With the holidays, December proved to be a short month for Santa Clara City Council Members, but many still managed to notch meetings of note.
Mayor Lisa Gillmor
The first half of the mayor’s calendar was public events, meetings and invited guest events including a birthday celebration of “His Majesty the Emperor of Japan” (Dec. 5), Santa Clara Sporting Club holiday dinner (Dec. 8) and Dolly Gendreau’s 100th birthday celebration (Dec. 10). Her first meeting of note was Dec. 17 with William Fairweather of the International Alliance of Theatrical State Employees Local 168 regarding the Santa Clara Convention Center. On Dec. 19 she attended an event welcoming business people from China and a day later visited Community Day School with Council Member Kathy Watanabe and members of the Santa Clara Unified Scholl District Board of Trustees.
Gillmor’s most interesting meeting, however, occurred on Dec. 27 when she had a “Christmas lunch” with Council Member Debi Davis and lobbyist Cynthia James of James Consulting. There was no mention of what the topic of discussion was, but James is the consultant/lobbyist for both SummerHill Homes and California’s Great America.
Council Member Kathy Watanabe
Watanabe, who served as Vice Mayor until recently, also spent the first half of her December attending public meetings and events, and also was present at Gendreau’s birthday party on Dec. 10.
On Dec. 11, she met with Davis and members of Santa Clara’s Water and Sewer Utilities department and San Jose’s Environment Services department to discuss the Dec. 13 San Jose/Santa Clara Treatment Plant Advisory Committee meeting and on Dec. 14, she met with the Healthier Kids Foundation, although there was no mention of what they discussed.
The remainder of her calendar was filled with public meetings and events.
Council Member Raj Chahal
The newly elected Chahal only had six items listed on his December calendar, five of which were public meetings or events. His only meeting of note was a meeting on Dec. 20 regarding Related Companies, which was attended by newly elected Council Member Karen Hardy, Council Member Teresa O’Neill, City Manager Deanna Santana, Chief Operating Officer Walter Rossmann, Assistant City Manager Ruth Shikada, Assistant City Manager Manuel Pineda, City Attorney Brian Doyle, Environmental Risk Services Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer Mark O’Brien and Chair of Burke Williams and Sorensen, LLP’s Real Estate and Business Practice Group Anna Shimko.
Council Member Karen Hardy
Hardy, too, only had a few meetings in December. Five of her calendar items were public events or meetings and the only meeting of note was the aforementioned meeting regarding Related on Dec. 20.
Council Member Teresa O’Neill
O’Neill began December with a handful of public events and meetings, including her monthly resident meeting Q&A on Dec. 2. Many of her December meetings involved the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), and although not public meetings, were related to her involvement with the VTA Board of Directors and various VTA committees.
On Dec. 7 she had a meeting to discuss the formation of a Silicon Valley Rail Working Group with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Vice President Jason Bakery and Corinne Winter of Winter Consulting. A follow up meeting with Winter occurred on Dec. 19.
On Dec. 12 she had a meeting with Larry Mayers of Principal Mayers Architecture and Abode Services regarding the Corvin Housing project to build 144 units of affordable housing at 2904 Corvin Dr. and on Dec. 17 she met with Omid Shakeri of The Ridgecrest Group about the proposed townhome project at 1530-1540 Pomeroy Ave. Two days later she met with the Neil Datar the former Santa Clara University Associated Student Government Senate President regarding an “update on school and career plans.”
Council Member Patricia Mahan
Mahan, who was recently voted to the role of Vice Mayor, only had five calendar listings for December. All were public meetings or events.
Council Member Debi Davis
Davis notched mostly public events and meetings throughout December. Her single meeting of note, not already reported, was her generic “Christmas lunch” meeting on Dec. 11 with James and SummerHill’s Executive Vice President and Managing Director Katia Kamangar. The exact topic of discussion was not recorded.
View all Council Member calendars at http://santaclaraca.gov/government/public-calendars-of-certain-city-officials
