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MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the City of Monterey Park is to provide excellent services to enhance the quality of life for our entire community
MINUTES
MONTEREY PARK CITY COUNCIL
FINANCING AUTHORITY (MPFA)
HOUSING AUTHORITY (MPHA)
GEOLOGIC HAZARD ABATEMENT DISTRICT (GHAD)
SUCCESSOR AGENCY (SA)
SPECIAL MEETING
AUGUST 17, 2022
The City Council, the Financing Authority (MPFA), the Housing Authority (MPHA), the Geologic Hazard Abatement District (GHAD), and the Successor Agency (SA) of the City of Monterey Park held a Special Meeting of the Council in Room 266, Second Floor of City Hall located at 320 West Newmark Avenue in the City of Monterey Park on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Lo called the meeting to order at 5:10 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
City Manager Ron Bow called the roll:
Council Members Present: Peter Chan, Hans Liang, Henry Lo, Yvonne Yiu Council Members Absent: None
ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Ron Bow, City Attorney Karl Berger , Assistant City Manager Inez Alvarez , Director of Human Resources and Risk Management Christine Tomikawa, Director of Management Services Martha Garcia, Steve Berliner of Liebert Cassidy & Whitmore
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
- Wes Hellman introduced himself as the Congressional candidate for District 28.
1. CLOSED SESSION
The City Council adjourned to Closed Session at 5:10 p.m.
1-A. CONFERENCE LEGAL COUNSEL, EXISTING LITIGATION - GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9(d) - Number of Cases: One
Gonzalez v. City of Monterey Park, et al. (filed August 8, 2022) LASC Case No. 22STCP02942
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1-B. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS, PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE § 54957.6
City Negotiators: Steve Berliner , Esq. from Liebert Cassidy & Whitmore (the City’s special counsel for labor matters) and Christine Tomikawa, Director of Human Resources and Risk Management
Employee
Organizations:
Confidential Employees' Association, Firefighters' Association, Mid- Management Association, Police Captains' Association, Police Officers' Association, Police Officers' Mid -Management Association, Professional Chief Officers' Association, and Service Employees International Union, Local 721
RECONVENED
The City Council reconvened from Closed Session with all Council Members present.
Action Taken: Mayor Lo reported out of closed session the following regarding Item No. 1A:
“This is a report from closed session regarding Agenda Item No. 1A: existing litigation.
The case is captioned Gonzalez V. City of Monterey Park.
The litigation resulted from the City Council’s decision ton August 1, 2022 to adopt Ordinance No. 2223. That ordinance implements the initiative petition establishing a minimum wage for Healthcare Workers. It was proposed by an initiative petition circulated by the Service Employee’s International Union or “SEIU”.
The City Council took its action after Council Member Yvonne Yiu declared a conflict of interest. Her decision was based upon a letter received from the SEIU alleging that she had an economic conflict of interest resulting from her spouse’s business.
While the City Council could have placed the initiative petition onto the November 2022 ballot, it instead chose to adopt the ordinance. That action was specifically – and repeatedly – requested by SEIU representatives over the objections of private employers who would be affected by the minimum wage.
On August 8, 2022, opponents of the initiative petition – representing various private employers that would be affected by the minimum wage – filed a lawsuit against the City.
The City expected this lawsuit, consequently, before and after the lawsuit was filed, City officials contacted SEIU representatives and asked whether SEIU would be defending the City or, at a minimum, reimbursing the City for its defense costs. SEIU declined to take either action.
This is not the City’s fight; the minimum wage for Healthcare Workers was proposed by the SEIU and the SEIU should stand by its own init iative petition. Because SEIU is not 70-179
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willing to defend its own initiative petition – which it asked the City Council to adopt by ordinance – there is no reason for the City to defend the City Council’s actions.
Accordingly, the City Council directed City Attorney to take no action regarding the lawsuit. Instead, the City will simply inform the court that the City stands ready to comply with any legal order issued by the court.”
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business for consideration, the meeting was adjourned at 6 :20 p.m.
__________________
Vincent D. Chang
City Clerk
Approved on September 7, 2022 at the Regular City Council Meeting