By Robert Haugh

Former Interim City Manager Rajeev Batra was back at last night’s council meeting. And he’s coming back again on April 24 to request more benefits.

We’re wondering if he saw four members of the council  a few weeks ago give Police Chief Mike Sellers’  a retroactive pay increase that may lead to a huge pension spike.

Councilwoman Patty Mahan asked to move Batra’s request up on the agenda. It was heard prior to the consent calendar items and other already scheduled public hearing items. That could be an interesting tell.

Previously, City Attorney Brian Doyle included Batra’s benefits as potential litigation on the closed session of a February Council meeting. That means Doyle must have considered the item as potential litigation.

But Batra wants to have a public discussion and denies taking legal action in any way. He seemed upset. He says he wants to present “his side” of the matter.  Attorney-client privilege was waived by Batra and the City, so all correspondence regarding Batra’s benefits will be included on the April 24 council meeting agenda.

Will this be the first post-retirement pension spike in the Mission City? Stay tuned.

Other Items

• An extension to an exclusive negotiating agreement with the Core Companies for the BAREC agrihood site was unanimously approved. The housing developer incorporated ideas from the City’s placemaking efforts, but needs more time to complete required processes. The entire Council spoke highly of the project.
• A development agreement with The Sobrato Organization for Phase 2 of the 2200 Lawson Lane project was unanimously granted a two-year extension on its development agreement. The City will receive an additional $767,250 in development fees (a 150 percent increase from what was approved originally).
• A proposal to rezone a single-family home at 281 Serena Way to accommodate a daycare was denied by the Council by a 6-1 vote. Teresa O’Neill was the lone supporter.) The City Council upheld the Planning Commission’s prior denial of the rezoning. A majority of speakers opposed the daycare project citing traffic concerns.
• Santa Clara Police Activities League (PAL) Director Robert Martinez was recognized for his three-year term.
• Two members of Reclaiming Our Downtown presented ideas to help preserve historic Downtown near Franklin Square and Santa Clara University. They expressed concern over recent marketing materials by realtors calling  Related’s City Place development a “downtown.” They want City Place to be known as “uptown” so they can continue to brand the historic neighborhoods “downtown.”

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