HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-18-2025 City Council Special MeetingSaratoga City Council Minutes – March 18, 2025 – Page 1 of 3
MINUTES
TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2025
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
Mayor Aftab called the Special Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Mayor Belal Aftab, Vice Mayor Chuck Page, Council Members Kookie
Fitzsimmons, Tina Walia, Yan Zhao
ABSENT: None
ALSO PRESENT: Matt Morley, City Manager
Britt Avrit, City Clerk
Bryan Swanson, Community Development Director
Cindy McCormick, Development Director
Leslie Arroyo, Assistant City Manager
John Cherbone, Public Works Director
Bridget Cash, Administrative Analyst
Emma Burkhalter, Associate Civil Engineer
Heritage Preservation Commission Work Plan
Recommended Action:
Meet with Commission, discuss priorities and approve the 2025/2026 work plan with input
provided by the City Council.
Heritage Preservation Commission Chair Sharon Boyce-Bender introduced Vice Chair
Margarete Minar, and Commissioner Bill Cooper. The Commission presented its proposed 25/26
work plan.
Mayor Aftab invited public comment.
No one requested to speak.
PAGE/FITZSIMMONS MOVED TO REQUEST THAT STAFF PROVIDE
INFORMATION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER MERGING THE
FUNCTIONS OF THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION WITH THE
FUNCTIONS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
Additional discussion took place.
Because this specific item was not on the agenda, Vice Mayor Page withdrew his motion.
PAGE/FITZSIMMONS MOVED TO APPROVE THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION
COMMISSION FY 25/26 WORK PLAN REMOVING THE BUDGET ALLOCATION.
MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: FITZSIMMONS, WALIA, ZHAO,
PAGE, AFTAB. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
Saratoga City Council Minutes – March 18, 2025 – Page 2 of 3
Library and Public Art Commission Work Plan
Recommended Action:
Meet with Commission, discuss priorities and approve the 2025/2026 work plan with input
provided by the City Council
Library and Public Art Commission Chair Siana Smith introduced Vice Chair Robert Gulino and
Commissioners Eric Lewis and Anshul Agarwal. The Commission presented its proposed FY
25/26 work plan.
Mayor Aftab invited public comment.
No one requested to speak.
PAGE/WALIA MOVED TO APPROVE THE LIBRARY AND PUBLIC ART
COMMISSION FY 25/26 WORK PLAN AS SUBMITTED. MOTION PASSED BY THE
FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: FITZSIMMONS, WALIA, ZHAO, PAGE, AFTAB. NOES:
NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
Mayor Aftab requested a 10-minute break at this time.
Mayor Aftab reconvened the meeting at 7:15 p.m.
Parks & Recreation Commission Work Plan
Recommended Action:
Meet with Commission, discuss priorities and approve the 2025/2026 work plan with input
provided by the City Council.
Parks & Recreation Commission Chair Jim Cargill introduced Commissioner Priya Shastri. The
Commission presented its proposed FY 25/26 work plan.
Mayor Aftab invited public comment.
No one requested to speak.
PAGE/FITZSIMMONS MOVED TO APPROVE THE PARKS & RECREATION
COMMISSION FY 25/26 WORK PLAN AS SUBMITTED. MOTION PASSED BY THE
FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: FITZSIMMONS, WALIA, ZHAO, PAGE, AFTAB. NOES:
NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
Traffic Safety Commission Work Plan
Recommended Action:
Meet with Commission, discuss priorities and approve the 2025/2026 work plan with input
provided by the City Council
Traffic Safety Commission Chair Alec Gulesserian presented the proposed FY 25/26 work plan.
Mayor Aftab invited public comment.
No one requested to speak.
Saratoga City Council Minutes – March 18, 2025 – Page 3 of 3
PAGE/ZHAO MOVED TO APPROVE THE TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION FY 25/26
WORK PLAN AS SUBMITTED. MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES:
FITZSIMMONS, WALIA, ZHAO, PAGE, AFTAB. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE.
RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
Planning Commission Work Plan
Recommended Action:
Meet with Commission, discuss priorities and approve the 2025/2026 work plan with input
provided by the City Council.
Planning Commission Chair Jonathan “JoJo” Choi introduced Vice Chair Anjali Kausar and
Commissioners Clinton Brownley, Ping Li, Paul Germeraad, Herman Zheng, and Razi
Mohiuddin (via Zoom). The Commission presented its proposed FY 25/26 work plan.
Mayor Aftab invited public comment.
No one requested to speak.
WALIA/PAGE MOVED TO APPROVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION FY 25/26
WORK PLAN AS SUBMITTED. MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES:
FITZSIMMONS, WALIA, ZHAO, PAGE, AFTAB. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE.
RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Aftab adjourned the meeting at 8:48 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted:
Britt Avrit, City Clerk
City of Saratoga