Santa Clara ditches idea to hold council meetings at libraries

Santa Clara has shelved plans to explore holding City Council meetings at locations outside City Hall after staff estimated it could cost up to $260,000 to install the audiovisual equipment needed at two libraries.

Councilmembers unanimously voted Tuesday to maintain its current practice of holding meetings in the council chambers. The discussion stemmed from a council request to examine whether meetings could be held at locations such as Northside and Central Park libraries to make it easier for residents to participate in person.

City Manager Jovan Grogan said staff estimated it would cost about $150,000 to install the necessary A/V equipment at Northside Library and about $260,000 to equip both Northside and Central libraries. The city would also face ongoing costs for meetings held at the locations and software licensing.

Vice Mayor Albert Gonzalez, who initially requested the review, said the idea was intended to bring councilmembers closer to residents when major issues affect specific parts of the city.

Gonzalez pointed to his experience serving on the board of Santa Clara Unified School District, where meetings were sometimes held in communities affected by major decisions. He said bringing meetings into different parts of Santa Clara could make it easier for residents to attend, particularly when council meetings stretch from the evening into late hours.

“I think it’s always good to listen to the community, get them engaged,” Gonzalez told San José Spotlight. “Obviously, it does make meetings longer and things like that, but I think it’s important. When people feel heard and they’re taking them into account, I think that’s what they really want.”

But Gonzalez said the estimated cost was a major factor in his decision to withdraw the request. He said Santa Clara’s budget is close to breaking even when the city accounts for the cost of fully staffing its workforce.

Mary Grizzle, a resident and frequent council meeting attendee, said she does not believe moving meetings among different locations would significantly increase participation.

“I believe council meetings should be held in a central location so residents from every district have reasonably equal access,” Grizzle told San José Spotlight.

Grizzle said the city should instead focus on making meetings shorter and easier to follow. She suggested separating nonvoting presentations and ceremonial recognitions from regular council meetings, and occasionally holding meetings on Friday evenings to make them more accessible to working residents.

Gonzalez said the council could revisit the idea in the future, particularly as the city considers potential locations for a new City Hall. If the city eventually purchases new A/V equipment for a new facility, he said, it could make sense to have equipment available at two locations.

The council also discussed the importance of maintaining remote participation. Gonzalez said the state now requires cities to provide ways for residents to participate remotely in public meetings.

Contact Maryanne Casas-Perez at [email protected] or @CasasPerezRed on X.