CITY OF HAWAIIAN GARDENS
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item #A2
DATE: March 25, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Ernesto Marquez, City Manager
BY: Rosario Pozzoli, Human Resources Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation to hold a public hearing and receive and file the Status of Vacant Positions Report as required by California Assembly Bill 2561.
BACKGROUND
California State Assembly Bill (AB) 2561 was approved on September 22, 2024, and added to §3502.3 of the Government Code. This law requires public agencies to present the status of their vacancies in a public hearing before their governing body once per fiscal year. The presentation must be made prior to the adoption of a final budget for the fiscal year.
On Thursday, March 12, 2026, the City emailed both AFSCME bargaining groups to communicate its plan to hold a public hearing on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in order to comply with AB 2561. The City requested a response by Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in case there were inquiries or requests to present during this Council Meeting. The City did not hear back from either bargaining unit.
SUMMARY
AB 2561 imposed three requirements on local agencies: (1) at least once each fiscal year, an agency’s governing board must hold a public hearing and receive the agency’s report on the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts; (2) during the hearing, the agency must identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that may lead to hiring obstacles; and, (3) the agency must allow the recognized employee organization for a bargaining unit to make a presentation at the hearing.
Agenda Item #A2
March 25, 2026
To comply with AB 2561 and §3502.3 of the Government Code, this staff report is accompanied by a presentation that provides detailed data on all active recruitment processes as of the date of this meeting. This information is organized by department and position and includes full-time or part-time status, number of vacancies per posting, bargaining unit designation, posting date, number of internal and external applicants, and the current status of each recruitment process.
The City’s recruitment efforts include postings on official City bulletin boards, publication on the GovernmentJobs/NeoGov platform integrated with the City’s website, and outreach through the City’s social media channels. Additional strategies may include targeted postings with relevant professional organizations to broaden applicant pools.
Retention initiatives include cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and salary increases resulting from the City’s latest classification and compensation study. The City also conducts ongoing reviews and updates of job descriptions to ensure alignment with current duties and responsibilities.
Recent and ongoing initiatives supporting recruitment and retention include upgrades in technology and employee workspace, the addition of an Administrative Analyst position within the Administration Department, and the City’s engagement with a consulting firm to evaluate and implement a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, containing Finance and Human Resources modules.
Collectively, these efforts support competitive compensation and benefits, promote worklife balance, and foster a positive organizational culture through professional development opportunities, open communication, facility improvements, and a continued focus on employee well-being.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this status update. Staff will continue with efforts towards filling the remaining vacancies.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve Recommendation.
ATTACHMENTS
None.