10 Public comment received after deadlinePublic comment received by various staff and Council members after the 11 a.m. deadline for
Item #8:
From: Steve/Bess Zientek
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2020 12:05 PM
To: Council <Council@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: $435,000 Consent item on Council Agenda of 5/5//2020
Dear Council Members:
Steve and I are concerned about the "consent" item on tonight's agenda that would fund salary
increases for Town employees/Management effective 2021.
Not only is this a significant expenditure, but to approve it without public input and discussion
by the Council seems premature at best. Given these uncertain economic times, especially the
expected decrease in Town revenue as a result of the current SIP order, debate on the item is
warranted . At the very least, having the Town Budget 2020-2021 in hand for discussions seems
to be a minimal requirement prior to approval of salary increases.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Bess and Steve Zientek
From: Jbestill
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2020 11:03 AM
To: Council <Council@losgatosca.gov>; jvannada@gmail.com
Subject: Prposed consent item for pay increases
I respectfully request that the consent item for the proposed pay increases be removed from
the consent calendar and receive an open discussion of the Town Council. these increases
should not be reviewed until there is a proposed budget for next year and they should be
consolidated with a review of future increases for the police department.
John Estill
From: rwrinehart@comcast.net <rwrinehart@comcast.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2020 11:01 AM
To: Council <Council@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Salary increases
Dear council members,
Please explain why these proposals are being deliberated in secret and a year early. This
doesn’t sound like good Los Gatos government.
Robert Rinehart
From: Mark Kennedy
Date: May 5, 2020 at 11:43:42 AM PDT
To: Marcia Jensen <MJensen@losgatosca.gov>, BSpector <BSpector@losgatosca.gov>, Rob
Rennie <RRennie@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Spending increase
Hello Town Council members,
I want to express my support for the letter in the following link:
https://lg-ca.com/given-los-gatos-and-worldwide-economic-circumstances-is-this-the-time-to-
increase-town-expenses-by-1000000/
“We encourage a robust discussion by the Council on the merits of the Staff’s
recommendation.”
While we follow state and county covid guidelines, with barely a whimper, and certainly no
“science and data” (at least here locally) to justify the extreme actions, there is a growing
distrust of government at all levels. I would encourage you to accept the recommendations in
this letter and have an open and vigorous debate on these pay increases.
Regards,
Mark Kennedy
From: Melanie Allen [mailto:mallen@garlic.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2020 12:56 PM
To: Council <Council@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Salary Increase
When so many people are hurting, I can’t believe Los Gatos would increase salaries at this time.
Does the Council feel that Los Gatos is exempt from this suffering? Are you blind to what many
in our own Community are going through? So many have not even received the unemployment
checks they are do or the Covid 19 relief funds. Wake up, people are suffering. It would be Cold
Hearted & Callous of our Council to act on this before the economy is back up & running.
Melanie Allen
From: Stanley Sells
Date: May 5, 2020 at 2:36:21 PM PDT
To: Marcia Jensen <MJensen@losgatosca.gov>, Marico Sayoc <MSayoc@losgatosca.gov>, Rob
Rennie <RRennie@losgatosca.gov>, BSpector <BSpector@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: RE: Council Meeting Item 8 - May 5, 2020
Dear Council Members,
COVID-19 has brought physical, emotional, and financial carnage to our Town, State, Country,
and World. With unemployment that will top 25%, and families attempting to figure out where
they will find the money to provide for next meals, rent, mortgage, etc., it is ludicrous to think
that you intend to vote tonight to hand out discretionary bonuses and salary increases to town
employees. To consider such an action as a consent item, at this time is like a gut punch. With
executives and others with means taking pay cuts, such an action makes no sense at this
time. Please do the right thing tonight.
Regards,
Stan Sells
Sells Financial Services, Inc.
From: Phil Koen
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2020 3:23 PM
To: Marcia Jensen <MJensen@losgatosca.gov>; BSpector <BSpector@losgatosca.gov>; Marico
Sayoc <maricosayoc@gmail.com>; Rob Rennie <RRennie@losgatosca.gov>
Cc: Laurel Prevetti <LPrevetti@losgatosca.gov>; jak vannada ; Lee Fagot; Rick Tinsley; Rick Van
Hoesen
Subject: Agenda Item #8
Dear Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
Perhaps the Council can learn from Menlo Park regarding public outreach before entering into
negotiations with the Town’s bargaining units. Please see the attached.
The Town published agendas for 4 special closed door sessions held on February 4, March 24,
April 7 and April 28. That was the only notification given to residents regarding salary
negotiations. No information was shared coming out of these meetings. And only at this up
coming Council meeting will there be an opportunity to get public input - sadly AFTER
discussions have concluded.
This process is deeply flawed. We must do better than this.
Thank you,