HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 261
Town of Los Altos Hills
Community Relations Committee
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Council Chambers
1. Roll Call; Committee Membership
The regular meeting was called to order at 7:02 PM, by chairman Lew Jamison. Present: Members, April
Anair, Rajiv Bhateja, Maddie Cheng, Karen Emerzian, Lew Jamison, Roy Woolsey. Associate member, Ron
Knapp.
The Committee does not have a secretary, and Roy Woolsey asked for someone to volunteer to be secretary,
since he has taken minutes for the last several years and would like someone else on the Committee to take over
that position. There were no volunteers, so Roy asked for someone on the Committee to consider volunteering
when the question is asked again next month.
2. Introduction of Members of the Public; Public Comment. No members of the public were present.
3. Review and Approval of Prior Committee Meeting Minutes
A motion was made by Rajiv Bhateja, seconded by April Anair, and passed unanimously to approve the
minutes of the last meeting, as distributed in draft form. Lew Jamison will notify City Clerk Deborah Padovan
that the minutes were approved as distributed and are ready to be posted on the Town website.
4. Review of Prior City Council Meetings and Fire Task Force
Ron Knapp reported that he attended the Fire Fair. There were about ten booths but not that many residents
in attendance between 12:30 PM and 2 PM when Ron was there. Rajiv Bhateja thought there were a total of
one hundred to two hundred people in attendance at some point during the event. April Anair noted a survey
that was recently sent out by the County to which residents should respond positively if they like our current fire
protection (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCCFire).
5. Report on Recent Town Activities. No report.
6. Welcoming of New Town Residents
Roy Woolsey reported that since our last meeting, files for new resident welcoming letter mailing labels
were sent to Town Hall for mailing the welcoming letter from Council to the 16 new residents in Town for
September, and for mailing the follow-up letter from the Committee to the 20 new residents July.
Roy said he had asked City Clerk Deborah Padovan as to the contents of the newcomer packet, and how
replenishment of items in the packet are handled these days. Maddie Cheng and April Anair wondered if a list
of its contents exists. April will contact Town Hall and see about getting a sample new resident welcoming
packet. She said the Environmental Initiatives Committee might want to insert some material in the packet.
7. TEDx Program Status and Discussion. No report.
8. Los Altos Hills Classic Car Show
The Committee reviewed the updated draft Classic Car Show report, which includes stronger language
about how non-residents should be handled when they turn up at such Town events. After brief discussion
Karen Emerzian moved, Rajiv Bhateja seconded and the Committee unanimously approved the updated report.
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Lew will accept all changes indicated in the document with “tracking changes” and forward the report to
Deborah Padovan for posting on the Town website.
9. Committee Report to Council
Lew Jamison reported on the Committee report to Council which he and Roy Woolsey presented at the
Council meeting this month. Council members spoke very favorably regarding what the Committee has done,
and really liked the car show. There was some interest in a bigger car show as part of the picnic in the future.
All of the Council seemed very supportive of the Town Picnic, and hoped it could return as soon as possible.
Council members expressed support for another newcomer event as soon as an event can be held comfortably
given the pandemic. Interest in more frequent communications with residents was expressed, particularly since
with acre lots it is more difficult for residents to get together. Councilmember Linda Swan expressed particular
interest in the proposed TEDx event, and also thought a tour, such as of the Tesla plant, would be interesting.
10. “Our Town” Newsletter
No one at the Committee meeting knew about the status of Medha’s TEDx article for the December
newsletter. Ron Knapp said that his article about what residents can do to help protect their own homes has not
been published, noting that the fire information in the recent “Our Town” was very good, but did not include the
information Ron had in his article. Ron will draft an article about volunteers to the Committees for “Our
Town.” Lew Jamison suggested an article to solicit suggestions about what events people in Town would like.
11 Additional Items or Contributions from Committee Members.
Rajiv Bhateja wondered about a Town-wide e-mail list. The Town does have some e-mail list that is used
for Town purposes, such as sending out announcements about the fire fair. Rajiv will inquire about that list and
who may use it for what proposes.
12. Date for Next Meeting and Adjournment
Given the proximity of the regular November and December Committee meeting dates to the holidays, the
consensus of the Committee was to meet next as a special meeting on Tuesday November 30, 2021, at 7 PM,
and to cancel regular meetings in November and December. April Anair so moved, Maddie Cheng seconded,
and the Committee approved this decision unanimously. Lew Jamison will ask Deborah Padovan to issue the
appropriate meeting cancellation notices.
Rajiv Bhateja moved, April Anair seconded and the Committee unanimously agreed to adjourn at 7:53 PM.
Minutes prepared by Roy Woolsey, October 27, 2021.