Council Continues Roasting Chamber Amid Audit Findings

Renewable Energy

The Santa Clara City Council’s public flogging of the Chamber of Commerce over its management of the Convention Center and Convention Center & Visitors Bureau (CVB) ramped up to full-force at the Council’s last meeting. With the completion of an audit by TAP International Inc., a Sacramento-based consulting firm, the Council further lambasted the Chamber … Read more

Transparency: City Council October Calendars

In August, the Santa Clara City Council Members met with people like Jude Barry and discussed topics like Related Santa Clara.

Related’s Day The Related Companies’ Executive Vice President Steve Eimer and President and CEO Ken Himmel met with most of City Council in October, and City Manager Deanna Santana — who maintains biweekly meetings with the developer — and Assistant City Manager Ruth Shikada sat in on those meetings. All meetings with Related occurred on … Read more

Commissioners Appointed and Complaints Dismissed

Renewable Energy

Tuesday’s City Council meeting’s agenda was largely appointments to the Planning and Senior Commissions, the Library Board of Trustees and the City Clerk post that became vacant when Acting City Clerk Jennifer Yamaguma took a job with the City of Milpitas. The Council voted unanimously to appoint Assistant City Manager Nadine Nader to the post … Read more

Mostly Developer Meetings Noted for City Council on September Calendars

In August, the Santa Clara City Council Members met with people like Jude Barry and discussed topics like Related Santa Clara.

September calendars continue the pattern of mostly developer meetings, interspersed with public meetings and events.   Mayor Lisa Gillmor Immediately after Labor Day, Gillmor met with San Jose resident *Kirk Vartan to discuss the “Agrihood project:” 160 mixed-income apartments, 165 affordable senior apartments, 36 townhomes and approximately 1.5 acres of agricultural open space at the … Read more

Chamber of Commerce and City Council Still at Odds Over Audit

Renewable Energy

Management of the Santa Clara Convention Center continues to be a source of bad blood between the City Council and Chamber of Commerce. With the completion of a performance audit, the Council heard details Tuesday night regarding how the Convention Center and Convention & Visitors Bureau will be run in the wake of its decision … Read more

Following the Santa Clara 2018 Campaign Money

Mayor Gillmor, City Council Biagini, City Clerk Campaign Money

With the first campaign financial reports in, Mayor candidate Lisa Gillmor leads with a campaign treasury of $16,955. Second is City Council candidate Nancy Biagini with $14,220. City Clerk candidate Hosam Haggag is next with $12,412, and City Council candidate Raj Chahal is close behind at $12,247. All other candidates currently have $5,100 or less. … Read more

Stadium Authority Ponders Drawbacks of Large-Scale Events in Light of Financial Findings

Renewable Energy

By being involved in the marketing of Levi’s Stadium, the Santa Clara Stadium Authority Board hopes to avoid scheduling non-NFL events that lose money. The topic came up during a financial report of stadium operations Tuesday night. In a press release issued Monday, Mayor Lisa Gillmor bemoaned that, on average, stadium events only generate $55,000 … Read more

Labor, Lobbyists and Developers Appear Frequently on Tardy Council Calendars

In August, the Santa Clara City Council Members met with people like Jude Barry and discussed topics like Related Santa Clara.

Of all elected official calendars available through Ordinance No. 1950, only Police Chief Mike Sellers and Acting City Clerk Jennifer Yamaguma had their August schedule up for viewing prior to the Sept. 10 deadline. Every other calendar, less City Manager Deanna Santana and City Attorney Brian Doyle, was up exactly one week after the deadline, … Read more

Santa Clara Council Members’ Organizations Benefit From “Improper” Convention Center Discounts, Chamber Practices

Lisa Gillmor & Debi Davis Mission City Community Fund Dinner

Organizations on whose boards Santa Clara City Council Members previously and currently sit have received discounts for years on their use of the Santa Clara Convention Center. At the same time they disavow any knowledge of the discounts and characterize them as irresponsible and possibly corrupt. “I’m a Chamber [of Commerce] Member. I never got … Read more

City Council and Convention Visitors Bureau Share Blame For Convention Center Management Mess

Santa Clara Convention Center

Council’s Continued Confusion About Police Chief’s Compensation Although the Santa Clara City Council was set to pass an ordinance giving the job of setting the Police Chief’s salary to the Salary-Setting Commission, at the Sept. 18 Council Meeting meeting they appeared to be confused. The item was pulled from the consent calendar — items that are … Read more