By Robert Haugh

The 49er Five used to meet with the team almost weekly. During last year’s campaign season, Coucilmembers Anthony Becker, Raj Chahal and Karen Hardy stopped meeting with the team. All three were candidates on the ballot.

But Councilmembers Suds Jain and Kevin Park weren’t on the ballot. They continued their regular meetings with 49ers team executives in December, 2022.

Park met with team executives on December 6 about “stadium issues summary,” the evening prior to a Council meeting.

Jain met with team execs on December 5 and December 20 to discuss the following topics:

• ideas for community benefits, 
• public safety cost threshold, 
• performance based rent algorithm, 
• ground rent, and 
• James Rowen.

Jain’s Dec. 20 meeting included resident Thomas Calvello, who petitioned the Council in 2022 to consider adding special event surcharge taxes on events held in the City. They met with 49ers executive and lobbyist Rahul Chandhok.

Hardy met with Chandhok on December 19 and the topic was interesting: “congratulations for the successful campaign outcome”. Hardy also lists “great NFL season” and FIFA as topics.

Hardy also met with The Related Company’s EVP Steve Eimer on December 15 regarding a letter sent by the City Manager.

Councilmember Kathy Watanabe, the City’s Northside elected official, visited Levi’s Stadium on December 24 during the 49ers’ game “to observe unlicensed selling of football merchandise, hot dogs and alcohol outside of the stadium at Tasman Drive.”

Interim City Attorney Steve Ngo of the Lozano Smith Law Firm reported a meeting on December 23 with Santa Clara businessman Kirk Vartan about public comment and city policies. Santa Clara News Online and our readers can probably guess what was discussed.