15-C
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
ATTENTION: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
FROM: Dana Hang, Human Resources and Risk Manager
SUBJECT: Consideration and possible action to waive further reading and adopt Ordinance No. 1457 - An Ordinance amending Section 2.16.010 of the Bellflower Municipal Code to provide a salary adjustment for Members of the City Council following the next General Municipal Election.
DATE: July 13, 2026
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Ordinance No. 1457 was introduced on June 22, 2026. Second reading and adoption is recommended. If adopted, the ordinance will take effect in 30 days.
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
It is recommended that the City Council consider the following :
1)Waive further reading and adopt Ordinance No. 1457; or 2)Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
If approved, the proposed adjustment will increase each City Council member's salary by $114.15 per month, from $1,729.61 to $1,843.76, effective as of the date Council Members begin a new term of office following the November 202 6 election. This change reflects a
6.6% salary increase for City Council Members. The 6.6% salary increase aligns with the cumulative salary adjustments provided to City employees over fiscal year 2025-2026 (3% increase) and 2026-2027 (3.6% increase).
ATTACHMENTS
Ordinance No. 1457……………………………………………………………..…………………2
June 22, 2026, Staff Report………………………………………………………………………..4
CITY OF BELLFLOWER
ORDINANCE NO. 1457
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING § 2.16.010 OF THE
BELLFLOWER MUNICIPAL CODE TO PROVIDE A SALARY
ADJUSTMENT FOR MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FOLLOWING THE NEXT GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION;
AND SUPERSEDING ORDINANCE NO. 1436
THE CITY COUNCIL DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council finds as follows:
A. Government Code § 36516(a) establishes a salary for city councils initially based on city population, but adjustable thereafter by increases not to exceed an amount equal to 5% for ea ch calendar year from the operative date of the last city council salary adjustment.
B. The City Council last adjusted its salary to the sum of $1,729.61 per month by Ordinance No. 1436, which was adopted in September 2024 and took effect after the general election in November 2024.
C. The City Council desires to and adjust its salary to a new amount to be effective after the next election in November 2026 as permitted by law.
SECTION 2. Bellflower Municipal Code (“BMC”) § 2.16.010 is amended to read as follows:
“Section 2.16.010 Council Members.
A. Expense Reimbursement. A Council Member may be reimbursed for the Council Member’s actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duty pursuant to a policy adopted by City Council resolution.
B. Compensation. On such date as one or more members of the City Council begin a new term of office following the November 2026 General Election, each member of the City Council will receive as salary the sum of $1,843.76 per month.”
SECTION 3. Construction. This Ordinance must be broadly construed to achieve the purposes stated in the Ordinance. It is the City Council’s intent that the provisions of this Ordinance are interpreted or implemented by the City and others in a manner that facilitates the purposes set forth in this Ordinance.
City of Bellflower
Ordinance No. 1457
SECTION 4. Enforceability. Repeal of any provision of the Bellflower Municipal Code does not affect any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred before, or preclude prosecution and imposition of penalties for any violation occurring before this Ordinance’s effective date. Any such repealed part will remain in full force and effect for sustaining action or prosecuting violations occurring before the effective date of this Ordinance.
SECTION 5. Severability. If any part of this Ordinance or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City Council intends that such invalidity will not affect the effectiveness of the remaining provision or application and, to this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are severable.
SECTION 6. Validity of Previous Code Sections. If the entire Ordinance or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, any repeal of the BMC or other regulation by this Ordinance will be rendered void and cause such BMC provision or other regulation to remain in full force and effect for all purposes.
SECTION 7. Electronic Signatures. This Ordinance may be executed with electronic signatures in accordance with Government Code §16.5. Such electronic signatures will be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
SECTION 8. The City Clerk, or her duly appointed deputy, is directed to certify the passage and adoption of this Ordinance; cause it to be entered into the City of Bellflower’s book of original ordinances; make a note of the passage and adoption in the records of this meeting; and, within 15 days after the passage and adoption of this Ordinance, cause it to be published or posted in accordance with California law.
SECTION 9. Effective Date. This Ordinance will become effective on the 31st day following its passage and adoption.
ORDINANCE NO. 1457 HAD ITS FIRST READING ON JUNE 22, 2026, ITS SECOND READING ON JULY 13, 2026, AND WAS DULY PASSED, APPROVED, AND
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER AT ITS REGULAR MEETING OF JULY 13, 2026.
________________________________
ATTEST: Sonny Santa Ines, Mayor
_______________________________
Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________
Karl H. Berger, City Attorney
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
ATTENTION: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
FROM: Dana Hang, Human Resources and Risk Manager
SUBJECT: Consideration and possible action to read by title only, waive further reading, and introduce Ordinance No. 1457 – An Ordinance amending § 2.16.010 of the Bellflower Municipal Code to provide a salary adjustment for Members of the City Council following the next General Municipal Election; and superseding Ordinance No. 1436.
DATE: June 22, 2026
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
If the proposed Ordinance takes effect, it would supersede Ordinance No. 1436 and increase monthly salaries for City Council Members by $114.15. This increase would become effective after the November 2026 General Municipal Election.
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
1) Read by title only, waive further reading, and introduce Ordinance No. 1457; or
2) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
If approved, the proposed adjustment will increase each City Council Member's salary by $114.15 per month, from $1,729.61 to $1,843.76, effective as of the date Council Members begin a new term of office following the November 2026 election. This change reflects a 6.6% salary increase for City Council Members.
BACKGROUND
On November 5, 2024, Bellflower voters approved a City Charter, transitioning the City from a general law city to a charter city. Although charter cities generally have broad authority over municipal affairs, the Bellflower City Charter includes a specific provision addressing City Council compensation. The Charter states :
“[t]he City Council is prohibited from adopting regulations that would result in compensating elected officials in an amount greater than allowed by California law regulating general law cities. Nothing in this Cha rter requires the City Council to receive compensation; the City Council may, by resolution, opt to forego compensation of any kind.”
Staff Report – City Council Salary Adjustment
June 22, 2026
BACKGROUND – Continued
Accordingly, although Bellflower is a charter city, the Charter requires the City Council to comply with the compensation limits established Government Code § 36516 or the salary limitations and procedures established under Senate Bill 329 (“SB 329”).
SB 329 allows cities to increase the compensation to adjust for inflation to help keep city councils more diverse by allowing people from across different income levels to serve the public and support their families.
SB 329 amended the Government Code to allow increased limits on the amount of compensation received by council members in general law cities. SB 329 was enacted to modernize previous limits (first established in 1984) to promote equitable access to elected office, and support broader socioeconomic diversity among city councils.
Government Code § 36516 regulates compensation by:
• Increasing the maximum salary schedule based on city population;
• Allowing council salaries to exceed the statutory maximum of 5% per calendar year since the last salary adjustment or inflation since January 1, 2024, based on the California Consumer Price Index, up to 10% per year;
• Prohibiting automatic future increases; and
• Requiring salary ordinances to be considered at two regular meetings, with at least seven days between introduction and adoption, and supported by findings demonstrating the need for the increase.
SB 329 requires that an ordinance to increase council member compensation be considered in an open session with at least two regular meetings. The ordinance must include findings demonstrating the need for the increased compensation and there must be at least seven days between the introduction and adoption of the ordinance.
SB 329 became effective January 1, 2024. Under Government Code § 36516.5, any approved salary increase may take effect only when at least one council member begins a new term of office.
DISCUSSION
City Council salaries are established by Ordinance in Bellflower Municipal Code § 2.16.010(B). The most recent adjustment occurred in September 2024, when the Council adopted a salary of $1,729.61 per month, effective following the November 2024 General Municipal Election. This amount excludes reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties or benefits approved by the City Council in accordance with the provisions of law.
Staff Report – City Council Salary Adjustment
June 22, 2026
DISCUSSION – Continued
Under SB 329, cities with populations between 75,000 and 150,000 may set council salaries up to $1,900 per month. According to SB 329, the population of a city is determined by the last preceding federal census, or a subsequent census, or estimate validated by the Department of Finance. Bellflower’s 2020 federal census population is 79,190, placing the City within this tier.
The proposed 6.6% increase aligns with the cumulative salary adjustments provided to City employees over fiscal years 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. If the Council wishes to consider a different salary adjustment, sample rates are provided below . A 10% adjustment represents the maximum increase permitted Government Code § 36516 and SB 329. A 10% increase reflects the legislature’s intent in SB 329 to modernize outdated compensation limits and accounts for inflation.
Percentage
Increase Monthly Rate Monthly
Increase
Current $ 1,729.61 $ -
5% $ 1,816.09 $ 86.48
6.6% $ 1,843.76 $ 114.15
10% $ 1,902.57 $ 172.96
ATTACHMENT:
Ordinance No. 1457 ........................................................................................................ 3