April 27, 2026 Council Appointments Review Committee

Video

Transcript

[00:00:04] Member Chris Clark: Good evening, everyone. Um, I'll call this meeting of the council appointments review committee to order at 6.38 p.m. We have, um, a note that both, um, uh, Committee member Tamay and, um, Myself, Vice Mayor Park, or present, um, the mayor is currently not here, but we expect her to join shortly. Um, the 1st item on our agenda is the approval of the prior minutes. Um, these are from the November 17, 2025, Council Applyments Review Committee. Um, Is there any questions on the minutes? Happy to move. Is there any public comment on the minute? Any I don't see any, so we will, um, entertain emotion to approve the minutes. Some of my committee member committee, and seconded by, uh, and I'll go ahead and 2nd it. Oh, in favor, say hi. Why? So that carries unanimously. We'll move on to oral communications for the public on non-agendas items, so this is the portion of the media reserved for anyone machine to speak on any matter that's not on the knife agenda. Uh, Does anyone wish to speak on anything that's not on the agenda tonight? I don't see any. And we will um, The only other item tonight is new business, um. To discuss our commute, our committee openings and all up. If, uh, if the community's okay with it, we'll just, uh, recess for a few minutes and, uh, and wait for the mayor. Or pause immediately. Can I, um, are the committees okay with it? Can I also do item 6? Yes. comments questions? Yes. I don't have any. I just have one question maybe for a future, um, in the, in the packet, it looked like there was one other patrocy member turning out of the in the year. Do it, we'll do that recruitment in the fall. Is that right? Okay, now we have...

[00:03:14] Member Ellen Kamei: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah,

[00:03:19] Member Chris Clark: so this is interim. And

[00:03:27] Member Ellen Kamei: then we're kind of an open recruitment. Because there's 2 boy, like, And we'll have another. Anything

[00:03:51] Member Chris Clark: else on that? Okay We'll give it till 645 and then I'll just proceed. Two and a half. They talk.

[00:04:30] Member Ellen Kamei: Thank you would have been waiting. No, we're not doing anything.

[00:04:37] Public Speaker: I'm like, you guys. I have a question. Once you, once you're alive, do you, or you just lie the whole time, do you, do you like view? Um. And be live again? No,

[00:05:08] Member Ellen Kamei: like, yeah, I just... Hi. I'm sorry. Thank you dress. Thank you. My mom. Oh, I like credit. Me

[00:05:21] Member Chris Clark: too. I went ahead and started, but and I did everything but new business. So... Sorry. Referring me down. All

[00:06:02] Member Ellen Kamei: right. So we're a new business. Um. Hey, I guess if you see a click on the, I will make brief remarks and we'll proceed with review and selection of interview questions. Good evening. Tonight, you would interview one applicant for the downtown committee and another applicant for the human relations commission. Uh, suggested questions or on page 2 and 3 of the. Oh. Okay. Mhm. Thank you. All right. Is there any changes that anyone wants to do for the questions? No. All right. I guess we, All right, who wants to do the 1st 2nd or 3rd question? I

[00:07:20] Member Chris Clark: think since there's so few applicants. You can just do them if you want. Or I can, whatever you want. All right, you need to settle. Uh,

[00:07:31] Member Ellen Kamei: let's, let's go like one, two, three. So, Ellen, you could pick him. So, remember to me, you could do... I'll be there. I'll be there the 3rd one. All right. All right. Oh, yes. Feel free to come up. Thank you first. Yeah, downtown first. Yeah Well,

[00:08:00] Public Speaker: I was asking, my name says, how does pronouncing me? Good night. Nice to meet you. Um, so

[00:08:08] Member Ellen Kamei: the 1st question, uh, well, we'll tell you how much time you have uh, for the questions for each of the. questions that you'll ask for. Oh, no worries. All right. Thank

[00:08:22] Public Speaker: you. That's

[00:08:24] Member Ellen Kamei: the

[00:08:26] Public Speaker: 2nd question. 1st question I already did not pick up. No,

[00:08:31] Member Ellen Kamei: it's perfectly fine. So for 30 seconds, are you gonna be? Are you have the timer? Okay, great. Um, why do you want to serve on the downtown? Well,

[00:08:44] Public Speaker: my business is in downtown, number one. That's the main reason. Um, I mean, 300 block, which is connected in the morning. And we are huge on improvement of hostra, doing other people's profile. Yeah, the only architecture from here now is Bill has left. And we are trying to improve the whole downtown, along the trip. That's how the improvement in the programs. Love the city, so I want to make sure that since we aboard the building, we are planning to spend another 50 years here, so why not? Wonderful.

[00:09:25] Member Ellen Kamei: So this next question is going to be 2 minutes. Um, oh, yes, like you start from 30 seconds and you get 2 minutes. What do you think of downtown Mountain View? How would you improve it? How would you balance the interest of businesses with those community, with those of the community? Yeah.

[00:09:43] Public Speaker: No, that's very good. In fact, I've written... So um, There are quite a few things. First of all, kudos to people who blow just free, but, but, that's one of the best things count on Indian. Um, I think that if I can divide it. My answer in 2 parts, there is a downtown improvement, and then there's a process of improvement. So I think 1st of all, From the city side, the lot of businesses who are hurting. We have gone through our process of improving, and everyone has the same, same old concern, that people want to improve the process takes time. So that's the process part of it. But your question is more towards the downtown part, what do you want? I think it's a charming downtown. The way the sun hits it. It's just perfect. It's not on one side or the other side. It's in the center of it. This town. There has been discussion of making a street as one big street, like raising it up, making it a little bit European style or something. I do strongly believe there is the precise plan, has too much restriction on facade improvements way too much. We have been doing multiple facade for multiple city, multiple businesses. along with our work. Those I will ease a little more. Um, if you look at Paul Alto or other cities. There is modernization that's coming. We need to be a little more adapted to modernization of the buildings, also, along traditional so mix and match kind of thing. So those are some common thing, the other things which cities already start doing. The street has to be more lively, more more interactive. So there's some things people have put uh, GTS put in, like, involved table and other things. So I think there's more room for it, where kids come in and play weekend is amazing. Right. Already to make it? Oh my god. So those are.

[00:11:54] Member Chris Clark: Even tougher about it. Yeah,

[00:11:58] Member Ellen Kamei: but keep talking.

[00:12:00] Member Chris Clark: But yeah, there's so many things. Um, I think sort of related to that. We have a, we have our economic vitality strategy. Um, that we worked on, sort of, during the pandemic, and it's a couple of, at least, is, is now in place. Um, I'm just curious how, uh, one of the questions that we have is just how, um, city can assist, you downtown businesses with, um, with implementing that or, um, you've touched on a few, but can I give you an extra minute or so to keep going?

[00:12:31] Public Speaker: Yeah, I think it's just along the same line. Thank you very much for asking the same question. Similar question. I think process is a big part. Um, There is a lot of eagerness in small businesses to be part of it and to improve the downtown. But I would say majority of the business I've talked. They feel, They are either not, uh, there's not enough support, there's not enough compreach. And when they reach out, there is not enough speed in the process that's out there. And I've been past 3 years we've been here to an hour, so, um, 3 years now. And I think that's something we need to work on, the big one, kind of. I truly welcome the team of Amanda and Christian and Tony, they have done a marvelous job. Being there, that department itself was needed, I think. But I think there has to be a community involvement also, and businesses are not important as much. Thanks. All

[00:13:40] Member Ellen Kamei: right, that completes all your questions. Um, Thank you for joining us. We'll let you know, um, 1st the way this works is that we'll write a recommendation to council and then council will formally adopt. Um, the appointment. Um, and that's, I, I'm not entirely sure when the, When we'll actually vote on that on council, but, and then May 26th. May 26. So you'll hear from the council, but at that point, that's officially. That

[00:14:12] Public Speaker: might be out of country, I'll be trying to think, but That's okay. Well, even like, It'll

[00:14:17] Member Chris Clark: be all right if you're not here. They usually stick with our recommendation, but you never know. But

[00:14:24] Public Speaker: thank you very much. I appreciate you, guys. Oh, you mean it? Thank you. All

[00:14:30] Member Ellen Kamei: right. The next, the committee will now interview the applicant for the human relations committee. You know the last time I interviewed for this? They give me a time limit. For now, more efficient. Casper Zack. Those. That's a long time ago. Oh, Rosenberg, sorry. Harvard. What's up? No, Lisa, Lisa. Oh, All right. So, um, council member today, we'll start with the 1st question. Why do you want to serve on the human relations community? Thank

[00:15:12] Public Speaker: you, good question. Um, as noted in my application. I spent 9 years on a downtown committee for your committee, though, that's being interviewed and um, the service uh, during that period, uh, the highlight of my of my sort of political life career, honestly. I don't really want to have a very dramatic political life, but that was really dying. Um, I loved every minute, honestly, I loved, uh, talking about the hotel and lovely, that we did not build. And um, I know, I know, I know. But anyway, um, my committee was the committee that, uh, Recommended the closure of Castle Street to be, behavior traffic, which I have very proud. And, uh, so I'm, it's, I took a year off, a couple years because I have a family self-person stuff to attend to, and I'm back because I interview, deserve the same value, city I call home and, um, continue my work. Okay. So

[00:16:05] Member Ellen Kamei: the next question is 2 minutes. What are the most pressing human relations needs in our community today? So

[00:16:12] Public Speaker: I can't say that, you know, objectively, just is going to be my own personal take. Um, actually, in the last election, I was speaking with, um, current councilman, Shubalter, and expressed to her that, you know, members of our committee are having sort of fear and and, um, shock, right, as to what's happening to some other immigrant community. Um, you know, evidence by what happened in Minnesota. And thankfully, right, none of the harshness, uh, sort of persecution and and attacks ever came into our community, but I thought like, wow, you could be a vegan, right? We could be a safe haven for folks who needed that protection. I don't actually know how much work HRC has done in this particular respect. I assume there's much. I have not looked into it. Um, But I think that's something we could really invest, um, our time, as I say, amount view to be. And I don't want to say, oh, we're centuristic, who knows what that means, or some legal definition, et cetera, but to provide, um, a sense of security and safety and protection to our citizens, right? To our people who live here, work here, et cetera, to hope, you know, I think everyone deserve to live up fear. I myself an immigrant 1st generation, right? And I think, how can anybody raise children in the community? So, yeah, I think that that's something that's really urgent, I think, critical to me, given the current political landscape. Um, further down the line, I would love to get more I myself and Chinese American. I would love to see more Asian American involvement. This, meaning notwithstanding, uh, Asian, Asian Americans have historically, right, been, uh, some of the lowest per percentages in terms of participation in public discourse in public. Um, Civic service. And I would like to change that by being serving myself, right? As, as demonstrating that, again, it's not that hard. And then too, by pulling people in. And showing that this is something we really can invest our time and energy and it's worthwhile, right? My, my dad was, um, even though we're 1st tradition immigrants, he served on the campaign to elect the 1st ever Chinese woman. She was Seritos. Is that my time work? Sorry. Um,

[00:18:27] Member Chris Clark: and then just the, the last question is, what do you think the job of the, of the human relations commission should be. Follow

[00:18:35] Public Speaker: the work plan. Just review the work plan today. It all looked pretty reasonable to me. I'm only filling a role, I think, for 6 months. The term expires literally in December, so I have even if I were appointed, I have a maximum of 6 months. If you guys take the summer, I'll probably summer off. So 4 meetings, let's say. So yeah, I'm filling in for 4 meetings. I'm not trying to, you know, boil the ocean. Or change the title, whatever the saying is. I'm I'm trying to follow the work plan, execute what is currently in the works and do the job that was expected of the particular. That being said, if I were to re-interview and be reappointed to future ATRC committee commissions, I have other thoughts. But as of right now, finish out the work plan for this fiscal year. Alright.

[00:19:22] Member Ellen Kamei: Thank you so much, that concludes our interview with you. I have comments. Um, but thank you so much. Um, um, we will, um, the, the recognitions will come to council on our May 26th meeting, and then you'll get a final, uh, approval then, and that guarantee. Hold on a huge book last. Perfect. You probably get several text messages to let you know. You have a lot of ends in life.

[00:19:53] Public Speaker: Blazer, you guys. Oh, a lot more questions for me. Anyway.

[00:19:57] Member Ellen Kamei: Thank you so much.

[00:20:01] Public Speaker: Thank you very much, counsel for your time, and city care for your heart, as always. And I promise I will take the meeting series, seriously. All right. So,

[00:20:12] Member Ellen Kamei: uh, we will now bring it back to council for deliberation. Do we have to do any public comment for this? There's nobody. Okay. Good thank you. Do you know bubble comment? We have a motion for a recommendation to counsel. Or did you want to do them supper or did you want to do them altogether? We'll do it all together. All right. Do we have emotion on the table? The only thing that kind of needs to just edit for the downtown committee is which, uh, if you want to. Recommend that. If you have more. Oh, that's right. That was up to you. You want it to be a for camera. And this is for the downtown business, right? Okay. And both of them are for a downtown business seat? All of them. Oh. There's but you know how it's like broken up? Yeah, because they're all... Oh,

[00:21:20] Member Chris Clark: a move that we appoint. Or that we recommend the council appoint, very end, the human relations committee for the unexpired term ending December 31st, 2026. And that we appoint, uh, Sinead, uh, Rashi to the, um, to one of the 2 unexpired terms, ending December 31st, 2028. I think he'll be, I think he'll be very good on it, and I think there's no reason not to, uh, uh, their current industry, especially since, apparently they own the building, they're probably going to be here. All

[00:22:01] Member Ellen Kamei: right, we have a motion by Vice Mayor Clark, seconded by council member commit, all in favor. Please raise your hand. Nice. Yay. And that concludes this item. Um, do we have, moving on to item six? Do we have committee staff, comments, questions or committee reports? None? Then we are hitting adjournment at exactly 7 o'clock.

• ← Previous