HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-11-16 City Schools Liaison Committee Agenda PacketCITY OF PALO ALTO &
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
City Schools Liaison Committee
Regular Meeting
Thursday, November 16, 2023
8:30 AM
Community Meeting Room & Hybrid
250 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto
City School Liaison Committee meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option to
attend by teleconference/video conference or in person. To maximize public safety while still
maintaining transparency and public access, members of the public can choose to participate
from home or attend in person. Information on how the public may observe and participate in
the meeting is located at the end of the agenda. Masks are strongly encouraged if attending in
person. The meeting will be broadcast live on Zoom and YouTube
at https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto.
VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN
(https://cityofpaloalto.zoom.us/j/86280460108)
Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Public Comments will be accepted both in person and via Zoom meeting. All requests to speak
will be taken until 5 minutes after the staff’s presentation. Written public comments can be
submitted in advance to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org and will be provided to the board. Please
clearly indicate which agenda item you are referencing in your email subject line. PowerPoints,
videos, or other media to be presented during public comment are accepted only by email to
city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Once received, the City
Clerk will have them shared at public comment for the specified item. To uphold strong
cybersecurity management practices, USB’s or other physical electronic storage devices are not
accepted.
CALL TO ORDER
REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A.Open Forum/Public Communications
B.Approval of Minutes
C.City and District Reports
D.Supporting Youth Mental Health through Greater Career Opportunities
E.Future Business
ADJOURNMENT
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email,
teleconference, or by phone.
1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org.
2. Spoken public comments using a computer will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, click on the link below to access a Zoom‐based meeting.
Please read the following instructions carefully.
You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in‐ browser. If using your
browser, make sure you are using a current, up‐to‐date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 ,
Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers
including Internet Explorer.
You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify
yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is
your turn to speak.
When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate
and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to
speak.
When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted.A timer will be shown
on the computer to help keep track of your comments.
3. Spoken public comments using a smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, download the Zoom application onto your phone from
the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter the Meeting ID below. Please follow the
instructions B‐E above.
4. Spoken public comments using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you
wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You
will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Committee. You will be
advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda
item and time limit allotted.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833
1 Regular Meeting November 16, 2023
Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are
available for public inspection at www.CityofPaloAlto.org.
CITY OF PALO ALTO & PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT City Schools Liaison CommitteeRegular MeetingThursday, November 16, 20238:30 AMCommunity Meeting Room & Hybrid250 Hamilton Ave, Palo AltoCity School Liaison Committee meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option toattend by teleconference/video conference or in person. To maximize public safety while stillmaintaining transparency and public access, members of the public can choose to participatefrom home or attend in person. Information on how the public may observe and participate inthe meeting is located at the end of the agenda. Masks are strongly encouraged if attending inperson. The meeting will be broadcast live on Zoom and YouTubeat https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto.VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN(https://cityofpaloalto.zoom.us/j/86280460108) Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833 PUBLIC COMMENTSPublic Comments will be accepted both in person and via Zoom meeting. All requests to speakwill be taken until 5 minutes after the staff’s presentation. Written public comments can besubmitted in advance to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org and will be provided to the board. Pleaseclearly indicate which agenda item you are referencing in your email subject line. PowerPoints,videos, or other media to be presented during public comment are accepted only by email tocity.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Once received, the CityClerk will have them shared at public comment for the specified item. To uphold strongcybersecurity management practices, USB’s or other physical electronic storage devices are notaccepted.CALL TO ORDERREVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A.Open Forum/Public Communications
B.Approval of Minutes
C.City and District Reports
D.Supporting Youth Mental Health through Greater Career Opportunities
E.Future Business
ADJOURNMENT
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email,
teleconference, or by phone.
1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org.
2. Spoken public comments using a computer will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, click on the link below to access a Zoom‐based meeting.
Please read the following instructions carefully.
You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in‐ browser. If using your
browser, make sure you are using a current, up‐to‐date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 ,
Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers
including Internet Explorer.
You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify
yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is
your turn to speak.
When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate
and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to
speak.
When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted.A timer will be shown
on the computer to help keep track of your comments.
3. Spoken public comments using a smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, download the Zoom application onto your phone from
the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter the Meeting ID below. Please follow the
instructions B‐E above.
4. Spoken public comments using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you
wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You
will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Committee. You will be
advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda
item and time limit allotted.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833
2 Regular Meeting November 16, 2023
Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are
available for public inspection at www.CityofPaloAlto.org.
CITY OF PALO ALTO & PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT City Schools Liaison CommitteeRegular MeetingThursday, November 16, 20238:30 AMCommunity Meeting Room & Hybrid250 Hamilton Ave, Palo AltoCity School Liaison Committee meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option toattend by teleconference/video conference or in person. To maximize public safety while stillmaintaining transparency and public access, members of the public can choose to participatefrom home or attend in person. Information on how the public may observe and participate inthe meeting is located at the end of the agenda. Masks are strongly encouraged if attending inperson. The meeting will be broadcast live on Zoom and YouTubeat https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto.VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN(https://cityofpaloalto.zoom.us/j/86280460108) Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833 PUBLIC COMMENTSPublic Comments will be accepted both in person and via Zoom meeting. All requests to speakwill be taken until 5 minutes after the staff’s presentation. Written public comments can besubmitted in advance to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org and will be provided to the board. Pleaseclearly indicate which agenda item you are referencing in your email subject line. PowerPoints,videos, or other media to be presented during public comment are accepted only by email tocity.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Once received, the CityClerk will have them shared at public comment for the specified item. To uphold strongcybersecurity management practices, USB’s or other physical electronic storage devices are notaccepted.CALL TO ORDERREVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONSA.Open Forum/Public CommunicationsB.Approval of MinutesC.City and District ReportsD.Supporting Youth Mental Health through Greater Career OpportunitiesE.Future Business
ADJOURNMENT
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email,
teleconference, or by phone.
1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org.
2. Spoken public comments using a computer will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, click on the link below to access a Zoom‐based meeting.
Please read the following instructions carefully.
You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in‐ browser. If using your
browser, make sure you are using a current, up‐to‐date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 ,
Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers
including Internet Explorer.
You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify
yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is
your turn to speak.
When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate
and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to
speak.
When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted.A timer will be shown
on the computer to help keep track of your comments.
3. Spoken public comments using a smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, download the Zoom application onto your phone from
the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter the Meeting ID below. Please follow the
instructions B‐E above.
4. Spoken public comments using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you
wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You
will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Committee. You will be
advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda
item and time limit allotted.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833
3 Regular Meeting November 16, 2023
Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are
available for public inspection at www.CityofPaloAlto.org.
Page 1 of 2
City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting
Action Minutes: 10/19/2023
Regular Meeting
October 19, 2023
The City-School Liaison Committee of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Community
Meeting Room at 8:33 A.M.
Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives
Julie Lythcott-Haims, Chair
Pat Burt, Council Member
Chantal Cotton-Gaines, Deputy City Manager
Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives
Todd Collins, Board Member
Don Austin, Superintendent
Absent: Shounak Dharap, Board Member
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Julie Lythcott-Haims called the meeting to order at 8:33 A.M.
REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A. Open Forum/Public Communications
B. Approval of Minutes
MOTION: Board Member Collins moved, seconded by Council Member Burt to approve minutes
from the September 21, 2023, meeting.
MOTION PASSED: 3-0-1 (Dharap absent)
C. City and District Reports
No action taken.
D. Memorandum-Summary of Beverly Hills Model-September 2023
No action taken.
F. Future Business
No action taken.
City/School Liaison Committee Meeting
Action Minutes
Item B
Attachment A - October
19, 2023 Action Minutes
Packet Pg. 4 of 13
Page 2 of 2
City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting
Action Minutes: 10/19/2023
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 A.M.
Item B
Attachment A - October
19, 2023 Action Minutes
Packet Pg. 5 of 13
Page 1 of 8
City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting
Summary Minutes: 10/19/2023
Regular Meeting
October 19, 2023
The City-School Liaison Committee of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Community
Meeting Room at 8:33 A.M.
Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives
Julie Lythcott-Haims, Chair
Pat Burt, Council Member (via teleconference)
Chantal Cotton-Gaines, Deputy City Manager
Kristen O’Kane, Community Services Director
Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives
Todd Collins, Board Member
Don Austin, Superintendent
Absent: Shounak Dharap, Board Member
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Lythcott- Haims called the meeting to order.
Administrative Associate III Christine Prior called roll and declared there was a quorum.
REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A. Open Forum/Public Communications
There were no requests to speak under general public comment.
B. Approval of Minutes
MOTION: Board Member Collins moved, seconded by Council Member Burt to approve minutes
from the September 21, 2023, meeting.
MOTION PASSED: 3-0-1 (Dharap absent)
C. City and District Reports
Superintendent Don Austin noted that some staff had watched and debriefed the City Council
meeting from Monday. They felt terrible about what happened on that day, so they were going
to consider things to be done at Board meetings to encounter what was being seen across the
City/School Liaison Committee
Summary Meeting Minutes
Item B
Attachment B - October
19, 2023 Summary
Minutes
Packet Pg. 6 of 13
Page 2 of 8
City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting
Summary Minutes: 10/19/2023
region. He remarked there had been debate about local topics and beyond. The Board meeting
Tuesday would be largely a typical work meeting as the work of the district needed to continue.
He had been on school site campuses visiting with groups and observing the school sites, and
things looked normal as far as the aggregate, but they knew students were impacted by the
events and others trying to make meaning of the events.
Deputy City Manager Chantal Cotton-Gaines announced that the groundbreaking for the
Homekey homeless shelter would be on October 31 at 11 a.m., at 1237 San Antonio. She
invited the district to join. Last month, parents had questions about traffic safety, and staff had
two meetings with the parents and discussed the issues at Escondido. Discussions included
traffic safety and the upcoming Active Plan. There was a crossing guard added at Escondido and
Stanford Avenue. They were finishing the Crossing Guard Warrant process, but wanting to be
responsive, the City provided the crossing guard as the process continued. Staff was listening to
the parents and taking action.
Board Member Collins thanked and commended City staff and those involved for taking
immediate action related to the crossing guard.
Council Member Burt noted that City Council had a meeting on the Housing Element to locate
sites for over 6,000 units in the next 8 years. The state declined the latest submittal, and the
City expected the next submittal to be done in January. He noted that a change would include
upzoning a series of parcels along El Camino, and Council supported several of the parcels. He
noted there would possibly be significant impacts on student populations in certain areas. He
discussed the ability or inability of schools accommodating students and the transportation
routes being able to accommodate them. He noted that Safe Routes to School was a backbone
to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. He encouraged the District to engage to make sure
there would be understanding of where there would be and not be school capacity and how it
would affect housing and the investments made to Safe Routes to School. Related to that was
Cubberley because a sizeable portion of new housing sites would be in southeastern Palo Alto.
Two-thousand housing units were being considered in that area. He provided details related to
the County Board of Supervisors approving the new community plan for Stanford, and
intersecting with the Housing Element was the Stanford project on Pasteur, which could
potentially significantly increase the amount of housing for students attending Gunn High
School and Fletcher Middle School. The need of a bike throughfare from Stanford West and
Pasteur to the Bol Park path was being discussed with Stanford. He encouraged collaborative
work be done to ensure school capacity and safe routes to schools. He mentioned that the
teacher housing project was under construction, demolition had occurred on the Mitchell Park
Place for an affordable housing project for disabled adults, and there were two other projects
that he hoped would break ground in the next year or so. He voiced that the electrification of
the Caltrain system would be ramping up starting early 2024 and was on schedule for a full
launch next September. He discussed there being reliable service and greater service outside
peak commute hours.
Item B
Attachment B - October
19, 2023 Summary
Minutes
Packet Pg. 7 of 13
Page 3 of 8
City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting
Summary Minutes: 10/19/2023
Chair Lythcott-Haims commended staff for expediting a solution related to the crossing guard.
She noted that City Council voted to call the area with the 6,000 and 2,000 units near San
Antonio the Bayshore Alma San Antonio Region (BASA). There was a map available that
outlined the area. It was made a priority development area, which made the City eligible for
regional and state grants. She noted there needed to be intentionality created around where
students would attend school, where the parkland would be, what amenities there would be,
etc. They had voted to purchase insurance on the price of natural gas to protect against
significant increases. There had been a prescreening on the Development Proposal for 3265 El
Camino for a 44-unit housing development for teachers, and many members of the District and
community had attended and were clearly in favor of the proposed housing. She spoke of
Council considering the rents to be high, even though they were deemed affordable, which
caused consternation on the dais. She thought a better job could be done in defining
affordability, as there was a disconnect around what was considered affordable. Cubberley had
been on Monday’s agenda, and they had a public session to respond to PAUSD’s letter, and
staff was directed to work with the Ad Hoc Cubberley Committee to discuss terms for a
potential ground lease with the District or an outright purchase of land from the District, and
the swap of land at Terman Park was taken off the table.
Council Member Burt added that the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee would convene as a follow-
up to the Council meeting to discuss Council direction and presumably reach out to PAUSD. He
did not know if the District had current counterparts able to discuss and negotiate, if there
needed to be a process to enable any Board designees and the superintendent to enter into
discussions (not to make decisions).
Superintendent Austin stated that he did not believe the District had an official role in the
housing project. He had first read of it in the newspaper, which spoke to the level of
commitment in partnership. The unions were notified, but there had been no discussion with
them. There was no current process to have discussions with the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee,
but upon receipt of a proposal, draft, or whatever it may be, the commitment was to react to
such, and it would be likely that an ad hoc committee would be formed.
Council Member Burt asked what the process would be to get clarification related to questions
the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee had related to refining proposals.
Superintendent Austin would speak with the Board President to see if something could be
placed on their agenda to discuss the potential of an ad hoc.
Board Member Collins spoke of why he supported a crosstown bike boulevard. He considered
the amount of planned low-income housing impressive. He noted that it was not permitted
under California law to consider school capacity a factor in considering housing projects. He did
not want Council to make housing decisions based on school capacity, but instead PAUSD
would work out the school situation based on Council’s decisions, although it was helpful to
plan. It would be useful for PAUSD to be aware of housing decisions early in the process, to
include timelines and where housing is being considered. He suggested a regular meeting,
Item B
Attachment B - October
19, 2023 Summary
Minutes
Packet Pg. 8 of 13
Page 4 of 8
City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting
Summary Minutes: 10/19/2023
possibly quarterly to once a year, with those involved with that topic to discuss potential
projects, and PAUSD could then determine possible capacity issues.
Council Member Burt thought that was a great idea and noted what was known, what was not
known, and what was speculated could be shared. He added that he had ridden his bike to
Fletcher Middle School to be on a panel related to the Sustainability Program, and they were
interested in learning more about the City programs, but he would not wish that bike route on
younger students. He had sent staff messages regarding minor improvements. He discussed a
possible Midtown crosstown route for students.
Board Member Collins added that he had attended the Sustainable Schools Committee meeting
yesterday, and Fletcher, with the exception of the pool, would become an all-electric school
upon completion of the renovation projects. He asked if Palo Verde was all electric. Part of the
Sustainability planning was to reduce natural gas usage and replace it with electrical.
Superintendent Austin confirmed that Palo Verde was all electric.
Chair Lythcott-Haims stated that since becoming a local elected official she had become an E-
bike rider. She remarked that it was now possible to split lots, build ADUs, etc., in single-family
neighborhoods and that those neighborhoods could increase the number of families in
neighborhoods were school enrollment was declining. She wanted to have a future
conversation related to incentivizing that.
Public Comments
There were no comments from the public.
E. Memorandum—Summary of Beverly Hills Model-October 2023
Deputy City Manager Cotton-Gaines recapped the memo the Committee had. The Beverly Hills
staff had been invited to this meeting, but there was a conflict with their regular meeting. They
sent their apologies for not attending. There were a couple noteworthy key differences
between their community and Palo Alto’s, which included a smaller population and they had
very few facilities for recreation programs or playing fields. Some of the catalysts for their
agreement was that the District had spaces and facilities that Beverly Hills did not. They leaned
very heavily on schools for community recreation programs. The Committee supported the JPA
agreement with the District, which was used particularly for recreational facilities, including
fields, classroom space, etc. The City team would manage the program and the contracts for
the activities would run through the agreement. The JPA had been in place for many decades
and was renegotiated every three years. They were renegotiating their agreement now. She
included slides in the memo of the estimated amounts per year for the agreement they were
currently renegotiating, which was around $14M per year, but Beverly Hills did not own any
facilities, and they relied heavily upon the District. She outlined the governing structure, which
was similar to CSLC, and they met as needed, which she detailed, and it could be difficult to
Item B
Attachment B - October
19, 2023 Summary
Minutes
Packet Pg. 9 of 13
Page 5 of 8
City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting
Summary Minutes: 10/19/2023
schedule a meeting. A designee from BHUSD and a liaison in the Community Services
Department were the key staff members. City staff managed their recreational programming
and were in regular dialogue with the District staff as necessary. Though the Committee did not
meet frequently, she thought staff members met at least quarterly and they were typically in
daily conversation related to the space. The agreement was heavily focused on recreation
programs and joint space usage for indoor and outdoor space, civic programs, youth sports,
etc., and included crossing guards, CCTV at school sites, and school resource officers in the
elementary schools and middle school. They had one middle school and three elementary
schools. Renegotiations also included discussion related to adding and removing items from the
agreement. The memo to the CSLC included slides related to changes in the new agreement
from the last agreement and the payment amounts over time.
Public Comments
Phil Mast supported the District and City considering the Beverly Hills model for the Palo Alto
community. He stated that the School District had a fair amount of unused space that could be
of benefit. He noted a possible problem was that the District staff was not set up to manage it,
and he suggested the City pay the District to manage it.
Council Member Burt did not think a lot of differences would apply because Beverly Hills did
not have a lot of community facilities and relied on contracting access to school facilities. He did
not know if the District would want to defer after-hours activities, as the schools had activities
for school functions. He discussed the crossing guard program and it being an exclusive
responsibility of one party or a shared responsibility, which he thought could be explored. He
spoke of pool access to the public and community needs that he thought were readily solvable
through City-owned lands. He was interested in exploring availability for the Gunn or Fletcher
pool for South Palo Alto on a contract basis to operate through the Rec Department. It
appeared that the contract paid rent for fields and other space, but the District would absorb
maintenance cost, but he thought there was a maintenance agreement that had worked well.
He was not sure the components applied well, but a few aspects of the model were intriguing.
He voiced a lot of the collaborative relationships would be policy decisions.
Board Member Todd Collins thought the components of the agreement were responsive to the
conditions in the Beverly Hills community. He indicated the structure was interesting. He was
considering this path because of the fleeting nature of institutional memory. He addressed staff
turnover coming from other regions and questioning why certain things were funded. Without
institutional memory, it was difficult to make progress as there was not a foundation to build
on. He stated the idea of this was to create an institutional basis for collective memory and to
give Palo Alto something to build on. He thought an arrangement such as this would help make
it better for the next generation to build on. He supported community pools and libraries. He
noted that the City was under parked, and he indicated that City schools could be considered
parks. He thought joint assets and efforts would yield benefits for the community, but he
remarked that PAUSD did not have the bandwidth for an ad hoc. He would not create a JPA,
and he saw pain in creating a fully negotiated structure.
Item B
Attachment B - October
19, 2023 Summary
Minutes
Packet Pg. 10 of 13
Page 6 of 8
City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting
Summary Minutes: 10/19/2023
Superintendent Don Austin agreed that it would be very hard but an excellent exercise for
elected officials. He did not think the process should start with a long list of items to be done. It
should instead start with a purpose statement and then be built from scratch. He felt protocols
and purpose needed to be addressed before initiating anything.
Chair Lythcott-Haims added that she was struck by the specificity of the agreement. The
components of the Beverly Hills agreement were quite different than what was going on in Palo
Alto. It felt like an attractive model unless a fully negotiated structure would be painful,
although it may be worthwhile. She was trying to understand the logic behind the crossing
guards, the middle school sports, the facilities, etc. She noted that the long-time leaders had
institutional memory. She remarked that having a mechanism to store institutional history was
valuable. She suggested there be a well-indexed set of minutes guiding to specific topics, which
would allow understanding of why things were as they were. She inquired what would it take to
move to a Beverly Hills-type structure and what the next steps would be toward achieving a
structure that would better serve Palo Alto.
Council Member Burt replied if CSLC was interested in exploring a master agreement, he
thought there would need to be a subcommittee of CSLC to present a proposal to CSLC related
to the purpose around a master agreement, and then CSLC should decide if it would presented
to the Boards to seek support to pursue it. He explained that the framing of such would not be
binding on either body, but it would allow CSLC to consider a recommendation to the Boards.
Chair Lythcott-Haims thought that was a terrific idea, and she thought Council Member Burt
and Board Member Collins should be the subcommittee.
Board Member Collins commented there was to be only one more meeting of the CSLC. He
noted that membership often changed on both sides when the year turned over, and he
outlined why that needed to be considered. He thought the PAUSD Board would look to staff to
determine if it would be a good investment of time. He voiced that the biggest question was
[inaudible], what problems were they trying to solve, if the problems were big enough to invest
resources to create a permanent overhead, and if it should be treated as an investment or an
expense. If the Committee members thought it was reasonable to proceed, he would present it
to the PAUSD Board.
Chair Lythcott-Haims wanted to work with January’s CSLC members and ask that Council
Member Burt and Board Member Collins be reappointed to City/Schools.
Council Member Burt mentioned that the CSLC could ask the Board and Council leadership if
they would be receptive to continuity related to turnover of the CSLC.
ORIGINAL MOTION: Council Member Burt moved, seconded by Board Member Collins to create
a subcommittee to explore a framework for a master agreement between the District and the
Item B
Attachment B - October
19, 2023 Summary
Minutes
Packet Pg. 11 of 13
Page 7 of 8
City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting
Summary Minutes: 10/19/2023
City for the purpose of the CSLC to review and to consider presenting it to the respective bodies
and that he and Board Member Collins be the members of the subcommittee.
Board Member Collins questioned if it would be an ad hoc subcommittee not subject to the
Brown Act.
Council Member Burt believed the ad hoc subcommittee would not be subject to the Brown
Act, but he would confirm that.
Superintendent Austin wanted to ensure the authority of this group was not being exceeded
being there were four Board members not present at the meeting. He queried if doing this
without going back to the Board, where it was typically assigned, had been done before.
Council Member Burt did not recall it having been done, but he interpreted it as fully within the
purview of the Committee to create its own ad hoc. He clarified that whatever should come out
of the ad hoc would not have pre-endorsement by either governing body but was only to create
a perspective proposal for their consideration.
Deputy City Manager Cotton-Gaines would verify that with the City Attorney.
Board Member Collins added in terms of precedent that probably four years ago the CSLC
developed a purpose statement by a similar process but he could not remember if a formal ad
hoc had been created. The purpose statement was proposed to CSLC and then presented to the
respective bodies for agreement.
Superintendent Austin was looking for precedent, and he could not recall a time when a
committee had appointed a subcommittee that involved a Board member.
Board Member Collins spoke of Board Member Dharap being absent and not being able to
represent his possible interest in being a member of the ad hoc. He suggested amending the
motion to remove the appointment of the members. He thought the CSLC Chair would make
such an appointment.
Council Member Burt agreed with the motion modification.
MOTION: Council Member Burt moved, seconded by Board Member Collins to create a
subcommittee to explore a framework for a master agreement between the District and the
City for the purpose of the CSLC to review and to consider presenting it to the respective
bodies.
Deputy City Manager Cotton-Gaines would check the minutes to determine the process that
had been used for the purpose statement. She was positive that the adoption of the purpose
statement was presented to the respective bodies after the CSLC agreed on it.
Item B
Attachment B - October
19, 2023 Summary
Minutes
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City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting
Summary Minutes: 10/19/2023
Superintendent Austin thought Committee members presented drafts of the prior purpose
statement and that there had not been an ad hoc.
Chair Lythcott-Haims asked if there needed to be an ad hoc subcommittee or if it could be
Committee members working with a non-Brown Act, in a sub-Brown Act environment offline.
She noted that they were trying to find the right mechanism for a couple people to go in depth
to present something.
Board Member Collins commented there was no difference in an ad hoc committee of two
versus two people working together except for the formal overhead. He suggested retracting
the motion and the associated overhead.
Council Member Burt withdrew the motion.
Chair Lythcott-Haims assumed her colleagues would determine how to further develop this
idea.
D. Future Business
Deputy City Manager Cotton-Gaines asked if there was an interest in meeting the third week of
December. She noted that the Council break would technically start after the Council meeting
on Monday, December 18, 2023.
The Committee decided to have a meeting on December 14, 2023, which could be cancelled if
there were no items to discuss.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 a.m.
Item B
Attachment B - October
19, 2023 Summary
Minutes
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