The City of Sunnyvale seated its newest members of the city council on Jan. 7.
Larry Klein, who was re-elected as mayor; Alysa Cisneros, who starts her second term as the representative of District 2; Charlsie Chang, who replaces outgoing council member Russ Melton as the representative of District 4; and Eileen Le who replaces Omar Din as representative of District 6, all took their oaths of office during the meeting.
Following that, the council voted to place Council Member Linda Sell in the role of vice mayor. Sell will serve a one-year term. She replaces Murali Srinivasan of District 3, who served as vice mayor in 2024.
Sunnyvale Appoints New Finance Director
The City of Sunnyvale also announced earlier this week that it has located a new finance director. The city has hired Matthew Paulin to head the finance department.
He replaces Tim Kirby, who took over the role of City Manager on Sept. 1, 2024.
“Matt has an excellent depth and range of experience, having worked in municipal, county and state agencies,” said Kirby. “I’m also impressed with his collaborative work style and focus on developing and mentoring his staff. He’ll be a fantastic addition to the Finance Department and our executive leadership team.”
Kirby thanked Assistant Finance Director Dennis Jaw, who had filled the role of interim finance director until Kirby’s replacement could be identified.
“I want to thank Dennis for his leadership,” said Kirby. “He managed the department with a steady hand through this transition and will be a great resource to Matt as he gets to know Sunnyvale.”
Paulin’s starting salary in Sunnyvale will be $330,000.
He will oversee the city’s financial operations and ensure regulatory compliance. He will also work on Sunnyvale’s Cleanwater Program and the Civic Center Modernization project.
“Sunnyvale’s reputation as a well-managed, fiscally stable city is well-deserved. I’m truly excited to support the city staff in their mission to provide exceptional services to residents and businesses,” said Paulin in the news release. “I have a deep commitment to public service and am looking forward to being part of such a great team and vibrant community.”
Paulin most recently worked as the Director of Finance in the City of Elk Grove, a role he held since 2021. He also previously worked as the Assistant County Administrator in San Joaquin County and the Chief Financial Officer of the City of Stockton.
According to the city’s news release, Paulin has over 27 years of experience in “financial management, strategic planning and team leadership.”
Paulin graduated from the University of the Pacific with a Bachelor of Arts and received a Master of Public Administration from CSU Stanislaus.
