Purpose

The Town Council is the legislative body of the Town of Woodside, with all the regulatory and corporate powers provided under California state law. The Town Council provides the policy direction that guides the operation of the Town, adopts ordinances and resolutions that constitute the legislative intent of the Town, and sets the Town's priorities through the adoption of an annual budget and the provision of direction to the Town Manager. The Town Council represents the Town's residents through these actions and through the conveyance of constituent requests and concerns to the Town staff. The Town Council also appoints all members to all advisory committees, the Planning Commission, and the Architectural and Site Review Board.

The seven members of the Town Council are elected at-large to four-year terms, but must generally be respectively nominated from and elected to one of seven Town Council districts. Elections occur in November of odd-numbered years and the terms are staggered so that no more than four Town Council seats are up for election at any one time. The Council in turn selects one of its members to serve as Mayor for a one-year term. The Mayor presides at the Town Council meetings and represents the Town as the official head of the Council on public and ceremonial occasions, but has no special authority beyond that of the other Council members. Neither the Mayor nor the other members of the Council are paid.