Charter Review Committee - March 18, 2026

The City of Santa Clara's Charter Review Committee convened on March 18, 2026, to discuss various charter amendment topics through reports from six ad hoc subcommittees. Key procurement-related discussions occurred in Group Six's report, focusing on public works procurement language and processes. The committee reviewed the current threshold for city council approval of public works projects, which is set at $1,000, and considered raising this amount to better align with city code thresholds, such as $250,000 for city manager approval. The group also explored alternative procurement mechanisms to improve project design, contractor coordination, and cost control. Benchmarking and stakeholder input, including from the Public Works Director, informed these discussions. The committee plans to present final recommendations to the city council by June 9, 2026, with additional meetings scheduled to complete the work. Other subcommittees reported on topics including city council powers, police chief roles, and boards and commissions, but these did not directly address procurement. No votes or motions related to procurement were recorded during this meeting.