May 27, 2025
Agenda Item No. 12
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
Grace K. Leung, City Manager - 949-644-3001, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Lorig Yaghsezian, Management Analyst - 949-644-3028, [email protected] TITLE:
Temporary Employment Agreement for City Clerk Services
ABSTRACT:
Due to the upcoming retirement of City Clerk Leilani Brown, the Newport Beach City Council will consider appointing Molly McLaughlin Perry as Interim City Clerk as well as approving a temporary employment agreement with Ms. Perry to provide city clerk services until the recruitment process for her successor is complete.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; b) Pursuant to Charter Section 600, appoint Molly McLaughlin Perry as the Interim City Clerk for the City of Newport Beach; and c) Authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the Temporary Employment Agreement with Molly McLaughlin Perry for city clerk services.
DISCUSSION:
City staff is recommending that the City Council appoint Molly McLaughlin Perry to provide city clerk services due to City Clerk Leilani Brown’s planned retirement on June 13. The recruitment for a new city clerk is currently underway, however, staff anticipates there will be a period during which the position is vacant, as the hiring process is not expected to conclude until late summer.
Ms. Perry has extensive experience in election, public record and public meeting management, and is well versed in the Public Records Act and open meeting laws. From 2014 to 2020, she served as the city clerk for the City of Irvine. Prior to that, she served as the city clerk for the City of Rancho Santa Margarita for six years.
Ms. Perry has recently provided consulting services to the City of Sausalito and City of San Clemente, assisting with election management, public meetings, public records and technology implementation.
If approved, the temporary employment agreement would be effective June 16, 2025, and would terminate no later than October 17, 2025. Ms. Perry would attend all City Council meetings and be present at City Hall no fewer than three days per week.
The authority to appoint Ms. Perry as the Interim City Clerk is set forth in Charter Section 600. Upon appointment, Ms. Perry’s duties would include, but not be limited to, those duties set forth in Charter Section 603. The contract with Ms. Perry provides that it would automatically be terminated upon the appointment of a new city clerk by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Should the City Council approve the agreement, Ms. Perry will be compensated at a rate of $92.02 per hour, which is within the salary range for the city clerk position. Ms. Perry will not be authorized to receive overtime pay.
This agreement will be expensed to the City Clerk’s Office Professional Services Account No. 01010005-71101.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment A – Temporary Employment Agreement
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Temporary Employment Agreement for City Clerk Services
May 27, 2025
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