Resolution No. 2019-005RESOLUTION NO. 2019-05
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
VERNON APPROVING CENSURE OF MAYOR YVETTE WOODRUFF-
PEREZ
WHEREAS, at the beginning of the regular City Council
meeting held on March 5, 2019, Mayor Yvette Woodruff -Perez (the
"Mayor") asked Vernon resident Maria Acosta to lead the flag salute,
which is generally conducted by a City Councilmember or City
department head; and
WHEREAS, prior to the flag salute, the Mayor introduced Ms.
Acosta to everyone in the room as a candidate running for Vernon City
Council in the pending election; and
WHEREAS, none of the other members of the City Council, nor
the City Administrator, nor the City Attorney knew that the Mayor had
planned to do this; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor knew, when she made her announcement,
that there are two other candidates running for the open Council seat;
and
WHEREAS, the Mayor also knew that the election is scheduled
to be held on April 9, 2019; and
WHEREAS, in order to provide equal time to the other two
candidates, the City subsequently offered to allow them to lead the
flag salute at the March 19 and April 2 regular meetings, and both
candidates declined; and
WHEREAS, at the regular City Council meeting held on March
19, 2019, Mayor Pro Tem William Davis moved to agendize a motion for
resolution of censure and other possible action against the Mayor; and
WHEREAS, the motion to agendize passed 3-0; and
WHEREAS, both the Mayor and Councilmember Luz Martinez were
absent from the March 19 meeting; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor's act was improper for at least two
reasons. First, her unilateral endorsement of Ms. Acosta by granting
her the ceremonial privilege of leading the flag salute looked to
everyone in the room as if the entire City Council were endorsing one
of the three candidates in the contested Vernon City Council election,
which is not true. The Mayor does not speak for the City Council
without the City Council's approval. Second, and more seriously, she
used public resources for her own personal campaign -related purposes,
and she engaged in political activity during work hours; and
WHEREAS, a majority of the City Council has determined that
it must take official action in order to confirm and preserve the
City's commitment to good governance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby
finds and determines that the above recitals are true and correct.
SECTION 2: The City Council of the City of Vernon finds
that this action is exempt under the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA), because such action is a governmental administrative
activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes
in the environment, and therefore does not constitute a "project" as
defined by CEQA Guidelines section 15378.
SECTION 3: The Censure of Mayor Yvette Woodruff -Perez is
hereby approved.
SECTION 4: The Mayor shall refrain from taking any
unilateral action that creates the perception of speaking for the City
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Council, unless a majority of the City Council has authorized her to
so speak or act.
SECTION 5: The Mayor shall refrain from using her official
position or public resources to personally campaign for any of the
candidates running for Vernon City Council.
SECTION 6: All resolutions, or parts of resolutions not
consistent with or in conflict with this resolution are hereby
repealed.
SECTION 7: The City Clerk of the City of Vernon shall
certify to the passage, approval and adoption of this resolution, and
the City Clerk, of the City of Vernon shall cause this resolution and
the City Clerk's certification to be entered in the File of
Resolutions of the Council of this City.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 2nd day of April, 2019.
ATTEST:
---,U -
Maria E. A�y-�alqo City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
-6;0
Brian W. Byun,
Senior Deputy Ci y Attorney
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Name: William Davis
Title:-14a7ee/ Mayor Pro-Tem
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
) ss
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )
I, Maria E. Ayala, City Clerk of the City of Vernon, do hereby
certify that the foregoing Resolution, being Resolution No. 2019-05,
was duly passed, approved and adopted by the City Council of the City
of Vernon at a regular meeting of the City Council duly held on
Tuesday, April 2, 2019, and thereafter was duly signed by the Mayor or
Mayor Pro-Tem of the City of Vernon.
Executed this 104 day of April, 2019, at Vernon, California.
(SEAL)
14- `-Ci
Mari E. Ayala, ity Clerk
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STAFF REPORT
City Council Agenda Item Report
Agenda Item No. COV-148-2019
Submitted by: William Davis
Submitting Department: City Council
Meeting Date: April 2, 2019
SUBJECT
A Resolution Approving Censure of Mayor Yvette Woodruff -Perez and Relieving the Mayor of Her Title for the
Duration of Her Term
Recommendation:
A. Find that approval of the resolution is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), because
such action is a governmental administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the
environment, and therefore does not constitute a "project" as defined by CEQA Guidelines section 15378; and
B. Adopt a resolution approving censure of Mayor Yvette Woodruff -Perez and relieving the Mayor of her title for the
duration of her term.
Background:
At the beginning of the regular City Council meeting held on March 5, 2019, Mayor Yvette Woodruff -Perez asked
Maria Acosta to lead the flag salute, which is generally conducted by a City Councilmember or City department head.
Prior to the flag salute, the Mayor introduced Ms. Acosta to everyone in the room as a candidate running for the
Vernon City Council None of the other members of the City Council, nor the City Administrator, nor the City Attorney
knew that the Mayor had planned to do this. The Mayor knew, when she made her announcement, that there are two
other candidates running for the open Council seat. The Mayor also knew that the election is scheduled to be held on
April9, 2019.
In order to provide equal time to the other two candidates, the City subsequently offered to allow them to lead the flag
salute at the March 19 and April 2 regular meetings, if they so desired. Both candidates refused the offer.
At the regular City Council meeting held on March 19, 2019, Mayor Pro Tern William Davis moved to agendize a
motion for resolution of censure and other possible action against the Mayor. The motion to agendize passed 3-0. Both
the Mayor and Councilmember Martinez were absent from the March 19 meeting.
The Mayor's act was improper for at least two reasons. First, her unilateral endorsement of Ms. Acosta by granting her
the ceremonial privilege of leading the flag salute looked to everyone in the room as if the entire City Council were
endorsing one of the three candidates in the contested Vernon City Council election, which is not true. The Mayor does
not speak for the City Council without the City Council's approval. Second, and more seriously, she used public
resources for her own personal campaign -related purposes, and she engaged in political activity during work hours. For
these reasons, censure by the City Council is appropriate.
However, beyond merely reprimanding the Mayor and directing her not to do this type of activity again, it is appropriate
to impose the additional discipline of relieving the Mayor of her title for the duration of her term, because she abused her
position as Mayor.
Fiscal Impact:
None
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution - Censure of Mayor