staff report.Council Retreat
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, and Town Attorney
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 09/17/2022 ITEM NO: 1
DATE: September 12, 2022
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Council Retreat
REMARKS:
On March 5, 2022, the Town Council held a Retreat to achieve several outcomes: (1) Enhance
understanding of each other; (2) Build trust and productive working relationships with each
other and staff; and (3) Develop Council values, norms, and principles. The Retreat facilitators
were San Jose State University Communications Professor Dr. Shawn Spano and former City and
Town Manager Debra Figone. Overall, the Retreat was productive and the Council generated
many ideas towards developing values, norms, and principles.
As the Council discussed the values, norms, and principles, Council Members asked the
Directors present to share their ideas for values, norms, and principles. There were a few
suggestions and the Town Council asked that this input be compiled for a subsequent retreat.
Attachment 1 contains the Directors input.
Also during the Retreat, Council Members also raised “parking lot” issues for future discussion
pertaining primarily to communications between Council Member and the public.
Attachment 2 contains a summary of the March Retreat, including a draft of the values, norms,
and principles. This document has also incorporated the Directors input into a single set of
values, norms, and principles.
Attachment 3 contains an annotated agenda for the September 17, 2022 Retreat. The
outcomes for this Retreat are: (1) Review, refine, and commit to the values, principles, and
norms from the March 5 Retreat and (2) Clarify the policies, processes, and roles when
communicating and engaging with the public. The second item allows the Council to follow up
on the “parking lot” issues raised in March. Dr. Spano will be facilitating this Retreat.
PAGE 2 OF 2 SUBJECT: Council Retreat DATE: September 12, 2022
REMARKS (continued):
Attachment 4 contains the Town Council Code of Conduct Policy for reference. In the
discussion of the norms, values, and principles, the Council may discuss how it wishes to
memorialize them with options to include them in the Code of Conduct Policy itself or as an
appendix to the Policy.
Dr. Spano, staff, and I look forward to supporting the Council with a useful and productive
conversation on Saturday.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Town Council’s work during a Council Retreat has no fiscal impact.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. Directors Input to Town Council
2. March 5, 2022 Retreat Summary
3. Annotated Retreat Agenda
4. Town Council Policy 2-04: Town Council Code of Conduct