20250520 Regular City Council Meeting - MinutesMINUTES
VERNON CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2025
COUNCIL CHAMBER, 4305 SANTA FE AVENUE
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Merlo called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Merlo led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Judith Merlo, Mayor
Melissa Ybarra, Mayor Pro Tem
Leticia Lopez, Council Member
Jesus Rivera, Council Member
Crystal Larios, Council Member
STAFF PRESENT:
Brian Saeki, City Administrator
Zaynah Moussa, City Attorney
Genoveva Rocha, City Clerk
Alice Hui, Finance Director/City Treasurer
Fredrick Agyin, Health and Environmental Control Director
Lisette M. Grizzelle, Interim Human Resources Director
Robert Sousa, Police Chief
Dan Wall, Public Works Director
Todd Dusenberry, Public Utilities General Manager
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION
Mayor Pro Tem Ybarra moved, and Council Member Larios seconded a motion to
approve the agenda. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
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PUBLIC COMMENT
Aisha Reyes of the Southcoast AQMD announced a public virtual workshop would be
held on May 22, 2025. She stated more information could be found at www.aqmd.gov
City Clerk Rocha read a written public comment submitted by Zachary Young, praising
Vernon as a great place for business.
PRESENTATIONS
1. National Public Works Week Proclamation
City Clerk Rocha read the proclamation into the record. Mayor Merlo and the City Council
recognized the Public Works staff.
2. Employee Service Pin Awards
Interim Human Resources Director Grizzelle announced the April 2025 Employee Service
Pin Award recipient, Police Sergeant, Carlos Ourique for his 10 years of service with the
City of Vernon.
3. Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Workshop II
City Administrator Saeki explained to the Mayor and City Council the increase in the
General Fund Revenues for the FY 2025-26 budget. Finance Director/City Treasurer Hui
provided a presentation on the budget and explained changes to the General Fund since
the first budget workshop.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
4. Report on the Status of City of Vernon Vacancies and Recruitment and Retention
Efforts
Mayor Merlo opened the Public Hearing at 9:14 a.m.
Interim Human Resources Director Grizzelle presented the staff report and accompanying
PowerPoint presentation.
Mayor Merlo invited presentations from any employee organization, queried City Council
questions and final comments by City staff and any employee organization.
There being none, Mayor Merlo closed the Public Hearing at 9:27 a.m. and called for a
motion.
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MOTION
Mayor Pro Tem Ybarra moved, and Council Member Larios seconded a motion to receive
and file the Report on the Status of City of Vernon Vacancies and Recruitment and
Retention Efforts as required by Government Code Section 3502.3. The question was
called and the motion carried unanimously.
CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION
Council Member Rivera moved, and Mayor Pro Tem Ybarra seconded a motion to
approve the Consent Calendar Item Nos. 5 - 15. The question was called and the motion
carried unanimously.
The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
5. Meeting Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the May 6, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting
Minutes.
6. Operating Account Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve Operating Account Warrant Register No. 150, for the
period of March 30, 2025 through April 19, 2025, totaling $11,284,864.95 and
consisting of ratification of electronic payments totaling $10,918,813.36 and
ratification of the issuance of early checks totaling $366,051.59.
7. Fire Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the March 2025 Fire Department Activity
Report
8. Police Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the March 2025 Police Department Activity
Report
9. Attorney Services Agreement between the City of Vernon and Burke,
Williams & Sorensen, LLP for Outside Legal Services
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute the
Attorney Services Agreement with Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP (Burke
Williams) for Outside Legal Services, in substantially the same form as submitted,
for an amount not-to-exceed $125,000.
10. Project Funded by Senate Bill 1: The Road Repair and Accountability Act of
2017 for Fiscal Year 2025-26
Recommendation: A. Find that the approval of the proposed resolution does not
constitute a "project" pursuant to sections 15378(b)(2) and (4) of the Guidelines to
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), because it constitutes an
administrative activity and government funding mechanism that does not involve
any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant
impact on the environment; and even if the adoption of the proposed resolution did
constitute a project, it would be exempt from CEQA in accordance with Section
15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to projects that may have a
significant effect on the environment; and B. Adopt Resolution No. 2025-
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012 adopting a project list to be funded by Senate Bill 1: The Road Repair and
Accountability Act of 2017 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26.
11. Sespe Consulting, Inc. (Sespe) Agreement Amendment No. 1
Recommendation: Authorize the City Administrator to execute Amendment No. 1
to the Services Agreement with Sespe, in substantially the same form as
submitted, for environmental compliance and remediation technical consulting
services, increasing the contract amount by $200,000, bringing the total amount
not-to-exceed to $500,000, for a 3-year term.
12. Services Agreement with InfraTerra, Inc.
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute the
Services Agreement with InfraTerra, Inc., in substantially the same form as
submitted, for the water system seismic vulnerability assessment, in an amount
not-to-exceed $242,027.
13. Professional Services Agreement with Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc.
(Raftelis) for Solid Waste Management Consulting Services
Recommendation: A. Find that it is commercially unreasonable to rebid the
proposed contract within three years, pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code Section
3.32.110 (B)(3); and B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a
Professional Services Agreement with Raftelis, in substantially the same form as
submitted, for solid waste management consulting services for an amount not-to-
exceed $205,000 over a five-year term.
14. Water Rights Lease Agreements with Liberty Utilities Corporation, the City
of Compton and South Montebello Irrigation District
Recommendation: A. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a
Water Rights License and Agreement with Liberty Utilities Corporation, in
substantially the same form as submitted, for a lease of 2,000 acre-feet of the City’s
Allowed Pumping Allocation for Fiscal Year 2024-25 and 1,000 acre-feet per year
of the City’s Allowed Pumping Allocation for Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27, for
a total revenue amount of $460,000; B. Approve and authorize the City
Administrator to execute a Water Rights License and Agreement with the City of
Compton, in substantially the same form as submitted, for a lease of 1,500 acre-
feet per year of the City’s Allowed Pumping Allocation for Fiscal Year 2025-26,
Fiscal Year 2026-27, and Fiscal Year 2027-28, for a total revenue amount of
$720,000; and C. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a Water
Rights License and Agreement with South Montebello Irrigation District, in
substantially the same form as submitted, for a lease of 500 acre-feet per year of
the City’s Allowed Pumping Allocation for Fiscal Year 2026-27 and Fiscal Year
2027-28, for a total revenue amount of $130,000.
15. Amendment No. 1 to Services Agreement with Architerra Design Group,
Contract No. 20240265
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute
Amendment No. 1 to the Services Agreement with Architerra Design Group, in
substantially the same form as submitted, for landscape architectural
services provided for a total amount not-to-exceed $65,200 (increasing the total
contract cost to $188,130).
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ORAL REPORT
16. City Administrator Reports on Activities and Other Announcements
City Administrator Saeki recognized the Public Works Department team in honor of
National Public Works Week, and announced several Save the Dates for the following
events: E-Waste event on May 22nd, the Law Enforcement torch Run on June 3rd, and
the giveaway event on June 14th for Vernon Reads! Lastly, the Power Plant Summer
Event on June 17th to celebrate the City’s new brand.
17. Council Reports on Activities (including AB 1234), Announcements, or Directives
to Staff
None.
RECESS
At 9:31 a.m., Mayor Merlo recessed the meeting to Closed Session.
CLOSED SESSION
18. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation
Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
Jason Lucas v. City of Vernon
Workers Compensation Claim Nos. 23017520; 18000390; 21007451; 23003572
Workers Compensation Appeals Board Case Nos. ADJ14447626; ADJ14447631;
ADJ16765976; ADJ17853213
19. Conference with Labor Negotiators
Government Code Section 54957.6
Agency Designated Representative: Brian Saeki, City Administrator
Employee Organizations:
Teamsters Local 911,
IBEW Local 47,
Vernon Police Management Association, and
Vernon Police Officers’ Benefit Association
Unrepresented Employees:
Confidential, Temporary, Unclassified, Mid- Management, Management, and Executive
classifications
20. Public Employment
Government Code Section 54957
Title: Human Resources Director
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RECONVENE
At 9:57 a.m., Mayor Merlo adjourned the Closed Session and reconvened the regular
meeting.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
City Clerk Rocha announced there was no reportable action from Closed Session.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Merlo adjourned the meeting at 9:58 a.m.
_____________________________
JUDITH MERLO, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________
GENOVEVA ROCHA, City Clerk
(seal)
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