City of Piedmont
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: July 6, 2026
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: Rosanna Bayon Moore, City Administrator
SUBJECT: Consideration of Approval of an Exception to the 180-Day California Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Waiting Period for a Retired Annuitant Under Government Code, Sections 7522.56 and 21224 and Authorization to Execute an Employment Agreement with Rachel Perez to Fill a Critical Need in the Police Department Dispatch Center
RECOMMENDATION
By a single motion, take the following actions:
1. Adopt a Resolution approving an exemption to the 180-day CalPERS waiting period for a retired annuitant, in accordance with Government Code Sections 7522.56 and 21224; and
2. Approve an employment agreement to appoint Rachel Perez as a retired annuitant providing critical assistance to the Piedmont Police Department Dispatch Center and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement.
BACKGROUND
The Piedmont Police Department Dispatch Center is a critical 24-hour public safety operation responsible for receiving emergency and non-emergency calls, dispatching police, fire, and emergency medical resources, supporting field personnel, and coordinating timely public safety response for the community. Maintaining trained and available dispatch staff is essential to the continuity of emergency communications and the Department’s ability to provide reliable service.
When fully staffed, the Dispatch Center function consists of 6 full time Dispatchers and a Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor.
During the last year, the Dispatch Center has experienced substantial staffing turnover, including two retirements, one lateral resignation, and two employees who did not complete the dispatcher training program. The Department currently has one fully trained full-time Dispatcher, two Dispatchers in training, and one Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor. The Department has also hired two additional Per Diem Dispatchers to help stabilize staffing and provide relief coverage during this transition period.
While the hire of new full-time and Diem dispatch personnel is an important first step, training is a critical phase that requires significant one-on-one instruction, direct observation, call-taking review, radio training, CAD/RMS instruction, and performance evaluation in a high-liability public safety environment. The Department’s current staffing level limits the ability to simultaneously cover shifts, train new full-time Dispatchers, and onboard Per Diem Dispatchers without overextending the remaining trained dispatcher.
Rachel Perez recently retired from the Piedmont Police Department after 23 years of public safety dispatch experience, beginning her career with the City in 2003. Ms. Perez has substantial institutional knowledge of Piedmont’s dispatch operations, public safety radio practices, local geography, Department procedures, emergency communications protocols, and community expectations. Her appointment as a retired annuitant would provide the Department with immediate operational relief by allowing her to cover dispatch shifts and, more importantly, assist with the training and mentoring of new full-time and Per Diem Dispatchers.
Given the Dispatch Center’s recent turnover, current staffing levels, training demands, and the need to maintain uninterrupted 24-hour public safety communications, the Chief of Police and interim Support Services Commander recommend appointing Rachel Perez as a retired annuitant to fill a critical need in the Police Department Dispatch Center. The appointment is temporary, limited in duration, and intended to support the Department while new dispatch personnel complete training and staffing levels stabilize.
Retired Annuitant Employment and Rules
As Ms. Perez will be a retired annuitant, her employment is subject to restrictions placed by state law and the regulations of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). A retired annuitant is a CalPERS retiree who works as an at-will employee with specific restrictions to avoid placing the retiree’s retirement allowance in jeopardy. State and federal laws impose specific employment restrictions on retired annuitants who return to work for an employer in the same public retirement system from which they receive benefits.
Government Code Sections 7522.56 and 21224 authorize a retired person to serve without reinstatement from retirement or loss or interruption of benefits when appointed by a public agency employer because the retiree has specialized skills needed to perform work of limited duration.
Under these provisions, a retired annuitant may work no more than 960 hours per fiscal year for all CalPERS employers combined. The law also states that if an agency wishes to reemploy such an individual within 180 days of retirement, the City Council must certify that the nature of the appointment is necessary to fill a critical need.
Additionally, compensation paid to a retired annuitant may not be less than the minimum or exceed the maximum rate paid to other employees performing comparable duties, as reflected in the City’s publicly available pay schedule. The retired annuitant may not receive benefits, incentives, compensation in lieu of benefits, or any other form of compensation in addition to the hourly pay rate. Ms. Perez will be required to certify that she has not received, and will not receive, a Golden Handshake or other retirement-related incentive, and that she has not received unemployment insurance compensation in a manner that would make her ineligible for appointment.
The resolution and the proposed employment agreement for Rachel Perez as a retired annuitant meet the above requirements and allow the City to address a critical operational and training need in the Dispatch Center.
FISCAL IMPACT
Rachel Perez will be compensated at an hourly rate of $52.63 per hour, the maximum hourly base pay for this position. Ms. Perez may work up to 960 hours per fiscal year. If she works the maximum allowable 960 hours during FY 2026-27, the maximum direct wage cost would be $50,525.
Agenda Report Page 2
Pursuant to CalPERS law, Ms. Perez may not receive any additional compensation or benefits.
Funding is available within the Police Department budget due to salary savings associated with dispatch vacancies and turnover. The appointment is also expected to reduce reliance on overtime, provide relief shift coverage, and support timely completion of training for newly hired full-time and Per Diem dispatchers. The fiscal impact is therefore not expected to exceed $50,525 for Fiscal Year 2026/2027 and will be managed within the Police Department’s existing budget.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution Approving an Exception to the 180-Day California Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Waiting Period for a Retired Annuitant Under Government Code Sections 7522.56 and 21224; and Retired Annuitant Employment Agreement with Rachel Perez (Exhibit A to Resolution).
By: Frederick Shavies II, Chief of Police
Agenda Report Page 3
RESOLUTION NO.______
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PIEDMONT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AN EXCEPTION TO THE 180-DAY
WAITING PERIOD TO HIRE A CALPERS RETIRED ANNUITANT IN
ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 7522.56
AND 21224 AND AUTHORIZING AN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
WITH RACHEL PEREZ TO
PROVIDE TEMPORARY EXTRA HELP IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
DISPATCH CENTER AS A RETIRED ANNUITANT
FOR A LIMITED DURATION
WHEREAS, in compliance with Government Code section 7522.56, the City of Piedmont (the "City") must provide CalPERS this certification resolution when hiring a retiree before 180 days has passed since the retiree's retirement date; and
WHEREAS, Rachel Perez retired from the City in the position of Dispatcher, effective May 8, 2026; and WHEREAS, Government Code section 7522.56 requires that post-retirement employment commence no earlier than 180 days after the retirement date, which is November 5, 2026, without this certification resolution; and
WHEREAS, Government Code section 7522.56 provides that this exception to the 180-day wait period shall not apply if the retiree accepts any retirement-related incentive; and WHEREAS, the City Council, the City, and Rachel Perez certify that Rachel Perez has not and will not receive a Golden Handshake or any other retirement-related incentive; and WHEREAS, during the past year, the Police Department Dispatch Center has experienced two retirements, one lateral resignation, and two employees who did not complete the dispatcher training program; and
WHEREAS, the Dispatch Center currently has one fully trained full-time Dispatcher, two Dispatchers in training, one Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor, and two newly hired Per Diem Dispatchers; and WHEREAS, the Department requires additional experienced dispatch capacity to maintain 24-hour emergency communications coverage while providing the intensive one-on-one instruction, call-taking review, radio training, CAD/RMS instruction, and performance evaluation necessary to train new full-time and Per Diem Dispatchers; and
WHEREAS, Rachel Perez has 23 years of public safety dispatch experience, beginning her career with the City in 2003, and has substantial institutional knowledge of the City’s dispatch operations, radio practices, local geography, Department procedures, emergency communications protocols, and community expectations; and
Attachment 1 Agenda Report Page 4
WHEREAS, the City Council hereby appoints Rachel Perez as a retired annuitant extra help employee to perform the duties of Police Dispatcher under Government Code section 21224, effective July 9, 2026, through December 31, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the entire employment agreement between Rachel Perez and the City has been reviewed by the City Council and is attached to this Resolution as Exhibit A; and WHEREAS, no matters, issues, terms, or conditions related to this employment and appointment have been or will be placed on a consent calendar; and
WHEREAS, the employment shall be limited to 960 hours per fiscal year for all CalPERS employers; and
WHEREAS, the compensation paid to retirees cannot be less than the minimum nor exceed the maximum monthly base salary paid to other employees performing comparable duties, divided by 173.333 to equal the hourly rate; and
WHEREAS, the maximum base salary for this position is $9,866.90 per month and the hourly equivalent is $52.63 per hour, and the minimum base salary for this position is $7,506.73 and the hourly equivalent is $43.31 per hour; and ;
WHEREAS, the hourly rate paid to Rachel Perez will be $52.63; and WHEREAS, Rachel Perez has not and will not receive from the City any other benefit, incentive, compensation in lieu of benefits, or other form of compensation in addition to this hourly pay rate.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Piedmont does hereby resolve, declare, determine and order as follows:
1. The above recitals are correct and are incorporated into this resolution as findings of the City Council.
2. The nature of the appointment of Rachel Perez, as described herein and detailed in the attached employment agreement (Exhibit A), is a retired annuitant extra help appointment necessary to fill the critical need of maintaining 24-hour public safety dispatch coverage and providing immediate, experienced training and mentoring support for new full-time and Per Diem dispatchers. The appointment will begin July 9, 2026, and will end no later than December 31, 2026.
3. The City Administrator is authorized to enter into the retired annuitant employment agreement with Rachel Perez (Exhibit A).
[END OF RESOLUTION]
Attachment 1 Agenda Report Page 5