Veronica,
can we start with roll call?
» Council member Walter, present. Council
member Husco here. Council member Flynn,
present. Vice Mayor Hufty here. Mayor
Taylor
>> present.
>> We have a quorum.
>> Great. Thank you. All right. So, we
don't have any presentations or
proclamations, so we'll move directly to
the town manager report.
Good evening, Darcy Smith, town manager.
Let me just Oh, you know, I've had
issues joining Zoom. Just give me a
second. Um,
seems to be a recurring theme here. So,
the first thing I have to announce is PB
Palooa, which is this Saturday. I hope
you all can join us. We have a great
lineup.
Um, it starts at
10:30 a.m. here. And when I say it's all
day, it really is all day. It will go
until about 8:30.
And we have,
hold on. I think we have 21 bands.
>> Whoa.
>> 21, I should say, 21 adult bands. We
also, as some of you know, have showcase
our younger participants and give them a
time to go on the second stage.
Um, there's also
local arts and crafts and kids
activities. And I just want to take a
moment to thank the PV Palooa
Foundation, which is a local nonprofit.
this wonderful event started by our
great cultural arts committee and then
it spun off and I can tell you by the
number of emails that I've received from
the organizing team including founder
and executive director John Badger that
they have been working round the clock
on this. So I wanted to just thank him
uh the other board members and all the
volunteers and then put in a personal
request for everyone to be as safe as
possible. Please drive slow, watch for
pedestrians, and abide by all parking
signs.
Second,
the most exciting event of the year in
my opinion, the Zots to Tots family fun
run and bike and town picnic that is
coming up on September 19th and
registration's open. So, I hope you all
register
online at the town website. If you do
the run then you know it ends at the
town picnic which is super fun. Here we
have food, fun activities and live
bands. And one thing I've been actively
trying to push is having the town
committees have different tables. So
we've had a pretty good interest in
participating with that. The
conservation committee, emergency
preparedness committee, wildfire
committee or we'll have tables. So
please come and bring your questions.
And just a safety reminder, there will
be road closures along Alpine and Perola
roads that morning, so you should plan
accordingly.
And last,
the town has had an outpouring of
communication regarding
highways near us, not in our town, but
near us, Highway 35, 84, and 9. Um there
was a tragic event up there and I think
anyone who lives here knows that there
are lots of speeding cars up there. Um
so our local state and county leaders,
not this council, but our our colleagues
um and higher offices sent Calrans a
letter requesting a full corridor safety
review backed by 16 community
recommended improvements. That letter is
on our website and if you want to see it
and um CALR did respond pretty swiftly.
We the town was part of a group that met
with them and then there was a follow-up
meeting. So they're working on a road
safety audit of the routes. Take a few
months. Um they may be able to set lower
speed limits and the CHP and the
sheriff's office have outed weekend
patrols. I have heard people who are up
there and say that they've seen a lot of
CHP. Um, and there's some crash data
that you can access again on our
website. So, we continue to work with
our partners at the sheriff's office and
our other state and local partners and
we'll share updates as CALR review moves
forward. And that is all I have. Thank
you.
>> Were you going to cover the meeting we
went to on the VLF?
>> Yes. So, the town did have a meeting
that you might have read about in the
press on vehicle license fees.
Not the most glamorous subject and an
awful acronym for what it really means,
which is that the state as part of their
annual budget has removed funds that the
local county and the cities were owed.
And yes, Council Member Haskell and I
attended a a press conference which got
some press and we are actively engaged
in with the state um with the governor's
office and our state legislators to try
to resolve this issue um which does
affect the town's budget. Um
so it's an unfortunate situation, but if
you do read about it and can engage with
your local electeds, please do.
>> Thank you.
Darcy.
All right.
>> Can I ask a question about the uh is it
out of order to ask question?
>> No, go ahead.
>> Uh the 35 uh Skyline Boulevard uh issue.
>> Is it appropriate for the town for our
town to write a letter and
uh where do you think we should be with
that?
>> So the the roadways are not in our
jurisdiction,
>> right? But neither it is of all these
other towns.
>> It's in nobody's jurisdiction.
>> Uh no, it is in our state assembly
persons and our state senator's
jurisdictions and our county supervisor
Muellers and those are the folks that
wrote the letter. So I would advise that
we as a council do not need to write a
letter.
>> Thank you.
>> Can I also can I comment say something
about that
>> question or comment?
>> Comment.
>> Um
sure. I mean generally it's the town
manager report so I'm not sure I just uh
we don't have a date quite yet but
because they are state routes that are
being looked at um there will be a town
hall in October the date is still uh
getting sorted out but we will be having
uh um and every you know and we will as
soon as I know the date I will let the
town manager know so that she can share
it. Um but it will be with your state
officials and supervisor uh Mueller and
Keltans will be there and CHP will be
there and um the sheriff will be there
and Midpin will be there and so we are
that is being worked on. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
Okay, so with that we'll close out the
town manager report. Thank you Darcy. Um
so are there any oral communications?
So, these are things that are not on
tonight's agenda. So, I don't see any
hands in schoolhouse.
And I can get my Zoom to come up. Come
on.
» I see one hand online. Rita, this is
Oral Communications.
>> Yes. Thank you for taking my question.
Um, you know, uh, great to hear, you
know, all the great things from the town
manager report, but I really like to
hear what is the update on the audits. I
know that there are supposed to be some
things happening in October, but um, you
know, as we've learned over the years,
uh, we we need to keep asking the
questions in order to find out what is
currently happening in case dates and
times have moved, which they have moved
in the past. And so, just trying to get
an update, asking a question. Thank you.
Darcy, do you want to comment
on that?
>> Yeah, sorry. I do rotate the audit
updates and I'll get to it next meeting.
Um,
I'm thankful to report that we are on
schedule and we are on time thanks to
the hard work of our finance department
led by assistant town manager Tony
McFarland and we are on track to bring
this to the town council in October
and everything is going very smoothly
and we will also have a finance
committee meeting in October and if that
ever changes I will announce it.
>> Thank you Darcy. Okay, with that I'm
going to close oral communications and
move on to the consent agenda. Are there
any public comments on the consent
agenda? We don't see any in the
schoolhouse
and I don't see any online. So, I'm
going to close public comment, bring it
back to the council. Are there any
consent agenda items that council member
wants to pull?
>> I'd like to pull D. Cal cities.
Okay.
Anything else? All right.
» All right. Then I would entertain a
motion to approve the consent agenda A,
B, C, and E.
>> So moved.
>> Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> Thank you. All in favor say I.
>> I.
Okay, that passes unanimously. Thank
you. All right,
Becca.
>> So, super quick. Um, as the Cal's
representative, um, at the conference,
um, I wanted the council to be aware
that there is going to be at least one
resolution and a pretty significant one.
It's related to local control. It was
submitted by several um other
jurisdictions and I will be able to vote
on that and I really think that the town
council should have a say to give me
advice on how the town council would
like me to vote on that. So I'm asking
staff if that's something that could be
brought back or could be agendaized. Um,
unfortunately looking a little bit at
the timing and I didn't go through this
too too in depth, but sounded to me like
Cal Cities wasn't going to provide the
full information until like a week
before Cal City starts, which doesn't
coincide that well with our council
meetings. So I, you know, I think we do
need a little bit more investigation. So
it would either be that September 9th
meeting or it would actually be the
meeting where I will be calling in that
Wednesday. I think the vote is on
Thursday. Um, so I I think we just need
to investigate that. Thank you.
>> Okay. Thank you. All right. Um, with
that I would entertain a motion to pass
6D.
>> Motion to approve 6D.
>> Second.
>> Thank you. I have a motion in a second.
All in favor say I.
>> I.
Passes unanimously. Okay, that closes
out the consent agenda. Moving on to the
regular agenda. First thing we have is
consider acceptance of the planning
commission bylaws. Sher, I believe you
got a staff report.
» Good evening again, town council. So
Sarah Kors, planning building director
for town of Corolla Valley. So I don't
have a formal presentation. What was
provided in the staff report provided a
brief overview, but really what's here
before you tonight is to um accept the
planning commission bylaws that were
created. So these were adopted by
planning commission June 17, 2026. So
just a few months ago and planning
commission had initiated a subcommittee
to help develop these bylaws. They had I
believe a study session to discuss them
and then voted on them in June. So there
had been discussion about these bylaws.
And uh one thing I'd point out is that
there are these bylaws and there's the
additional commission committee
handbook. So where they're in conflict,
these bylaws would take precedence. Um
but we still have both documents for
reference. And then one other point I
wanted to make that I called out at the
end of the staff report is there was
lengthy discussion at planning
commission about the address of the
schoolhouse and where we meet because
this address I believe is 775
but we referenced 765 for the meeting.
However, we kept the address 765 because
that's referenced in the code and all of
our other communications right now. That
could be something that we could
consider in the future is the exact
address location of the historic
schoolhouse where we meet. So, just
wanted to point that out. The address is
no change. Um, but in addition to that,
there's language in the staff report
about town council's ability to approve
or as we were to accept the bylaws. So,
that's the decision tonight. And there's
additional information if you don't
accept it or if there's another policy
that could be created about the approval
process for bylaws like this in the
future.
>> Okay. Thank you. Any questions, Miss
Sarah, before I open up to public
comment?
>> Go ahead.
>> I guess I guess I would just like to
understand what the um problem we're
trying to solve by these by these
bylaws.
Sis, I would like to just note again
that these were developed by the
planning commission and I think it's to
I mean I could read from the staff
report but to just provide maybe a
little bit more clarity on processes,
procedures or additional information
related to that.
I'm not sure if I have additional
information on what the bylaws solve for
particularly and I don't want to speak
on behalf of the planning commission.
» Okay.
Ellie,
>> I think Mary wanted to go ahead.
>> Oh, well, I I do have a question. Uh
where does the pressure come from to on
the town council to quote accept or
approve or not accept or approve the uh
the bylaws that the that the planning
commission has created on their own.
>> I could take a stab at that. Um okay in
terms of the legal authority uh so as
referenced in the staff report um a
provision of state law this is
government code section 65102 states
that a legislative body may establish
for its planning agency any rules
procedures or standards which are not in
conflict with state or federal laws. So
as I read this and I think this is
consistent with how other councils have
considered planning commission bylaws.
um the council has the opportunity it
may it's permissive so it may um
establish um uh rules and procedures in
other words bylaws for its planning um
body. Uh so that's that's where the
legal authority comes to and and that's
why um staff brought this forward to
council for its consideration
>> and just so I can reiterate
that's permissive for us to control the
planning commission.
>> Correct. Yeah. Yeah. And some some
councils have delegated to its planning
commission the authority.
>> Yes. And Right.
» Thank you.
>> Um so this might be another question for
you. On page two of the addendum
advising the town council
um
section subsection five it says
generally these activities will be at
the request of the town council or
planning staff.
Wouldn't it isn't it generally at So is
that saying that the planning commission
can come up with its own agenda items?
Yes.
>> Uh I I guess yes. This would mean
generally speaking. So not always. I
mean I guess I would give the this
bylaws project perhaps is one example.
Um I don't think council um directed
this project for example.
>> Um
and is that
common?
like every every jurisdiction that I've
ever been around, it's usually at the
direction of council, right?
But,
uh, that's generally been my experience.
Of course, planning commission reports
to council and so generally um and
that's I mean that is that is what it
says uh in terms of the general rule.
Um, this would allow for some
exceptions. This language
Um, and do we have clarity about what
those exceptions would be?
» Not not in this document. No.
Um
so uh
and in terms of council I mean obviously
as being elected because of the code
that you read initially right
it it has oversight over the planning
commission. Is that correct? Remind me.
>> Correct. Yes,
» I mean the council has the authority to
appoint um commissioners and remove
commissioners. That's its key authority
over the commission.
» Is this the And this is the background
the municipal code you said. Is this a
2201?
>> Can I look over your shoulder? I'm not
sure what what you're pointing to.
correct code.
>> Uh so this
>> am I at the wrong code?
>> So there is background this is a
reference to the municipal code. Uh
though what I read actually was from the
state law from the government code.
>> Okay. Is that okay?
>> And that is actually referenced also in
the s report on page two.
>> On page two. Okay. Okay.
» Um
>> yes. Government codes. That's the
language. Yeah.
>> Okay. Uh I I guess I have one further
question.
>> Okay. Thank you. Those are my questions.
>> Mary, go ahead. I just want to keep
this.
>> Yeah. And uh and maybe I should hold
this because I may other things may come
up if we're not done, right? Is
everybody else done their questions in
this?
>> Well, these are question these are these
are clarifying questions for Sarah. This
is a discussion. Open it up to public
comment and bring it back.
>> Okay. Okay, let's see if I can remember
now. Um, the specifically within our
ordinances, the town's ordinances, there
are specific things that are allocated
to the planning commission from what
I've been reading or appears there are.
Uh, in what sense can they do that
separately from the council if there if
we're making this kind of gesture to the
bylights? In other words, with
I can I can I with several different
instances where I've been looking at
ordinance that it'll say this decision
is made by the planning commission and
uh if we've already said well we are the
ones who have authority over over the
planning commission does that jeopardize
their authority
is that does that make it
make them not powerful enough to do
their job? uh
>> the one that we've assigned them to do.
>> Yeah. I I guess I don't see any
conflict. The um the town's municipal code is very clear in terms of
which responsibilities are for the
planning commission. Um conditional use
permits is an example. Um the planning
commission also uh hears appeals from
the ASC. Another example. Yeah.
>> Uh at the same time, the council has
authority to appoint planning
commissioners. uh and there's no uh
conflict between uh that authority to
appoint commissioners and the authority
vested in the planning commission per
the code.
>> Thank you.
» Okay, that's all for questions. Great.
>> Um
>> we already did one.
>> I I guess it's more of a discussion.
>> Okay, so yes, if we could hold up for
the discussion. Okay. Um so with that,
I'm going to open up for public comment.
Is there anyone in the room that might
want to speak on this? Linda, welcome.
» Um, my name is Linda Brothers. I'm chair
of the planning commission. The
commission very specifically discussed
whether or not to refer our bylaws
document to you uh to avoid conflict. I
did not take a vote, but it was
unanimous that we did not want to refer
them to you. Number two, uh my
observation, not as the chair, but as a
person and a member, uh we are created
by state law. State law requires our
town to have a planning. It also
requires us to have a council. And yes,
Katherine's right. There is a place
there where you could start to blur the
line. Uh point number two, I think it's
an error to blur the line. If you decide
to take uh any action on our bylaws, you
are sort of putting your thumb on the
scale of the independence of the
planning commission. I think one of the
really important points to think about
in the independence of the planning
commission is how hard you've had what a
hard time you've had in finding new
members. Uh it is a separate entity.
There are at least five places in the
code where we are very specifically
identified as the first line of review
for items such as when we sit as a board
of adjustment. So, uh there are quite a
few reasons why I think the independence
is really important and quite honestly I
would I I believe you ought to respect
that independence. Um, I think it's
better for the town for you to respect
that independence because we also
provide just like you an opportunity for
people to have public comment and to
have people have input and there are
many members of the public who uh remind
us regularly that we uh we don't do
that. I do want to support your efforts
however to look at uh committees. There
is this committee handwork. We're not a
committee. We are necessary under state
law. We are Russell necessary under the code of the town and your committees
by and large are figments.
Thing that comes to mind is figments in
my imagination but figments uh they are
created under under other authorities
and for other reasons. I speak now today
about whether you take any action at all
on our bylaws. Our bylaws are themselves
a fairly neutral activity. uh we put
them together because there was time and
time again when we were in action and
somebody didn't know the proper
procedure why do we do this when do we
do this how should we do this and so the
bylars are a very simple effort uh
they've been melted down watered down
whatever the word is uh once I knew that
you guys wanted to look at them and we
wanted to just get something in place
they were also put in place before we
had a planning director and that's why
the second attachment really basically
is just a job description or the second
piece of it which is an attachment. My
final comment is yeah, bylaws and maybe
you want to go ahead and approve our
bylaws, but then what do you do when
uh let's see 18.36.101
is a section of the code that actually
allows us specifically in the code for
the planning commission to develop a
policy. That requires our expertise,
that requires our detailed experience.
Are you then going to start down THE
SLIPPERY SLOPE AND OH YEAH, we want to
review that policy too. An area where I
dare say maybe one of you too may know
what 18.36
B9 is, but I doubt if all five of you
do. Uh
that's basically my final point. Thank
you for your time.
>> Thank you, Linda.
>> Can I ask a clarifying question?
>> Were we provided with 18.36.01 01 V9 in
the packet.
>> Uh I use that as an example of another uh item. It's not something
we've taken action on. It's just a
section of the code where our expertise
is required. I can give you one or I can
pull it up on your computer.
>> Thank you, Linda.
>> Yeah. Thank you.
>> All right. Any other public comment in
the room? I don't see any. So I'll move
online. Rita,
» hi. Thank you. Um, thank you for taking
my comment. Uh, you know, already the
planning commission meeting for next
week is cancelled and I don't know, I'm
not privy to the reasons, but the
previous meeting about the Horththrones
project is a perfect example of why we
need to have regular planning commission
meetings in our beautiful town. We have
extremely competent people. We have a
retired or perhaps still current squa uh
attorney on that group and here we are
consultants for for different things and so
let's let's let the planning commission
uh do their job. uh you know that I have
sent letters in previous years when
there have been only two planning
commission meetings uh during a year and
would only be about the housing element
when you know we have trucks and
buildings going up in our town every
single day and the residents don't get a
chance to ask a question to the planning
commission you know we except for the
rare chance that they do have a meeting
and uh please uh help us help the
planning commission be able to do their
job because that will help all of us
especially with all the building that's
happening here and we get a chance to
ask our questions. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Rita. Any other comments from
the public online?
I don't see any. Don't see any in the
room. Okay. So, I'm going to close
public comment, bring it back to the
council for discussion.
Who would like to start?
» Thank you.
>> Um, thank you for taking the time to do
this.
Um, I want to be very clear that
planning commission's contributions are
very important to the town and
I would like to see, you know, good good
common sense prevail with regard to when
we do or don't have power. I would
accept this these bylaws gladly. Um, I
think we need to maintain a tone of
collegiality, respect, and collaborative
work so that I do trust the planning
commission should something be coming up
that that is um notable to be working
well with staff and council to be able
to um handle that appropriately. bylaws
do make life better by
laying out rules of operation. Um, and
these these seem fairly
non-controversial to me. So, thank you
for the work. It is important to me that
the planning commission adopted them
unanimously. I respect that body. We
should all respect them. So, thank you.
>> Could I make a comment real quick on
this? Correct. My understanding is that
one planning commissioner was not
present at that meeting and had actually
submitted comments to that meeting. So,
he would not have voted. So, unanimous
yet for the four people who were there.
>> Okay, that's
>> okay. Um, does that make it nonunanimous
from a legal perspective?
» If four out of five are present, it's
unanimous as two members. I I would
still refer to that as unanimous.
Actually, the committee and commission
handbook addresses this point.
>> Yeah. Thank you.
» All right. Other discussion,
» well, um yeah, I can I can discuss this
one all day and I will keep it to five
minutes. Uh, I I do miss um the good old
days when I used to complain that the
town manager tried to control my agenda
on the trails committee. Um, now
nowadays, not only does it control it, it it you provided with it uh with an
agenda. Uh so I hear the frustration
because we see the committees uh see
what the problems are and we live the
problems every day and we'd like to have
those brought forward so that we can
solve those problems and not incur a lot
of expense and a lot of uh extra
people's times and we can discuss them
and get them done. So from my point of
view, anything that we can do at the
council, uh it may not be the standard
community standard or some anything we
can do to share authority with our
commissioners is a good thing. Uh it it
gives us balance. It gives us a second
place. It g it gets them out of it takes
away an excuse they have which is oh
well we'll let the council hand it. They
have to handle it and they do a good job
and they have a very different level of
expertise than we do and they have
different problems than we do. Uh and
I'm I'm all for supporting them in
whatever way they want us to support
them to say yes. Thank you for doing
bylaws. Thank you for trying to operate
more cleanly. We could all use a re a
redo and a refresh. We appreciate it. We
don't need to approve your work. Your
work is good work because it's working
for you and you're working for us. So, I
just think that uh it's an unnecessary
step. We we we don't need to express our
authority in this way.
Thank you,
Mary. I'm not married. Helenhead.
» Okay. Um,
so I don't have an issue with the
planning commission clarifying creating
clarifying bylaws on how they conduct
their meetings on how their what their
jurisdiction is um on on many of the
things that are very vague in our code
and in our handbook. And um I don't have
an issue with that and this I feel that
this document is a good step in the
right direction. However,
I take issue with the many
contradictions that are included in the
document. Um, not only directly in the
document, but with that they set up
changes and differences with respect to
how the town manages the ASC or how the
ASC is managed. Um, so that's number
one. Um, let me just indicate some of
the um contradictions that I found. Um
the language of the bylaws states that
um
uh people uh commissioners will be
appointed for four-year terms by the
town council as vacancies arise. Um that
hasn't been the tradition. Um that has
that people have not been appointed to
four-year terms. They've been appointed
to conclude the term of a person who's
vacating their position.
And um that's also how ASUC interprets
that thing. So that's already one
difference that we're introducing into
these bylaws. Um I personally don't
actually have a problem with the
planning commission deciding to appoint
someone to a four-year term even if
there's only a one year left. But it I'm
pointing out that this is a difference
with respect to how we uh deal with ASC.
I did try to go somewhat through our
code and I couldn't um in the time
available to really do an exhaustive um
comparison of this. I wasn't able to do
that. So I don't know if our code has a
little bit more detail. Our code is
really slim when it comes to both
planning commission and the ASUC. And in
fact it's each of them gets one page. Um
so clearly I think bylaws would be
useful because there are um quite a few
situations where people aren't clear on
what they should be doing. Um I do think
standardization of all these processes
should be done for both commission.
Um the other issues is I'm not clear
based on the writing for um the election
of the chair and the vice chair because
the way it's stated it says by annual
election.
um commissioners will elect the office
of chair and vice chair and then
traditionally these offices are filled
by the most senior members of the
commission at the time of an annual
election
typically held in the fall and rotate
collegially amongst the members. Those
two um
particip what do you call them
participles or whatever those two
segments of that sentence do conflict
with each other. I mean either at the
time of the annual election the most
senior person is being elected or um
it's going to go through sort of a you
know it's going to collegially rotate
amongst the members given that we've had
problems with this in the town itself
with respect to the town council.
Clearly that needs some clarification.
Um and and maybe it's just a simple
verbiage change, but in my mind, the
election of the chair and the vice chair
should rotate through all members of
town of the planning commission. Um and
you can start with the most senior, but
the reality is the most senior will
still be the most senior the next year, and the so I don't feel that
this statement um allows for rotating
collegially amongst all the members. Um
and then you know I I did want to bring
up the point that um
we have had we have had a committee and
commission handbook for many years that
has been in development
to improve and update it and I take
Linda's point about whether or not the
two commissions should actually be part
of that and I would tend to agree that
they probably shouldn't be part of that
but that is also something that hasn't
been finalized at the town council level
and I
think that that was a decision the town
council would be to make. Um,
and then let's see what else is on my
line. Uh, except
so it does say there was some confusion
on my mind about special calling special
meetings. It's not listed that it could
be called by town council or staff. It's
only listed by planning commission, I
believe.
Um,
and then just to note,
um, I note Linda's comments about the
town council not having a say, um, in
the amendments to the bylaws. Um, I tend not to 100% agree with her about
or the planning commission being able to
stay independent regard, you know, even
if the town council were to have some
say on how the bylaws are. Um,
uh, see, review of land use application.
Let me just check that real quick.
Um, and oh, well, before I get to that,
you had mentioned 18.36.010B.
I'm at that point in my on my computer.
I do not see anything relevant to
planning commission bylaws. So, either I
have the number wrong or or something. But, you know, I I
don't
um so I that's it for right now. I'll
probably I'll come back to that other
point.
>> Mr. Chairman, she made those comments
during the comment period on our rules
which we greatly appreciated and I will
be happy to go through the comments she
made because we specifically discussed
at least the three issues and came to
the language that we have here. my
reference to the uh undergrounding uh
that's the section of the building code
that requires any new building to
underground the electrical power lines.
And if you look at 0109, you will see
that there's a section se the sentence
in there that specifically gives the
planning commission authority to come up
with a policy. So I use that as example
of asking me of of asking you where
you're going to draw the line. if you
want to look at our planning commission
policy rules or then are you going to
want to look at the policy we make under
a specific law and and it goes to my
argument about independence. It had
nothing to do with the bylaws per se.
Sorry, my phone's talking.
Uh so that that that's with regard to
your comment about the most senior. It
doesn't say the most senior. It says the it's multi it's plural.
Uh that's also your question about
filling a vacant spot. We were worried
about having so many vacancies that for
example when the planning commission
heard the EIR on the Stamford
development between uh a vacancy and
ethical conflicts there were only three
of us and that's pretty slim pickings
for the biggest development that's come
through this town since I've been here.
So that's specifically why we chose for
us to try to um fill the vacancies
rather than wait till the end of the
year. I understood and I appreciated
Rebecca very much that you submitted
those comments and we did discuss them
and uh I think one of your other
comments was submitted by one of the
commissioners and we also specifically
discussed all of your comments that were
submitted in his absence.
>> Okay. Thank you, Ellen.
Um, so Chair Brothers, so I am grateful
for everything you do for the town.
Um, and I am grateful for the planning
commission and what they do for the
town. Um,
but you aren't elected and so I'm
worried about this action.
Um I would also point out that the part
of the reason that we're having a hard
time finding commissioners is that we
have appro you know 19 missions I think
committees
um and 4200 people. So basically we have
about roughly give or take 200 people
for every uh committee
and that includes our kids which are not
allowed. So part of it is just we have
you know a lot of volunteer
opportunities with people with not as
much time as they used to have
potentially.
Um,
so and I appreciate what you guys are
doing, but
uh this it it does, you know, I would
accept
uh I would accept these bylaws with the
striking of the word generally.
I would say that these activities will
be at the request of council or planning
staff.
So, um,
uh, because I am concerned because, you
know, for instance, the item that we
heard tonight with, um,
uh, concerning Hawthorne,
I have the sense that from your comments
tonight that you would go off in a
different direction from what this body
is headed towards. And so that concerns
me. So
» So you have passed your time.
>> Please. Sorry.
>> Thank you.
» So
um
so those are um so that's you know so I
appreciate again what planning
commission is doing but I do have some
concerns. Thank you.
All right, everybody had their say.
Okay. Um,
so
I am sensitive to the fact that the
planning commission is not elected. Um,
and I think it's appro this is sort of
to my mind this is an appropriate
compromise to accept them. Um, the
council's ult ultimately responsible for
the finances of this town. Um, and I
could easily imagine the planning
commission could decide to start doing a
bunch of stuff that could potentially
take a lot of staff time. Um, and that
seems inappropriate. On the other hand,
I've been on the planning commission and
we've had a planning commission a long
time and it's worked well. So, I would
be in favor of accepting these and see
how it goes. I'm a little uncomfortable
with the four years. I mean, that's not
the way we've done it. We've always just
had people fill out the term. It's not
that you had to wait a year to assign
them, but if there was two years left,
you only did it for two years. And that
way, we kept everything regular. I would
be more comfortable with that, but to
me, that's relatively small. And if you
guys feel like you discussed it, we can
try it and if it's not working, then it
can come back here and we can try to fix
it. So, personally, I'm comfortable with
accepting these. Um, but I do think it's
important that we accept them.
So, with that
on on um Council Member Flynn's
comments,
uh I thought that was um your points
were really well taken, Rebecca. the uh
the and I I thought they all pointed to
the fact that we would do a lot better
if we just let the planning commission
make its own bylaws because we have not
been able to fix the uh committee
handbook. We have not been able to get a
consistent ASC planning commission. We
have not taken any of these inaccuracies
out. And it's been years and years. And
if you saw Linda at work looking doing
her best and maybe making a few mistakes
than going to work at the planning
commission and discovering that in fact
you can't get anybody to fill that
four-year uh four-year thing. Maybe we
better make it one year. Then they don't
have to come to us and get our quote
approval or our acceptance. they would
be able to actually have some elacrity
and some mobility and some so I just
suggest that your points are really well
taken and and yman effort that somebody
actually tried to fix some of the
inaccuracies and yes it didn't wasn't
complete and and everybody knows that
we're to air as human uh but uh to be
flexible is divine and and uh and we're
giving we could give them the
opportunity to be
>> Can I ask a question actually about
these the terms because my understanding
um is that right now the terms expire
one year apart
is that accurate in 27 and 28 the
four-year terms we are not on a two-year
cycle even right now so this might be
something that we oh like we might want
to consider are more important like in
terms of the timing of appointments.
Um
you know maybe we do option three I
think it was where we ask them to come
back and fix this section or something
[clears throat] with the appointment
opportunity.
>> Okay. So I think we have before us
roughly four choices. We can accept
them. We can vote not to accept them. We
can direct staff to develop a policy or
we could continue this for a future
meeting. Um I would accept a motion on
any of those four.
>> Motion to accept as they are.
>> Okay. Do I have a second?
I will second it. Okay. So we have a
motion. We have a second.
>> Could I make an alternate emot amendment
or? Yeah.
I would um be able to accept these if we
could change uh section two officer
subcommittees roles 2.0 and it right now
it's traditionally these offices are
filled by the most senior members of the
commission at the time of the annual
election typically held in fall and
rotate collegially amongst the members.
I would add the word initially. These
offices are initially filled by the most
senior members of the commission at the
time of the annual election. typical
whatever I would add the word initially
to that just to clarify that we're not
going to be bouncing back and forth
between the most senior members in the
case that um the collegial portion of it
doesn't work out.
» So Judith would you accept a
modification to the motion that the
planning commission consider this
versus that we are
>> consider I would accept them as they
are. I trust the planning commission to
go ahead and take these under advisement
on their good points, their logical
points, and
>> I don't want to undo the work of the
planning commission.
>> Yeah. And that and that was sort of what
I was trying to suggest is that they
take it under consideration, but we're
not requesting a change. We're
requesting that they consider it.
>> Yeah. But but accepting like I would
>> Yeah. Yeah. Accepting and Yeah. So, all
right. So, we have a motion. We have a
second. Um all in favor? I guess I would
just note that um uh Council Member
Flynn made an alternative motion. It was
there was I did not hear a second on
that motion.
>> My apolog.
>> Um and so unless someone's going to
second it, I'd say that one dies for
lack of second.
>> I'm happy to second.
>> Okay.
So now the order. Okay. So we have
a motion, we have a second. We have two
motions. And remind me the order that
they get. There's a specific order
>> under Rosenberg's rules of order. They
go in reverse order. So, Council Flynn's
uh motion will be voted on first and
then Council Member um Hasco's motion
would be voted on if Council Flynn's
motion fails.
>> Um can I asked to make a friendly
amendment
um to council member Flynn's?
>> Um
>> I'm allowed to consider it. Yes.
>> To strike the word generally.
>> Where is that?
>> Um on uh advising town council page 50
of the packet. Page two
of the bylaws
addendum.
>> Two of the bylaws add
>> of the addendum.
So advising and uh the last sentence and
advising the town council. So generally
these activities will be at the request
of the town council or planning staff.
>> Page 50. Sorry. Um P is sorry. Could you
give me the page again?
>> It's page two of the addendum.
>> What page of the packet
>> and page 50 of the packet.
>> And then where's the generally?
>> It's the last sentence of the paragraph.
planning assets on page 50
of the of which paragraph? I'm sorry,
I'm trying to find it in
>> on um on page 50 advising the town
council section five.
>> They provide recommendations to town
council on including generally these
activities with the rest of the town
council.
Um I guess
I I would not accept that because I
think there's
well I think there's a role for the
planning commission to come up with
their own projects as long as it fits
into their budget in which case they
would not be able to allow they would
not have access to staff. But if they
want to work on a project that they want
to work on I I think somehow they need
to be allowed to do that. I don't know.
>> So So we have two motions. We've got the
motion from Council Member Flynn. I'd
like to take a vote on it. So, all in
favor of Rebecca Flynn's motion, say I.
>> I.
>> Any opposed?
>> Opposed?
>> Nay. Nay.
>> Okay. So, it's
two two A and three nay. So, that motion
fails. Um, moving on to the motion from
Council Member Hasco.
All in favor say I.
>> I as long as you have what we've
discussed.
>> No, no, this is her motion.
>> Yeah. I mean,
>> well, her motion was is to basically
accept them. That that was basically and
then she was going to trust the planning
commission to have heard our comments
and and deal with them appropriately.
But that but we're not the only thing
we're voting on here is we're accepting
their bylaws.
>> Okay. Well, I just want people be aware
that we didn't discuss we I discussed
it, but we didn't talk about the fact
that special meetings based on these
bylaws, special meetings can only be
called by the commissioner, not by the
staff or the town council. So, just be
aware of that thing
>> and and so maybe planning commission can
take that under advisement as well. So
anyway, I think we have three I's and I
didn't get Naz's areas
was that
>> I and hope that planning commission will
consider these carefully.
>> And Helen, where did you come out?
>> Um I will say reluctantly I but I'm I
have my concerns. So
>> Okay. All right. So with that, um the
motion passes. Thank you, Linda, for
giving us your input. Thank you
everyone. Good night. All right. So now
let's move on to the next item in the
agenda.
Right.
» Tell you it's so hot in here. I feel
like my brain is baking. [laughter]
>> Well, other things.
>> All right. So, moving on to 7B.
This is um consider acceptance of an
updated council for 2026 council
meetings. And this has to do with our
regular meetings falling around
holidays. So, is there a staff report to
go with this or is there any discussion?
>> Uh, no formal presentation. Just
>> um council received the remaining uh
meeting schedule for the year and uh
consider the November meetings or
regular two regular meetings in
November. one falls on uh November 11th,
which is Veterans Day, and then the
Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
So, uh council can consider scheduling a
special meeting on November 18th,
um which is a regularly scheduled
planning commission meeting. So,
planning commission would have to be
scheduled or schedule their own special
meeting. Uh or alternatively the council
can discuss uh alternate special meeting
dates.
>> Okay. All right. Any questions for
Veronica?
» Um you had answered my question before
that in the event that it we decide on
this date that the planning commission
meeting that was scheduled for that date
would then be cancelled or rescheduled
>> or moved.
>> Just wanted to confirm that.
>> Correct. Ive council decide to hold uh
November 18th, then planning commission
will have to reschedu.
>> Any other questions for Veronica?
>> I do have a question. Um I don't see it
listed. I'm assuming uh December 23rd is
cancelled, not scheduled.
>> Uh
>> because that would be the following one
after
>> Yeah, that's our second December meeting
which is usually cancelled for the
holidays. Just double checking. Thank
you.
>> All right. Any other questions? All
right.
We'll open it up for public
comment. Anyone in the room like to
comment on this hot topic? All right. I
see nobody in the room. Um and I see
nobody online. So, I'm going to close
public comment.
>> Um bring it either back for discussion
or for a motion.
I will propose a motion right
>> to cancel the two regular November
meetings on November 11th and November
25th and schedule a special meeting on
November.
>> Thank you. Do I have a second?
>> Second.
>> All in favor say I.
>> I.
All right. Passes unanimously. Thank
you. All right. Moving on to 7C, amended
employment agreement for the town
manager.
>> Uh thank you, mayor. I will present this
item. I do not have a PowerPoint
presentation. Um this is a um an item to
consider an amendment to the town
manager's uh 2025 employment agreement
with the town. Uh the the amendment
would increase the annual base salary
from $250,000 to $268,500
um effective July 1, 2026. Um and that
effective date is the same as the rest
of town staff um which were um uh
authorized CPI adjustments. Uh the town
manager contract does not have any
automatic CPI adjustments. Uh and so
that is um the only amendment um that is
uh proposed by this and um that
concludes my report.
>> Thank you. Questions for Katherine?
All right. I don't see any questions for
Katherine. I will open it up for
>> I was just going to ask if there was any
changes made to any of the contracts
other than what you just discussed ba
from what we discussed in special
meeting. Uh no other change. This is the
only uh only change is the salary
adjustment.
» All right, I'm going to open it for
public comment at schoolhouse. I'm
seeing no one in the schoolhouse.
I see no one online. I'm going to close
public comment. bring it back to the
council for discussion or a motion.
» I make a motion to accept. I second it
>> contract.
>> Okay, we have a motion. We have a
second. All in favor say I.
>> Can I actually I have a comment?
>> Uh, sure.
>> Thank you. Um, I would just note
obviously I support this. I voted for
it. Um, but I would note that we
and this is a different topic and it's
not agendaized. So, this is just a
comment that we also need to think about
raises if the tax measure passes about
raises for uh the rest of town staff in
January. Thank you.
>> Okay, I have a motion. I have a second.
All in favor say I.
>> I.
>> Okay. Passes unanimously.
Congratulations, Darcy. We're really
glad to have you here. All right. Um let
me move on to the next item, which is
7D.
So Tony, is this you?
>> Yeah.
That made a difference. Opening the back
door
>> was a major change.
» Where's your book? We can open this
door. [laughter]
>> Good point. I was thinking of the only
lap book, the only book I have is a
laptop
or a chair maybe.
>> I don't know. If you push that one all
the way open, Mary, does it stay?
>> Push it all the way like completely wide
open. Does it latch?
» Okay,
I appreciate that.
Yeah,
>> we'll separate through this. This our
last.
[laughter]
» All right. How we doing? There we go.
>> Great. We're doing great.
So I have a brief presentation and then
um we have representatives from Eaton
Associates here tonight online. Uh they
will uh do a brief presentation as well
and then we will uh open it up for
questions from council. Uh and then but
tonight's item is to consider adopting a
resolution uh for the town manager to
execute an agree professional services
agreement with Eaton Associates an
amount not to exceed 175900
uh from October 1st 2026 through June
30th 2028.
So we began the RFP process uh back in
May. Uh we did receive six uh proposals.
Uh the six uh firms are Apex 8
Associates, Infinity Technologies,
Silicon Connections, Steepford, and the
network connection. Uh also the chart
here
uh has their three-year uh cost
proposals. um
ranging from 175,000 for three years to
uh 426,000.
Uh the selection criteria was in four
separate areas. Uh one was the a review
of the proposal packet. Um every every
proposal that was submitted met all the
criteria that was requested in the RFP.
Um we we were the second criteria was
interviews. We interviewed five of the
six uh firms. Um the third criteria was
cost estimates and then the last
criteria was references.
Um in all categories the each client or
each propo proposal each firm did really
well in regards to interviews and uh and
then we ranked by cost estimates. Uh but
where the separation came for Eaton
Associates was uh the references. Um we reached out to two of their
references who got back to us within
either the same day or by the next day.
And we had scheduled um follow-up calls
with these reference checks. And those
calls lasted about 45 minutes to one
hour. Uh and then one of the references
actually said we should talk to a third
um uh reference as well. Uh the three
references were in three separate
environments. Uh one reference was uh
completely 100% remote uh environment.
The second one was hybrid and the third
one was 100% where eaten was um hands-on
uh their IT department which is were uh
our which is our environment. um the
hybrid reference um five years ago they
were in the same boat as we are in
regards to their um IT uh department.
However, over the last five years
they've been able to make some
additional investments. Uh they've hired
some IT analysts, they've got an IT
manager, so it's more of a hybrid
approach. uh their contract is uh coming
up and um they did uh state that they
were going to be keeping Eaton and
Associates on as a as their IT service
provider even though they are taking on
more um IT responsibilities. And so
these comments that we received uh
weighed very heavily uh in the favor of
Eaton and Associates and uh combined
with everything uh taken into
consideration uh is the reason why staff
is recommending Eaton and Associates uh
to be our next IT service provider. Um
joining us tonight Associates team is
John Eaton is the CEO, Gabrielle Nelson
who is the account manager and maybe or
maybe not Adrian Eaton. I know he had a
time constraint, but u um that's my my
introduction of the Eaton Associates
team and then I will turn it over to
them for further um presentation.
» Hi, thank you.
>> Hi. Hi everybody. Um I can share my
screen
>> and good evening everybody. This is John
Eaten.
» All right. Uh, so good evening everyone
and thank you for inviting us to join
you all today. Uh, my name is Gabby
Nelson. I would be the town's account
manager and primary point of contact.
John Eaton, president, is also here with
me. Uh first we do want to thank the
town for the opportunity to participate
in the RFP process. We do recognize the
amount of time, coordination, and effort
that goes into a process like this, and
we really appreciate all the work that
this the town staff put into it. Uh
we're honored to have been selected and
we're really excited about the
opportunity to partner with Portola
Valley. Um for those of you who may not
be familiar with us, we would like to
take the next few minutes to introduce
who we are. um how we support our
municipal clients and what the town can
expect from us as a partner.
Um I I'll leave it up to the council for
what they prefer, but you can please
feel free to ask questions either
throughout the presentation or we can
leave uh time at the end. I don't know
if there is a current preference for the
council.
» I mean, why don't you give us your
presentation and then I'll open it up to
the council members for questions.
>> You got it.
Um, all right. So, to start, we are a
local company. Our headquarters are in
Sonteo and we have a long history of
supporting organizations throughout the
BA Bay Area and surrounding communities.
We provide comprehensive IT services and
our role goes well beyond simply
responding just when something breaks.
Our goal is to become an extension of
the town's team and to provide technical
resources, cyber security expertise, uh,
and strategic guidance needed to support
the town's operations. Uh, we also
understand that supporting a local
government organization comes with very
unique requirements around security,
compliance, availability, and public
service. So we do want to stress that we
are SOCK 2 certified and CEUS compliant.
Uh we also have extensive experience
supporting municipalities and other
public sector organizations with IT
environments and requirements that are
very similar to Portola Valley.
Um so what you can expect from us uh
during our partnership our focus will be
keeping the town's technology secure,
reliable and available. We do provide
247 365 infrastructure and cyber
security monitoring, meaning that there
are eyes on the town's environment
around the clock. Um, our help desk
operates during extended business hours
and we also have processes in place to
respond to any priority one issues
should they occur outside of standard
hours. Uh, [snorts] we also take a
proactive approach when it comes to
maintenance. So rather than waiting for
an issue to occur, we perform regularly
scheduled maintenance to keep systems
patched and updated and operating as
they should. Um, as part of this
process, we also validate backups,
review alerts, and we will help identify
any potential issues before they become
a larger problem for the town. And of
course, maintenance is always going to
occur outside of town business hours to
pres prevent any disruption to staff.
Um, we also want to uh stress, it's an
important note that our role isn't just
limited to day-to-day IT support. We
really do want to be a strategic partner
to the town. And this will include
helping with IT project management, uh
technology road mapaps, budgeting and
planning, uh life cycle management, and
any long-term strategic decisions.
Um our goal is to really understand
where the town is today, where it wants
to go, and then we can help build a
practical technology roadmap to get
there.
Uh cyber security is a major part of our
approach. As part of our partnership, we
would deploy and manage a number of
cyber security tools designed to
strengthen the town's overall security
posture. Uh these tools don't simply
alert us when something unusual happens
where appropriate. They can actually
take automated action to help contain a
threat. Um, we do see the combination of
technology,
monitoring, automation, and human
oversight as critical to providing
comprehensive IT support to the town.
Uh, something else that's extremely
important to us is accountability. Uh,
we provide the same level of care and
attention to all of our clients
regardless of their size. Uh some
examples here are representative of
clients that have environments very
similar to Portola Valley.
Uh we establish service level objectives
with all of our clients and we
continuously monitor how we're
performing against those expectations.
Uh we track service metrics through live
dashboards and we use those metrics to
identify trends, address issues and
continually improve our service. We also
provide regular reporting so the town
has visibility into our ticket metrics.
Uh we really see these metrics as a way
to demonstrate our performance through
clear and measurable results.
Uh we have significant experience
supporting local government
organizations. Here are two examples of
government clients that we currently
support. Um while we do understand that
every organization is different, uh
these clients have many of the same
considerations that Portullah Valley
has. Uh this is including public sector
operations, cyber security requirements,
compliance considerations, and then just
the need for reliable technology.
Um that experience that we are bringing
is valuable because we understand that
municipal IT isn't just simply about
keeping computers running. uh technology
supports critical public services and we
know that when systems are unavailable
it directly impacts the community. So
our experience working with the town
with our experience working with
municipalities will allow us to bring
that same perspective to the town.
Uh so ultimately we really want to be
more than an IT vendor. Uh the qualities
we strive to bring to every partnership
is responsiveness, reliability, pro
proactivity, and uh accountability.
Uh we want town staff to know who to
call. Uh they want we want them to know
that we will respond and just as
importantly that we're looking ahead and
identifying opportunities before they
become problems.
Uh we also place a great deal of value
on the relationships we build with our
clients. and we're really happy to hear
that Tony experienced that when he was
calling our references.
Um, how we uh how our partners
experience working with us truly
matters. Uh, we're proud of the
relationships we have developed with our
existing government clients and we're
grateful that they view us as a trusted
extension of their team and we really
expect we really hope to have that same
relationship to build that same
relationship uh with Portola Valley.
Uh and then just to close, we want to
thank you again for the opportunity to
introduce ourselves and for the
confidence the town has placed in us. Uh
we're really excited about the
opportunity to partner with Portola
Valley and we look forward to building a
relationship with the town and helping
Portola Valley maintain a secure,
reliable, and well-managed technology
environment.
So, thank you and happy to answer any
questions.
>> Thank you.
All right. Um, clarifying questions to
Tony or John or Gabrielle?
» I do.
>> Go ahead.
>> Hey. Um, could you go back and show the
slide on the uh financials, Tony?
While you're doing that, I'll ask a
different question. Um, this is based on
our normal contractor contract, right?
>> Correct. They have agreed to our um our
standard professional services
agreement.
>> And had you or anybody representing the
town considered the termination notice
period? It's 30 days if we terminate.
And my question
is whether it was considered that that
may be pretty short to put in place
somebody else. I don't know if that was
a subject of discussion.
I have not considered this. Um,
but if that is something the council
would like to direct staff to discuss
it.
>> Yeah, thank you.
>> I just wanted to know where you'd
already been before I start discussing
things. Okay, Tony, on this um we are
in a middle of the range. I mean, were
there differences in the level of
services driving these quotes or was it
apples to apples?
>> It was mostly apples to apples. There
were some uh like like the number of
hours on site for um there were some
variation between special projects.
>> Some it was included in the monthly
rate, others it was a separate charge.
Uh but um the average varied between
what the numbers between what Apex,
Eaton and Associates and Steepford those
were all comparable uh
>> okay pricing models that um they had.
>> Okay, thank you. Um, one question I have
is in terms of the capacity if the
references are keeping them. This
question is for Eaton. And how do you
scale? Um, because you're obviously, you
know, needing to if you're taking on new
clients. So, what what asurances would
we have?
>> Yeah. Well, well, we're used to scaling.
So, that is not an issue. We have the
ability to scale quickly based on need.
Um, we've had clients in the past, uh,
we we work with corporate clients as
well. We had a a corporate client that
required us to scale extremely quickly,
very, uh, to meet their need. Uh, for it
was for a temporary project, but we were
able to to do that for them. Um, we, uh,
we're we're used to it. We know we have
great connections to find good people.
Um, so we would be able to scale
quickly. Uh, but we would not need to
scale right now. We're able to to
support Portola Valley completely with
the staff we have currently, but should
we need to scale.
>> It wouldn't be the first time.
>> And your onboarding process, um, I
assume the staff spoke and is
comfortable that there's a seamless
possibility there.
>> Yeah, this is that's my favorite part.
Um I it's really important to me to make
sure transitions are smooth. That's your
first
>> impression of us.
>> Yeah.
>> Um we work closely with your current
provider. Uh we have very well
documented. We I I already have the
agenda set up for you all and what we're
going to do to get the transition. So
that's not a problem.
>> Okay. Thank you. I only have a couple
more. Um,
I don't know how your support dovetales
with our need for system access in the
schoolhouse. Like I know we need a new
system here.
>> So there's actually two questions. One
is um, you know, can they be involved in
analyzing new equipment? What's the
intent?
>> Yeah, that was a specific topic that was
addressed in every interview with the
with each firm.
>> Okay. Thank you. And in terms of the
updates occurring outside of hours that
this staff is working, we have a lot of
evening meetings. And I'm I don't know
if what you do would potentially
interrupt our our town schedule, which
goes longer than most business days.
>> We would always work with the town to
schedule this. So, we would have
reoccurring maintenance that's agreed
upon.
>> Um, and it could be at any time. So, it
could be at 2 in the morning. And I'm
hoping these meetings wouldn't go that
long for you all so we can accommodate.
>> Yeah, we can outdo ourselves sometimes.
Um [laughter]
» um my last question is on the resolution
time for a small jurisdiction was 3.6
hours versus the larger jurisdiction of
1.33.
So what can you give an overview of why
that is?
>> It was it's massive tickets. the larger
jurisdiction has
way a was 1500 tickets, right? I think
it was uh verse 300. So, it's just when
you have more tickets, you can respond
things a little bit quicker. It's uh
average. I do want to stress that
the we do treat all of our clients the
same. Uh regardless of size, uh we hold
all like all of our we have a live
dashboard. Our team is constantly
tracking. We have multiple ticket
coordinators. Anything that's falling
out of our service level objective is
read and people will jump on it quickly.
And also as your account manager,
anything that Tony and the group were to
feel is lingering, they would come
directly to me and it would be fixed.
>> So I'm not saying follow the rationale,
but um but that's the end of my
questions.
>> Sure.
>> Okay. Thank you. Other questions for
Eaton or for Tony?
>> Yes, this is Rebecca, Council Member
Flynn. Um, in submitting your bid, um,
it would appear that you did have the
opportunity to do sort of a basic
evaluation of our current system. Is
that accurate?
>> I don't think we have access to your
systems yet. So, that would be one of
the first things we do when we on board
is would be a vulnerability scan. So, we
would be scanning your entire network,
um, collecting all the information we
need, identifying potential
vulnerabilities, mapping out what we're
going to tackle first.
>> Um, but I don't think we have access to
your systems just yet. Tony, please
correct me if there maybe something I
have missed.
>> We haven't coordinated with Separate
yet.
>> My question wasn't about actual access.
My question was more about the systems
we have in place. I think there was a
mention that we have three servers. Um
the Wi-Fi I don't know if the network
Wi-Fi was discussed at all um
>> was information that we
>> right so um based on that um do you have
any sense of how extensive changes might
be necessary to bring it up to you know
best practices we probably can't afford
but close to that or do you do you have
a sense yet of that or
>> no but we would we'll always work with
the town and be reasonable we have it's
we're it's pretty standard practice that
what we would do is we would iron out an
IT road map for you all and we'd
identify what like there's always
lowhanging fruit. So we would tackle
that quickly and that's probably things
that we can get done very very quickly
in the first couple of months. Anything
that's larger projects we would map out
and we work closely with town staff
whoever our point of contact would be
and I believe in this case it'll be
Elizabeth. I would work closely with her
and we would budget. So for we put
together I think typically our
government clients like a three-year
budget. So it would be year one. This is
what we're we're hoping to get approved
for the fiscal year then year two and
year three. And it would be it's really
balanced between anything we identify as
critical and then of course there's the
town needs like what the town is looking
to accomplish as well.
So just for clarification when you say
put together a budget this is over and
above the contract
is that correct in understanding or is
it also in some of it included in the
contract?
>> So anything that's add new additions. So
for example if we were to do a switch
refresh a server refresh where we need
to pull out old equipment and replace it
with new equipment that's considered
project work and outside of the regular
maintenance. And I think that tends to
be pretty standard. So our our contract
covers
the all the the maintenance, the
workstations, but if I would say the
best way to describe it is if there's
going to be any sort of new
um
any like a a new project. So like I said
with a switch refresh, a firewall re
refresh, a server refresh, those would
be considered special projects.
>> Yeah. And perhaps I could add a little a
little clarity there. So you for example
the the service contract uh would
include uh if a computer died replacing
the computer either a workstation or a
server that would be included. Uh the
hardware is obviously not included but
yeah uh you mentioned that if you wanted
a new AV system for the schoolhouse or
you are opening a new facility um that kind of work which you know again
we would consider net new uh we would
work with a town to develop a budget but
uh a lot most of the day-to-day
operational work is included in in in
this contract. We don't like to nickel
and dime our clients and I'm sure our
clients don't like it either.
>> So just to get clarification again on
for example the AV project for the
schoolhouse. Are you saying that the
scoping out of that project would be
included but the actual implementation
would then be a special project or would
that not be?
>> That's exactly right. So we will we will
present you with a plan a potential
budget etc. based on our conversations
with what you all are looking for and
then you know the actual procurement and
implementation
uh would be an additional project that
would be built separately and depending
on the work some things we would do
ourselves some things we would uh work
with a specialist just depending on the
nature of of what the work is
>> and then I had a couple areas of
confusion with respect to the contract
um several points it stated that the
standard contract was for 4 hours of
on-site
um support and you were recommending 8
hours. Um what was the final decision
about that? Are we does the contract the not to exceed 175,000
include four hours or eight hours?
» I I believe it we're we'll do what the
town thinks is best. So if the town is
used to and wants 4 hours, then we would
do 4 hours. I memory serves me. I
thought it was 2 days of 4 hours, but I
could be wrong. And that's why we might
have recommended eight. Typically, our
clients like at least one full day. Um I
can't remember if it was uh scope for
four or eight, but I believe it was four
because that's what the contract asked
for then. Yeah.
Um,
>> and so if we would need eight hours, we
would need to pay the hourly rate of
$195 per hour for the additional four
hours, which would be 780 per week, and
multiply that by 50, we're coming up
with $39,000. Is that correct? We would
need to add that to the um
to the annual bill of 87,900
in order to get a full day
>> if the town would like to have eight
hours. Correct. But I believe Tony
currently are is the town happy with
their 4hour on-site.
>> That is what we currently work under.
But I think that's something that we're
going to look at as we start. And then
uh we'll make a determination if it's
working or not, if we need more hours or
less hours.
>> Okay.
>> Have we we don't have a definite answer
to that question right now.
Um, could I get
let's see clarification on the the not
to exceed cost for the first 21 months.
Um the annual price is 879
but the and also the contract terms
because the contract says until July
June 30th 2028
and then the Eaton contract says until
20
it says for three years.
>> That was their proposal not a contract.
>> Okay. So you you're so what we're
talking about today is for the 21
>> 30th 2028 and we are using twice the
first two years
uh which it's tw it's paying for 24
months but we're asking for spending
authority up to 175
so that in case there are any additional
costs related to implementation or
anything that comes up post that we
still have the spending authority and we
don't have to come back to council for
another budget.
So in terms of things coming up you're
thinking
>> and this amount is actually in the
budget for the two years.
>> Okay. And so in terms of things that
you're thinking might bump the cost up
over their typical monthly would be some
of the scoping projects that were
critical that we needed to fix. Is that my understanding?
>> Whatever they identified during their
initial assessment.
>> Okay. Um, so I wanted to say that the
biggest
problem from the perspective of our
residents as well as kind of the
frustration that occurs for town council
members, committee members,
commissioners, is the schoolhouse AV
system that seems to fail on a regular
basis. Um,
and many of our meetings, as Judith
brought up, uh, happen at 7:00 at night,
and that's not covered in the standard
help desk hours that you're proposing,
which is 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Personally,
so what would happen in the situation
where the system goes down at our
meeting at 7:00,
but how how would Eaton handle that?
What would be
>> that would be Yeah, that's a priority
one. So you would be getting support. Uh
typically we can resolve most of these
things remotely. Um I do remember from
our conversations with Tony and
Elizabeth that the town also has an AV
vendor. So we would work very closely
with them as well. Um but ideally what
we can identify is ways to make that
system stable, work with the vendor, the
AV vendor as well to make that system
more reliable, more stable. But should
you have an issue during a meeting, you
will get support. That would be
considered a priority one issue and we
have some people available to assist and
then I would make sure that Tony
Elizabeth have my direct line as well. I
think they both already do and I can
make sure that you would get support
that we all of our all of our government
clients have these special meetings that
are always after hours. So, it's nothing
new.
>> Yeah. And another pardon me. Excuse me.
Go ahead.
>> Go ahead. Go ahead. Uh I was going to
say another thing that we can do and and
what we what we would typically do is
once a new AV system has been
implemented uh we would have a person on
site during the first meeting or two to
ensure any little hiccups get ironed out
immediately uh unless the AV vendor uh
depending on the nature of of the
project uh is there to do that. But
yeah, we do have some some of our
clients do request to have an on-site
presence during the meetings. Uh, I I
wouldn't jump to that as a as a
full-time forever option because it can
get expensive, but I think that it
certainly is something, you know, to
keep in mind that during a transition
period or or for example, if you're
having a particularly special meeting
and you're expecting, you know, hundreds
or thousands of people to show up, uh,
then then for an event like that, it
might be appropriate to have an IT
person, you know, physically on site.
But those are the details we can work
out with y'all. And it's not possible
for us to have an 8 am to 8:00 pm help
desk instead of a 6 am to 6 pm.
>> We can we can work with Tony and see if
that's something we can we can put
together. Yeah. So the Gabriel request
is 8 to 8 instead of 6 to 6.
>> Yeah. And I and I could confirm that you
will get that regardless. Um if so if
you need assistance, we would make that
work. That's not a problem. But I can
make a note and add it to our agenda.
Um
I I have a couple questions for staff.
Um the contract um has refers to the
services to the town as described in
more details in exhibit A. Exhibit A is
empty. So maybe there's some
>> exhibit A was their proposal
>> is their proposal. But yet their
proposal is not 100% of what we're is
the only change from the proposal is the
time
the duration
>> because their proposal says three years
and we're doing it for 21 months
>> services are still identified.
>> Okay.
>> And we're comfortable with with the the
distinction of the contract the contract
terms being the controlling reference
for the uh time frame of the contract
even though we proposed just a straight
three years.
that that doesn't present any problems
to us.
>> And could our town attorney and our town
manager give me a perspective on our
requirements to accept the lowest bid or
are we able to accept a middle of the
road bid
for professional services? You have um
authority to accept uh a middle-of the
road bid. Uh it's it's public works
projects where there's a legal
obligation to accept the low bid.
>> Okay. Thank you. And could you also
clarify Tony what the overlap will be
between our departing uh service
provider and Eaton?
>> So the schedule is uh September and then
have Eaton in in place by October 1st.
>> So you're planning to have them come in
a month ahead of time?
>> Yes, they'll be overlapping with Stford.
>> Okay. And do we have a cost for what
that would be? if we're complete if they
complete the implementation before the
um October 1st and I believe that's
included.
>> Not what I read. My read is if you
wanted to have them come in two weeks
before the implementation before the
start date that there was an additional
charge for that. But maybe I misread
that.
Anybody else see that
implementation is included in
I I want to make this clear. So, there's
a monthly cost. If we start September,
that would just be your regular monthly
cost and onboarding would be included in
that. Um,
>> so that's about 7,000 I think something
like that,
>> right? We've asked for
>> 79. No.
>> Yeah. But that's still going to be less
than what we're asking for.
>> What we're asking for. So we're the the
amount of the contract is 24 months the
value of the contract.
>> Oh, I see what you're saying. Okay. So
you're actually anticipating the
contract starts September 1st then it
sounds
>> be if there there'll be some initial
cost that we will have to consider. Yes.
That's why we're asking for an
additional
>> So why don't we write the contract
starting September 1st?
» I I'm I'm confused.
said, "Rebecca, can you wrap up?" Get
the other council members. [laughter]
>> Okay. I guess my questions are not
useful.
>> No, I think they're useful. I don't
think we're going to get answers to all
of them on the fly from the DAS.
>> I think Darcy was about to answer
Rebecca's question. Actually,
» we normally start the contract when it's
approved and then we have an
implementation date and that's when the
work starts.
So, is that September 1st then?
Let me pull it up and check. But
I think it would be helpful if if
there's any other questions.
Let us know. We'll research that one.
>> Yeah.
Did you have any other questions or can
I move on to other council and they can
re research it while we're discussing
other things?
>> Well, my only other question is that AI
is on everybody's mind and um
we're we're already late to the ball
game and so
some point we're going to need to have
our new IT contractor consider that. So,
I'm just curious where that fits in.
>> Yeah, that. So, I would probably start
with um we would want to put together a
policy. So, it's always important to
start with a a policy around AI. How the
town foresees utilizing AI. Uh AI is
really helpful, but it's not needed for
everything. Um we would start there. uh
identify need and then figure out what
best suit what AI can best fits in for
the town. Um and then if there's tools
that the town would like to utilize, we
would highly recommend having a
townowned
AI tool everyone is
for. So I would I would start with a
policy identify need for AI and then we
could go from there. But that's not a
problem. The AI is top of everyone's
mind.
» Yeah.
>> And we can amend the date on the
contract to September 1st.
>> What's that?
>> We can we can amend the date on the
contract to September 1st.
» All right. Other questions for Tony or
Eaton?
>> Ellen,
>> I have a question. Um, can you speak
Eaton? This is more for Eaton. Um
obviously you've you're set up to do
cyber security but to protect against
ransomware attacks.
>> Yes.
» Was that the question?
>> Yes.
Absolutely.
>> Right. Because ransomware attacks have
taken out quite a few public agencies.
>> Yes. Um yes. So we have several tool
sets. Um, and I would definitely what we
could do is Tony I can uh connect with
our technical team and actually write
something up that we can present to
council or you can share with council
after uh that's more detailed. But
absolutely we have
several tools that are monitoring your
network, monitoring your emails, uh
monitoring your servers. Uh the tools
that they are coming out with and that
we would be deploying are quite
advanced. Um they do have the ability to
uh now isolate
servers if they start doing weird stuff,
mailboxes if they start doing weird
stuff. Um we we have our whole tool set
is designed to fight
cyber security threats. Um if the the um
council's interested, I can get more
details for you all on a document.
>> And if I could, I'd just like to add,
you know, two points to that. Uh so
yeah, we we agree ransomware uh is on
the rise and they're getting better and
better at [snorts] it. Uh we it's it's a
multi-layered approach we take with the
most advanced tools that are available
uh to to prevent it. Uh that includes uh
training for the individuals because
unfortunately uh a person clicking on a
link is one of the most common ways that
bad things can start to happen. But we
also try to layer in uh tools into the
infrastructure so even if a link is you
know by accident clicked it doesn't run
rampant through the through the entire
environment. And another cornerstone of protection is your backups. So we we
we're not familiar what the current
backup uh system is with with with the
town, but if you have reliable backups
that are encrypted and you know, one of
the things that we do uh as part of our
normal services is we you validate
backups and do test restores on on a
regular schedule to ensure that they're
good. uh in the very worst case if if
ransomware does get in uh say someone
you know plugs an infected thumb drive
into a computer or something uh if you
if the data is is backed up and
encrypted in backup then we just wipe
the computers restore the the data and
get rolling again. And you know, it's a
very annoying, you know, couple of days,
but it's not uh it's not disastrous and and you're certainly not um
going to you're not going to be out of
business, so to speak. Uh so I think
again that that it's it's a key focus of
ours. Cyber security is a key focus of
ours uh to do everything that we can to
ensure that you have a good environment
that's as secure as possible and
resistant to as ransomware as possible.
Uh I can't say that that it's impossible
to avoid it. Um gi given how
sophisticated they are. I think there
was one example of someone got infected
by a uh a fish tank that was on the
internet. They hacked into a fish tank
and hopped over and um another was
socially engineered um
attack uh where they try they pretended
to be someone else. So, you know, for
example, we have uh procedures and
policies in place to identify people
calling support so we don't start
changing passwords for the bad guys,
things like that. But yeah, it it it's a difficult challenge and we
recognize it. But we can do everything
reasonable to ensure you aren't uh
ransomware or infected. And then if if
should something bad happen that you can
recover very quickly and it's not a
devastating event.
>> Thank you so much. You bet. Other
questions?
Um then I just have a couple. Um the
first one is how familiar are you guys
with open gov
>> what?
>> I'm sorry.
>> Open gov.
>> uh
>> software.
>> Yeah, pretty familiar with most
government uh we we do a lot of work
with what Tyler Technologies, Central
Square Tracket, Open Gov. um
pretty familiar with most of them. Is is
open gov a pain point for the town?
>> Well, we're in the process of moving
over to it. So, in that sense, it's a
>> Okay. [laughter] Well, yeah,
transitions.
>> Tyler was the pain point.
>> There we go. Okay. Well, yeah, happy to
assist. We We're very familiar with with
>> Okay. And then my other question
>> my other question I mean one of the
things I was pushing for is
>> you know we need a part-time CE CTO um
and so can you give me a sense for
within your organization I mean how does
that service get delivered like how how
do we see the sort of you know part-time
CTO
>> uh our CTO is heavily involved
especially when it comes to projects and
uh cyber security he uh He when we get
you all on boarded, one of the first
things we'll do is the vulnerability
scan and that is reviewed by the CTO. He
will assist uh me the project manager
and put together a road map, identify
anything that needs to be corrected
immediately. Um you can uh the town will
have direct access to the CTO as well
via email or cell phone. Um
>> Gabrielle,
>> yeah, please. Uh if if I may. So uh
everything Gabrielle said said is
correct. You know he he works very
closely with our clients. Uh we also uh
have um regularly occurring meetings. I
think it's typically every two weeks and
the CTO can attend those uh as needed as
requested. uh we also do uh quarterly
business reviews and by default the CTO
is there because that's when we focus on
things that happened in the past and
things we want to focus on in the future
and having that high level input is is
important but yeah the CTO reviews all
of the you know the the big documents
>> okay and I think what I heard is that
road maps the projects
>> right and and so quarterly it sounds
like we got opportunity to do sort of
strategic planning and then along the
way the CTO is looking at more of the
immediate needs.
>> Exactly. That and I can coordinate
>> and if you Yeah. Yeah. I was going to
say if you if you want to talk to him
next Wednesday, just let us know and
we'll schedule a meeting. It's it's you
know we don't lock them away in a glass
case or anything.
>> Yeah. Perfect. Okay. Um that's it for
me.
>> Yeah. Okay.
>> So, can I open up to public comment or
do you have some Oh.
I we're not we haven't reached our
regular comments yet.
>> We haven't we haven't gone to public
comment yet. So, we're just these are
just questions for Tony and E.
>> Okay. Um I have a very simple question
which is I'm not aware of who the
previous person was.
>> Steepford.
>> Okay. That's that's what I was beginning
to assert. uh and the other thing that I
haven't seen in this in anywhere is the
uh user friendly aspect and and where I
mean what I see is the struggling
committees trying to make the system
work in the schoolhouse and not working
and not being able to get the meetings
done and so forth and and to Rebecca's
po point who is this AV vendor and is
that another whole account And is this
going to solve any of those any of the
real problems that we see in functioning
as a as a basically a committee run
town?
>> Um the this Crestor system I believe
it's KOD that does that does support and
so um yeah they'll be working with
Kota to make sure that we are connected.
>> Yeah.
>> In that.
>> Okay.
>> And Right. Well, yeah. I think the
larger issue here is what this is what I
was asking about the CTO is we should
have a strategic discussion about our ad
because the stuff we have is not in my
opinion the right solution.
>> The system we have it's packed
>> it's not comprehensive
>> and this is not going to fix it. I take
it
>> not immediately. We'll scope it out and
then
>> but ultimately it's going to come down
to funding
>> and this is going to be a capital this
is going to be CIP projects
>> that we're going to have to address and
it's be going to be outside the scope of
the contract.
>> All right. So I'm not after these guys
are done with their hundreds of
thousands of dollars I'm not going to be
able to go over to that computer and
start the meeting. I take it. Okay. Got
it. But we do have significant
experience working with towns and
corporate a corporate organizations on
AV implementations. So we can certainly
you know put something together. We can
work your existing vendor partners if
that's what's desired. So it we can fix
it. Uh we just don't know what the what
that looks like yet.
>> We would
>> yeah we just we need to have a
discussion. So
>> okay so I' I'd like to open it for
public comment. Are there any public
comment in the room? Dad, please come to
the microphone.
>> Yay.
You you're hanging out a long time for
this. Thank you.
>> We we just came to listen. Uh but now I
do have a comment. Um just to introduce
myself, my name is Aaron Eert. I grew up
in Pole Valley. My partner and I just
relocated back here. So excited to be
here and thank you guys for everything
you're doing to make our town better.
Um,
my first question was about AI and uh,
Rebecca or sorry, Council Member Flynn,
you asked about AI uh, and how we're
using it. I'm curious um, to Eton, how
you guys are using AI and in what ways
might some of our town's data be exposed
um, through the AI that you're using?
Should I list all my questions or
>> Yeah, because generally you're up there
to make comments, not questions, but
Okay. But but if the council feels like
they're good questions, then we'll tend
to
>> Okay, I'll make them to you guys.
>> So, yeah. So, go ahead.
>> Yeah. So, um basically every time a um
company uses an AI vendor, they are
third party to this company, Eton, and
um any data that they take of ours is
now going to that AI vendor. So for
example, if you're using Open AI and
ChatGBT to like process something about
our town, that data is now exposed to
chat GBT and it's important that their
instance of ChatGBT is not being trained
on our data and that that data remains
private to our town so that they don't
have that information about us. So
anytime we have any vendor who's
interacting with our data, I would say
that's extremely important. Um, one
other thing I wanted to uh mention is
you guys were talking about new AI or
new AV equipment. Um, just how MSPs
work, managed service providers. Anytime
they sell us new equipment, they're
making money on that equipment versus us
buying it. And that just raised the
question in my head around, you know, we
have a incredibly intelligent town here,
especially where we're based. Um, and
maybe there it's worth having like a
call to volunteers of people who work in
this space. I specifically work in for
an IT company um in the governance risk
and compliance space. So I have a lot of
knowledge in this space. I'm not
necessarily the person to find equipment
but I think there's a lot of intelligent
people here. So I'd be curious to uh
find the best you know deal we could for
the town and the best solution.
Um and then the last uh question I just
want to ask about just because I'm
knowledgeable in the space uh if you
guys feel it's worth asking is they
mentioned SOCK 2 type 2 compliance
certification which is a really great
certification to have and I was curious
just to hear who their auditor was for
that because I have a lot of knowledge
in the space um and if they plan to
pursue any other framework
certifications those types of
certifications help protect our data and
ensure that the way that they're
operating as a company is going to be
safer. for you know every everything
we're giving them access to. Thank you.
>> Great. Thank you. Um so what I would
recommend is why don't so
>> just you're hired
>> Mary.
So what I was going to say is if you are
interested please do give your contact
information to the town manager. Um and
I'm sure we'd love to take advantage of
that. Um so with some of those questions
um why don't we start with the sort of
AI and the sort of the protection of the
data.
>> Yeah.
>> And I I have a very simple answer. Sorry
Gabriel. Very simple answer. Uh we we
don't use public AI for we don't expose
any of our clients uh information to
public AI. We have our own internal AI
systems.
>> So I agree with him. it would be
inappropriate to to do that and
something to be concerned about, but we
don't we don't use AI that way.
>> Okay. And and then the other one that I
would say generally was um sort of sock
2 and other certifications.
» Right now we have sock right now we have
SOCK 2. Uh I would have to talk with our
um CTO regarding additional
certifications, but right now we have
Sock 2. Uh, and then I could
>> And do you know who the audit
>> Do you know who the auditor was? That was kind of the question around
sock too.
>> That one I would need to ask. So I can
get back to you on that one.
>> Okay, great. And I'm sorry, John, I
interrupted you.
>> Oh, no worries. I was going to say we're
also CJS compliant, which is a little
bit of a different uh security, but uh
that's very important in the law
enforcement world. So when we work with
uh police departments and similar uh
like and airports uh the sieges is very
important.
>> Okay, great.
>> I I did want to address the selling of
equipment. So all of our government
clients have a purchasing policy. So
what that would drive is that
when we provide a quote, it either needs
to have a cooperative agreement. So that
means that it's already been vetted cuz
we cited a cooperative agreement. So it
is the best pricing. We get special
pricing for the town. If we cannot get
the town special pricing, we would we
would tell them and that they would need
to look elsewhere. We would help them
with that. Um also sometimes purchasing
policies will require the town to
collect uh three quotes. Um, so that way
it's um, that's all government agencies
have a purchasing policy. So it's not a gotcha. You have to get equipment from
us. Not everyone. Yeah. Sometimes we
have the best quote, sometimes we don't.
So it's really that's just how it goes.
>> And I did want to uh chime in with the
auditors. So we've worked with Vanta and
Coupe most recently. Coupe is K O P.
Okay, I'm I'm getting thumbs up in the
room. So, great. Thank you.
Okay, let me move to the next public
comment. So, I'll go online. So, David
Cardinal, you're up.
>> Hi. Thanks. Yeah, first of all, this is
a a great um
presentation. And I think as far as
keeping the trains running on time, this
will be a big upgrade from our current
vendor who doesn't even know the train
schedule from what I can tell. Um, my
only comments relate to being realistic
about what this is going to solve and
not solve. Um, a lot of our trains don't
have tracks. So, for example, whenever
the power goes out, which it does here a
lot, unlike Hillsboro or Los Alto Hills
even, um, or our cellular connection is
bad, our meetings frankly go in the
toilet. So, a network architect who can
make Starlink backup work, failover
work, uh, all that stuff I think is
really important. And if Eaton can do
that, great. I didn't hear that tonight,
but we didn't ask them that. Second, on
the AV, um, I've done a lot of AV
systems and I get the volunteer buying
the equipment, but then you don't want
to be the person stuck maintaining it.
So, I'm okay with buying it
professionally because I don't want to
be the guy who has to go there. But I do
think it's important. This support thing
is kind of a red herring. I mean, if the
meeting doesn't start at 7 or at least
by 710, it might as well not start. So,
at some level, what I'd like to see
between our IT vendor and our AV vendor
is somebody's on the hook that at 6:45
p.m. we have 99% availability in the
schoolhouse. And if they can't guarantee
that, then we aren't doing the right
thing because that's really what we
need. Um
I think on some of that Muhammad their
CTO is really good on cyber security
reading his resume he's not a doesn't
seem to be a super deep network
architect um which is fine u but I think
this is more a trains run on time thing
and then AI um I think it's interesting
I think we have a lot of people here in
town I mean I I do it 12 hours a Okay.
Um who can kind of help with what we
might benefit from. Um and a lot of us
like I do early childhood research at
Stanford so we know a lot about
protecting information. So in that sense
we do have a lot of resources that I
think we can help out with. But all in
all I would I would love to see us move
off of the current completely broken
train system. So thanks.
>> Thank you Dave. Christie you're up.
Thank you. I just wanted to say that I
think it's extremely important that the
person's onsite
to help with the schoolhouse. I've gone
to lots of meetings that start late and
I don't know how it could be done from a
distance and that's a concern. Um, my
second question, that's a comment and
then a question would be what cities in
San Mo County have you worked with that
have open gov?
And what cities are those?
» Okay, thank you Christie.
>> So, Gabriel, maybe you can get back to
us on that. That would be a fine thing
just to, you know, get back to Tony. So,
okay, I don't see any hands in the
schoolhouse and I don't see hands up
online. So, I'm going to close public
comment, bring it back to the council.
Um, so the we can have some discussion,
but the main issue here is to adopt a
resolution authorizing the professional
services agreement and the funding for
it. So, is there any additional
discussion or do I have a motion?
So, I do want to raise the termination
timing. Um, like if somebody walked away
from a contract with us, how long would
the time to get someone else in place
be? Because we've obviously got to do an
RFP. So, curious about what the length
of time we ought to focus on is.
» Um, looking at me, this is I say this is
a business term. Um but I would um I 30
days is standard but of course this is
not a standard situation where you know
we have we would have to do um an RFP in
this process is probably taken three
months. Um
>> yes.
>> So um I guess I would suggest with you
know depending on what um our our town
manager is now manager think that uh we
actually might want to put 90 days in
that um in that section of the contract
if it's agreeable uh with um uh
with Eaton. Um I think that would make
more sense in terms of this contract.
>> Yeah. And for Eaton's benefit, the
concern is obviously we're a small
jurisdiction, extremely lean staff, and
you know, the the RFP process, we really
can't have a situation where we don't
have an IT provider, and I'm kind of not
used to seeing in business an ability to
walk away, you know, that quickly. So,
would that be something you would
consider? Um, you don't have to answer
now, but that's what I'm gonna
recommend.
>> I I can answer now. We don't have any
problem with with a longer a long period
if the town prefers 90 days.
>> Yeah. And then I heard during our
discussions, we would start the contract
on September one for purposes of a
motion. Craig, I just want to make sure
we know what we're
>> Yeah.
Y
>> um
>> any other
>> I just wanted to clarify the contract I
believe said that the that 20 um users
would be supported and I'm just curious
who those 20 users are and if they do
include the five of us here.
» We are very used to supporting council
members and commissioners. Uh typically
the a staff member reaches out on your
behalf and we then reach out to you.
You're more than h happy to reach out to
me directly and I can get you someone
connected. We can coordinate either
on-site support for you or remote
support, but commissioners and council
members we work with on a daily basis.
>> But Gabrielle, I think the point was we
just need to work with Tony and sure
they're included in whatever that
>> number. Yeah.
>> Yeah. So yeah, if the number Antony, I
don't know the answer, but we we can
work with you to adjust it's appropriate
to include any any council or members or
anyone else that wishes to be included
if if that's what the decision is.
>> Yeah, we'll work that out.
>> Yep.
>> Great.
>> Okay.
>> My only comment is thank you for putting
all this together to the staff.
>> Um these are good options. Thank you.
>> Yeah, I mean that's my comment. This has
been a long time coming. So, you know,
thank thank you for finally getting it,
you know, kind of over the goal line, so
to speak. All right, any more
discussion? Can I have a motion?
>> Motion to approve uh the contract with
Eaton uh with the two changes of
September 1 start date and 90 days
termination notice for Eaton. Do
>> I have a second?
>> Second.
>> Okay, I have a motion and a second. All
in favor say I.
>> I.
>> All right. Passes unanimously. Thank you
very much. Um, nice to meet you guys um,
virtually online. Um, and we look
forward to seeing some of you in person.
>> Thank you as well. Thank you very much.
Have a good evening everybody.
» Okay, so that closes out the regular
agenda. Now we move to number eight,
subcommittee
leazison and regional agency reports.
Are there any oral reports or just
what's the
>> um, I have a couple. Um,
I attended and I think I saw Judith in
the background too. The the Stanford
human- centered AI little conference
that they had and um they the group
issued a 400page
document where they analyzed all the
changes in AI for the past year and what
impacts they might have on a variety of
different situations including um
employment, economy, etc., etc. So, um,
if people are interested, we can send
the link around to that report. And, and
also, I was able to make several
contacts with, um, different
municipalities and learned that Los
Altos Hills has taken has, um, signed up
for an AI vendor to help them. Um, and
there's a couple others. Um San Jose has
a a gov AI consortium
um that we are invited to um participate
with as well where it's sort of an
analysis of you know working through the
issues of AI and government. There's a
bunch of great contacts. And the second
thing I wanted to talk about was um
council member Hasco's report on a bag.
And um it seems to me that there is some
next steps for the council to work on in
terms of whether it's working with
Sonteo County to create a larger sub
group to deal with the the Arena 7 or
have a relationship with some other
jurisdictions for example to share our
regional housing needs. So, I'm just
wondering what the next step is in terms
of, you know, what you view and what the
staff views in terms of what we should
be doing about addressing um Arena 7,
which will be coming down the pike next
year, I believe.
>> Yeah.
>> I don't know how you want us to respond.
>> Well, I was going to say given these are
reports, I don't think there's too much
room to comment here, but what I would
suggest is maybe you and Rebecca can
work on a proposal and bring it back to
us on what next steps we should be
taking with regard to a bag. Yeah. Um
but to add on the HAI conference at
Stanford, um there there's a lot going
on. I do recommend that we circulate the
link so people can understand general
trends. I just found it pretty
interesting on a policy level and um it
did point out the need to start getting
AI related policies, what what can be
used, what can't. So it's not a tomorrow
thing, but I really think we need to
have policies to protect the town and
then the next step would be policies on
making ourselves efficient using AI
within whatever we learn we can do. So
just plant that thought. But I I did
think that was a very um gathering. And
on the Aback stuff um there are some
significant changes. So, as a preview, I
think it's going to be making sure we're
getting ahead rather than being reactive
this time on the new things that we see
coming. So, that'll be we'll put it
together.
>> Great. Thank you. Okay. Um, with that,
I'd like to open it up for public
comment.
>> Oh, I had some comments.
>> Uh, well, do you have another report? I
wanted to comment and make sure that
everyone's uh was invited to the Silicon
Valley leadership group from pilot to
practice building local government
capacity for AI adoption. I'm assuming
everyone got that invitation but um to
make sure that everyone you know Silicon
Valley leadership group is a very strong
uh group around here um so for everyone
to be aware of that. Um, and then I also
noticed the sub region idea. So if you
guys are doing a subcommittee, which it
sounds like you might be or I don't not
official because
>> we can't do one tonight,
>> right? Um, I would note that uh, you
know, be thoughtful about which agencies
oversee it, whether like if you're
looking at Leera, it you know, you would
be working with Ray Mueller's office
potentially or something like that
specifically.
um or if you want Woodside, right? So,
thank um and then thanks to Mary for
while I was out of town, she went to
BPTS and all my other a committees were
cancelled for summer break. Thank you.
>> Um I did have one thing. Can I do it?
>> Yeah, sure. Um as the MSD lays on um I
uh contacted the person who's coming on
as district 6 uh representative. Was he
here?
>> Yeah.
>> Brian Beck was here this evening at the
beginning.
>> At the beginning. Okay. I missed him.
>> Yeah. So I called him and you know him.
>> I know him. He's a good He's a super
nice guy.
>> Super super good guy. And I think we're
really lucky.
>> Is that our
>> That's our district. Yeah. Margaret
McNans.
>> Yeah. And no, no, Margaret McNe,
>> right? W six.
>> Uh, but at any rate, of interest is that
he actually owns property on Los Tranos.
His wife grew up uh on uh in in our town
and he knows this this corner extremely
well and he understands the problem
exactly. So, uh, I think we're very
fortunate.
>> And he came when I asked him and I
didn't see him.
>> Yeah. No, he he was definitely here. So,
okay, great. So, I'd like to open it for
public comment. Are there any public
comments? Please come up to the mic.
» I know you said comments, but I have
more of a question. What use do we have
for AI in our local government?
Okay. So, this is a common period and
this is on subcommittee and liaison
reports. So, I I think we can hear your
question, but we're we're not we won't
address it tonight.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> Yep. Thank you.
All right. Checking online. I don't see
any hands online. So, I am going to
close that agenda item and move on. I
would accept a motion to adjurnn.
Okay, I have a motion, a second. All in
favor say I.
Thank you. Meeting ajourn.