CITY OF HIDDEN HILLS
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
(IN-PERSON AND VIDEO CONFERENCE)
6165 Spring Valley Road
Wednesday, November 22, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.
NOTE: The Hidden Hills City Council and City staff will be participating in this meeting in- persom i eCome are ben, is albe naerence opations an do i remote video congrencinge Council Chambers (attendees will be required to follow the current State and County public are that via vet a distin cald real reasonable punctor commodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA") please contact Deana Gonzalez at 818-888-9281 or [email protected]. If you are hearing impaired and would like to watch the meeting on ZOOM, once in the meeting room select the button "live transcript" and then select "show subtitles". Members of the public will have the opportunity to address the City Council on agenda and non-agenda items in person, via Zoom or by email as indicated below.
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Hidden Hills was duly held via teleconference and in person on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 at the hour of 3:00 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Gold called the meeting to order and presided thereover.
ROLL CALL
Council:
Mayor Pro Tem Eniko Gold
Council Member Joe Loggia
Council Member Laura McCorkindale
Council Member Larry G. Weber
Staff: City Attorney Roxanne Diaz
City Engineer Dirk Lovett
Administrative Analyst Aaron Williams
Accounting Specialist Theresa Hernandez
Absent: Mayor Steve Freedland
П
City Council Minutes
November 22, 2023
Upon MOTION of Council Member Weber, seconded by Councilmember Loggia, and unanimously by roll call vote, it was resolved to excuse the absence of Mayor Freedland.
AUDIENCE
Resident Bret Katz commented on the City Council's action to not renew City Manager Kallman's contract.
Resident Mathy Wasserman commented on the City Council holding Special City Council meetings.
CLOSED SESSION
Public Employment (Government Code Section 54957)
Public Employee Appointment
Title: Acting City Manager
Public Employment (Government Code Section 54957)
Public Employee Appointment
Title: Interim City Manager
Upon MOTION of Councilmember McCorkindale, seconded by Councilmember Weber and unanimously carried, it was resolved to adjourn to closed session at 3:06 p.m. to address the items listed above.
The City Council reconvened to open session at 3:35 p.m.
Mayor Pro Tem Gold asked City Attorney Diaz to give a Closed Session report.
City Attorney Diaz stated that the City Council met in closed session to discuss the two items on the closed session agenda: Public Employment Appointment, Acting City Manager and Public Employment of Interim City Manager. On a vote of 4-0 the City Council appointed Marcella City Council Minutes
November 22, 2023
Marlowe as Acting City Manager through December 31, and starting on January 1, 2024 as Interim City Manager, subject to the approval of the employment contract.
NEW BUSINESS
A. Consideration of a Resolution of the City Council Adding the Position of Acting City Manager and Interim City Manager to the City's Salary Schedule and Consideration f an Employment Agreement between the City of Hidden Hills and Marcell Marlowe for Acting City Manager and Interim City Manager Services City Attorney Diaz presented the following repot
the Current City of Hidden Hills City Manager Kerry Kallman requested and is currently on authorized leave of absence from the City, which ends December 31, 2023; in addition, the term of his employment agreement expires on December 31, 2023, and that employment agreement will not be extended; so that the City Council can continue with the day-to-day operations of the City, an employment agreement with Dr. Marcella Marlowe; Ms. Marlowe has been in local government for 25 years; she's received her Bachelors of Arts, Masters of Arts, and a doctorate in philosophy and political science with an emphasis on public law from the University of Southern California; she's also a credentialed City Manager designation from the International City Manager's Association and has extensive experience in academia with respect to public management; she has been teaching at the University of Laverne, as well, has had other teaching roles with Cal State Fullerton in their MPA Program, as well as the Saul Price School of Public Policy at USC; recently she was a City Manager for the City of San Marino, a small, affluent city in the San Gabriel Valley. Previously, she was the Assistant City Manager for the City of San Gabriel, where she spent 6 years overseeing human resources, the City Clerk's Department and special projects, and the Human Resources Manager for the City of Duarte. She worked for the City of Calabasas for 10 years, in human resources. Currently, she has been consulting with the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, as well as Bob Hall, an associate who is a recruiter for local government, and managing several public entity recruitments. With respect to her roles here in the City of Hidden Hills, she will provide immediate support as Acting City Manager through the end of the year, thereafter, she will assume the role of Interim City Manager.
As required by the Government Code, an oral report at a public meeting regarding a recommendation with respect to the salary schedule or compensation, fringe benefits paid to a local agency executive, must be provided. That report is listed in detail in the staff report. With respect to the Acting City Manager position, she will be compensated on an hourly basis at the rate of $103.37, which is commeasure it with the current City Manager's salary. The benefit package is a limited package. With respect to the Acting City Manager, City Council Minutes
November 22, 2023
position, and she will receive those benefits required by law, which is retirement, health benefits, sick leave, and bereavement. She will also receive a City issued computer, cell ›hone, and radio and a nominal car allowance. The estimated fiscal impact through the enc of December 31, 2023, related to salary is 3,500 based on an hourly compensation. Healtt and welfare benefits, including PERS is approximately $2,100, and the vehicle allowance is approximately $340. At the beginning of the year, January 1, 2024, she will assume the role of Interim City Manager, and those benefits will carry over. She will also be provided vacation leave at 10 hours a month, sick leave at 5.7 8 hours a month, and administrative leave at 3.4 hours a month. These leave benefits are the same provided to the current City Manager, and the hourly rate will be the same rate, but it will be converted to an annual salary that is paid monthly, and she will be an exempt employee. She will perform all the functions and duties of the City Manager, except for the municipal code, as the Interim, including any provisions with respect to that position under California State law and our own local rules. With respect to the fiscal impact, because it may take 4 to 6 months for the City to recruit a permanent City Manager. The estimated fiscal impact related to salary is in the range of $71,006.66 to $107,500, based on that annual salary in terms of, and just to note that that salary is only $1,900 more than the current City Manager's salary. Health and welfare benefits, including PERS, are in the range of $16,580 to $24,870. Vacation admin leave is in the range of $5,500 to $8,300, and the vehicle allowance is $1,200 to $1,800. It should be noted that the fiscal impact of these fringe benefits is the same as it would have been with the current City Manager, so the impact to the general fund is essentially neutral and accounted for as part of the City's current budget. Also, the proposed salary is less than the salary provided to other City Managers in the region, also are some of the benefits, but again, this position is an interim temporary position. The employment may end at any time, and the parties have agreed that no severance will be provided. If the city Council desires to move forward here with this contract, as explained, the city Council would have to do 2 things. First, it would have to adopt the Resolution No. 1019 to approve the pay and salary schedule for this temporary limited term position., as required by PERS and second, the employment agreement would need to be approved.
Councilmember Loggia asked City Attorney Diaz about the $3,500, and how that calculation was reached.
City Attorney Diaz responded that Councilmember Loggia as correct in his calculations and that the fiscal impact for her salary would be approximately $14,000 and not the previously stated $3,500. She thanked Councilmember Loggia for pointing that out.
As there were no more technical questions by the City Council, Mayor Pro Tem Gold asked for public comments.
City Council Minutes
November 22, 2023
Resident Barbara Lipkin commented on the City Council not renewing City Manager Kallman's contract.
Resident Mathy Wasserman asked the City Council what is the net amount that is duplicating employment, as she is not clear on that. She also commented about the City Council having a Special Meeting, instead of discussing this topic at a regular meeting. Councilmember Weber responded that there isn't a duplicate expenditure because City Manager Kallman has taken medical leave. Ms. Wasserman thanked Councilmember Weber for the answer.
Upon MOTION by Councilmember Weber, seconded by Councilmember McCorkindale, and unanimously carried on a roll call vote, it was resolved to adopt Resolution No. 1019 entitled: A
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HIDDEN HILLS, ADOPTING
AND APPROVING THE CITY'S PAY AND SALARY SCHEDULE FOR THE TEMPORARY
LIMITED TERM POSITIONS OF ACTING CITY MANAGER AND INTERIM CITY MANAGER, and approve the employment agreement with Marcela Marlowe for the position of Acting City Manager and Interim City Manager.
B. Consideration of a Proposal from R3 Consulting Group Related to the City's Solid Waste Agreement
City Engineer Lovett presented the following report:
statt just received this proposal on November 20", so unfortunately staff wasn't able to prepare a written staff report; however due to the timeliness of the expiration of the trash hauling contract at the end of December, staff felt it was pertinent to bring this to you this evening; the proposal that R3 Consulting Group provided it for recommend amendments to the current agreement, and also assist in the negotiation process; the consultant provided the proposal in 2 parts; task 1 would be to recommend modifications to the contract in the amount of $7,500, and then the part 2 is to negotiate with the hauler in the amount of $17,500; staff is looking for direction from the Council.
City Council Minutes
November 22, 2023
Councilmember and Ad Hoc Committee Member Loggia stated that he and Ad Hoc Committee and Councilmember McCorkindale have asked Waste Management for a one- year extension on the contract, to give the City time to go out to bid and negotiate with them on a proper basis.
Unfortunately, their answer was in the negative. A consultant is needed in this instance as staff and the Council are not trash hauler experts. There are laws that have to be complied with and proper procedures to follow. The City should have started approximately 18 months ago on this process, but unfortunately since timeliness is of the essence, we have to move forward with the best decision for the community. They don't see a downside to the proposal and apparently it is customary that whichever company gets the contract, they pay for the consultants.
Resident Mathy Wasserman expressed concern about the high costs associated with R3's latest proposal.
Upon MOTION by Councilmember Weber, seconded by Councilmember Loggia and unanimously carried on roll call vote to authorize the expenditure of up to $25,000 to retain R3 for consulting services related to the city's solid waste agreement and authorize the approval of an agreement as negotiated by the Ad Hoc Committee and approved by the City Attorney.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned.
Eniko Gold, Mayor Pro Tem
Gonzalez, CMC, City Clerk