los Gatos for about 20 years. My kids attended Los Gatos schools and we were very very happy to have Cassie services at Los Gatos High School when my kids were there. Um as a former educator, I'm also um development manager because I believe in what Cassie does. I believe in what we're doing. I believe that all kids deserve access to mental health support right in their schools without barriers and without delays. And so I'm here to respectfully request that you continue to support Cassie services for all Los Gatos students, not just those at Los Gatos High School. Yeah. Why? The need is really great. It is great. For about the past decade, depression and particularly anxiety have just shot up among young people. Um mental health concerns are now the number one reason that young people, children, in addition to adolescents, end up in the in the ER. Um it's just catastrophic. Um in high-capacity communities like this one, we are seeing tons of anxiety, we're seeing depression, we're seeing academic stress, and all kinds of kids, those that are on the margins, and then those who look like they have it all together. We see a lot of kids who are struggling in silence. And being right on campus is really key. So, in one of our local schools, one of the schools we serve, right nearby, um there was a very quiet student who was just flying under everyone's radar. And a teacher just thought something seems off, asked our therapist to check in on them. And when they did, um thank goodness, it was um not just a quiet kid, not just a struggling kid. This kid was in active suicidal crisis, ready to take their life. And so, our therapist was there with them for 5 hours um during the crisis process, just providing that safe, comforting presence. And when mom got down to school, she just hugged our therapist. She had no idea. Um young people sometimes want to hide. So, this is why we're on campus. Not very long ago, one of our kids in this community was in a dark, dark place looking for a way out, and now they've been surrounded by a circle of support with ongoing, you know, help to find a way through. That is what CASY does. That is what we bring to each school community that we serve. Los Gatos, Leigh, few Los Gatos kids at Westmont, and now at Saint Mary. And I'm just grateful for the town's support to help keep kids alive.

Thank you. Um questions? Yes, Vice Mayor Stone, and then Councilmember Yutis.

Thank you. I have some questions that you might not be able to answer. I'll do my best. But, what I think about is, for example, when um when CASY was at Los Gatos High School, first of all, our grants are meant to cover activities typically that impact Los Gatos. I mean, it's Los Gatos money for Los Gatos students. And I understand, I know that there are a lot of students that go to Westmont, Leigh, and Saint Mary's that live in Los Gatos. I also think about the high school where a significant portion of the students that attended Los Gatos High School are not in um the borders of the town. They're in unincorporated Santa Cruz Mountains. They're in county pockets. So, I'm I'm trying to understand like this $10,000 is that in line, or can you even give me an idea if that's in line with a what the costs are at these other schools and how that relates to the percentage of students that are Los Gatos High School students?

I will do my best.

Crazy math, but

Yeah, I will do my best. So, um the way CASY works is we partner with schools. We have a contract with those schools. And those school contracts never cover the full cost of providing services. Even at our most well-resourced districts and schools like Los Gatos Saratoga, um MVLA, the peninsula, even those, there's always a funding gap, always. So, CASY as a community-based organization has always fundraised from a variety of sources, municipal, big community partners, individuals, corporations, and um who am I missing? Foundations. We we go everywhere asking because the Surgeon General said, "We need all of us to address the youth mental health crisis." So, the question is we are on campus, and then we serve any kid that comes to us, regardless of where we live, where they live. We don't ask them. Um there aren't precise percentages out there telling you exactly what percentage of students are residents in each town. That's not publicly available information, so you have to kind of extrapolate. You have to look at about 80 to 90% of Los Gatos kids go to Los Gatos High School, and the other Los Gatos High School students go to Leigh, most of them feel at Westmont. Am I I can't speak to the mountain.

Um could you also let me know um like this $10,000, how much of a gap does that cover? Like how big is the gap typically, and with the other fundraising you do, what does $10,000 mean for that gap?

Yeah, it provides a little bit of salary support for each of our therapists. Um to give you a feel for in the past year, we know we had an overall fundraising gap of about $400,000, but we received in in multiple ways. We do have to answer your question, we do have strong reserves. Um most all of our funding goes to fund people and programs, about 90 91% somewhere in there. Um so we run very lean, there's not a lot of overhead. So it sounds like what could $10,000 do? It helps. It adds up. It's my job to go out there and ask and ask and ask, and those 10,000 10,000 10,000s add up to our funding gap this year. Last year through these kinds of grants that you all have generously provided, we raised 99% of our fundraising budget. So it does actively make a difference. Thank you.

Councilmember Ritus. You know, I I mean I think Cassie is a tremendous resource um for for our community, and um I want to thank you and the organization for persisting. I know there's been some challenges. There were some huge challenges certainly during COVID and different different types now. I was just and the questions I had earlier were really trying to understand what does the transition look like for CASY? Um are there uh therapists have there been therapists on site at Fisher, Saint Mary's, Leigh? And how do those numbers compare to what was at LGHS?

Sure. Sure. Fisher predates my time at CASY. That was some time ago. Um what we find often when we work with school districts is that they love what we do. We partner so well and so closely with them that those that have resources sometimes want to take it in house. And that's what happened at LGHS. Very collegial relationship. Very wonderful transition. Zero animosity. Um So Fisher predates us. To give you an idea for numbers, there's been a transition that's been a few years in the making. Since 2023 we've been writing about it in our you know grant reports and the various things we're trying to let you know this is coming down the pipe. Um I believe 2 years ago that we served 85 Los Gatos residents. Um the last year that we were at Los Gatos High School we served 61 Los Gatos residents. And this past year, where I mentioned to Ryan, um we were not at Los Gatos High School for the first time ever and we still served 27 residents. That is only with the addition of Saint Mary at the very last at the very tail end of the school year. So, we expect that to rise. So, there's almost half as many kids that are being served at these other schools. Does that give you some

Yeah, that's terrific. That's That's very helpful. No other questions from me, so we'll turn to Executive Director Amy Gloner and any other questions and we can ask her. Thank you.

Thank you for your time. Thank you for listening.

Uh good evening, Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Rislow, and council members. I'm Mary Gloner and speaking on behalf of CASY, Counseling Support Services for Youth, as its interim executive director. Many of the things that I'm going to be sharing with you my talking points, Amy has done fabulously well and will be sharing that lived experience. But, I just want to freshen a little bit on history, um where CASY is now, and hopefully our uh future together. CASY was founded over 16 years ago to partner with local schools to ensure the mental health of its students. When founded, Los Gatos High School was reeling from three student deaths in 4 months, including a young person who lost her life to suicide. CASY was selected to partner with Los Gatos High School to create an embedded mental health program on campus. Um as Amy um referred, after an over decade and half of an award uh a half of an award-winning partnership, Los Gatos High School gained the capacity, the leadership, resources, and wisdom to institutionalize CASY's school-based model by providing therapists in-house this past year, not next year as Director Baker reported. This included hiring CASY's therapist as a district staff. Superintendent Rocha shared and expressed with me uh valuing a continued relationship with CASY for possible future collaboration. While CASY's no longer at the town's Anchor High School, CASASC remains committed to serving its Los Gatos residents by continuing its over decade partnership at Leigh and Westmont High Schools where the need is great and the budgets are limited. And last March, CASASC began a partnership with Saint Mary School in downtown serving TK through eighth graders. CASASC can proudly say that it has presence across the town of Los Gatos addressing the mental health priorities of its diverse children from TK through high school. For each child and family CASASC serves including a brief check-in, a training or specially tailored counseling plan, it can lead to a life-saving intervention. Even one young life lost to suicide is too many. We thank the town of Los Gatos for your long-standing commitment to youth mental health. We are hopeful to continue our valued legacy partnership.

Thank you. You're welcome. Questions for Mary? Okay. Seeing none, I will close public comment and and turn back to the council. Councilmember Mehuitas.

Um yeah, I I wanted to ask about the uh the grant for uh rental housing assistance. And um I think I I sent an email in earlier, but my you know, really my question is um aren't there really three organizations that are providing rental housing assistance in Los Gatos? And if that's the case, what maybe not all through the grant program, but through another means?

That is uh that that is correct. So we've got uh two organizations that are through the community grant program. Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition and St. Vincent de Paul. The Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition is the the lead agency for that. So we went we had a a period where we had I was doing contracts and agreements with both of them and they were working very collaboratively. And sometimes they were even working with the same client. And so I suggested that maybe we could just I could I could do half the work. I could just you know work with one of them and then behind the scenes they could figure out how it is that they wanted to work together and how it is that they wanted to to to do all that. But I would only have to do work through the the financial piece with this one organization and the reporting with one organization. The way that we came to that was after I I pitched that to you back in Oh gosh. It was August of 20 2025 about 12 months ago. The direction was for me to go ahead and just talk with those two organizations and and then see what see what we could come up with. And so I did. I talked to both organizations and what they came up with is they said well let's have Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition be the lead agency for this one. St. Vincent de Paul has has a different grant as well. So they have the laundry grant. So they they just held on to that as the laundry grant. They had Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition be the sort of the fiscal lead. And then they decided that what they would do is that I do all the contracts agreements and reports and everything through Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition and then they collectively work at a level down where they they they split the money and they do that. But then all the reporting goes back through Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition. So that's where we got there. So that was a that was a collaborative agreement that we that we came up with that. The other organization is West Valley Community Services. Now, they do get there's two different kind of grants as it were that goes to them. One comes through the sustaining grant and that is for the CARES program. The CARES program is the Oh, it's the Community Assistance Resources and Education Program. And our particular contribution through the sustaining grant for that one goes to one of their service goes to their operations, one of their service workers. And they do food distribution, case management, referrals and also emergency rental and utility assistance. But that portion that comes through the community grant program is through the CARES for the CARES program for a staff member. The other portion that they get does not go through the community grant growth program. It goes through an agreement that they have with with CDD. That was an agreement that was originally entered into in 2011 and it expires in 2030. And that is the called the Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Program. And under that one, there there is there there may be as an option rent direct rental assistance in the same way that Most Scott's Anti-Racism Coalition and St. Vincent de Paul are providing. But not necessarily. They also do a whole swath of other things regarding rental rental things as I understand it. So, utility help, other help with re-housing, other kind of problems that maybe intervention in preventing eviction and whatnot. I don't know the full scope of what they do there because that doesn't run through my it doesn't run through me at all. It's that's an agreement. It's a completely separate thing. Their reporting um uh it's something that's completely different also. Uh so, what their requirements are under that program in terms of reporting is is n- could be very different than what they uh report uh in terms of their cares grant. So, yes, there's so there's three. I tried to make it one. That's but that's what we have.

I if I could just follow up um you I believe your original recommendation was to have one agency provide rental assistance. Having observed this uh situation that we're in now, would it be more efficient just to have one agency provide rental assistance?

Um so, I I kind of So, on my end, speaking selfishly, it's less work for me to just produce and process one set of agreements. In terms of the way that uh these organizations work together very collaboratively, it seems like they figured out a good process to work on their own at a secondary level and get it figured out. So, um so, they've they've shown that they're able to work together very very well under this process where essentially I'm at this point through the community grant program, I'm just giving one check to uh to one organization and two organizations are figuring it out uh at the next level down. Um I will say that when we did have that initial time where we uh where we invited on a competitive basis organizations to apply for that rental assistance bucket of money, that West Valley Community Services did not apply at that time. So, they didn't they didn't put their name in the hat uh for that, which is uh I I can't speak to why, uh but they just they they didn't get in line on on that particular one. So.

I but they are already getting money to provide that kind of service under a contract rather than under a grant.

Right. Yeah, it's just through a different program through through different monies. So, it just doesn't it doesn't follow the same agreement. It doesn't follow the same process. It doesn't follow the same reporting that comes through my office.

Okay, thank you.

Councilmember Bedani?

Thank you. Um when we had this conversation before where we didn't obviously take the recommendation just to have the one organization and we went to three um I may be quoting Councilmember Rennie, but it seems like we're spreading the peanut butter across all these different other organizations. And then you mentioned this second level of agreements where parties might split the money a certain way and I I'm just I mean, I'm looking back to a a council motion that was made back in 2024 where we specifically said an equal split of 12,500 of 25,000 in between Saint Vincent de Paul and Los Gatos Anti-Racist Coalition. So, did both organizations receive the exact split amount or did they take it amongst themselves to maybe not do exactly what council made in their motion as being binding?

Uh so, in the year that you're referring to, that's exactly what happened. We took that the 25,000 and we split it uh 2 12 12,500 12,500. Each of them got the the exact same amount. I had two sets of contracts, two sets of agreements. Two sets of reporting, all of this. The following year is uh in 2025 is when I uh it would drop from 25,000 down to 20,000. And that was the year uh where I said, "You know what? Really, I don't like having two organizations. Can you pick one?" And and and so it was at that point um so so so yes, it did get split uh per council's direction in 2024. And then in 2025 per Council's new direction um I I I I per per direction of Council I talked to both of the organizations and then they figured out the allocation. And the allocation they figured out was that they're just going to have one as LGS uh uh Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition being the sort of the fiduciary of it and then they would they would work together. Um but I wouldn't have to do two sets of reporting.

Okay. Um with that, I just need clarification on the definition of rental assistance. Um does it include storage unit rent, security deposits, and hotel stays?

So what is you currently have does not include that. Um what's uh what is being proposed in the supplemental one um would be in addition to uh or rather an expansion of what uh you know what I don't need to look it up. Uh would be an expansion of what they're already doing. Um at the current moment uh they everything that they put into their uh their their applications and all the paperwork is is just direct rental assistance. It doesn't have these other parts. So this would be an expansion.

Thank you.

Councilmember Herdis?

Um yeah, with regard to the grants um that have been awarded, have all the funds been expended?

Uh so in the first year in which um the Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition received a grant and that was a when it at that point it was a competitive grant, just a flat-out competitive grant, uh they did not expend the entire amount and they did return the unused funds to the penny. Uh so they accounted for everything that they spent and they accounted for everything they didn't spend and they they they they refunded it to us. Um that's probably one of the only only times I've actually had any organization tell me what they did and spent and give it back. So, um uh in the following years, uh which would be the last 2 years, they've uh they've accounted for all of their spending and those grants have been spent out. So.

Okay. Um just a I'll just add a little bit of of flavor here, which is just that for my understanding of of these two organizations, Anti-Racism Coalition and St. Vincent de Paul Society, an important aspect of why both of them exist to give out funding is that they are 100% volunteer run and so there's a massive capacity issue um when it comes to actually expending the the funding. Um and so I think that's why the two or from my understanding, that's why the two organizations like both being there. So, if someone is not available on a Sunday at 10:00 p.m. um in one organization and they are at another, then they can work together to allocate funding in a in a quick manner. Yes, Councilmember Bodami and then Vice Mayor Ristow.

I want to understand the accounting that you were referring to. Um you said both organizations provide accounting for the money that was spent. Um are there records as to who received the funds um and how much they got and is it going towards Los Gatos residents?

Uh yes. So, um uh so, for all of the community grants, every recipient, we have not in the past asked for them to We we had part of the contract was we want you to save all your invoices, save all your receipts, save all your transactions, but we'll call on you if we we want to get them. Uh about I don't know, a couple months ago, uh we called on them and we said, "Everybody, we want all your receipts right now." So, now I'm getting or 99 grants worth of organizations giving me all kinds of receipts and invoices. Uh the Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition's uh reporting is is a is a good example of reporting. It's it's probably what I'm going to use as a template for the other organizations of what we would like to see. Um I can kind of tell you uh it's they They have Um they've given me line by line expenditures um with all the grant funds used. They've the disclosures. They've given me copies of canceled checks. They've given me um the approximate locations in order to protect the actual identity of the the the person involved. So they didn't give an actual street address. Um if we would like to look at that on the back end, they said they would provide that to us on the back end, but as part of terms of public record um of for what they reported here, they just put the approximate. Everything is in Los Gatos for the money that uh we have given them. Um they gave the circumstances um and then they gave an indication of whether it was paid directly to the applicant or if it was to paid to the landlord or to the property management. So um I've got canceled checks. I've got payment sent. I Yeah, their their accounting is is pretty good.

Okay, thank you. I just, you know, gathering this information cuz I understand that West Valley Community Services already executes a rental assistant program and that for fiscal year 2026 totals 35,000. So again, um my number's correct. You're looking at me funny.

Um I'm not sure we give them 15,000 uh per year.

Okay.

Um and uh and again, I don't I don't I I know that it may include this direct rental assistance, but their their program in general has it is would be more of an expanded version, I guess. So they do like helping with um utility shutoff. Um other sort of um maybe helping to to negotiate or or mediate with um you know, possible eviction, those types of things. So, um so whereas these uh Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition working with St. Vincent de Paul is is just the direct um the the direct rental assistance, which is um lost my job, I'm a single mom, I'm you know, I've I've gotten a a notice of eviction. I just need like while I'm looking for another job, I need to cover the rent. Um whereas West Valley Community Services um is is more of an expanded thing. Part of that money, a 15,000, maybe that direct rental assistance, but not necessarily all of it. And again, I don't see their reporting or paperwork because for that particular program, because it doesn't pass it's not part of the community grant program. So, so I I don't know the what those those reports look like.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah.

Vice Mayor Ristow. Whoo, I think I forgot what I was going to say. I've gotten so wrapped up in this. Um you know, there there were there was a letter submitted where there was some concern, and you know, I remember when there was the discussion of granting the money to Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition, and they would divide it with St. Vincent de Paul. So, that's not a concern for me, because I think when I was part of that voting for that, that fulfilled what I intended anyway. In terms of the conditions that we set with the dispersion of the dollar amount, do you believe that was fulfilled by those organizations?

Uh everything that's been reported to me is looks like it's fulfilled those obligations, yes.

Okay. And then um there was another comment about how they approached rental assistance, and I was going to ask and I emailed you this, did all groups comply with the requirements of the grant conditions? And it sounds like um Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition was exemplary in terms of

Uh yes, uh so everybody is is is complied but uh again I for West Valley Community Services I can't

It's a separate

speak to it because it goes through a separate process so I can't actually verify what theirs looks like, right? So.

Okay.

I mean it would be nice if it was all one process. I'm just saying, but

I know cuz it's hard to compare but they're different services. Um I don't have any other questions right now.

Great, thank you. Um so just some some feedback I'll provide um and try and get us back to the we have a few questions we need to answer this evening. Um so but just at a high level one thing I'll say is that one thing that I really like about the community grant program is that these are sort of block grant style grants that are minimally onerous because they're really, really small dollar amounts. Um I know lots I you know, having um worked in the non-profit sector for a long time there are lots of grants that my organization when I was working in a non-profit would not apply for because the reporting requirements were so intense that they would not be worth it to apply. The the staff time would take just as much work as you're getting out of the grant. And so especially when we're talking about, you know, um less than $10,000 which we do, you know, a variety of grants in that size, I think it's really important that we are not overly uh onerous. I think, you know, receipts and and, you know, standard accounting is totally reasonable but I am I'm not interested at all in going through an auditing a bunch of small non-profits that serve the Los Gatos community. I think that is totally antithetical to the purpose of of this and so um yeah, I I have no interest in that. Um and so getting to the questions in front of us about uh the sustaining grants. Um so I I I think it's excellent that we um came in just under the $20,000 we allocated to go to um our you know the the standing grants that they requested. So, I think we should definitely proceed with allocating the $19,200. Regarding Cassie, I think that's you know it's it's not easy because I think you know the intention of this grant was for these services at Los Gatos High School. However, being a a proud Lee High School alumni go Longhorns. Um Uh I grew up in Los Gatos, lived in Los Gatos. About a third of people that I went to school with at Lee High School lived in Los Gatos. Um and so I think it's perfectly reasonable to think that money going to Cassie to serve Lee High School students as well as St. Mary's and Westmont students is is a reasonable use of this money. And so those are my thoughts. But again, I don't I do not have any interest in going back and auditing or changing anything else that the council has has done with other grant recipients. That's my wrist out.

Thank you. Going back to the question of Cassie, you know, I had a few thoughts and you know, as I explained before, just because the money was going to Los Gatos High School didn't mean it was exclusively going to town residents. It was super helpful to get the numbers from Amy where she talked about how many Los Gatos residents were served. So, I have kind of split thought. I mean, my first thought is I don't want to cut this off because there are Los Gatos residents you know, I don't want to cancel this. There are Los Gatos residents being served. It's approximately 50% and so I would love to hear from fellow council members whether we continue at 10,000 or we move it to 5,000 based on that approximation and then maybe next year when we hear if it's gone up or what the service level is. But if we're serving half as many residents, maybe the grant should be half as much. Maybe it's really barely covering it, and it's important to keep the grant at the same level. But, that's where I'm kind of going, that yes, but full or half, I don't know.

Yeah, sure. I'll just chime in and say that I I'd be open to either. And And I think if we didn't end up giving all of the money to Cassie in the sustaining grants program, I I would be interested in in allocating whatever is left over back to the community grants program because we have a lot of, you know, I think there's a lot of deserving folks in the community. And that program is There's always more people I don't know I could Are there more folks applying to the community grant program this year than we can allocate funding to?

Uh for the competitive grants, uh yes, there were uh 22 applications. Uh seven Seven will receive full grant, and one will receive a partial grant because that's where the money ran out. Got it. So, yeah. So, there So, So, yes, there there was always always more applications than there are um our funds. But, that's what makes it competitive. So, there we go. Um if I just wanted to super chime in there I Do you did say something about maybe uh uh looking putting in a number in now in terms of Cassie, and then maybe looking at it again next year. And by all means, you can do that. Selfishly, I kind of like it when you just set a number, and I can just put it in the budget every single year without having to do reanalysis. And I I mean, I don't currently do reanalysis of all the other sustaining grants at the moment. And again, I could, um but I kind of like it when you just put a number in, and we just go we just ride with it.

Okay, that makes sense. I do have um It's not even late, and I'm forgetting what I wanted to say. Um, you what were you talking about before the cast Oh, the um, sustaining grants. Um, you said seven were fully funded and one was partially funded.

Oh, that's for Sorry, for the competitive grants?

For competitive, I'm sorry. Competitive, seven will be uh, fully funded, one will be partially funded, and the announcement of who those will be will go out tomorrow. So, I'm going to refrain from a spoiler.

What's the delta on the partial funding? What would it take to bring that to full funding?

Um, it's it's um, it's 7/8 of the way fully funded.

Oh, okay. So, I mean, um, just to

3/4, 7/7/8, somewhere in there.

follow on the mayor's comments, I'm not necessarily ready to just take all of whatever money we're not going to expend in the um, sustaining grants and send them over to competitive. I would be more of a mind to fully fund that seventh grant that apparently was quite worthy, but not fully funded, and move the rest of the money to the general fund. So, different thought.

Or just keep the 10,000 in Cassie, right? That'd be the other option.

Right, but we still have extra money, right? Because we came out to 19,200. We put 20,000.

800.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, what does that do to the

an extra you allocated 20,000 in supplemental sustaining grants. There's 800 that is unclaimed. So, yeah.

If that 800 or if I can continue, if that 800 got moved to the competitive, would that allow that seventh grant to be fully funded?

Um, uh,

Or would it allow it to be more fully

It would be It would be really close. I think they'd be happy.

Okay. I mean, that might be an answer, too.

Councilmember Hutas.

Yeah, a little a bit along a different line. So, we have um, we have a letter of from a member of the Finance Commission and it states that the Finance Commission is going to discuss this at their August 10th meeting. Is that um has that been agendized and is that along the lines of what's in this letter?

It will be agendized. The agenda has not been issued for that meeting. Uh and it will be um as the ordinance allows the chair to set the agenda for the meeting, will be along the lines of allowing that conversation. We are still awaiting for um a complete set of documents that would be made as attachments that are coming from a member of the commission.

So, I guess what um you know, I'm thinking about is that we have a Finance Commission that's raised some questions and is going to be addressing them um at their at their next meeting um in a few days. And I uh think it might make sense to uh allow that to happen and then have the benefit of that advice from the Finance Commission um when we look at this package. So, it you know, is there a requirement that we vote on this uh tonight or will something fall apart with the grants or with services if we were to change the sequence and allow the Finance Commission um to uh take a look at the uh the financial controls and other things that are that are serious questions that have been raised?

Uh yes, so in terms of the sustaining grants, so this is is just a supplemental portion. So, if you didn't vote on the supplemental portion, it wouldn't hold up the other sustaining grants. It wouldn't hold up the competitive grants. Those are are are in the queue. We've already approved those. Those are those are those are processing. You rather you've approved the budget amounts. And so, those will be processed either way. So, the only thing that would hold back here would just be that supplemental uh 20,000 that you put aside. Um I could also give a different suggestion that with with what was proposed here, it doesn't have to be one package. Um you if if you were concerned uh about the rental assistance portion, there are two asks that are non-rental assistance. And so, you could split this up and uh make a decision on those two and then just put the rental assistance ones aside. Uh the advantage with that would be is that I'm like currently processing agreements and I could just add the extra amounts into those agreements now rather than having to go back and do an amendment to the agreements later. So, it would it would selfishly, it's a little bit more less paperwork if you made a little bit of a decision now, even if it's not the full decision. So, that could be another different way you could do things, too.

Yeah, and look, um I'm a big fan of the community grant program. I think that Los Gatos is a leader in implementing this. I think it allows uh really direct connection with the needs of our town and it uh prevents the one-off requests coming to the council. Um so, it's I think it's a really good program. Um I have had reservations about some elements of the grants where essentially, where money would be going to individuals um pretty directly. And one of those was the hotel uh program, which is not part of the community grants, but again, a similar nature and I didn't I was very uncomfortable with cash or vouchers directly going to individuals and we've avoided that situation by having um the police department, as as I understand, make the payments to the hotels. Um so that's an entity of the town that's actually involved in that. The The other one is rental assistance. And so rental assistance um invo- involves individuals uh not receiving counseling, but receiving a cash equivalent in someone paying their rent. And so I think that we need to uh be uh oh careful and make sure um that money isn't going to people's friends or family or things like that. And so I do think it's worth the Finance Commission having a look at the controls here um and uh I'm I'm not in favor of eliminating these grants, but I do think that it would make sense to have the Finance Commission take a look at the process and the controls that are in place um uh regarding the the the way uh these grants are being um uh awarded to individuals.

Councilmember Rennie.

Thank you, Mayor. Um so listening to all the discussion, um I I'll put it There's no motion on the table, correct?

None.

So I'll I'll put a proposed motion on the table um just to see where it goes. Um So So before saying that, I would I'm not sure I'm very supportive of the expansion uh that the Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition is um suggesting um two other items other than rental assistance. Um and it sounds like Cassie's still doing work in Los Gatos, but maybe less. So, with those, I would make a motion that we go ahead with what's suggested in here for um the towel and laundry vouchers, St. Vincent de Paul, um rental assistance, and the Live Oak Nutrition Center. And that we cut Cassie's funding to 5,000 from 10,000. And since the competitive grants have already been done, rather than mess up the work with 5,000, just send that back to our general fund. That would be my motion.

Councilmember Restel.

Um I probably will second this. I have a question for Councilmember Rennie. When you were talking about the expansion of Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition, are you then saying that in that chart, where they're asking for an additional $3,000 to take that out?

That's correct. I

So, keep it at 20.

for their 3,000, they've now added additional, uh you know, it sort of almost seems like scope creep. I mean, we we wanted something very simple, which was rental assistance, and now it's become, you know, storage unit rental, security deposits, on and on and on. And if there's any question at all about controls, this I think we're getting into too many things that will make control even harder. So, for that reason, I would not grant the 3,000 to them based on this scope creep.

Okay, I can support that. I have another question. When you say that it should all go back to the general fund, did you want to flip any to competitive to make that seventh grant full or not?

I I I can go either way on that. I I just thought, you know, that the I'm I'm flexible. If you wish me to change the motion to send the the extra 5,000 back to competitive, that's fine.

Well, it doesn't even have to be 5,000. I think it's hundreds. I'm not sure.

I think it's 1,000. Yeah.

1,000.

I don't think we even need to decide. You can just whatever.

So, then that would sort of be a motion where um Los Gatos Anti-Racism gets $20,000 to divide and that all of the extra money goes back to the general fund except for what it would take to make the seventh competitive grant whole is what I'm think I'm seconding.

So, the first column I I assume was already um a done decision and then it was about additional money and in in this in that one case additional scope. Um so, you mentioned that the 20,000 on to anti-racism coalition, it's going to be what they already were approved for, all three of them, and then the new approval, as I mentioned, the four line items of the talent laundry vouchers, Saint Vincent's de Paul, or I guess it's three line items, and Live Oak Nutrition, and then change Cassie to 5,000, and send all the extra back to uh uh to competitive grants. That would be the motion.

competitive grants

Okay, I'll second that.

Okay, did staff looks like they have some some

Sorry, I got lost.

Yeah, I think

so I think the motion, as I understand it, or maybe clerk wants to drive, but it's approve everything except those got to approve everything in sustaining except anti-racism collection extra 3,000 and have Cassie's money to 5,000, send all of that back to the general fund except whatever portion is required to fulfill the partial remaining last competitive grant. Does that make sense?

Um that's that's not exactly what I said, but I'm if that's a request for amendment, I'm willing to do that.

Sure, sure, I'm requesting an amendment. Is the second or okay with that?

Second or is okay with that.

Okay. To the town manager.

Again, it is the council's call how you want to divvy up the money, but I just want to remind us during the budget discussion, the council increased the sustaining grants by 20,000 for us to come I'm sorry, for us to come back which is what we did today. You also increased the competitive grants by 30,000 dollars under the premise that we were increasing the total dollar values to be more meaningful and to make it easier to administer with fewer grants. And so, you in essence increased by almost 50% the competitive grants. And so, I understand that you try to you're trying to make whole a grantee where you normally stayed out of the discussions of the competitive grant programs and allowed the commissioners that were in the selection process to make that decision. And so I just want to remind you of that. So if you do make take a course of action that says take an action to do something with a specific competitive grantee, it is different than what you've done in the past. Yep, Vice Mayor Russell.

Based on the fact that we have this grant system that we have handed over that's not supposed to be happening at the dais and now I've gone and inserted myself into it. I will actually not accept the amendment. I think the extra money just goes back to the general fund. Thank you for the reminder that the competitive grants were increased quite a bit.

So to reiterate then what it and to Rob Renny and the seconder the motion was to accept the recommendations of staff with regards to the 19,000 200 minus the $3,000 for the Anti-Racism Coalition to reduce the allocation for Cassie from 10,000 to 5,000 and for any remaining unallocated funding from both sustaining and competitive, that money is to be returned to the general fund.

That That was my original motion.

Okay, then I'll go back to my original second.

Okay. Council Member Hudas.

Yeah, just a question. Um when the council took action uh to increase the sustaining grants, um did the the council did not specify the split for rental assistance between the two organizations. Is that correct?

It did not.

When the council and and when the council approved the budget with the original sustaining grant amounts, Um did it consider the split between the two organizations?

The discretion was left to staff.

And so, is it staff's recommendation uh that uh St. Vincent de Paul receive 2,500 and Racism Coalition receive 20,000?

So, do you have the uh So, you've already slated the 20,000. 20,000 is just part of the regular process. It's not part of these uh supplemental funds. We've already got it figured out and it's in process for how that's going to be how those two organizations are working together. So, Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition will be getting the one check. One organization, one one one thing. With this supplemental piece, that means that there will be a a second set of contracts and a second set of agreements uh going to St. Vincent de Paul, which in a way kind of defeats what I was going for, but that's okay. It's it's the way it played out in the way that uh things were set up. So, we'll we'll just roll with that. So, so so yes, that uh that 20,000 is already in process um as it were. So, I I can't really change what's that that ball that's rolling. Um this is uh additional too, so this will be a separate contract with St. Vincent de Paul for that supplemental amount, which will be rental assistance. So,

So, if I could just ask my question again.

Yeah.

Was it a council action to make that split of 2,500 and 20,000 for rental assistance?

2,500's for towel and other laundry vouchers.

I I see. I'm sorry. So, there is no money for rental assistance going to St. Vincent de Paul. Is that correct?

Now, there will be 5,000.

No, I'm talking about the original

Oh, of course. Sorry. Of the original 20,000 St. Vincent de Paul was not getting a check that had their name on it. So, this will be a check that will now be the supplemental fund will now be a check with St. Vincent de Paul's name on it coming from us for a rental assistance. Um making the the officially making another organization that gets a check for us they

let me rephrase what you're asking cuz I think it's not being understood. You're asking what was the direction of council for how the $20,000 was to be allocated for rental assistance. So, director, what is the contractual relationship we're entering for 20,000? Your answer is we're entering into one contract for 20,000 with the Anti-Racism Coalition.

That is correct. Thanks for the clarification.

And that there and then the supplemental question to that would be was there direction from council this year to split that 20,000 amongst those two groups?

Uh there was not a direct the council did not direct a dollar amount. The direction in August of 2025 was that I talked to those organizations and they figure out how best to move forward with that. As partners.

So, as a follow-up to that, does the sustaining grant program allow for subcontracting um of monies received? May one organization pass those monies on to another?

So, the way that I interpreted everything with with council before is that these organizations were going to in August of 2025 is that these organizations were going to work together and we wanted to get to a point where we were working with just one I was just doing contracts with one. Um so, I feel that we are with within the context of what I thought we were I thought it was okay. I'm perfectly happy to have finance commission take a look at that and decide if that's what they want to do. I also have no other way of

At at the moment, there's no other

There's nothing really in place uh for other organizations, any any grantee to say that well, part of our grants is going to require the services of uh different organization, part of our grants is going to be uh hiring somebody else to do something, hire part of our grants is going to be um uh getting additional help or uh or whatnot. And so, I think we have I think I've got some good examples of other organizations that pay out money to other organizations. As long as all the paperwork comes back and I can account for the money at the end of the day, uh which Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition has been doing, that's where I'm at. But, I'm I'm perfectly happy to have finance commission come up with a different set of uh criteria for looking at that, and I would be happy moving into the future. But, the the train's kind of train's kind of moving on this year's one.

Let me let me intervene here. Um on August 19th of 2025, a motion was made by Vice Mayor Moore to set our sustaining grants. I'm just reading this from the minutes. For 23,000 for Live Oak Nutrition, 2,500 to St. Vincent de Paul for laundry program, $20,000 to West Valley Community Services for human services support, $20,000 for rental assistance for staff to work with St. Vincent de Paul and the Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition to fairly and then the rest. There was no direction to say to for council to direct what that split is. And so, when what it sounds like the conversations between the library uh director and the two organizations led to having one organization to administer that grant, which was the Anti-Racism Coalition, and for them to work with St. Vincent de Paul.

Okay. So, question I have is does the agreement uh allow an entity to delegate part of the project to another organization?

So, I can speak to that um cuz I did review the public comment and review the contract and the contract says that the grantee agrees to perform the scope of services that are described in the proposal. And the proposal is attached as an exhibit to the agreement. And the proposal said upon receiving 20,000 in grant funds the Anti-Racism Coalition plans to allocate 10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul as soon as possible to run its own independent rental assistance program. And so, because the proposal's attached as a scope of services to the agreement um the arrangement does comport with the grant agreement.

Okay, I think I'm in the weeds on this. I'm I'm going to offer um a substitute motion um and that is uh to take the existing motion under advisement and to continue this item uh to the next uh council meeting uh following the Finance Commission's uh review uh of the community grant program.

Councilmember Bedolla-Ahmadi?

I'm not comfortable wheeling and dealing on the dais at 10:00 p.m. So, I'm going to second that motion. I think this needs to be reviewed by our Finance Commission. That's why we have a Finance Commission. And I think this is just getting out of hand. And I actually quite frankly just prefer that one organization takes care of our rental assistance just to streamline the operation. and that was staff's original recommendation to begin with.

Town manager.

I know there's a substitute motion. The one ask I would ask for the substitute motion part of the reason this item is incoming at the second meeting in August, which would have then come after the finance commission is the significant number of agenda items that will take us late into the evening. So, if we add that to that meeting that we it'd be really challenging to get all of them. So, if you are amenable to amending it to the first meeting in September that would work, too.

I would enthusiastically adopt that suggestion.

I do want to say that just in terms of processing tabling the entire item there's still the Cassie which I feel could be divided from your current discussion and hopefully you could make a decision on it that at least so I could process or not as according. And as and then once again you would do have some other ask that have nothing to do with rental assistance. So, just for consideration. So.

I'll just chime in that I am not comfortable with the substitute motion and I would support the original motion. I while I appreciate the interest of the finance commission in developing greater controls on our non the money we provide to community-based nonprofits. I am much more interested in ensuring this money gets out to these nonprofits to do important work in the community in a timely fashion. And so I I would not support the the substitute motion. Yep. Vice Mayor Stone.

Thank you. For similar reasons I won't be supporting it. It feels like this is delving more into policy actually than finance and um the other thing is to address the question of you know, two organizations versus one. I am familiar with the work both organizations do and they have different reaches within our community. And so people that are in need of rental assistance may show up at St. Mary's Church asking for it and they get referred to St. Vincent de Paul. The Anti-Racism Coalition has other touch places in the community and so I feel like these two organizations that are 100% volunteer are the most effective use of our money and have the broadest reach. Um they do know that the stipulation is that it only goes to residents that live in the town. The fact that um Director Baker you brought up the very careful accounting with photocopies of canceled checks and how the money is going makes me feel like for this amount of money that is the right amount of levers. I do not want to impose a lot of other onerous overhead on a process where it feels like we can trace the money. So for that reason I will not be supporting that motion.

Councilmember Beddawi?

Yeah, I just want to make a comment that um the purview of the Finance Commission is certainly within their charter. Um it makes sense to me. I mean we are stewards of the town's money, our residents' money and there's hundreds of thousands of dollars that we have spent on on grants um and we've got budget issues. We have budget issues going forward and I think that the Finance Commission should review this. Um I don't necessarily see this as policy over finance. I see it as politics as to uh personal preference as to where a councilmember might might want the money to go. And I would rather take that off our plate and take politics out of it.

Councilmember Huitus?

Yeah, just another comment and again I'm very supportive of the grant program, uh the sustaining grants and the competitive grants, and I think it serves our community well. Um we have a finance commission. Finance commission has never looked at this. And I think that they're scheduled to take a look at it shortly. Uh for me, it's just prudent to allow them uh to take a look at this. That doesn't mean that they are necessarily going to suggest onerous uh controls. In fact, two of us will be at that meeting, and uh are able to make comments at that meeting as well. Um but, you know, we created a finance commission um to look at our financial processes and and uh they've asked to do that, and they've been scheduled to do that. And, you know, I I frankly don't see why we're in a, you know, ready, fire, aim mode on this. It would be, I think, much much better to uh to have the benefit of the uh the review and the deliberation of the finance commission, even if it takes us another 3 weeks uh to get there. We've already allocated uh money, so I don't think what what we're really talking about is this action relates to the supplemental money, so we're not going to be drying up any organization at this point in our budget year, I don't think. So, I um I I I I just think it's important for us to uh uh be good stewards of the the um the town's uh residents' money.

Uh i- if I may if Just and you don't have to go in this direction, but if you could split off the Cassie piece from the supplemental funds piece, um I would at least know if I'm processing for Cassie and they're kind of waiting over there and I'm sure they'd love to get an answer on that one. So, I know that your current motion kind of combines everything together, but there's no reason why you couldn't have a motion that just addresses one and takes one thing off of the plate at the moment and then looks at this as the supplemental sustaining uh as a separate thing at a time to be come back to you after Finance Commission has had ample time to look at it and come up with a new plan. Just a suggestion.

I appreciate the suggestion. I think the the there's a motion on the table. I think we can take a vote on that motion and then if that motion does not pass, right, there's an original motion that does that does address the Cassie piece. Um so, can we take a roll call vote on the substitute motion, which is to table this or or to continue it until September?

Councilmember Rennie?

No.

Councilmember Hedden?

I.

Councilmember Badame?

I.

Vice Mayor Ristow?

No.

Mayor Moore?

No. Um Rennie's got cut off just a little bit. Just to be clear, that was a no. Councilmember Rennie?

Correct. No.

Okay. So, we now have uh the original motion on the table. Um do folks have questions or comments on that motion before we vote?

Can you remind me what that motion was?

Yes, it was the very original one. It's I I think we

Yeah, I can uh summarize.

you. Thank you, Councilmember

Um so, it was uh it was to adopt the supplemental requests for everybody except for the Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition.

I I repeat it. So, it's to as you said, it's for all the items on the supplemental except anti-racism coalition to cut Cassie to 5,000 and return all the money to the general fund.

Seeing is that clear to staff? Great. Councilmember Hudes.

Yeah, I I won't be supporting the motion um because I think we would be in better position to evaluate that. I have concerns. Two two areas of concern. One is the fact that we actually have three organizations providing rental assistance. Two through the grant program and one through contract. And I'm not sure that that is wise use of our resources and funds. And the second reason is that I think there have been um substantial issues raised in the letter about uh the the way that community grant program has been raised that issues have been raised about that and I think it would make more sense to consider that afterwards. So, I I am not able to support this motion now.

Councilmember Bedolla.

I won't be supporting the motion either. And I would just like to state that each of us council members appoint our own individual finance commissioner. We choose them, we evaluate them, and we select one to service individually. It just behooves us as council members to evaluate their input from their own individual appointed commissioners. It it it it's it makes me sad, actually.

Um and I would just chime in that the crux of the letter is that too many This is the second sentence. Too many questions about the rental assistance program remain unanswered. Um I disagree with that and this is coming from one finance commissioner and so I'm perfectly comfortable to have the council as the decision-making body for the town of Los Gatos allocate money within our purview. With no other comments, um can we have a roll call vote, please?

Council member Rennie?

I.

Council member Hedden?

No.

Council member Badame?

No.

Vice Mayor Ristor?

I.

Mayor Moore?

I. Motion passes three to two. Um and I'll turn it to the town manager.

No, thank you cuz I know we're talking about the finance commission which provides an extremely valuable role to the town. Um I just want to highlight since we're discussing the finance commission's review and what what they're going to be doing at August 10th. The um chair of the commission and staff received a request from one commissioner to agendize a discussion of the community grant program on a variety of different factors and it was accepted by the commission chair under the authority vested in the ordinance that the chair sets the agenda for the meeting. While the chair sets the agenda for the meeting, they cannot unilaterally take an action that directs the work of staff substantially. You know, we'll provide reasonable assistance, so we'll agendize the documents they're asking for, we'll agendize the item, but they will still have to act act to make a recommendation to the council to amend their work plan to add or review the community grant program and you would still need to act to approve that as part of their work plan to allow staff to expend the time on that project. And so, the commission can have very robust conversations, but when they turn, and I believe they will, for additional assistance from staff, legal interpretations, that may necessitate you to act to add that to the work plan.

Thank you for that clarification. Okay, um that brings us to the end of our agenda items. Thank you very much, Director Baker, for um all of the input. And we will now go to council matters, and I'll start with Councilmember Lenny, as he is the biggest.

Uh thank you, Mayor. Since our last council meeting, um the Silicon Valley Clean Energy Risk Oversight Committee met twice on June 24th and July 22nd. Um that's confidential meeting, nothing to report from it. Um I also got, uh I guess on July 8th, an update um on the El Camino Hospital um redevelopment that's going on. I think the other council members have been getting those, so uh I won't add anything there. I also met with um uh a person who has applied in the past for finance commission My finance commissioner is moving out of town, and um I believe next council meeting I will be appointing a council member or a finance commission member. That's it for me.

Thank you. I'll look to Councilmember Bednarski.

Thank you. Um I enjoyed time off during the summer, so I don't have a whole lot to report. Um On July 1st, I participated in the 75th anniversary of Savoca with the unveiling of a special plaque. Um I've also met with residents uh concerning pending development in town.

Vice Mayor Ristow.

Thank you. Since our last meeting on the 18th of June, I actually attended the ABAG General Assembly meeting up in San Francisco and um a lot of discussion was about what was difficult about cycle six, which we are now heading toward the end of the third year of the eight-year arena cycle, where our allocation was 1,993 housing units. We are more than a third of the way through. We've approved fewer than a third the number of homes. And only two of them have broken ground. So, I don't think we're going to reach our number by 2031. Um but hold on to your hats because the cycle seven numbers are likely to be even higher for everybody. Um so, we'll have our work cut out for us. Um we should have more time to submit early. We're supposed to get our numbers, I think, three years before or general idea of three years before the next housing element is due, which will be January 31st, 2031. And so, I think we're going to start thinking about and maybe working on the housing element next year or the year after. Um and let's see. Hopefully, oh, and there will be additions. It'll include lower levels of affordability than what we've got right now. And um take rent burden and homelessness into account, which is probably why the numbers will go up. On the 24th, I, along with um Councilmember Beddawi, got a tour of West Valley College, which um with one of the trustees and the chancellor, and it is really impressive the work that's going on at West Valley College. They're um offering classes to all ages. They have free lunches for the free food for their students, and um the building buildings are just stunning. I mean, it was really impressive to see. And um anyway, I encourage people to head over there. Um we are lucky to have this college. On the 25th, I attended the El Camino Hospital rebuild community open house. So, people have probably heard, you know, all of our hospitals have to come up to seismic standards, and that is going to require a complete and total rebuild of um El Camino Hospital in Los Gatos, and that will be coming before the council, so I'm not going to make any comments about it, but they've started doing community outreach meetings where people can come and see what the plans look like, what the layout will be, and what the phasing will be. Um on the January or January Well, this J months. July 1st, um the vice mayor and I, along with um Oh, we had uh Midpen Director Craig Gleason, we had staffers from um Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga's office, got a a tour actually of um the Highway 17 wildlife overcrossing. So, this is a project I've been following since maybe 2014, and so on the Los Gatos side of Highway 17, there's going to be a wildlife undercrossing, and as well as an overcrossing for pedestrians, equestrians, and cyclists. It'll connect, I think, five open spaces, but more importantly, it will connect critical wildlife corridors. And on our side of Highway 17, right now, annually, one to two mountain lions are killed being hit by cars. Um and if that doesn't strike you as tragic, just think about if you're the driver and what happens to you if you hit an animal like that, but deer and other creatures. So, that is coming along. I think um Midpen has acquired land for that. We got to look at the sites where the bridge will connect, and it was really um very informative, and it's a really important project for a lot of reasons. On the 4th of July, I was at the Symphony in the Park. I'm sure the mayor will have more to say about that, but he gave a great speech and um the Billy Jones Railroad found the town bell that had not been rung I think in like three decades. Are you going to talk about this, Rob?

Please go ahead.

Yeah. Anyway, it was it was very exciting to have this bell rung and I think annually now on July 4th we'll be ringing the bell for the Declaration of Independence. On the 20th of um that is July, yes. I attended my first meeting. I'm um I've been invited to join the Good Samaritan Community Advisory Committee, so we'll be meeting periodically and so if anybody has input for what Good Sam Hospital can be doing better or concerns you've got, I am a conduit to the community and helping to improve the hospital for us. We're really fortunate to have two great hospitals very nearby. Um and then I I was gone for about a week and a half, but in between I've met with community members on cut-through traffic before this weekend and after, e-bike issues, active transportation, proposed developments, North 40 incoming restaurants and phase one development. And I've met with a number of candidates who are running for Los Gatos Town Council and other city councils. I've also attended Music in the Park, Gold Thursdays downtown, Jazz on the Plazz and a number of World Cup watch parties um and then had 10 days in Truckee hiking and just enjoying the mountains. But I have to say no matter how much I love where I'm vacationing and I'm kind of sad that I have to leave, as soon as I enter Los Gatos I think I live in a perfect destination. So, nothing like leaving to remember there's no place like home.

[snorts]

Councilmember Hedges.

Uh I've been traveling a lot, so I have just a couple of meetings to report. Um First of all, uh I participated in a wildfire advisory um meeting uh in uh June. And then um I attended the El Camino uh open house uh that uh the vice mayor um mentioned and really I would encourage residents to uh attend any of their community outreach meetings because um I believe that they they really do want to engage with this community and continue to be a community hospital and they're designing a uh really a world-class facility to replace uh an aging facility, but taking into account what the needs are of of our community. And so um I have uh spent even more time there and I think it's really valuable. I would encourage people to do that. Um I met with um a developer uh who has proposal on the uh Mirasu school site and uh and I've had discussions with uh several residents and developers about um other SB 330 sites that are in process. Uh and I've had some conversations um which I will disclose in more detail with uh the uh West Valley Muslim Association and their upcoming uh a conditional use permit application uh as well as some residents who uh live nearby to that. Um so those are the main things that I've been involved in.

Great, thank you. Um So, as Vice Mayor Ristow alluded to, I had a lovely July 4th Symphony in the Park celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States and 175th anniversary of the state of California. I'll just say that Town of Los Gatos staff did a phenomenal event with that job. I think every single year we elevate that event. It gets better and better. Turnout was massive. I think, you know, we were fortunate that the the day was a little bit less brutally hot than in past years. So, we'll all talk to our contacts upstairs to make sure that that happens next year, but it was a really really lovely event and a great community celebration. Huge kudos to to town staff for making that event possible. Um just I think two weeks ago now, I'll just briefly touch on a ride along I went on with the Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department. Real briefly, I had been wanting to go on an evening ride along and so one of our officers was kind enough to take me out. We were planning on doing some traffic control and and maybe going by dispatch to give thanks to our hard working dispatchers at the town. When we got a, you know, 10 minutes in, got a priority three call and so responded to a home fire where I saw firsthand two of our Los Gatos Monte Sereno police officers arrive in just a couple of minutes, immediately park and run into the burning building to get out the homeowner who was still trying to put out the fire and safely get out everyone who was in the house, everyone who was nearby the house, all of the pets, very quickly and efficiently control the situation in a way that I think made everyone feel safe and free of danger. Within a couple of minutes of PD arriving, County Fire arrived and immediately got to work hooking up two large 5-in hoses, and doused the fire, they ended up arriving with more than 10 engines, and the firefighters, you know, within minutes climbed onto the roof of the house to cut holes in the garage where the fire was burning where, you know, to to let out the heat which meant that they were letting the heat out into their faces and so it was it was just truly a heroic sight to see and so whenever you have the opportunity give thanks to our both our Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department and our Santa Clara County Fire Department true local heroes. I also related to fire got a tour of our Cal Fire Alma Helitack base which is nearby just outside of the border of the town of Los Gatos but got to see the work that they do and have seen that helicopter flying all around Santa Clara County supporting fires around the area so that's a really fantastic capability that that we have right in our backyard. There's only 11 Helitack bases in the state of California and so we're very fortunate to have one just minutes away. A little bit less serious I have been loving attending Music in the Park and Jazz on the Plazz was honored to provide the opening remarks at both of those the first evenings of both of those events and they've just been lovely and there've been so many people attending them. The weather's been great there such wonderful community events. We have about three of each of them left so if you haven't been to a Music in the Park or a Jazz on the Plazz make sure you get out and enjoy them. Myself and some members of town staff met with the president of PG&E and I'm optimistic it was a very productive conversation. She she sat down with us for about an hour and 15 minutes to talk specifically about issues going on in the town of Los Gatos and I'm very optimistic that we'll have some wins from that conversation. Had a similar conversation with the president of San Jose Water. I then later in the month flew down to Orange County to attend the annual meeting of Los Gatos' new insurance joint powers authority, the California JPA, which is an insurance pool of more than 125 public agencies. Sounds really boring, but it's really important. And I think our insurance coverage has gotten significantly We've discussed this at the DAS, but going down there and sort of seeing it firsthand, it was evident that these are real professionals. I think it's it's a really good organization for us to be a part of, and we have the big benefit of a representative from the town sitting on their board and and having a lot of access to to the resources they provide. Finally, I attended this year's Los Gatos Saratoga Rec Summer Senior Picnic, which was in Saratoga, unfortunately. But it was a great event, mostly Los Gatos folks there. And so all the more reason to continue trying to create spaces for people of all ages to thrive in this town, and really enjoyed that. And then I will be tabling at the farmers market this weekend. And that's all I've got. Thank you. Turn it over to the town manager and then town attorney.

Thank you. In relation to the high school district, they put out a press release that they're opening use for their track and field to the community when it's not currently in use by students or reserved by a permittee. I think this is an extremely positive opportunity for our community. You see this in other communities, but for us, we have a world-class facility in the high school district, and it's nice to see that you will be able to use it as a resident. Along those lines, the mayor and I, as well as the command staff of the police department, as well as uh higher-ranking individuals from the CHP met with the high school district to go over some of the results of their surveys regarding binge drinking. Um astounding to see how significant the issue is in our high school of binge drinking. Um where more than 22% of students in the last month have in been engaged in binge drinking. And we have seen a dramatic increase in alcohol-related crashes in our community involving juveniles, as well as adults. And the district is seeing a significant increase of alcohol um issues at their games by not students, but adults. And so, we are looking to work with the district on, you know, they're working towards a public information campaign, and our police department is going to be working with the district on finding opportunities to help educate and encourage folks to moderate and to not engage in this type of behavior that could lead to unfortunate injuries, and God helping us not deaths. Um we've been fortunate in our community, but the extent that it's occurring exposes our community at large, and that's just not Los Gatos, so we need to work to combat that. Lastly, I know one of the council members talked about wildfire. It's our top community priority in the strategic priorities, and I will say I have firsthand had the experience of seeing what's currently happening in the world from Spokane, Washington and other places in this country to the massive fires on the west side of Madrid, and the massive fires that occurred in Greece where my family was impacted while they were traveling there. Um it's something that we cannot leave our eyes off the ball as our community here in Los Gatos, and we need to continue the the tremendous effort that we're doing to enhance the safety and reduce the risk exposure to our community by focusing on the wildfire risk in our community. With that, I'll turn it back to you, Mr. Mayor.

Thank you. I'll look to the town attorney for any updates.

Nothing to report. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Um then at 10:43 without anything else, this meeting is adjourned. Thank you all.