The Sunnyvale City Council took care of a few routine items at its last meeting.
At its Aug. 26 meeting, the council approved filing a drinking water quality report to the state.
Mansour Nasser, assistant director of environmental services, told the council that the state requires cities to evaluate drinking water standards every three years.
“The purpose of preparing this report is to identify any chemicals found in our water that exceeded the public health goals and to determine whether further reduction would be technically feasible, economically reasonable and result in additional health benefits,” he said.
Sunnyvale tests its drinking water 23,000 times per year.
Traces of chromium 6, a naturally occurring carcinogen, were found at a San Francisco treatment plant that Sunnyvale buys water from. While the amount of chromium 6 was far below state health standards, it was slightly above the much more ambitious public health goals.
Nasser said the traces of chromium 6 would cost “tens of millions of dollars” to mitigate and would offer “little to no benefit.”
Ramana Chinnakotla, environmental services director, characterized public health goals as “nice to haves.”
“I wouldn’t be worried about [the chromium 6 levels] at all,” he said.
The council also approved establishing an industrial development authority.
Matt Paulin, the city’s finance director, told the council that the city intends to go out for bonds to fund major capital equipment at the Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer (SMaRT) Station.
The city uses the Sunnyvale Financing Authority — made up of the city and the successor to the redevelopment agency — to issue debt. With the upcoming dissolution of the successor to the redevelopment agency, the city would benefit from establishing an industrial development authority to replace the successor agency, instilling investors with more confidence.
He called it a “good economic development tool.”
Vice Mayor Linda Sell said she appreciated city employees’ “foresight” on the matter.
“We want to put our city in a sound financial position, so that we can continue to provide good services for our residents,” she said.
Finally, the council approved an appeal from a Housing and Human Services commissioner.
City Clerk David Carnahan told the council that Leesa Riviere had exceeded the allowable unexcused absences for commission service, missing two out of seven meetings.
Circumstances that excuse an absence include a death in the family, personal illness, board or commission-related business, personal leave, emergency, military service, federal or state family leave. However, Carnahan said that if the commissioner does not share the reason for their absence, the commission cannot excuse it.
Sell is the liaison to the commission.
“I’ve watched [Riviere] over the years, and I have seen her be prepared for the meetings, participate actively and have thoughtful comments, and I think what happened was unfortunate,” Sell said.
The rest of the council agreed.
Council Member Richard Mehlinger, who previously voted to re-appoint Riviere, said he spoke with her and she assured him the issue would not persist.
Carnahan told the council to expect a similar appeal for Commissioner Jim Davis at its next meeting.
The council meets again at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave. in Sunnyvale.
To submit public comments ahead of the meeting, visit http://Sunnyvale.ca.gov/PublicComments; Meeting online link: https://sunnyvale-ca-gov.zoom.us/j/96111580540; meeting call-in telephone number: 833-548-0276, meeting ID: 961 1158 0540
Previous City Council Meetings:
Sunnyvale Imposes Environmental Regulations Likely To Cost Homeowners
Sunnyvale Council Takes Action on Tasman Drive Pedestrian-Bicycle Improvements Study
Sunnyvale Changes Zoning To Accommodate Housing Amid State Red Tape
Sunnyvale Hikes Utility Rates
