1 TO: City Council
FROM: Andrew Vialpando, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Andrew Vialpando, City Manager
MEETING DATE: November 4, 2025
SUBJECT: Approval of the Fifth Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement for the South Bay Cities Council of Governments
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the Mayor to execute the Fifth Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG), which allows the City of Los Angeles to designate a non-elected senior staff member as an alternate to the SBCCOG Governing Board representative.
BACKGROUND
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) is a joint powers authority composed of 16 cities and the County of Los Angeles that collaborate on regional and subregional issues, including transportation and land use, energy and sustainability, homelessness, and more. The SBCCOG was originally formed in 1995 through a JPA which has since been amended four times to reflect evolving membership and governance needs.
On August 21, 2025, Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker (Council District 15) submitted a request to amend the Joint Powers Agreement to allow the City of Los Angeles to designate a non-elected alternate representative. Under the existing JPA, only another elected official could serve as an alternate for city members of the SBCCOG. Council District 15 is the only Los Angeles City Council district within the SBCCOG’s jurisdiction. Council District 11 has historically served as the alternate representative, but has no jurisdictional ties to the South Bay subregion.
The SBCCOG Steering Committee reviewed this request and recommended approval, with the stipulation that the language mirror the provision for the Los Angeles County
CITY OF LOMITA
CITY COUNCIL REPORT
Item No. 7d
2 Board of Supervisors’ alternates, allowing either the chief of staff or a senior staff person to serve in this role.
At its meeting on October 23, 2025, the SBCCOG Board of Directors voted to recommend member agencies adopt the Fifth Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement incorporating this amendment.
DISCUSSION
The proposed amendment updates Section 5(a)(2) of the JPA to read:
"The 15th Council District Representative of the City of Los Angeles shall designate their chief of staff or a senior staff person from their office as the City of Los Angeles’s Alternate Governing Board Representative."
This change ensures consistent representation of the City of Los Angeles within the SBCCOG Governing Board, even when the elected Councilmember is unavailable to attend meetings. The amendment also maintains parity with the alternate designation provision for the County of Los Angeles. A red-lined version of the JPA is included in this item.
Per the terms of the JPA, amendments require approval by two-thirds (2/3) of all SBCCOG member agencies before they become effective. Each member city’s governing body must therefore take formal action to approve the amended agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no financial implications resulting from this recommendation.
VISION, MISSION, VALUES, AND STRATEGIC OUTCOMES
The City’s Vision, Mission, and Values set the standard for the organization, establish priorities, uniformity and guidelines; and provide the framework for policy decision making. The Strategic Outcomes were implemented to provide a pathway to achieving the City’s Vision. This item aligns with Strategic Outcome No. 3: Community Engagement & Communications - Building trust through open, inclusive communication.
OPTIONS
Approve recommended action.
3 ATTACHMENTS
1. Letter from Councilmember Tim McOsker (August 21, 2025)
2. Red-lined Fifth Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement for the South Bay Cities Council of Governments
3. Final Fifth Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement for the South Bay Cities Council of Governments
Approved by:
.
______________________
Andrew Vialpando
City Manager