XVII. Severability
In the event that any provision of this MOU is declared invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not invalidate the entire MOU, it being the express intent of the City Council that all other provisions not declared invalid shall remain in full force and effect.
XVIII. No Strike
During the life of this MOU, no work stoppages, strikes, slowdowns, or other concerted employee actions that can be interpreted as job actions shall be caused or sanctioned by the Association - nor shall any lockouts be caused by the City. In the event any employees covered by this MOU, individually or collectively, violate the provisions of this section and the Association fails to make all reasonable efforts to halt the work interruption, the Association and the employees involved shall be deemed in violation of this section. The City shall be entitled to seek all remedies available to it under the applicable law.
XIX. City's Policies and Procedures
All rules of conduct set forth in the City's Policies and Procedures (as modified from time to time) pertaining to such matters as harassment, drug and alcohol testing, dress code, workplace violence, FMLA, pregnancy disability leave, court leave and other policies applicable to all employees of the City shall continue to apply to bargaining unit employees unless otherwise made expressly inapplicable to bargaining unit employees.
XX. Association Accessibility to Employees
The City and Association have met and conferred and reached agreement regarding the implementation of Assembly Bill 119.
XXI. Annual Labor / Management Committee Meetings
The City and Association agree to implement annual labor / management committee meetings. The Assoc· tion may request additional meetings if needed.
D RY HANLEY
LHCEA PRESIDENT
~~ LHCEA v1CEPRESJENT
FINANCE
~~ DIRECTOR
~ Z1 cD?:5
Da~ 1
177811 I.I
Item No. 7.2.1
City of Laguna Hills
City Council / Planning Agency
Staff Report
Date: March 10, 2026
To: Mayor and Council Members
From: Eric Hendrickson, Finance Director
Issue: Update to Salary Range for City Clerk Position
Recommendation: That the City Council adopt a Resolution entitled, "A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, California, Regarding Employment and Amending Salary Ranges for Management Classifications of Employment with the City." Background:
The City of Laguna Hills adopted Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2 in June 2025 establishing and defining the salary ranges and benefits for management, confidential, and parttime employees. Based on the City Clerk’s recent resignation, it is prudent to revisit that Resolution to ensure the City remains competitive in the labor market and to attract qualified candidates. The City has recently initiated a recruitment for this vital position.
Staff conducted a salary survey of eleven neighboring municipalities for this position.
Based upon this survey, staff is recommending an increase in the salary range. This increase should allow the City to attract a qualified permanent candidate, as well as remain compliant with CalPERS when hiring a retired annuitant to fill the position in the interim. The current salary range is $11,711.62 - $14,235.55 per month. The proposed salary range is $12,834.16 - $15,600.00 per month. The proposed increase is approximately a 9.6% increase. No other positions are being recommended for adjustment, nor are any of the benefits being recommended for change.
It is important to note that a range adjustment is not a guarantee that the position will be filled at that level. An adjustment to the salary range provides future salary growth for employees who receive favorable and positive annual evaluations.
Item No. 7.2.1
Staff has prepared a proposed Resolution to update the salary range for the City Clerk (Attachment 1) allowing the City to implement the recommended increase to the salary range. The new salary range (Attachment 2) and salary survey (Attachment 3) are also included. A copy of the 2025 Resolution is also provided for reference (Attachment 4).
Fiscal Impact:
The position is currently vacant. Therefore, there is no current fiscal impact. If a candidate is hired at the top step of this new range, that would equate to an annual increase of $16,373.40 compared to the top step of the prior range. Such an increase would fall within the FY 2025/26 budget.
Attachments:
1. Attachment 1: Resolution - Management Salary Adjustment
2. Attachment 2: Salary Range for City Clerk
3. Attachment 3: Salary Survey for City Clerk
4. Attachment 4: Resolution 2025-06-24-2
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-03-10-X
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF LAGUNA HILLS, CALIFORNIA, REGARDING
EMPLOYMENT AND AMENDING SALARY RANGES
FOR MANAGEMENT CLASSIFICATIONS OF
EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY
The City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, California, hereby finds, determines, declares, and resolves as follows:
WHEREAS, the City of Laguna Hills defines management, confidential, and parttime employment positions through the Employer-Employee Relations Resolution No. 2012-02-14-3; and,
WHEREAS, at the June 24, 2025 City Council meeting, the City Council approved Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2, which established salary ranges and benefits for management, confidential, and part-time classifications; and, WHEREAS, the City finds it necessary to periodically amend governing salary and benefit documents to reflect changes in the workforce, the hierarchy of the organization chart, and skillset of the employee group; and,
WHEREAS, the City now finds it appropriate to amend Resolution No. 2025-06- 24-2, including updates to salary ranges for management employees.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA
HILLS, CALIFORNIA, DOES RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE, AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. This Resolution updates the salary range of City Clerk, to a new monthly salary range of $12,834.16 to $15,600.00. All benefits enumerated in Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2 shall apply to this new position. This action to update the salary range is effective March 11, 2026.
SECTION 2. Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2 is hereby amended with this Resolution. All other parts and sections of Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2 not aforementioned shall remain in full effect.
Resolution No. 2026-03-10-X
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 10th day of March 2026. ___________________________________________
DONALD CASKEY, MAYOR
ATTEST:
______________________________________
BOB WINGENROTH, CITY MANAGER
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss
CITY OF LAGUNA HILLS )
I, Joseph Ames, Acting City Clerk, of the City of Laguna Hills, California, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of Resolution No. 2026- 03-10-X adopted by the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, California, at a Regular Meeting thereof held on the 10th day of March 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
(SEAL)
_____________________________________
JOSEPH AMES, ACTING CITY CLERK
Salary Range
Effective March 11, 2026
Position Step Rate
City Clerk A $ 12,834.16 per month
B $ 13,475.87 per month
C $ 14,149.66 per month
D $ 14,857.14 per month
E $ 15,600.00 per month
City Annual Monthly Hourly
Laguna Beach 197,545.00 $ 16,462.08 $ 94.97 $
Laguna Niguel 166,740.00 $ 13,895.00 $ 80.16 $
Lake Forest 173,508.00 $ 14,459.00 $ 83.42 $
Aliso Viejo 242,562.00 $ 20,213.50 $ 116.62 $
Mission Viejo 192,316.80 $ 16,026.40 $ 92.46 $
Newport Beach 200,977.40 $ 16,748.12 $ 96.62 $
Rancho Santa Margarita 164,580.00 $ 13,715.00 $ 79.13 $ Costa Mesa 183,252.00 $ 15,271.00 $ 88.10 $
Dana Point 176,676.00 $ 14,723.00 $ 84.94 $
Irvine 213,852.80 $ 17,821.07 $ 102.81 $
Laguna Woods 138,565.00 $ 11,547.08 $ 66.62 $
Average 186,415.91 $ 15,534.66 $ 89.62 $
Laguna Hills - Current 170,826.60 $ 14,235.55 $ 82.13 $ Laguna Hills - Proposed 187,200.00 $ 15,600.00 $ 90.00 $ Maximum Salary
Salary Survey
City Clerk Position
To accompany March 10, 2026 Staff Report
l
J
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-06-24-2
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAGUNA HILLS, CALIFORNIA, REGARDING
EMPLOYMENT AND ESTABLISHING SALARY RANGES
AND BENEFITS FOR MANAGEMENT, CONFIDENTIAL,
AND PART-TIME CLASSES OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE
CITY AND RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO. 2023-07-11-4
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA
HILLS, CALIFORNIA, DOES RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE, AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. This Resolution establishes the official plan of compensation for the City for positions defined as management, confidential, and part-time in the EmployerEmployee Relations Resolution No. 2012-02-14-3. The plan of compensation for all other employees is set forth in the current Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the Laguna Hills City Employees Association. In addition, insurance benefits for elected officials are established in Section 3, Subsection II of this Resolution.
SECTION 2. The current Salary Schedule for those positions designated as management, confidential, and part-time is as follows:
I FULL-TIME POSITIONS - CONFIDENTIAL MONTHLY RANGE
I Executive Assistant to the City Manager $ 6,992.91 I $ 8,499.93
FULL-TIME POSITIONS - MANAGEMENT
Assistant City Manager $17,167.01 $20,866.60
City Clerk $11,315.58 $13,754.16
City Manager $ 24,229.83 Per Contract
Community Development Director $15,606.37 $18,968.73
Community Services Director $15,145.27 $18,409.17
Finance Director $15,145.27 $18,409.17
I PART-TIME POSITIONS
I Community Services Leader $ 18.00 $25.00
Except for the positions of City Manager and Community Services Leader, the City shall increase the full-time positions listed above by the following cost of living adjustments:
1) Effective the beginning of the pay period that includes July 1, 2025, the City shall increase the above salary ranges by a cost-of-living adjustment of 3.5%. 2) Effective the beginning of the pay period that includes July 1, 2026, the City shall increase salary ranges by a cost-of-living adjustment of 3.5%.
Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2
Page2
3) Effective the beginning of the pay period that includes July 1, 2027, the City shall increase salary ranges by the percent increase in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U factor for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area (or succeeding index) for the preceding 12-month period ending April 2027, within the range of 2% - 4%. The increase shall not be below 2%, nor above 4%, regardless of CPI-U factor.
4) Effective the beginning of the pay period that includes July 1, 2028, the City shall increase salary ranges by the percent increase in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U factor for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area (or succeeding index) for the preceding 12-month period ending April 2028, within the range of 2% - 4%. The increase shall not be below 2%, nor above 4%, regardless of CPI-U factor.
The above-stated cost of living adjustments do not apply to the position of City Manager, nor part-time Community Services Leader.
SECTION 3. The City shall provide the following benefits to the categories of employees specified herein:
I. RETIREMENT
A. The City shall participate in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). The City provides the following two tiers of benefits:
1. Tier 1 (Employees hired before July 1, 2013 or individuals hired after July 1, 2013 who have participated iri a public retirement system within the six months prior to -being hired): 2% @ 60 formula. Management employees shall pay 7.00% toward the City's normal cost rate of its pension program with CalPERS (as determined by CalPERS). Additional benefits provided through Cal PERS shall include the following:
One-Year Final Compensation
Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance
Pre-Retirement Survivor Allowance
1959 Survivo_r Benefits, including Third Level Benefits
2. Tier 2 (Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 who have not been members of a public retirement system within the six months prior to employment with the City): 2% @ 62 formula with 3-year Final Compensation and with employee paying 100% of the employees' contribution to CalPERS.
B. The City shall provide a supplemental retirement program as established in Resolution No. 99-05-04-1, which affords management employees a defined
j
Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2
contribution equal to 6.5% of base salary upon employment with the City and confidential employees a defined contribution equal to 3.0% of base salary after ten years of service with the City.
C. The City shall provide a retiree health savings plan as established in Resolution No. 2001-12-11-2.
D. The City shall make available to all management and confidential employees a Section 457 Deferred Compensation Plan. This is a voluntary program and will be funded at the sole cost of each participating employee. This provision does not apply to the Deferred Compensation provisions found in the Employment Agreement between the City and the City Manager which provide for the terms and conditions of their participation in the Plan.
II. INSURANCE
A. Effective July 1, 2025, the City will contribute the following towards all full-time management, confidential employees, and elected members' health insurance premium:
Employee Only $1 ,127.34
Employee + One $2,244.74
Employee+ Family $2,913.19
City contributions to medical insurance plan will increase to an amount not to exceed the equivalent of the annual increase of the BS Gold PPO premium.
Employees will be responsible for paying any portion of their health insurance premium not covered by the City's contribution amount.
B. The City shall provide a medical insurance rebate program for full-time Confidential and Management employees who are eligible for the City medical insurance program, and who are currently enrolled under an outside non-City sponsored medical insurance program through a spouse or other source. Any full-time employee who demonstrates proof of insurance from such other source and who makes a request to opt-out of the City's insurance program will receive five hundred dollars ($500.00) per month in lieu of City-sponsored medical insurance.
C. The City shall provide and pay for a dental insurance plan for all full-time management, confidential employees, and elected members, including their dependents.
D. The City shall provide and pay for a vision insurance plan for all full-time management, confidential employees, and elected members, including their dependents.
E. The City shall provide and pay for a group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance plan for all full-time management and confidential
Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2
Page4
employees on the basis of 150% of the employee's annual salary, to the next highest $1,000.00 increment, up to a maximum of $250,000.
F. The City shall provide and pay for a short and long-term disability plan for all full-time management and confidential employees.
G. Elected members may opt not to participate in the City's medical, dental, and vision insurance plans, but are not eligible to receive the medical insurance rebate.
Ill. VACATION
A Full-time non-management, confidential employees accrue vacation leave per pay period, according to the following schedule:
Years of Service
0-3
3-10
10+
Rate
3.08 hours per pay period
4.62 hours per pay period
6.15 hours per pay period
B. Full-time management employees accrue vacation leave at 6.15 hours per pay period.
C. Upon termination or retirement, all employees shall be compensated at their current pay scale for their accrued vacation leave balance. No employee shall be allowed to carryover more than 320 hours of vacation leave from one fiscal year to the next.
D. On or before December 15 of each calendar year, an employee may make an irrevocable election to cash out accrued Vacation Time. The amount of hours that can be cashed out is limited to the amount of leave earned by the employee in the year of the payment. The cash out payment is paid the following December at the employee's base rate of pay. Elections will be made on forms provided by Finance and cannot be modified once elected. The employee's vacation time balance cannot be reduced below 60 hours as a result of cashing out vacation leave. Thus, if the employee's leave balance would fall below 60 hours as a result of cashing out leave, the employee will receive cash for their election only for the hours above 60.
E. For management employees, upon completion of ten years of full-time, continuous management employment with the City, the City shall make a onetime allotment of 40 hours of vacation leave to the employee's vacation leave balance.
IV. HOLIDAYS
A. The City shall observe 11 fixed holidays during which City Hall will be closed.
Holidays falling on Sunday shall be observed on the following Monday.
J
Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2
Holidays falling on Saturday shall be observed on the preceding Friday unless this, too, is a holiday and then one day sooner. Holidays include:
New Year's Day
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr
Presidents Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving
Day After Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
B. Full-time employees shall receive 8 hours of holiday leave for the abovementioned holidays. If a fixed holiday falls on an employee's regularly scheduled day off, then they may use those holiday hours at a later date during the fiscal year. In order to receive holiday pay, an employee must have received pay for all of both the regularly scheduled assignment immediately prior to a holiday and the regularly scheduled assignment immediately after that holiday.
C. The City shall provide full-time management and confidential employees 29 discretionary holiday hours per fiscal year to be used as discretionary holiday leave.
D. In addition to the holidays listed above, the City will observe a Holiday Closure by closing City facilities from December 26th through December 3pt_ Full-time employees shall receive 32 hours of personal time off per fiscal year to use during the holiday closure, or at a later time during the fiscal year.
Number of Hours
Fixed Holiday Hours 88
Discretionary Holiday Hours 29
Holiday Closure Hours 32
E. All holiday and discretionary hours will be prorated for employees beginning full-time employment with the City after the start of the fiscal year based on the remaining holidays. Discretionary holiday hours must be taken during each fiscal year and cannot be carried over to the succeeding fiscal year.
F. Fixed Holiday Hours and Holiday Closure Hours have no cash value upon termination or retirement from the City. Discretionary Holiday Hours are cashed out upon termination or retirement at the employee's base rate of pay.
Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2
V. LEAVES OF ABSENCE
A. All full-time employees shall accrue annual sick leave at a rate of 3.69 hours per pay period.
8. All full-time management and confidential employees prior to completing ten years of service as full- time employees, (hereafter, "ten-year anniversary") shall be eligible, if they so desire, each quarter (October 1, January 1, April 1, and July 1) to convert unused personal sick leave in excess of 160 hours at a rate of 8 hours of vacation for every 24 hours of personal sick leave. Upon retirement or resignation from the City prior to their ten-year anniversary, a fulltime employee who has personal sick leave in excess of 160 hours may convert the excess hours to vacation at a rate of eight hours of vacation for every 24 hours of personal sick leave. In this situation, the vacation accrual limits under Section 3, Paragraph 111.C above can be exceeded to a maximum of 480 hours.
C. For all full-time management and confidential employees who have completed their ten-year anniversary, sick leave accumulation and balances will be governed by Resolution No. 2001-12-11-2. As part of the Retirement Health Services (RHS) plan, employees upon ten years of service may convert any vacation hours over 80 hours to sick leave on a 1 to 1 basis.
D. All full-time management and confidential employees shall receive up to 40 hours of bereavement leave, per instance, for absence necessitated by the death of immediate family members. An immediate family member shall be defined as the spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, parents-in-law, or other individuals whose relationship to the employee is that of a dependent or near dependent. Where such death has occurred and upon request of the City Manager, the employee shall furnish satisfactory evidence of such death.
E. All full-time management and confidential employees shall receive up to 80 hours of court leave annually to satisfy jury duty service or other court mandated appearances. The employee must furnish sufficient proof of summons or required appearance to the City Manager to be granted such leave. The City Manager may grant, at his or her discretion, extended leave, with or without pay, if the situation warrants the need.
VI. AUTOMOBILE ALLOWANCE
A. At the discretion of the City Manager, Management classifications may be eligible for a monthly automobile allowance in lieu of mileage reimbursement up to $400.00 per month. All other employees shall be reimbursed at the prevailing standard mileage rates established by the IRS.
Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2
VII. UNREPRESENTED PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT
A. The City shall provide part-time employees an alternative retirement plan as established in Resolution No. 2000-06-27-5. Under provisions of this plan, parttime, temporary, and seasonal employees shall make required contributions of at least 3:75% of gross pay and the City shall also make contributions of 3.75% of gross pay. This alternative retirem~nt plan is in-lieu of contributing to Social Security or CalPERS. Upon eligibility in CalPERS, contributions into this plan cease.
B. Part-time employees shall begin to acc~ue paid sick leave at the rate of one (1) hour of paid sick leave for every thirty (30) regular hours worked beginning on the first day of employment. A part-time employee can only accrue paid sick leave up to a cap of eighty (80) hours. Sick leave does not accrue once the cap is reached, but accrual begins again when accrued sick leave drops below the cap. Any unused accrued paid sick leave carries over year to yeclfr while the part-time employee is continuously employed. There is no cash value to this sick leave upon termination or retirement.
C. Part-time employees shall be entitled to meal and break periods. The City shall provide one 15-minute paid break for shifts lasting 4-5 hours. The City shall provide one 30-minute unpaid break, and two 15-minute paid breaks for shifts lasting 6-7 hours. The City shall provide one 1-hour unpaid break, and two 15- minute paid breaks for shifts lasting 8 hours or more.
SECTION 4. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
I. The City Manager may authorize special adjustments to avoid or eliminate inequities resulting from the strict application of any provision of this Resolution.
II. The City Manager is authorized to issue written administrative personnel regulations designed to augment or clarify the provisions of this Resolution.
Ill. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of the City Manager's Employment Agreement and this Resolution, the Agreement prevails.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
I. Except as otherwise specified to the contrary in this Resolution, all provisions set forth herein shall be effective July 1, 2025.
SECTION 6.
this Resolution.
Resolution No. 2023-07-11-4 is hereby rescinded and replaced with
Resolution No. 2025-06-24-2
Page8
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 24th day of June 2025.
JOSHUA SWEENEY, MAYOR
ATTEST:
4JE F ER L LEE, CITY CLERK
.....
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss
CITY OF LAGUNA HILLS )
I, Jennifer Lee, City Clerk of th~ City of Laguna Hills, California, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a tru~ and correct copy of Resolution No. 2025-06-24-3 adopted by the City Council qf the City of Laguna Hills, California, at a Regular Meeting thereof held on the 24th day of June 2025, by the following vote:
AYES: Council Members Mathis, Wheeler, Mayor Pro Tempore Caskey, and Mayor Sweeney
NOES: None
ABSENT: Council Member Pezold
ABSTAIN: None
(SEAL)
~ '
Item No. 7.2.2
City of Laguna Hills
City Council / Planning Agency
Staff Report
Date: March 10, 2026
To: Mayor and Council Members
From: Eric Hendrickson, Finance Director
Issue: Retired Annuitant Employment Agreement
Recommendation: That the City Council adopt a Resolution entitled, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, California, Approving and Authorizing the City Manager to appoint a Retired Annuitant to serve as Interim City Clerk during a vacancy of the City Clerk position.”
Background:
The City Clerk has resigned from employment effective February 26, 2026. The City has initiated a recruitment for this position. Currently, there are no internal candidates who have the specialized skills and experience necessary to fill the position of Interim City Clerk.
Fortunately, Karen Hamman, a retired annuitant with specialized skills and previous experience as a City Clerk, is available and able to serve as Interim City Clerk during the period of vacancy and active recruitment.
CalPERS has extensive rules relating to the employment of retired annuitants which must be adhered to. Pursuant to Government Code section 21221(h), appointment of retired annuitants is permissible without the reinstatement into the CalPERS retirement system during a period of interim vacancy of a permanent position while an active recruitment is in place. Therefore, staff is recommending that the City Manager retain Hamman to serve as Interim City Clerk during this time and to establish the terms and conditions for such retention consistent with the requirements set forth in Government Code sections 21221(h) and 21224, by approving the Retired Annuitant Employment Agreement (Exhibit “1” to the Resolution).
Item No. 7.2.2
Fiscal Impact:
In accordance with the terms of the proposed Retired Annuitant Employment Agreement, Hamman will perform all the duties and responsibilities of the Interim City Clerk, will be paid $90.00 an hour (which does not exceed the hourly rate equivalent of the City Clerk’s monthly salary as approved by the City Council), will not receive any other benefits, and will not work more than 960 in a fiscal year with the City or any other CalPERS participating employer.
Attachments:
1. Resolution Approving Appointment of Retired Annuitant During Vacancy
2. Retired Annuitant Employment Agreement with Karen Hamman
4917-0509-5571, v. 1
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-3-10-X
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAGUNA HILLS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AND
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPOINT A
RETIRED ANNUITANT TO SERVE AS INTERIM CITY
CLERK DURING A VACANCY OF THE CITY CLERK
POSITION
WHEREAS, the City Clerk of the City of Laguna Hills has resigned effective February 26, 2026 and the City has initiated a recruitment to fill the position on a permanent basis;
WHEREAS, there are no internal candidates who have the specialized skills and experience necessary to fill the position of Interim City Clerk during the recruitment; WHEREAS, Karen Hamman, a retired annuitant with specialized skills and experience as a City Clerk is available and able to serve as Interim City Clerk during the vacancy and recruitment;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code section 21221(h), appointment of retired annuitants is permissible without reinstatement into the CalPERS retirement system during a period of temporary vacancy of a position; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to retain Hamman to serve as Interim City Clerk during the vacancy and recruitment and to establish the terms and conditions for such retention consistent with the requirements set forth in Government Code sections 21221(h) and 21224 by approving the attached Retired Annuitant Employment Agreement (Exhibit “1”).
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA HILLS,
CALIFORNIA, DOES RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE, AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 2. Karen Hamman has been selected, based on her specialized skills, to serve as Interim City Clerk, during the vacancy and recruitment; Hamman’s temporary employment shall be terminated once a new permanent City Clerk is retained by the City, but no later than December 31, 2026.
SECTION 3. The City Council hereby approves and authorizes the City Manager to execute the Retired Annuitant Employment Agreement, dated March 10, 2026, which employment agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit “1” with employment beginning on March 13, 2026.
Resolution 2026-03-10-X
4917-0509-5571, v. 1
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 10th day of March 2026. ____________________________________
DONALD CASKEY, MAYOR
ATTEST:
______________________________________
BOB WINGENROTH, CITY MANAGER
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss
CITY OF LAGUNA HILLS )
I, Joseph Ames, Acting City Clerk, of the City of Laguna Hills, California, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of Resolution No. 2026- 03-10-X adopted by the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, California, at a Regular Meeting thereof held on the 10th day of March 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
(SEAL)
_____________________________________
JOSEPH AMES, ACTING CITY CLERK
Resolution 2026-03-10-X
4917-0509-5571, v. 1
EXHIBIT “1”
RETIRED ANNUITANT EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
DATED: March 10, 2026
4927-2109-9667, v. 1
RETIRED ANNUITANT EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
INTERIM CITY CLERK
KAREN HAMMAN AND
THE CITY OF LAGUNA HILLS
THIS AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between the City of Laguna Hills and Karen Hamman (hereinafter referred to as “Hamman”), to be effective March 13, 2026, and is made in reference to the following facts.
A. The current City Clerk has resigned from the City of Laguna Hills effective February 26, 2026. The City has initiated a recruitment to fill the position on a permanent basis.
B. The City does not have a current employee that has the skills and experience to perform the duties of the City Clerk on an interim basis.
C. Therefore, during this interim vacancy, the City would like to retain the services of Karen Hamman, a retired annuitant with city clerk experience to serve as Interim City Clerk.
D. The City Manager therefore desires to appoint Karen Hamman, a retired annuitant with the requisite experience, as Interim City Clerk for a limited duration while the City conducts a recruitment to fill the position on a permanent basis.
E. This retired annuitant agreement is entered into pursuant to California Government Code section 21221(h).
THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
1.0 Appointment and Scope of Services
1.1 City Manager appoints Karen Hamman as Interim City Clerk to perform the functions and duties specified in the job description for the position of City Clerk including but not limited to in-person daily support of the City Clerk Department, attending City Council meetings as needed, preparing agendas, staff reports, and meeting minutes for City Council meetings; and other legally permissible and proper duties and functions as the City Manager may, from time to time, assign. The position of City Clerk is at-will and serves at the pleasure of the City Manager.
1.2 Hamman hereby agrees to perform fully and faithfully the functions and duties of City Clerk as specified in the job description for the position of City Clerk and as set forth in section 1.1.
2.0 Term of Agreement
The term of this Agreement shall commence on March 13, 2026 and continue in full force and effect until it automatically terminates on December 31, 2026 or upon retention of a
4927-2109-9667, v. 1
permanent City Clerk, whichever is earlier.
3.0 Pay Rate
3.1 The Interim City Clerk shall receive compensation at the rate of Ninety Dollars ($90.00) per hour, payable on a bi-weekly basis.
3.2 The Interim City Clerk shall not be entitled to receive any benefits of employment provided to City's regular employees, including, but not limited to, group health or medical benefits, life insurance, and vacation and other leave accruals.
4.0 Hours of Work
4.1 The hours of the Interim City Clerk will not exceed 960 in fiscal year 2025/2026 (even when combined with hours worked for other CalPERS participating agencies). By signing this Agreement, Hamman certifies that she has not reached the 960-hour limit as of the Effective Date of the Agreement and will not reach those hours after working for the City through and including June 30, 2026. Hamman will similarly not exceed 960 hours of work in fiscal year 2026/2027.
4.2 Commencing March 13, 2026, Hamman shall work Monday through Friday during regular business hours as determined by the City Manager. Hamman will attend City Council meetings and all other meetings required of the position or requested by the City Manager.
5.0 General Expenses
The City agrees to reimburse Hamman for non-personal expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred in the course and scope of performing her duties. The Finance Director is hereby authorized to disburse such monies upon receipt of duly executed expense or petty cash vouchers, receipts, statements or personal affidavits.
6.0 Other Terms and Conditions of Interim Employment
The City Manager shall fix any such other terms and conditions of employment, as he may determine from time to time, relating to Hamman’s performance, provided such terms and conditions are not inconsistent with or in conflict with the provisions of this Agreement, City Council direction, Municipal Code or any applicable law.
7.0 Compliance with Law
Hamman shall comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations of federal, state, and local government in the performance of the duties, which are the subject of this Agreement.
8.0 General Provisions
8.1 The text herein shall constitute the entire Agreement between the parties.
8.2 If any provision, or any portion thereof, contained in this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement, or portion thereof, shall be deemed severed, shall not be affected and shall remain in full force and effect.
CITY OF LAGUNA HILLS
Bob Wingenroth
City Manager
Date: -------
APPROVED AS TO FORM
Barbara Raileanu
Assistant City Attorney
Date: -------
ATTEST:
Eric Hendrickson
Finance Director
4927-2109-9667, V. 1
INTERIM CITY CLERK
K2f���MM'(
Date: 3/ 2 / 2.b
� 7
Item No. 7.3.1
City of Laguna Hills
City Council / Planning Agency
Staff Report
Date: March 10, 2026
To: Mayor and Council Members
From: Joe Ames, Assistant City Manager
Issue: Review of Streetlight Banner Program Expenses and Locations Recommendation: That the City Council discuss and provide direction to City staff.
Background:
At the January 27, 2026, City Council meeting, Councilmembers Pezold and Wheeler requested that City staff return to City Council with a report on locations and costs associated with the current streetlight banners — potentially with a request to refresh the existing streetlight banners and/or expand streetlight banner locations.
At the February 9, 2026, Events, Communications and Beautification Committee (ECBC), Councilmember Pezold and Mayor Pro Tem Mathis received a preliminary report from Assistant City Manager Ames regarding locations and costs associated with the current streetlight banners.
Based upon the feedback provided at the ECBC, the following information is presented herein:
• Currently, hardware exists on approximately 103 streetlight poles to hang 136 streetlight banners.
• Attached is a map showing where banners have been installed recently. • The estimated cost to design, produce, and install (and eventually remove) 136 streetlight banners at the locations on the maps is estimated to cost $42,150, per the attached spreadsheet.
• The estimated cost to produce and install (and eventually remove) each additional streetlight banner that may be requested by City Council is
Item No. 7.3.1
approximately $300. This does not include design costs. • If a permanent program is created to allow third-parties to install banners on streetlight poles, for reference in 2024, City staff charged Saddleback Hospital $4,400 to hang (and remove) 22 banners from 11 double-arm streetlight poles (9 on Paseo de Valencia and 2 on Los Alisos Boulevard). Saddleback Memorial Medical Center recently installed "50th Anniversary" commemorative banners to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Saddleback Hospital's service to the community.
City staff requests that City Council discuss and provide direction to City staff.
Fiscal Impact:
None associated with receipt of this report. However, if new banners are requested to be designed, fabricated and installed, the Assistant City Manager requests that City Council direct the Finance Director to allocate the necessary funding from General Fund Reserves so as to preserve funding in the Public Works Operating Budget.
Attachments:
1. Estimated Costs
2. Current Banner Hardware Location Map
Location Number of Banners Number of Streetlight Poles Used Notes Alicia / Paseo de Valencia 8 4 4 Double-Arm Streetlight Poles with 2 Banners each Alicia / Moulton 8 8 8 Single-Arm Streetlight Poles with 1 Banner each Alicia / Hon 4 2 2 Double-Arm Streetlight Poles with 2 Banners each Alicia / Costeau 4 2 2 Double-Arm Streetlight Poles with 2 Banners each Alicia / Wiles to Paseo de Valencia 19 14 5 Double-Arm Streetlight Poles with 2 Banners each; 9 Single-Arm Streetlight Poles with 1 Banner each Alicia / Moulton (SE Corner) - Alicia: Laurelmont to
Moulton; Moulton: Alicia to Mandeville 14 12 2 Double-Arm Streetlight Poles with 2 Banners each; 10 Single-Arm Streetlight Poles with 1 Banner each Cabot / Nellie Gail 6 6 6 Single-Arm Streetlight Poles with 1 Banner each La Paz / Moulton 9 9 9 Single-Arm Streetlight Poles with 1 Banner each La Paz west of Cabot 4 2 2 Double-Arm Streetlight Poles with 2 Banners each Lake Forest 10 8 2 Double-Arm Streetlight Poles with 2 Banners each; 6 Single-Arm Streetlight Poles with 1 Banner each Oso / Cabot 10 7 3 Double-Arm Streetlight Poles with 2 Banners each; 4 Single-Arm Streetlight Poles with 1 Banner each Oso / Moulton 10 10 10 Single-Arm Streetlight Poles with 1 Banner each Oso / Nellie Gail 8 8 8 Single-Arm Streetlight Poles with 1 Banner each Paseo de Valencia (previous Saddleback Hospital
Banners) 22 11 11 Double-Arm Streetlight Poles with 2 Banners each Total Estimated Number of Banners 136
Total Estimated Number of Poles 103
Materials & Installation
Approximate cost to manufacture each banner $ 100.00 In September 2023, Printex/Minuteman Press charged $72 per banner. New banners require customized wind flaps due to Santa Ana winds. Estimated cost per banner is $100.
Approximate cost to hang each banner and remove
each banner (if done as one large job)
$ 150.00 In September 2023, Crosstown billed 12 hours totaling $1,740 for hanging 20 banners: 4 Single-Arm Streetlight Poles with 1 banner each, and 8 Double-Arm Streetlight Poles with 2 banners each. This comes out to $87 each to hang, on average. (The $87 average does not include removal, so ~ $150 total to hang and remove.)
Subtotal of Materials & Installation $ 34,000.00
Layout Design Cost $ 1,350.00 In September 2023, Printex/Minuteman Press charged $1,350 for desiging three different banners 20% Contingency (Hardware replacements,
destroyed banners, unknown costs with customized
wind flaps)
$ 6,800.00
Estimated Total for 136 Banners on 103 poles $ 42,150.00 Estimated cost for each additional banner on a
streetlight pole (including 20% cointingency): $ 300.00
ALICIA AT PASEO DE VALENCIA
1" = .250 ft ALICIA AT PASEO DE
VALENCIA 04/29/2024
This map may represents a visual display of related geographic information. Daile provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure· of complete accuracy, please contact the res,ponsible staff for most up-to-date information.
ALICIA AT MOULTON
~
1" = 250 ft ALICIA AT MOULTON 03/27/2024 rr,1
This map may reriresents a visual display of related geographic information. Data provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure of complete accuracy, please contact the responsible staf for most up-to-date information.
ALICIA AT HON
1" = .250 ft ALICIA AT HON 04/29/2024
This map may represents a visual display of related geographic information. Daile provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure· of complete accuracy, please contact the res,ponsible staff for most up-to-date information.
ALICIA-HON TO COSTEAU
~
1" = 250 ft ALICIA-HON TO COSTEAU 04/02/2024 rr,1
This map may reriresents a visual display of related geographic information. Data provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure of complete accuracy, please contact the responsible staf for most up-to-date information.
ALICIA-WILKES TO PASEO DE VALENCIA
These four SHP banners are
actually located on 4 single-arm
streetlight poles on the west side
of Alicia Parkway.
The red dots do not accurately
represent the locations.
~
1" = 350 ft ALICIA-WILKES TO PASEO 04/02/2024 DE VALENCIA rr,1 This map may reriresents a visual display of related geographic information. Data provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure of complete accuracy, please contact the responsible staf for most up-to-date information.
ALICIA - LAURELMONT TO MOULTON, MOULTON - ALICIA TO MANDEVILLE ~
1" = 400 ft ALICIA- LAUREL MOUNT TO 04/03/2024 MOULTON TO MANDEVILLE rr,1 This map may reriresents a visual display of related geographic information. Data provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure of complete accuracy, please contact the responsible staf for most up-to-date information.
CABOT AT NELLIE GAIL
1" = 250 ft CABOT AT NELLIE GAIL 03/27/2024
l ,
I
l l
~
rr,1
This map may reriresents a visual display of related geographic information. Data provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure of complete accuracy, please contact the responsible staf for most up-to-date information.
LA PAZ AT MOULTON
1" = .250 ft Sub Title 05/29/2024
This map may represents a visual display of related geographic information. Daile provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure· of complete accuracy, please contact the res,ponsible staff for most up-to-date information.
LA PAZ WEST OF CABOT
1" = 350 ft Sub Title 05/15/2024
This map may represents a visual display of related geographic information. Daile provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure· of complete accuracy, please contact the res,ponsible staff for most up-to-date information.
LAKE FOREST DRIVE
1" = 350 ft CARLOTA TO MOULTON 04/29/2024
This map may represents a visual display of related geographic information. Daile provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure· of complete accuracy, please contact the res,ponsible staff for most up-to-date information.
OSO AT CABOT
~
1" = 250 ft OSOATCABOT 03/27/2024 rr,1
This map may reriresents a visual display of related geographic information. Data provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure of complete accuracy, please contact the responsible staf for most up-to-date information.
OSO AT MOULTON
~
1" = 250 ft OSO AT MOULTON 03/27/2024 rr,1
This map may reriresents a visual display of related geographic information. Data provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure of complete accuracy, please contact the responsible staf for most up-to-date information.
OSO AT NELLIE GAIL
~
1" = 250 ft OSO AT NELLIE GAIL 03/27/2024 rr,1
This map may reriresents a visual display of related geographic information. Data provided here on is not guarantee of actual field conditions. To be sure of complete accuracy, please contact the responsible staf for most up-to-date information.
Saddleback Hospital Banners
Blue Checkmarks = Banner Locations
Item No. 7.3.2
City of Laguna Hills
City Council / Planning Agency
Staff Report
Date: March 10, 2026
To: Mayor and Council Members
From: Joe Ames, Assistant City Manager
Issue: CIP 101: Biennial Citywide Local Street Rehabilitation Project Update Recommendation: That the City Council receive and file the report.
Background:
The goal of the Citywide Local Street Rehabilitation Project (CIP 101) is to resurface of all the City's local (residential and collector) streets on a 6-year return cycle.
In order to efficiently resurface local streets, approximately 30 years ago, City staff divided the City's local street network into six geographic zones, A through F, each containing approximately one-sixth (1/6th) of the City's local streets. The goal of CIP 101 was to resurface every street in a zone with either a slurry seal or an asphalt pavement overlay every 6 years. The map of the geographic zones is attached.
Not long after the establishment of CIP 101, for budget and cost efficiency, City streets within two zones were resurfaced as a single project every two (2) years (every other year) resulting in one-third (1/3rd) of the local streets being resurfaced during each project, thereby still maintaining the 6-year return cycle. Specific streets in each CIP 101 project were programmed for a slurry seal treatment or an asphalt pavement overlay, based on the guidance provided by the City’s Pavement Management Plan and a field survey taken prior to the development of each specific project.
For this year, and the next few upcoming years, the planned resurfacing schedule was as follows:
• Zones A&D: FY 2025-2026 (Summer 2026 Work)
Item No. 7.3.2
• Zones C&E: FY 2027-2028 (Summer 2028 Work)
• Zones B&F: FY 2029-2030 (Summer 2030 Work)
In preparation for this summer's resurfacing work, City staff and two different consultants surveyed local streets within Zones A and D and reviewed the FY 2025-2026 available budget.
The conclusions are as follows:
• In FY 2025-2026, the funding available for CIP 101 is $2.5 million. • The estimated cost of resurfacing only Zone D is between $3,020,000 and $3,340,000.
• The estimated cost of resurfacing only Zone A is over $3,520,000.
Unfortunately, these results are not entirely unexpected. As construction costs continue to rise faster than revenue from Gas Tax funds (Gas Tax and State Senate Bill 1 funds combined) and the City is unable to contribute any significant additional funding from the General Fund on an ongoing basis, City staff concludes the City is unable to continue the 6-year return cycle model.
While the 6-year return cycle model worked for many years preceding the past 10 years, over the past 10 years maintaining this schedule has been difficult. After reviewing past projects, the 6-year return cycle model actually hasn't been fully practiced in quite some time.
• In 2017, CIP 101-J, which was intended to resurface all streets in Zones A and D, actually only resurfaced a handful of streets in Zones A and D, plus two streets in Zone E.
• In 2019, CIP 101-K, which was intended to resurface all streets in Zones C and E, did not resurface every street within the zones. Several were skipped. • In 2021, CIP 101-L, which was intended to resurface all streets in Zones B and F, met the objective of resurfacing nearly all streets. However, the work consisted of only slurry sealing all streets due to funding constraints. Some streets may have benefited from an asphalt overlay.
As Gas Tax funding did not keep pace with the 6-year return cycle model, Gas Tax funding was increasingly allocated only to residential streets, leading to an unofficial “residential streets first" budgetary policy. In turn, this budgetary policy resulted in
Item No. 7.3.2
little funding being made available for the City’s arterial highways (Alicia, Cabot, Carlota, El Toro, La Paz, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills Drive, Moulton, Oso, Paseo de Valencia, Ridge Route, Santa Maria) over the past decade. Some portions of arterial highways were funded, but less than needed. Overall, the unofficial budgetary policy resulted in the continual decline of pavement quality on the City’s arterial highways.
For example, until recently, one arterial highway, Paseo de Valencia between Alicia Parkway and El Toro Road, had the worst Pavement Condition Index (PCI) in the City until it was resurfaced using Gas Tax funding reallocated from CIP 101 and an additional $2.5 million allocation from General Fund Reserves. That section of arterial highway cost $5.5 million to complete.
The "residential streets first" budgetary policy was not meritless, however. It is widely recognized by pavement engineers that it is significantly more cost-effective to spend funds keeping good roads in a good state of maintenance (e.g. by performing slurry seal work) than it is to spend funds reconstructing roads. The City's "residential streets first" budgetary policy also resulted in high Pavement Condition Index (PCI) values for its residential streets, which improved the overall PCI average for the entire citywide street network.
Based on the information above and given the lack of additional funding available to dedicate to the Citywide Local Street Rehabilitation Project, City staff has no other choice than to recommend a new 12-year return cycle for resurfacing local streets.
Under this scenario, the proposed schedule would, generally, be as follows:
• Zone D: FY 2025-2026 (Summer 2026 Work)
• Zone A: FY 2027-2028 (Summer 2028 Work)
• Zone C: FY 2029-2030 (Summer 2030 Work)
• Zone E: FY 2031-2032 (Summer 2032 Work)
• Zone B: FY 2033-2034 (Summer 2034 Work)
• Zone F: FY 2035-2036 (Summer 2036 Work)
Based on this recommendation, City staff is already in the process of preparing plans and specifications for resurfacing Zone D, plus two streets in Zone A that were deemed necessary as part of this project. Because the estimated cost of work exceeds the available budget, some streets in Zone D and the streets in Zone A will be bid as "additive bid" work.
City staff anticipates returning to City Council in late-April or early-May 2026 for authority to advertise the project for bidding.
Item No. 7.3.2
Fiscal Impact:
There is no cost associated with receiving this report.
Attachments:
1. Street Resurfacing Zones Map
Item No. 7.5.1
City of Laguna Hills
City Council / Planning Agency
Staff Report
Date: March 10, 2026
To: Mayor and Council Members
From: Holland Gannon, Community Services Director
Issue: 2026-2028 Memorial Day Race Medal Series Designs Recommendation: That the City Council approve the design of the 2026-2028 Memorial Day Half Marathon, 5k, and 10k Honoring USMC Dark Horse Battalion medal series designs.
Background:
At the February 10, 2026, City Council meeting, the City Council provided direction regarding the development of a multi-year commemorative medal series for the 2026- 2028 Memorial Day Half Marathon, 5k, and 10k Honoring USMC Dark Horse Battalion medal series. The direction provided to staff was to honor America's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Space Force, and the 2028 Olympics.
Based on that direction, staff worked with the medal designer to incorporate the requested elements, including refinement of thematic imagery, consistency in layout, and enhanced patriotic symbolism. The designs also ensure continuity from year to year while allowing each medal to remain unique. The shirts for each year will be based off of the medal design.
Staff request that City Council approve of the designs. If not acceptable, City staff request City Council provide further direction.
Fiscal Impact:
None.
Item No. 7.5.1
Attachments:
1. Attachment 1 2026-2028 Medal Series
1 Attachment 1
2
3
4
Item No. 8.1
City of Laguna Hills
City Council / Planning Agency
Staff Report
Date: March 10, 2026
To: Mayor and Council Members
From: Dave Wheeler, Council Member
Issue: Resolution of the City Council Announcing Its Commitment to End Child Marriage
Recommendation: That the City Council adopt a Resolution entitled: "A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills Announcing Its Commitment to End Child Marriage by Calling for an "18 No Exceptions" Law, and Authorizing the City Manager to Publish on the City's Website and Social Media Platforms Necessary Information Pertaining to Ending Child Marriage."
Background:
At the February 10, 2026, City Council meeting, Councilmembers Wheeler and Pezold requested this item be placed on the agenda. Subsequently, City staff received a sample resolution from Councilmember Wheeler to use as the basis of a proposed resolution.
Both the sample resolution and the proposed resolution are attached.
Fiscal Impact:
Unknown.
Attachments:
1. Proposed Resolution
2. Sample Global Hope 365 Resolution to End Child Marriage
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-03-10-X
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAGUNA HILLS ANNOUNCING ITS COMMITMENT TO END
CHILD MARRIAGE BY CALLING FOR AN “18 NO
EXCEPTIONS” LAW, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO PUBLISH ON THE CITY’S WEBSITE AND
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS NECESSARY INFORMATION
PERTAINING TO ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE
The City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, California, hereby finds, determines, declares, and resolves as follows:
WHEREAS, each year, minors are coerced and forced into marriages in cities across the United States; and
WHEREAS, marriage license records from a sample of state health departments across the country reveal that, between 2000 and 2018, well more than 300,000 minors were married in the United States, mostly young girls married to adult men; and
WHEREAS, Child Marriage, a formal marriage or informal union where one or both parties is under the age of 18, is defined as a human rights abuse by the Department of State, UNICEF and Human Rights Watch; and WHEREAS, as a member of the United Nations, the United States adopted the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including a commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 5 to “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” and specifically target 5.3: “Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation; and
WHEREAS, the American Medical Association has called for an end to Child Marriage, stating “Child marriage is associated with higher rates of sexually transmitted infections, early pregnancies, divorce, and intimate partner violence than women married at age 21;” and
WHEREAS, the detrimental effects of Child Marriage are many, including but not limited to, an adverse effect on the child’s health, education, and employment opportunities as proven by UN Women and the World Bank; and WHEREAS, minors in unwanted or abusive marriages suffer social isolation from their support networks like school, friends, and family, which contributes to their poor mental health; and
WHEREAS, young women and girls ages 16-19 face intimate partner violence victimization rates almost three times the national average; and WHEREAS, the majority (70%-80%) of Child Marriages end in divorce; and WHEREAS, minors who marry early are more likely to “discontinue their formal educations prematurely, earn low wages, and live in poverty.” Girls who marry early are fifty percent more likely to drop out of high school and four times less likely to graduate from college; and
WHEREAS, a minor’s understanding of their legal rights and access to practical resources to avoid or abandon an unwanted or abusive marriage are far more limited than adult men and women may have; and
WHEREAS, upon recommendation of the City Manager, the City Council now wishes to establish full-time, non-management positions to the bargaining unit covered by the MOU; and
WHEREAS, in the state of California, there is no minimum age to marry and no restrictions on the age differences between the two parties (e.g., between adult men and minor girls); and
WHEREAS, in the state of California, limited reporting on Child Marriage statistics from the majority of counties has hampered the state’s ability to track the prevalence of Child Marriage; and
WHEREAS, Child Marriage in the United States is not confined to any religious or cultural group. American children of all backgrounds are at risk in California cities because the law permits marriage before the age of majority. WHEREAS, the overwhelming evidence of adverse effects on the minor’s well-being and the remaining risk of abusive relationships with older men calls for an “End Child Marriage Under 18 No Exceptions” law; and
WHEREAS, the states of Delaware, New Jersey, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Michigan, Washington, Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine, Missouri, and Oregon have already passed laws ending Child Marriage for all minors, without exception; and
WHEREAS, the City of Laguna Hills has determined that it is a moral imperative and undeniably in the best public interest of the City to protect all minors from Child Marriage.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA
HILLS, CALIFORNIA, DOES RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE, AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The above recitals are hereby adopted by the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills.
SECTION 2. The City Council hereby calls on the California State Legislature to introduce and pass legislation to “End Child Marriage Under 18, No Exceptions”.
SECTION 3. The City Council hereby calls on other California municipalities to pass resolutions showing their commitment to end Child Marriage.
SECTION 4. The City Council hereby calls on the Orange County Clerk-Recorder to proactively comply with Section 102356 of the California Health and Safety Code by sending aggregated data on all Child Marriages registered in the county each year to the State Registrar before January 31st of the following year; should there be no Child Marriages registered in the county, the City Council calls on the County Clerk-Recorder to proactively confirm this with the State Registrar. The City Council also calls on the County Clerk-Recorder to make statistics on Child Marriage available to the public upon request, including the total number of Child Marriages in the county, as well as the ages and genders of the parties to those marriages.
SECTION 5. The City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager to publish on the City’s website educational information regarding opposing the practice of Child Marriage. As deemed necessary by the City Manager, the City Manager shall collaborate with human rights nonprofits and organizations specializing in the aforementioned cause to produce such educational content.
SECTION 6. The City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager to publish on the city’s social media platforms the aforementioned content.
SECTION 7. The City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager to make known to City residents the availability of the letter-writing campaign, to “End Child Marriage Under 18, No Exceptions” in California, sponsored by Global Hope 365.
SECTION 8. The City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager to make known to City residents the availability of other letter-writing campaigns designed to “End Child Marriage Under 18, No Exceptions” on a Federal level.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this day of 10th day of March, 2026.
____________________________
DONALD CASKEY, MAYOR
ATTEST:
JOE AMES, ACTING CITY CLERK
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss
CITY OF LAGUNA HILLS )
I, Joe Ames, Acting City Clerk of the City of Laguna Hills, California, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of Resolution No. 2026- 03-10-X adopted by the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, California, at a Regular Meeting thereof held on the 10th day of March, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
(SEAL)
JOE AMES, ACTING CITY CLERK
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-0NN
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA HILLS (1)
ANNOUNCING ITS COMMITMENT TO END CHILD MARRIAGE BY CALLING FOR AN “18 NO EXCEPTIONS” LAW, AND (2) AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND AUTHORIZED CITY PERSONNEL TO PUBLISH ON THE CITY’S WEBSITE
AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS NECESSARY INFORMATION PERTAINING TO
ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE
WHEREAS, each year, minors are coerced and forced into marriages in cities across the United States.
WHEREAS, marriage license records from a sample of state health departments across the country reveal that, between 2000 and 2018, well more than 300,000 minors were married in the United States, mostly young girls married to adult men.1 WHEREAS, Child Marriage, a formal marriage or informal union where one or both parties is under the age of 18,2is defined as a human rights abuse by the Department of State,3 UNICEF4 and Human Rights Watch.5
WHEREAS, as a member of the United Nations, the United States adopted the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including a commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 5 to “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” and specifically target 5.3: “Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.6
WHEREAS, the American Medical Association has called for an end to Child Marriage, stating “Child marriage is associated with higher rates of sexually 6 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg5
5 https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/03/27/us-massachusetts-should-end-child-marriage-0; see also, https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/childmarriage.pdf 4 https://www.unicef.org/protection/child-marriage; see also, https://www.unicef.org/protection/unfpa-unicef-global-programme-end-child-marriage 3 Id.
2 https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/254904.pdf, p.5 1 https://www.unchainedatlast.org/child-marriage-shocking-statistics/ see also http://apps.frontline.org/child-marriage-by-the-numbers/ Global Hope 365 Suite 100, 335 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA 92780 | + 949 682 8973 www.GlobalHope365.org
Tax ID 82-1958699
transmitted infections, early pregnancies, divorce, and intimate partner violence than women married at age 21.”7
WHEREAS, the detrimental effects of Child Marriage are many, including but not limited to, an adverse effect on the child’s health, education, and employment opportunities as proven by UN Women8 and the World Bank.9 WHEREAS, minors in unwanted or abusive marriages suffer social isolation from their support networks like school, friends, and family, which contributes to their poor mental health.10
WHEREAS, young women and girls ages 16-19 face intimate partner violence victimization rates almost three times the national average.11 WHEREAS, the majority (70%-80%) of Child Marriages end in divorce.12 WHEREAS, minors who marry early are more likely to “discontinue their formal educations prematurely, earn low wages, and live in poverty.”13 Girls who marry early are fifty percent more likely to drop out of high school and four times less likely to graduate from college.14
WHEREAS, a minor’s understanding of their legal rights and access to practical resources to avoid or abandon an unwanted or abusive marriage are far more limited than adult men and women may have.
14 Gordon B. Dahl, “Early Teen Marriage and Future Poverty,” Demography (August 2010: 47(3): 689-718), at 691, n. 2., https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3000061/. 13 College of William & Mary Law School Professor Vivian E. Hamilton, in “The Age of Marital Capacity:
Reconsidering Civil Recognition of Adolescent Marriage,” Boston University Law Review (December 2012), 92 B. U. L. Rev. , 1820.
12 https://www.tahirih.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Child-Marriage-Impacts-One-Pager-updated-5.
8.-2020-REGULAR-PRINT.pdf (citing College of William & Mary Law School Professor Vivian E.
Hamilton, in “The Age of Marital Capacity: Reconsidering Civil Recognition of Adolescent Marriage,” Boston University Law Review (December 2012), 92 B. U. L. Rev. , 1820.) 11 http://www.loveisrespect.org/pdf/Dating_Abuse_Statistics.pdf (citing Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice and Statistics, Intimate Partner Violence in the United States, 1993-2004. Dec. 2006). 10 https://www.tahirih.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Child-Marriage-Impacts-One-Pager-updated-5.
8.-2020-REGULAR-PRINT.pdf
9 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/530891498511398503/pdf/116829-WP-P151842-PUBLIC-E ICM-Global-Conference-Edition-June-27.pdf
8 https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2013/3/child-marriages-39000-every-day-more-than-140- million-girls-will-marry-between-2011-and-2020
7 American Medical Association Resolution 011,
https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2019-10/i19-011.pdf Global Hope 365 Suite 100, 335 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA 92780 | + 949 682 8973 www.GlobalHope365.org
Tax ID 82-1958699
WHEREAS, in the state of California, there is no minimum age to marry and no restrictions on the age differences between the two parties (e.g., between adult men and minor girls).
WHEREAS, in the state of California, limited reporting on Child Marriage statistics from the majority of counties has hampered the state’s ability to track the prevalence of Child Marriage.
WHEREAS, Child Marriage in the United States is not confined to any religious or cultural group. American children of all backgrounds are at risk in California cities because the law permits marriage before the age of majority.
WHEREAS, the overwhelming evidence of adverse effects on the minor’s well-being and the remaining risk of abusive relationships with older men calls for an “End Child Marriage Under 18 No Exceptions” law.
WHEREAS, the states of Delaware, New Jersey, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Michigan, Washington, Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine, Missouri, and Oregon have already passed laws ending Child Marriage for all minors, without exception.
WHEREAS, the City of Laguna Hills has determined that it is a moral imperative and undeniably in the best public interest of the City to protect all minors from Child Marriage.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, as follows:
1. The above recitals are hereby adopted by the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills.
2. The City Council hereby calls on the California State Legislature to introduce and pass legislation to “End Child Marriage Under 18, No Exceptions”.
3. The City Council hereby calls on other California municipalities to pass resolutions showing their commitment to end Child Marriage.
4. The City Council hereby calls on the Orange County
Registrar/Recorder/Clerk to proactively comply with Section 102356 of the California Health and Safety Code by sending aggregated data on all Child Marriages registered in the county each year to the State Registrar before January 31st of the following year; should there be no Child Marriages registered in the county, the City Council calls on the County Global Hope 365 Suite 100, 335 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA 92780 | + 949 682 8973 www.GlobalHope365.org
Tax ID 82-1958699
Registrar/Recorder/Clerk to proactively confirm this with the State Registrar. The City Council also calls on the County
Registrar/Recorder/Clerk to make statistics on Child Marriage available to the public upon request, including the total number of Child Marriages in the county, as well as the ages and genders of the parties to those marriages.
5. The City Council hereby authorizes and directs the City Manager and authorized city personnel to publish on the city’s website educational information regarding opposing the practice of Child Marriage. In so far as is necessary, the city manager and city staff shall collaborate with human rights nonprofits and organizations specializing in the aforementioned cause to produce such educational content.
6. The City Council hereby authorizes and directs the City Manager and authorized city personnel to publish on the city’s social media platforms the aforementioned content.
7. The City Council hereby authorizes and directs that the City Manager and authorized city personnel shall make known to city residents the availability of the letter-writing campaign, to “End Child Marriage Under 18, No Exceptions” in California, sponsored by Global Hope 365.
8. The City Council hereby authorizes and directs that the City Manager and authorized city personnel shall make known to city residents the availability of other letter-writing campaigns designed to “End Child Marriage Under 18, No Exceptions” on a federal level.
9. This resolution shall take effect from and after its date of adoption.
THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION IS approved and adopted by the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, _____________ day of _____________, 2026, by the following roll call vote:
[ votes, signatures, and attestation of the city clerk] Global Hope 365 Suite 100, 335 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA 92780 | + 949 682 8973 www.GlobalHope365.org
Tax ID 82-1958699