Agenda packet — Rolling Hills City Council, November 24, 2025 (part 2 of 2)

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Susana Arredondo
October 15, 2025

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8.32.090 – Requirements for Construction Activities; RHMC 8.32.095 – Planning and Land Development Program Requirements for New Development and Redevelopment Projects; RHMC Title 17 - Zoning
xii. 40 C.F.R. § 122.26(d)(2)(i)(E); Permit Section VI.B.1.l.: Require documentation on the operation and maintenance of structural BMPs and their effectiveness in reducing the discharge of pollutants to the MS4
California Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq. (CEQA); RHMC 8.32.100 – Enforcement

3. Implementation
Some of the City's ordinances are implemented through permit programs and others are implemented as regulatory programs. Under each ordinance, one or more City bodies, departments or department directors are authorized and directed in each ordinance to take the actions contemplated by the ordinance (e.g., to consider evidence and make findings, to issue or deny permits, to impose conditions on projects, to inspect, to take enforcement action, etc.).

The City's Storm Water Management and Pollution Control Ordinance (Chapter 8.32 of Title 8 of the RHMC) is the principal City ordinance addressing the control of stormwater and urban runoff. This ordinance is regulatory, and applies to specified new and existing residential and business communities and associated facilities and activities, as well as new development and redevelopment, and all other specified new and existing facilities and activities that threaten to discharge pollutants within the boundaries of the City and within its regulatory jurisdiction, whether or not a City permit or approval is required. The City's Storm Water Management and Pollution Control Ordinance also contains discharge prohibitions and requirements for the implementation of BMPs and other requirements necessary to implement the Permit.

Other City departments require compliance with the City's Storm Water Management and Pollution Control Ordinance as a condition for issuance of relevant City permits. City departments may also impose specific conditions of approval consistent with the City's Storm Water Management and Pollution Control Ordinance. All City environmental ordinances are also implemented, in part, through the application of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process to proposed projects.

4. Administrative and Judicial/Legal Procedures
In addition to the above authority, the City has in place various legal and administrative procedures to assist in enforcing the various urban runoff related Ordinances, including the following:

A. Administrative Remedies

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Susana Arredondo
October 15, 2025

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 Administrative Penalties and Citations (RHMC 8.32.100 – Enforcement).

B. Nuisance Remedies
 Public nuisance under State law.
 City nuisance abatement procedures (RHMC Chapter 8.24 – Abatement of Nuisances; RHMC 8.32.100 – Enforcement).

C. Criminal Remedies
 Misdemeanor citations/prosecution (RHMC Chapter 1.08 – General Penalty; RHMC Chapter 1.24 – General Penalty).

D. Equitable Remedies
 Injunctive relief under State law and the RHMC (RHMC 8.32.100 – Enforcement).  Declaratory relief under State law.

E. Other Civil Remedies
 Federal law claims (e.g., Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Citizen Suits).
 Remedies under the California Government Code.
 RHMC 8.32.100 – Enforcement.
 Violations of the City's Storm Water Management and Pollution Control Ordinance are deemed a "public nuisance," in which case enforcement actions can be completed administratively or judicially when necessary.

Please contact me if you have any questions or if you need any additional information regarding the City's legal authority to enforce the Permit.

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Susana Arredondo
October 15, 2025

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ATTACHMENT B
Machado Lake Trash TMDL Reporting Form

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City of Rolling Hills Modified MFAC Assessment of Partial Capture / Institutional Controls Summary Compliance Report
FY2024-25
Machado Lake TMDL
Col. 1 Col. 2 Col. 3 Col. 4 Col. 5
Reporting Period
Annual Trash Discharge
Rate
(gal. per year)
Annual Trash Generation
Rate
(gal. per year)1
Effluent Limitation
Percent Reduction
Final Percent
Reduction of Trash
in City Compliance Comments
July 2024 - June 2025 1.28 2860.00 100% 99.96% YES
Figure rounded to the nearest tenth of a
percent
Footnotes:

Notations:

Form Continue to add to this form for each annual reporting period Column 1: Reporting Period: Part 7.1.(C)(1) of Order No. 01-182 as amended by Order No. R4-2009-0130 Column 2: As calculated pursuant to Part 7.1.(B)(1)(b)(2) of Order No. 01-182 as amended by Order No. R4-2009-0130 Alternative approaches per Part 7.1.(B)(1)(b)(3) must be approved in advance by the Executive Officer Column 3: Effluent Limitation per Part 7.1, Appendix 7-1, Table 1a or 1b, of Order No. 01-182 as amended by Order No. R4-2009-0130 Column 4: Compliance - Yes, if total storm year trash discharge is less than or equal to applicable Interim or Final Effluent Limitation Column 5: Provide comments, if necessary
Total Storm Year Trash Discharge by Reporting Period

1. Rolling Hills conducted a trash monitoring program from July 2009-July 2011 by conducting semi-annual trash collections on residential road/equestrian trails (during the rainy season and dry season). The Annual Trash Generation Rate used in this report is the average of that 2-year monitoring data set (2,860 gal. per year).

Reporting Year 2022-23 ATTACHMENT B 1 of 2

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City of Rolling Hills Modified MFAC Assessment of Partial Capture / Institutional Controls Individual Storm Event and Total Storm Year Trash Collected FY2024-25
Machado Lake TMDL
Rain Gage Station ID ROLLING HILLS 3.9 SE, CA US
Col. 1 Col. 2 Col. 3 Col. 4 Col. 6 Col. 7 Col. 8
Monitoring Site
Date of
monitoring
event1
Date of
preceding
Storm Event
Precipitation
Depth inches
Amount of
Trash
Collected
from Site
(gallons)
Trash
Discharge
(gal. per
year) Comments
#1 Sepulveda Canyon 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 After rain event #2 Black Water Canyon 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 1.28 After rain event #3 Upper Bent Spring Canyon 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 After rain event #4 Unnamed Canyon 1 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 After rain event #5 Unnamed Canyon 2 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 After rain event #6 Unnamed Canyon 3 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 After rain event #7 Aqua Magnon Canyon 01/30/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 Unable to monitoring after rain event due to safety concerns. Monitored three days after rain event.

Total Year 24-25 Trash Collected 1.28 1.28 {amount of trash recovered in gallons} Footnotes:

Notations:

Form Add additional rows for storm events, if necessary Rainfall Station Name of rainfall station used, indicate only the L.A. County station number Total Storm Year Trash Discharge = Sum of individual storm event discharges for reporting period (July 1 - June30).

Col. 1 Monitoring location
Col. 2 Date of Monitoring Event
Col. 3 Date of storm event with 0.25 inch or more of rainfall Col. 4 Depth of rainfall taken from nearest rainfall station (in.) Col. 6 Amount of trash recovered from monitoring sites, if any (gal.) Col. 7 Total Storm year Discharge = trash captured from all monitoring events extrapolated to watershed area Col. 8 Provide comments, if necessary
Total Trash Discharged to Machado Lake

1. The Regional Board (June 3, 2021) approved the City's request to reduce the monitoring frequency to “once a year immediately following the first major storm of the year".

Reporting Year 2022-23 ATTACHMENT B

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2 of 2

ATTACHMENT C
Santa Monica Bay Debris TMDL Reporting Form

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City of Rolling Hills FY2024-25 Santa Monica Bay Debris TMDL 1 Col. 1 Col. 2 Col. 3 Col. 4 Col. 5
Reporting Period
Annual Trash Discharge
Rate
(gal. per year)
Annual Trash Generation
Rate
(gal. per year)2
Effluent Limitation
Percent Reduction
Final Percent
Reduction of Trash
in City Compliance Comments
July 2024 - June 2025 0.63 1408.00 100% 99.96% YES
Figure rounded to the nearest tenth of a
percent
Footnotes:

Notations:

1. The Regional Board (September 3, 2013) approved the City’s Santa Monica Bay (SMB) TMRP finding that the City may utilize the Machado Lake TMRP previously approved by the Regional Board and the resulting monitoring data to establish compliance with the SMB TMDL. The City was directed to submit separate annual monitoring reports for the SMB TMDL using the data obtained from the Machado Lake TMRP.

Reporting Year 2022-23 ATTACHMENT B 1 of 2

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City of Rolling Hills Modified MFAC Assessment of Partial Capture / Institutional Controls Individual Storm Event and Total Storm Year Trash Collected FY2024-25
Santa Monica Bay Debris TMDL 1
Rain Gage Station ID ROLLING HILLS 3.9 SE, CA US
Col. 1 Col. 2 Col. 3 Col. 4 Col. 6 Col. 7 Col. 8
Monitoring Site
Date of
monitoring
event1 2
Date of
preceding
Storm Event
Precipitation
Depth inches
Amount of
Trash
Collected
from Site
(gallons)
Trash
Discharge
(gal. per
year)2 Comments
#1 Sepulveda Canyon 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 After rain event #2 Black Water Canyon 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 1.28 After rain event #3 Upper Bent Spring Canyon 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 After rain event #4 Unnamed Canyon 1 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 After rain event #5 Unnamed Canyon 2 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 After rain event #6 Unnamed Canyon 3 01/28/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 After rain event #7 Aqua Magnon Canyon 01/30/25 01/27/25 1.20 0.00 Unable to monitoring after rain event due to safety concerns. Monitored three days after rain event.

Total Year 24-25 Trash Collected 1.28 0.63 {(amount of trash recovered in gallons)* 0.64 sq mi trib to SMB} / 1.3 sq mi trib to ML Footnotes:

Notations:

2. Equation 2 from Rolling Hills TMRP 2019 which scales the discharge to Santa Monica Bay based on data from Machado Lake based on proportionate watershed areas in the City.

Reporting Year 2022-23 ATTACHMENT B

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2 of 2

ATTACHMENT D
2024-25 Sepulveda Canyon Continuous Flow Monitoring
Data Summary Table

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Sepulveda Canyon Flow Monitoring 2024-25 Rain Year
Date 24hr Rainfall (inches) Event Flow Volume (cubic feet) Cumulative Flow Volume (cubic feet) 9/20/24 0.02
9/28/24 0.01
11/3/24 0.01 - -
11/23/24 0.07
11/24/24 0.04
11/26/24 0.07 - -
11/27/24 0.03 - -
12/12/24 0.01 - -
12/13/24 0.01 - -
12/24/24 0.01 - -
12/27/24 0.03 - -
12/28/24 0.01 - -
12/30/24 0.01 - -
12/31/24 0.01 - -
1/14/20252 0.10 - -
1/25/25 0.10 - -
1/26/25 0.90 - -
1/27/25 0.20 - -
2/4/25 0.01 - -
2/5/25 0.19 - -
2/6/25 0.60 - -
2/7/25 0.39 - -
2/12/25 0.45 - -
2/13/25 1.57 12880.61 12,880.61
2/14/25 0.05 258.13 13,138.74
3/5/25 0.30 - 13,138.74
3/6/25 0.16 - 13,138.74
3/11/25 0.18 - 13,138.74
3/12/25 0.16 - 13,138.74
3/13/25 0.55 - 13,138.74
3/14/25 0.16 - 13,138.74
3/17/25 0.04 - 13,138.74
3/27/25 0.02 - 13,138.74
3/30/25 0.08 - 13,138.74
3/31/25 0.14 - 13,138.74
4/26/25 0.24
5/3/25 0.03
6/3/25 0.07
6/4/25 0.01
6/5/25 0.01
6/9/25 0.01
6/12/25 0.01
Total 7.07 13,139 13,139

2. Rainfall Data Source:

Alert ID/Station Name:

3. Rainfall Data Source:

Alert ID/Station Name:

The 85th percentile, 24/hour storm event rainfall depths for Sepulveda Canyon is 1.0 based on the isohyetal map obtained from the 2006 LACDPW Hydrology Manual
G0593 (Used for 7/24/2024 - 8/13/2024 and 1/8/2025 - 2/4/2025) https://mesowest.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/download_api2.cgi?stn=G0593 No Flow Data In Range
No Flow Data In Range
No Flow Data In Range1
https://dpw.lacounty.gov/wrd/rainfall/
Rolling Hills FS 56
85% 24 Hour Rainfall Event (≥1.0')
Measured flow volume associated with Rainfall Event ≥ 85% 24 Hour Rainfall Event Measured flow volume associated with Rainfall Event < 85% 24 Hour Rainfall Event

1. Data not available between 8/24/2024 and 10/2/2024, 11/23/2024 and 11/24/2024 and between 4/26/2025 and 6/30/2025 due to equipment malfunction.

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Report Description Due Date/Agency Agency for Submittal Frequency Consultant that prepares Reporting Requirements under Regional Stormwater Permit (each of these 3 reports requires signed certification by City Manager scanned and sent to consultant for inclusion with submittal) 1 Rolling Hills Individual
Annual Stormwater
Report
Regulatory requirement detailing how the City
implemented its stormwater program during the
previous reporting year (July through June); includes
financial details on the cost of the City's overall
stormwater program; includes Sepulveda Canyon flow
monitoring results
December 15 LA Water Board Annually McGowan Consulting
2 Palos Verdes Peninsula
Watershed Group (PVP
WMG) Annual
Monitoring Report
Summary of results from the PVP WMG's CIMP
monitoring conducted during the previous reporting
year (July through June)
December 15 LA Water Board Annually
Geosyntec Consultants via
contract with RPV as lead for
Peninsula WMG CIMP MOU
3 Palos Verdes Peninsula
Watershed Group (PVP
WMG) Progress Report
Summarizes PVP Watershed Management Program
(WMP) implementation progress; i.e., progress toward
meeting stormwater capture goals in the PVP WMP
December 15
&
June 15
LA Water Board
Every six
months
John L. Hunter and Associates
Measure W Reporting Requirements under the Safe, Clean Water Municipal Program (City staff certifies submittal via online portal)
4 Rolling Hills Safe, Clean
Water (Measure W)
Annual Expenditure
Report
Details how the City expended its Measure W funds in
the previous fiscal year December 31
LA County DPW
Annually McGowan Consulting
5 Rolling Hills Safe, Clean
Water (Measure W)
Annual Expenditure
Plan
Details how the City expects to expend its Measure W
funds in the upcoming fiscal year (budgetary
spreadsheet presented to City Council in February)
April 1
LA County DPW
Annually McGowan Consulting
City of Rolling Hills Reporting Requirements
Regional Stormwater Permit and Measure W Safe, Clean Water Municipal Program

ATTACHMENT B

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Item: 12.B.

Meeting Date: 11/24/2025
To: City Council
From: Christian Horvath, Assistant to the City Manager / City Clerk Thru: Karina Bañales, City Manager
Subject: Approval of the Fifth Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement for the South Bay Cities Council of Governments
Background:

The South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) composed of 16 cities and the County of Los Angeles that collaborate on regional and sub-regional 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 nonelected alternate representative (Attachment A). 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 sub-region.

The SBCCOG Steering Committee reviewed this request and recommended approval, with the stipulation that the language mirror the provision for the Los Angeles County 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 that 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."

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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 (Attachment B).

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 (Attachment C).

Fiscal Impact:

None.

Recommendation:

Approve and authorize the Mayor to execute the Fifth Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments Attachments:

1. Attachment A - CL_AGN_251110_CC_SBCCOG_JPA_Amendment_CityOfLA_RequestLetter

2. Attachment B - CL_AGN_251110_CC_SBCCOG_JPA_Red-Lined_5thAmendment

3. Attachment C - CL_AGN_251110_CC_SBCCOG_JPA_Amendment_5thAmendment

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TIM McOSKER
Councilmember, 15th District
200 N. Spring St., Room 475 Los Angeles, CA 90012
August 21, 2025
Ms. Jacki Bacharach
Executive Director
South Bay Cities Council of Governments
357 Van Ness Way, #110
Torrance, CA 90501
RE: City of Los Angeles, Council District 15: Alternate Member Request Dear Ms. Bacharach:

As the representative of the 15th Council District of the City of Los Angeles, I represent the communities of Watts, Harbor Gateway, Harbor City, San Pedro, and Wilmington. My district is the only one in the City of Los Angeles that falls within the jurisdiction of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG). As the City’s sole voice within this body, it is imperative that a representative of my district is always present at proceedings to advocate for the residents I serve.

The 15th Council District encompasses five distinct neighborhoods and is home to over 260,000 residents. Due to its size and geographic scope, my ability to attend every meeting of the SBCCOG is sometimes limited. Under the current Joint Powers Authority rules, I would be required to have another member of the Los Angeles City Council attend in my place when I must be absent. Still, given that my colleagues’ districts are equally large and complex, this is difficult to accomplish.

The responsibilities and scope of my role, as well as the size of my district, are more akin to those of a Los Angeles County Supervisor than my Council counterparts in the other cities on the SBCCOG. To ensure my district has consistent representation on the SBCCOG Board of Directors, I respectfully request that Council District 15 of the City of Los Angeles be allowed to designate a non-elected alternate to attend and vote on matters on my behalf, similar to the system used by the County Supervisors.

I hope that you will consider my request to amend Joint Powers Authority Section 5(a)(2), which governs the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, to allow Council District 15 to appoint a non-elected alternate to the Board of Directors to represent me as the Councilmember when I am not available to attend. Should you have any questions or require further information, please contact Aksel Palacios, my Director of Port & Capital Projects, via email at [email protected].

Sincerely,
Tim McOsker
Councilmember, 15th District

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FOURTHFIFTH AMENDED AND RESTATED JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT “SOUTH BAY CITIES COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS”
(A JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY)
This FourthFifth Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement which is dated for identification purposes August October 2325, 202511, is made and entered into by and between the public entities (collectively, “Members”) whose names are set forth on Exhibit A, pursuant to Section 6500 et seq. of Government Code and other applicable law:

W I T N E S S E T H:

The parties hereto do agree as follows:

Section1. Recitals. This FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement is made and entered into with respect to the following facts.
a. The South Bay Cities Council of Governments was formed effective as of April 1, 1995. A Notice of Joint Powers Agreement was filed with the California Secretary of State as of June 22, 1995, and assigned file number 1450. The objective of the organization is to explore areas of inter-governmental cooperation and coordination of government programs and provide recommendations and solutions to problems of common and general concern to its Members.
b. This joint powers agreement has been amended three four times to make various changes to the rules governing the operation of the organization. c. The Members now desire to further amend the joint powers agreement to effectuate additional changes to the rules governing the operation of the organization.

Section 2. Creation of Separate Legal Entity. A separate legal entity is created within the meaning of Section 6503.5 of the California Government Code; this entity shall exercise its powers in accordance with the provisions of this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement and applicable law.

Section 3. Name. The name of this separate legal entity shall be the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (“Council”).

Section 4. Purpose and Powers of the Council.
a. Purpose of Council. The purpose of the Council is to provide a vehicle for the Members to engage voluntarily in regional and cooperative planning and coordination of

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government services and responsibilities, to assist the Members in the conduct of their affairs. It is the express intent of the members that the Council shall not possess the authority to compel any Member to conduct any activity or to implement any plan or strategy that the Member does not wish to undertake (except for the payment of dues).

The goal and intent of the Council is one of voluntary cooperation among cities in the South Bay for the collective benefit of all.
b. Common Powers. The Council shall have, and may exercise, the following powers:
(1) Serve as an advocate in representing the Members of the South Bay Cities at the regional, state and federal levels on issues of importance to the South Bay Cities; (2) Serve as a forum for the review, consideration, study, development and recommendation of public policies and plans with subregional or regional significance;
(3) Assembly information helpful in the consideration of problems peculiar to the Members;
(4) Employ Member resources or presently-existing, single-purpose public/private groups to carry out its programs and projects;
(5) Explore practical avenues for voluntary intergovernmental cooperation, coordination, and action in the interest of local public welfare and improving the administration of governmental services;
(6) Assist in coordinating subregional planning efforts and in resolving conflicts among the cities in the South Bay as they work toward achieving planning goals; (7) Build consensus among the Members on the implementation of policies and programs for addressing subregional and regional issues; (8) Serve as a mechanism for obtaining regional, state, and federal grants to assist in financing the expenditures of the Council;
(9) Make and enter into contracts, including contracts for the services of engineers, consultants, planners, attorneys and single purpose public/private groups; (10) Employ agents, officers and employees;

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(11) Apply for, receive and administer a grant or grants under any regional, state, or federal program;
(12) Receive gifts, contributions and donations of property, funds, services and other forms of financial assistance from persons, firms, corporations and any governmental entity;
(13) Lease, manage, maintain, and operate any buildings, works, or improvements; and
(14) Delegate some or all of its powers to the Executive Director as provided below. c. Exercise of Powers. The Council shall, in addition, have all implied powers necessary to perform its functions. It shall exercise its powers only in a manner consistent with the provisions of applicable law, this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement and the Bylaws. For the purpose of determining the restrictions to be imposed on the Council in its manner of exercising its powers pursuant to Government Code Section 6509, reference shall be made to, and the Council shall observe, the restrictions imposed upon the City of Lomita.

Section 5. Creation of Governing Board and General Assembly. a. Creation of Governing Board. A Governing Board for the Council ("Governing Board") is created to conduct the affairs of the Council. The Governing Board shall be constituted as follows:
(1) Designation of Governing Board Representatives. The city council or the Mayor (if the Mayor is so authorized by the Member's charter, ordinances or rules) of each of the city Members except for the City of Los Angeles shall in writing designate one person as the Member's representative on the Governing Board ("Governing Board Representative"). The Governing Board Representative from the City of Los Angeles shall be the elected city councilmember from the 15th District. The Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles shall designate the members of the Board from the 2nd and 4th Supervisorial Districts as its representatives on the Governing Board.
(2) Designation of Alternate Governing Board Representatives. The city council or the Mayor (if the Mayor is so authorized by the Member's charter, ordinances or rules) of each of the city Members except for the City of Los Angeles, shall designate one or more persons to serve as the Member's alternate representative

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on the Governing Board ("Alternate Governing Board Representative"). 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. The Supervisors from the 2nd and 4th Supervisorial Districts shall each designate their chief of staff or a senior staff person from their office as the County's Alternate Governing Board Representatives.
(3) Eligibility. No person shall be eligible to serve as a Governing Board Representative or Alternate Governing Board Representative unless that person is, at all times during the tenure of that person as a Governing Board Representative or Alternate Governing Board Representative, a member of the legislative body of one of the appointing Members, except for the City of Los Angeles and the County of Los Angeles Alternate Governing Board Representatives. Should any person serving on the Governing Board fail to maintain the status required by this Section 5, that person's position on the Governing Board shall be deemed vacated as of the date such person ceases to qualify pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5, and the Member shall be entitled to appoint a qualified replacement.
b. Creation of General Assembly. A General Assembly for the Council ("General Assembly") is created to discuss issues and make recommendations to the Governing Board. All elected officials of the legislative bodies of all Members shall be members of the General Assembly. The Chair of the Governing Board shall be the Chair of the General Assembly. A General Assembly may be called by the Chair of the Governing Board or by a majority of the Governing Board representatives.

Section 6. Use of Public Funds and Property. The Council shall be empowered to utilize for its purposes, public and/or private funds, property and other resources received from the Members and/or from other sources. Where applicable, the Governing Board of the Council may permit one or more of the Members to provide in-kind services, including the use of property, in lieu of devoting cash to the funding of the Council's activities.

Section 7. Functioning of Governing Board.
a. Voting and Participation. Through its Governing Board Representative, each Member may cast only one vote for each issue before the Governing Board except for the County of Los Angeles, which shall have two votes – one for District 2 and one for District 4.

An Alternate Governing Board Representative may vote in the proceedings of the Governing Board only in the absence of that Member’s Governing Board

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Representative. A Governing Board Representative or Alternate Governing Board Representative seated on the Governing Board shall be entitled to participate and vote on matters pending before the Governing Board only if such person is physically present at the meeting of the Governing Board and if the Member which that Governing Board Representative of Alternate Governing Board Representative represents is not on inactive status (as defined in Section 21.b of this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement).
b. Proxy Voting. No absentee ballot or proxy shall be permitted. c. Quorum. A quorum of the Governing Board shall consist of not less than fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of its total membership excluding inactive and suspended members. d. Committees. As needed, the Governing Board may create permanent or ad hoc advisory committees to give advice to the Governing Board on such matters as may be referred to such committees by the Governing Board. All committees shall have a stated purpose before they are formed. Standing committees shall remain in existence until they are dissolved by the Governing Board. Ad hoc committees shall be dissolved upon completion of their designated functions. Committees, unless otherwise provided by law, this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws or by direction of the Governing Board, may be composed of representatives to the Governing Board and nonrepresentatives to the Governing Board.
e. Actions. Actions taken by the Governing Board shall be by not less than fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the voting representatives of the Governing Board who are present provided that a quorum has been established, unless by a provision of applicable law, this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws or by direction of the Governing Board, a higher number of votes is required to carry a particular motion.

Section 8. Duties of the Governing Board. The Governing Board shall be deemed, for all purposes, the policy making body of the Council. All of the powers of the Council, except as may be expressly delegated to others pursuant to the provisions of applicable law, this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws or by direction of the Governing Board, shall be exercised by and through the Governing Board.

Section 9. Roberts Rules of Order. The substance of Roberts Rules of Order shall apply to proceedings of the Governing Board, except as may otherwise be provided by provisions of applicable law, this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws or by direction of the Governing Board.

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Section 10. Meetings of Governing Board. The Governing Board shall by resolution establish the dates and times of regular meetings of the Governing Board. The location of each such meeting shall be as directed by the Governing Board.

Section 11. Election of Chair and Vice-Chairs. The Chair of the Governing Board shall conduct all meetings of the Governing Board and perform such other duties and functions as required of such person by provisions of applicable law, this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws or by direction of the Governing Board. The 1st Vice-Chair shall serve as Chair in the absence of the Chair and shall perform such duties as may be required by provisions of applicable law, this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws, or by the direction of the Governing Board or the Chair. The 2nd Vice-Chair shall serve as Chair in the absence of the Chair and the 1st Vice-Chair and shall perform such duties as may be required by provisions of applicable law, this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws, or by the direction of the Governing Board or the Chair.

In addition, the 2nd Vice-Chair shall supervise the Treasurer in the performance of the duties assigned to him or her by Section 14 of the FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement.

A Governing Board Representative shall be elected annually to the position of Chair of the Governing Board, a second Governing Board Representative shall be elected to the position of 1st Vice-Chair of the Governing Board and a third Governing Board Representative shall be elected to the position of 2nd Vice-Chair of the Governing Board, at the first regular meeting of the Governing Board held in June of each calendar year. The terms of office of the Chair, 1st Vice-Chair and 2nd Vice-Chair shall commence on July 1 and expire of the succeeding June 30.

If there is a vacancy, for any reason, in the position of Chair, 1st Vice-Chair or 2nd ViceChair, the Governing Board shall forthwith conduct an election and fill such vacancy for the unexpired term of such prior incumbent. A vacancy shall be declared in the event the Member represented by Chair, 1st Vice-Chair or 2nd Vice-Chair is suspended or becomes inactive as provided in Section 21.

Section 12. Executive Director. The Governing Board may appoint by a vote of fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the total voting membership a qualified person to be Executive Director, on any basis it desires including, but not limited to, a contract or employee basis. The Executive Director shall be neither a Governing Board Representative, nor an AlternateGoverning Board Representative, nor an elected official of any Eligible Public Entity (as defined in Section 21(c) of this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement). The Executive Director shall be the chief administrative officer of the Council. The Executive

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Director shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the Governing Board. The Executive Director shall serve at the pleasure of the Governing Board and may be relieved from such position at any time, without cause, by a vote of fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the total voting membership of the Governing Board taken at a regular, adjourned regular or special meeting of the Governing Board. The Executive Director shall perform such duties as may be imposed upon that person by the provisions of applicable law, this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws, or by the direction of the Governing Board.

Section 13. Designation of Treasurer. The Governing Board shall, in accordance with applicable law, designate a qualified person to act as the Treasurer of the Council. The compensation, if any, of a person or persons holding the office of Treasurer shall be set by the Governing Board.

Section 14. Duties of Treasurer. The person holding the position of Treasurer of the Council shall have charge of the depositing and custody of all funds held by the Council. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be imposed by provisions of applicable law, including those duties described in Section 6505.5 of the Government Code, and such duties as may be required by the Governing Board. The Governing Board may engage a qualified person to assist the Treasurer in the performance of his or her duties.

Section 15. Designation of Other Officers and Employees. The Governing Board may appoint or employ such other officers or employees as it deems appropriate and necessary to conduct the affairs of the Council.

Section 16. Obligations of Council. The debts, liabilities and obligations of the Council shall be the debts, liabilities or obligations of the Council alone. No Member of the Council shall be responsible, directly or indirectly, for any obligation, debt or liability of the Council, whatsoever.

Section 17. Control and Investment of Council Funds. The Governing Board shall adopt a policy for the control and investment of its funds and shall require strict compliance with such policy.

The policy shall comply, in all respects, with all provisions of applicable law.

Section 18. Implementation Agreements. When authorized by the Governing Board, affected Members may execute an Implementation Agreement for the purpose of authorizing the Council to implement, manage and administer area-wide and regional programs in the interest of the local public welfare. The costs incurred by the Council in implementing a program, including indirect costs, shall be assessed only to those Members who are parties to that Implementation Agreement.

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Section 19. Term. The Council created pursuant to this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement shall continue in existence until such time as this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement is terminated. This FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement may not be terminated except by an affirmative vote of not less than fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the then total voting membership of the Governing Board.

Section 20. Application of Laws to Council Functions. The Council shall comply with all applicable laws in the conduct of its affairs, including, but not limited to, the Ralph M. Brown Act. (Section 54950 et seq. of the Government Code.)
Section 21. Members.
a. Withdrawal. A member may withdraw from the Council by filing its written notice of withdrawal with the Chair of the Governing Board 60 days before the actual withdrawal. Such a withdrawal shall be effective at 12:00 o'clock a.m. on the last day of that 60-day period. The withdrawal of a Member shall not in any way discharge, impair or modify the voluntarily- assumed obligations of the withdrawn Member in existence as of the effective date of its withdrawal. Withdrawal of a Member shall not affect the remaining Members. A withdrawn Member shall not be entitled to the return of any funds or other assets belonging to the Council, until the effective date of termination of this FourthFifth Amended and· Restated Agreement, except that a withdrawn Member shall be entitled to the balance of the annual dues paid for the year by that Member which were intended for the remaining part of that year. Withdrawal from any Implementation Agreement shall not be deemed withdrawal from the Council. b. Suspension/Inactive Status. A Member will be placed on Suspension or Inactive Status if the following events occur:
(1) Non-Payment of Dues. If a Member fails to pay dues within three months of the annual dues assessment as required under Section 23 of this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement and the Bylaws, and after a 30-day written notice is provided to that Member, the Member shall be deemed to be suspended from this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement and the Council. When a Member is suspended, no representative of that Member shall participate or vote on the Governing Board. Such a Member shall be readmitted only upon the payment of all dues then owed by the Member, including dues incurred prior to the suspension and during the suspension.

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(2) Failure to Attend Meetings. If a Member is not represented by its Governing Board Representative or Alternate Governing Board Representative for three consecutive regular meetings of the Governing Board, that Member will be placed on Inactive Status until such time as its Governing Board Representative or Alternate Governing Board Representative next attends a regular meeting of the Governing Board.
c. Admitting Eligible Public Entities. Eligible public entities whose names are set forth on Exhibit C to this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement ("Eligible Public Entities") shall be admitted to the Council by 1) adopting this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement by a majority vote of the legislative body of the Eligible Public Entity and 2) properly signing this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement. An Eligible Public Entity may be admitted regardless of whether it adopted and signed this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement before or after the Effective Date (as defined in Section 28 of this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement). No vote of the Governing Board shall be required to admit an Eligible Public Entity. d. Admitting Additional Members. Additional Members who are not Eligible Public Entities may be admitted to the Council upon an affirmative vote of not less than fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the total voting membership of the Governing Board provided that such a proposed new Member is a city whose jurisdiction, or part thereof, lies immediately adjacent to one or more of the Eligible Public Entities. Admission shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Governing Board may deem appropriate.

Section 22. Non-Interference with Function of Members. The Governing Board shall not take any action that constitutes an interference with the exercise of lawful powers by a Member of the Council.

Section 23. Limitation of Liability. All agreements entered into by the Council shall contain a limitation of liability provision, providing that, except as voluntarily assumed by a particular Member, Members shall not be liable to employees, contractors and other third parties.

Section 24. Dues of Members. The Members of the Council shall be responsible for the payment to the Council, annually, of dues in the amounts periodically budgeted by the Governing Board, as and for the operating costs of the Council ("Dues"), as provided in the Bylaws.

Section 25. Disposition of Assets. Upon termination of this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement, after the payment of all obligations of the Council, any assets remaining shall

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be distributed to the Members in proportion to the then obligation of those Members' obligation to participate in the funding of the Council.

Section 26. Amendment. This FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement may be amended at any time with the consent of two-thirds (2/3) of all of the legislative bodies of the Members.

Section 27. Incorporation by Reference. Each Exhibit to this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement is incorporated into the agreement by this reference, as though it were fully set forth in the body of the agreement.

Section 28. Effective Date. The effective date ("Effective Date") of this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement shall be the first day of the first month following the date on which two-thirds (2/3) of the legislative bodies of the Members adopt and sign this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement.

That the Members of this FourthFifth Amended and Restated Agreement have caused this agreement to be executed on their behalf, respectively, as follows:

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EXHIBIT A
[List of Member Agencies]
Carson
County of Los Angeles
El Segundo
Gardena
Hawthorne
Hermosa Beach
Inglewood
Lawndale
Lomita
Los Angeles (15th Council District
Representative)
Manhattan Beach
Palos Verdes Estates
Rancho Palos Verdes
Redondo Beach
Rolling Hills
Rolling Hills Estates
Torrance

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EXHIBIT B
[List of Member Agencies in the South Bay Corridor JPA] Carson
El Segundo
Gardena
Hawthorne
Hermosa Beach
Inglewood
Lawndale
Lomita
City of Los Angeles
Manhattan Beach
Palos Verdes Estates
Rancho Palos Verdes
Redondo Beach
Rolling Hills
Rolling Hills Estates
Torrance

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EXHIBIT C
[List of Eligible Public Entities]
Carson
El Segundo
Gardena
Hawthorne
Hermosa Beach
Inglewood
Lawndale
Lomita
Los Angeles (15th Council
District Representative)
Manhattan Beach
Palos Verdes Estates
Rancho Palos Verdes
Redondo Beach
Rolling Hills
Rolling Hills Estates
Torrance
County of Los Angeles

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FIFTH AMENDED AND RESTATED JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT
“SOUTH BAY CITIES COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS”
(A JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY)
This Fifth Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement which is dated for identification purposes October 23, 2025, is made and entered into by and between the public entities (collectively, “Members”) whose names are set forth on Exhibit A, pursuant to Section 6500 et seq. of Government Code and other applicable law:

W I T N E S S E T H:

The parties hereto do agree as follows:

Section1. Recitals. This Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement is made and entered into with respect to the following facts.
a. The South Bay Cities Council of Governments was formed effective as of April 1, 1995. A Notice of Joint Powers Agreement was filed with the California Secretary of State as of June 22, 1995, and assigned file number 1450. The objective of the organization is to explore areas of inter-governmental cooperation and coordination of government programs and provide recommendations and solutions to problems of common and general concern to its Members.
b. This joint powers agreement has been amended four times to make various changes to the rules governing the operation of the organization.
c. The Members now desire to further amend the joint powers agreement to effectuate additional changes to the rules governing the operation of the organization.

Section 2. Creation of Separate Legal Entity. A separate legal entity is created within the meaning of Section 6503.5 of the California Government Code; this entity shall exercise its powers in accordance with the provisions of this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement and applicable law.

Section 3. Name. The name of this separate legal entity shall be the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (“Council”).

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(11) Apply for, receive and administer a grant or grants under any regional, state, or federal program;
(12) Receive gifts, contributions and donations of property, funds, services and other forms of financial assistance from persons, firms, corporations and any governmental entity;
(13) Lease, manage, maintain, and operate any buildings, works, or improvements; and
(14) Delegate some or all of its powers to the Executive Director as provided below. c. Exercise of Powers. The Council shall, in addition, have all implied powers necessary to perform its functions. It shall exercise its powers only in a manner consistent with the provisions of applicable law, this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement and the Bylaws. For the purpose of determining the restrictions to be imposed on the Council in its manner of exercising its powers pursuant to Government Code Section 6509, reference shall be made to, and the Council shall observe, the restrictions imposed upon the City of Lomita.

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An Alternate Governing Board Representative may vote in the proceedings of the Governing Board only in the absence of that Member’s Governing Board

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Representative. A Governing Board Representative or Alternate Governing Board Representative seated on the Governing Board shall be entitled to participate and vote on matters pending before the Governing Board only if such person is physically present at the meeting of the Governing Board and if the Member which that Governing Board Representative of Alternate Governing Board Representative represents is not on inactive status (as defined in Section 21.b of this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement).
b. Proxy Voting. No absentee ballot or proxy shall be permitted. c. Quorum. A quorum of the Governing Board shall consist of not less than fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of its total membership excluding inactive and suspended members. d. Committees. As needed, the Governing Board may create permanent or ad hoc advisory committees to give advice to the Governing Board on such matters as may be referred to such committees by the Governing Board. All committees shall have a stated purpose before they are formed. Standing committees shall remain in existence until they are dissolved by the Governing Board. Ad hoc committees shall be dissolved upon completion of their designated functions. Committees, unless otherwise provided by law, this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws or by direction of the Governing Board, may be composed of representatives to the Governing Board and nonrepresentatives to the Governing Board.
e. Actions. Actions taken by the Governing Board shall be by not less than fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the voting representatives of the Governing Board who are present provided that a quorum has been established, unless by a provision of applicable law, this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws or by direction of the Governing Board, a higher number of votes is required to carry a particular motion.

Section 8. Duties of the Governing Board. The Governing Board shall be deemed, for all purposes, the policy making body of the Council. All of the powers of the Council, except as may be expressly delegated to others pursuant to the provisions of applicable law, this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws or by direction of the Governing Board, shall be exercised by and through the Governing Board.

Section 9. Roberts Rules of Order. The substance of Roberts Rules of Order shall apply to proceedings of the Governing Board, except as may otherwise be provided by provisions of applicable law, this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws or by direction of the Governing Board.

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Section 11. Election of Chair and Vice-Chairs. The Chair of the Governing Board shall conduct all meetings of the Governing Board and perform such other duties and functions as required of such person by provisions of applicable law, this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws or by direction of the Governing Board. The 1st Vice-Chair shall serve as Chair in the absence of the Chair and shall perform such duties as may be required by provisions of applicable law, this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws, or by the direction of the Governing Board or the Chair. The 2nd Vice-Chair shall serve as Chair in the absence of the Chair and the 1st Vice-Chair and shall perform such duties as may be required by provisions of applicable law, this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws, or by the direction of the Governing Board or the Chair. In addition, the 2nd Vice-Chair shall supervise the Treasurer in the performance of the duties assigned to him or her by Section 14 of the Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement.

Section 12. Executive Director. The Governing Board may appoint by a vote of fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the total voting membership a qualified person to be Executive Director, on any basis it desires including, but not limited to, a contract or employee basis. The Executive Director shall be neither a Governing Board Representative, nor an AlternateGoverning Board Representative, nor an elected official of any Eligible Public Entity (as defined in Section 21(c) of this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement). The Executive Director shall be the chief administrative officer of the Council. The Executive Director shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the Governing Board. The Executive

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Director shall serve at the pleasure of the Governing Board and may be relieved from such position at any time, without cause, by a vote of fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the total voting membership of the Governing Board taken at a regular, adjourned regular or special meeting of the Governing Board. The Executive Director shall perform such duties as may be imposed upon that person by the provisions of applicable law, this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement, the Bylaws, or by the direction of the Governing Board.

Section 17. Control and Investment of Council Funds. The Governing Board shall adopt a policy for the control and investment of its funds and shall require strict compliance with such policy.

The policy shall comply, in all respects, with all provisions of applicable law.

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Section 19. Term. The Council created pursuant to this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement shall continue in existence until such time as this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement is terminated. This Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement may not be terminated except by an affirmative vote of not less than fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the then total voting membership of the Governing Board.

Section 20. Application of Laws to Council Functions. The Council shall comply with all applicable laws in the conduct of its affairs, including, but not limited to, the Ralph M. Brown Act. (Section 54950 et seq. of the Government Code.)
Section 21. Members.
a. Withdrawal. A member may withdraw from the Council by filing its written notice of withdrawal with the Chair of the Governing Board 60 days before the actual withdrawal. Such a withdrawal shall be effective at 12:00 o'clock a.m. on the last day of that 60-day period. The withdrawal of a Member shall not in any way discharge, impair or modify the voluntarily- assumed obligations of the withdrawn Member in existence as of the effective date of its withdrawal. Withdrawal of a Member shall not affect the remaining Members. A withdrawn Member shall not be entitled to the return of any funds or other assets belonging to the Council, until the effective date of termination of this Fifth Amended and· Restated Agreement, except that a withdrawn Member shall be entitled to the balance of the annual dues paid for the year by that Member which were intended for the remaining part of that year. Withdrawal from any Implementation Agreement shall not be deemed withdrawal from the Council. b. Suspension/Inactive Status. A Member will be placed on Suspension or Inactive Status if the following events occur:
(1) Non-Payment of Dues. If a Member fails to pay dues within three months of the annual dues assessment as required under Section 23 of this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement and the Bylaws, and after a 30-day written notice is provided to that Member, the Member shall be deemed to be suspended from this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement and the Council. When a Member is suspended, no representative of that Member shall participate or vote on the Governing Board.

Such a Member shall be readmitted only upon the payment of all dues then owed by the Member, including dues incurred prior to the suspension and during the suspension.
(2) Failure to Attend Meetings. If a Member is not represented by its Governing Board Representative or Alternate Governing Board Representative for three consecutive

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regular meetings of the Governing Board, that Member will be placed on Inactive Status until such time as its Governing Board Representative or Alternate Governing Board Representative next attends a regular meeting of the Governing Board.
c. Admitting Eligible Public Entities. Eligible public entities whose names are set forth on Exhibit C to this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement ("Eligible Public Entities") shall be admitted to the Council by 1) adopting this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement by a majority vote of the legislative body of the Eligible Public Entity and 2) properly signing this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement. An Eligible Public Entity may be admitted regardless of whether it adopted and signed this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement before or after the Effective Date (as defined in Section 28 of this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement). No vote of the Governing Board shall be required to admit an Eligible Public Entity.
d. Admitting Additional Members. Additional Members who are not Eligible Public Entities may be admitted to the Council upon an affirmative vote of not less than fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the total voting membership of the Governing Board provided that such a proposed new Member is a city whose jurisdiction, or part thereof, lies immediately adjacent to one or more of the Eligible Public Entities. Admission shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Governing Board may deem appropriate.

Section 22. Non-Interference with Function of Members. The Governing Board shall not take any action that constitutes an interference with the exercise of lawful powers by a Member of the Council.

Section 25. Disposition of Assets. Upon termination of this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement, after the payment of all obligations of the Council, any assets remaining shall be distributed to the Members in proportion to the then obligation of those Members' obligation to participate in the funding of the Council.

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Section 26. Amendment. This Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement may be amended at any time with the consent of two-thirds (2/3) of all of the legislative bodies of the Members.

Section 27. Incorporation by Reference. Each Exhibit to this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement is incorporated into the agreement by this reference, as though it were fully set forth in the body of the agreement.

Section 28. Effective Date. The effective date ("Effective Date") of this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement shall be the first day of the first month following the date on which two-thirds (2/3) of the legislative bodies of the Members adopt and sign this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement.

That the Members of this Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement have caused this agreement to be executed on their behalf, respectively, as follows:

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[CITY NAME]
By ___________________________________
[NAME OF MAYOR/SIGNATORY, TITLE]
Date ___________________________________
ATTEST:

By ___________________________________
[CITY CLERK]
APPROVED AS TO FORM:

By ___________________________________
[CITY ATTORNEY]

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Item: 13.A.

Meeting Date: 11/24/2025
To: City Council
From: Christian Horvath, Assistant to the City Manager / City Clerk Thru: Karina Bañales, City Manager
Subject: Receive and file a verbal update from the Storm Drain Ad Hoc Committee Background:

None.

Discussion:

None.

Fiscal Impact:

None.

Recommendation:

Receive and file.

Attachments:

None

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Item: 14.A.

Meeting Date: 11/24/2025
To: City Council
From: Samantha Crew, Management Analyst
Thru: Karina Bañales, City Manager
Subject: Receive and file a Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Update Background:

Protecting the safety and well-being of Rolling Hills residents remains a foundational responsibility of the City. As challenges evolve, from seasonal weather impacts to utility de-energization and regional wildfire risk, the City continues to refine its preparedness posture through intentional planning, crossagency coordination, and investment in long-term resilience. Staff regularly brief the City Council on public safety matters to help inform decisions and identify areas that require attention related to public safety and emergency preparedness. This report contributes to that ongoing situational awareness by outlining recent actions and noting developments within the City.

Discussion:

This monthly Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Report provides an overview of the initiatives, partnerships, and operational activities that support the City’s readiness goals. Emphasis is placed on proactive risk reduction, interagency communication, and continuous improvement across emergency planning and response functions. The City also remains deeply committed to community engagement, offering residents regular educational opportunities and outreach events designed to build individual and neighborhood preparedness.

Staff maintain working relationships with law enforcement, fire services, utilities, and the Peninsula’s neighboring jurisdictions, enabling an integrated approach that strengthens shared capabilities.

Through these efforts, paired with active resident involvement, the City continues to enhance community resilience and uphold its commitment to safeguarding people, property, and the natural environment.

SoCalGas Restoration
SoCalGas continues its repair and infrastructure upgrade work in parts of the City of Rolling Hills as part of the broader restoration effort. Work on Quail Ridge Road South is now complete, and four customers are eligible to be re-energized whenever they are ready. On Cinchring Road, work is progressing and is expected to be completed by November 22, weather permitting. Work has also begun on Portuguese Bend Road, but will pause on November 24 for the Thanksgiving holidays.

There are no customers yet for Cinchring Road, and residents along Portuguese Bend Road are not

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expected to be ready for service restoration until the new year.

In addition to these location-specific updates, SoCalGas is installing long-term safety enhancements throughout Rolling Hills, including the replacement of damaged gas mains, installation of automatic shut-off and isolation valves, expanded pressure monitoring, and additional survey markers to better track ongoing land-movement conditions. These upgrades are intended to support the safe resumption of natural gas service where conditions allow.

Once work in each area is complete, SoCalGas will contact eligible homeowners whose properties have not been red- or yellow-tagged to confirm their interest in restoring service. Prior to reconnection, residents may need to verify account information, ensure appliance conversions are completed if they previously used propane, and address any safety recommendations for their home piping. During the restoration appointment, SoCalGas technicians will conduct a leak test and perform a full safety check of all connected natural gas appliances. An adult must be present for the appointment, and residents are reminded not to attempt to restore gas service themselves.

SCE Re-Energization
Most Rolling Hills homeowners who elected to restore electricity following the service interruptions have now been reconnected. The City, Los Angeles County, and Southern California Edison (SCE) continue to work together to close out the few remaining cases. To reduce the burden on residents, the City has waived all permitting fees for this work through December 2025.

Looking ahead, SCE is preparing an infrastructure project scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026 as part of its Tension Relief Strategy (TRS), which is designed for areas affected by ongoing land movement. Staff continue to meet with SCE as they refine the scope of this work, which will include the installation of taller, more resilient poles, covered conductors, and specialized tensionrelief devices that help absorb ground shifts and protect power lines from damage. The project is intended to reduce strain on existing electrical circuits and infrastructure, with engineering efforts expected to be completed by early 2026, followed by local planning and environmental clearances.

Construction activities may result in short maintenance-related power outages or temporary traffic impacts, and residents will receive advance notification, anticipated between January and February 2026, to allow time for planning. The City will continue coordinating closely with SCE and partner agencies to minimize disruption throughout the project.

In a recent meeting, SCE briefed staff on a recent concern involving solar backfeed during a service reconnection in Rancho Palos Verdes. While the incident resulted in no injuries or property damage, it prompted SCE to review internal documentation and reconnection protocols. To address this, SCE will be sending letters to affected residents outlining proper reconnection procedures and safety precautions to prevent similar occurrences. At this time, two properties have had power restored.

Temporary Emergency Improvements Related to Utility Service Shut-Offs In September 2024, unexpected utility service shut-offs left many residents without power or gas, creating an urgent need for temporary improvements such as generators, solar equipment, and propane tanks to meet essential needs. In response, City staff worked closely with residents and contractors to facilitate these temporary measures, prioritizing collaboration, flexibility, and public safety.

To support these efforts, staff reviewed the Rolling Hills Municipal Code and confirmed that sufficient legal authority existed to accommodate short-term emergency installations. The City’s Temporary Use Permit (TUP) regulations, found in Chapter 17.48, provide flexibility for temporary uses during unique or urgent circumstances. Specifically, Section 17.48.040(C) authorizes approval of “similar temporary uses which, in the opinion of the review authority, are compatible with the zoning district

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and surrounding land uses,” allowing staff to approve generators, solar equipment, and propane tanks during the emergency. Additionally, Section 17.48.020(B) exempts emergency public health and safety activities from TUP requirements and other City approvals, further streamlining the process for urgent installations.

For nearly a year, Staff has been working with Southern California Edison (SCE) to restore power for residents. As service is reinstated, Staff continues to support residents by acting as a conduit between Los Angeles County Public Works Building and Safety, Los Angeles County Fire Department, SCE, and solar contractors to ensure all permit requirements are met. In recent weeks, residents who initially chose not to restore power have requested service reinstatement, and some homes that were under construction are now ready for restoration. Fewer than ten properties remain without power, either by choice or due to ongoing construction.

Southern California Gas (SCG) has begun restoring gas service to only a few residents in the impacted area. Staff is currently reviewing propane permits to ensure that residents opting out of gas restoration receive guidance for transitioning from temporary solutions to permanent installations.

These emergency authorizations are temporary and do not replace the City’s standard permitting requirements. Residents who wish to retain any installations after utility service is fully restored will be contacted and assisted through the City’s formal permitting process, ensuring public safety and regulatory compliance once normal conditions resume. Staff will coordinate with the Los Angeles Fire Department — Station 56 to assist Staff with inspecting propane tanks for those who wish to make them permanent.

Emergency Outdoor Siren System
At the time this report was prepared, staff were scheduled to participate in the Rolling Hills Community Association (RHCA) Board of Directors meeting regarding the easement licensing request for the proposed siren installation. An easement licensing application was submitted to the Board, and following a field visit to the Garden Triangle at Upper Blackwater Canyon Road and Portuguese Bend Road, the Board will review and discuss the request. Staff will be present to answer any questions. If approved, staff will work with the City’s outdoor emergency siren vendor, HQE Systems, to finalize design plans and begin the permitting process.

Staff also recently met with HQE to explore the feasibility of installing a second siren pole in the Chesterfield area. The City Council previously determined that a 30-foot pole would be preferred for the Chesterfield cul-de-sac, rather than a 50-foot pole. While this height reduces visual impact, it also decreases sound propagation and creates a coverage gap. The Council therefore directed staff to work with HQE to identify a suitable location for an additional siren pole in the area. Staff will continue coordinating with HQE to develop a solution that meets both coverage needs and community considerations.

Fiscal Impact:

None
Recommendation:

Receive and file the report and provide direction to staff Attachments:

None

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Item: 14.B.

Meeting Date: 11/24/2025
To: City Council
From: Christian Horvath, Assistant to the City Manager / City Clerk Thru: Karina Bañales, City Manager
Subject: Receive and file the Property Line Survey for 1 Portuguese Bend Road, Tennis Court ADA Project Update, and, if desired provide direction to staff Background:

The Tennis Court ADA Project's Construction Agreement was approved by the City Council on July 28, 2025. Work began in early September and is currently ongoing. During the past month, the neighbors sharing the west and south boundaries expressed concern that the construction was encroaching on their property. To avoid prolonged construction delays, the Rolling Hills Community Association (RHCA) assisted the City by contracting with its current vendor, O'Neil Land Surveying, Inc. (O'Neil), to expeditiously perform an updated survey.

Discussion:

Survey Results and Property Line Encroachment
O'Neil's survey (Attachment A) confirms that the City is not encroaching on the neighboring property.

However, the survey determined that the neighboring property is currently encroaching onto City property in the southwest corner. Based on the preliminary findings reported on Friday, October 17, staff met with the neighbor on Monday, October 20, to discuss the results. While construction along the shared property line was paused during the survey process, work has continued in other areas of the site. During the meeting, the neighbor informed staff that an easement exists allowing the southwest encroachment onto City property. Staff is researching this claim and will review the property title to confirm whether such an easement exists.

As of this agenda's publishing, the following has been completed:
• Demolition
• Excavation for the future retaining wall, cabana pad
• Grading and compaction along the western portion for the future retaining wall, cabana pad, and upper viewing pad
• Installation of rebar and formwork for retaining wall and cabana footings

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In the coming weeks, construction will continue with:
• Concrete pouring for the current work area
• Continued grading/compaction/formwork, etc., towards the eastern portion of the project site • Drainage pipe and outfall work along the northwest portion of the property • Conduit/plumbing/irrigation sleeves installed
• Asphalt placement/striping/signage
Zoning Code Clarification
The neighboring property owner also inquired why the City is not required to comply with residential setback standards. Staff clarified that the site is governed by Zoning Code Chapter 17.20 (Public Facilities), specifically Section 17.20.130, which exempts City-owned properties such as the tennis court from the provisions of that chapter, including setback requirements (Attachment B). This section was adopted to acknowledge that City-owned facilities serve a public purpose and are not subject to the same development standards as private properties. The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and confirmed this interpretation, and the homeowners’ association (HOA) has provided the same clarification to the neighboring property owner.

Neighborhood Outreach and Response to Resident Concerns City and RHCA staff met with neighboring residents to discuss concerns related to privacy, noise, and activities at the improved tennis facility. During the meeting, staff acknowledged residents’ concerns and confirmed that plant screening will be installed and maintained to ensure adequate privacy.

RHCA also agreed to address any noise or use concerns that may arise following construction and to seek resident input before making any changes to court hours or allowing the area to be used for non-tennis club events. Additionally, RHCA committed to screening the new security light north of the guard gate and to continuing collaboration with residents on view preservation, operational hours for the courts and cabana, and noise reduction efforts.

Conclusion
The survey has confirmed that the City’s project does not encroach on the adjacent property. Staff continues to research the asserted easement to confirm the extent of the neighbor’s encroachment.

Construction activities remain on schedule, and zoning clarifications have been reaffirmed to ensure transparency, consistency, and compliance with the City’s Public Facilities standards. City and RHCA staff continue to work closely with the Bergman Group, the construction management team, and Fidelity to ensure the project remains on schedule and progresses efficiently. While unexpected issues have arisen, resulting in additional costs, the project is currently on track to meet the scheduled 120 working days' completion date of approximately February 24, 2026.

Fiscal Impact:

The City will credit the RHCA in the amount of $5,233.70 (Attachment C) as part of their cost sharing agreement for conducting the survey.

Recommendation:

Receive and file, and, if desired provide direction to staff Attachments:

1. Attachment A - PL_ADR_251030_1PBR_Oneil_Survey_TennisCourts_24x36

2. Attachment B - Chapter 17.20 PUBLIC FACILITIES (PF) ZONE

3. Attachment C - PW_CHC_251010_RHCA_ONeillSurveying_Proposal_1PBR_E

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Item: 14.C.

Meeting Date: 11/24/2025
To: City Council
From: Karina Bañales, City Manager
Thru: Karina Bañales, City Manager
Subject: Consideration of authorizing the City Manager to adjust the salary range for the Planning Manager position
Background:

Recruiting talented staff remains a top priority for the City, as staff have worked to build a strong and dedicated Planning Department. In recent months, staff has focused on filling key positions, including the Code Compliance Officer/Permit Technician, Assistant Planner, and especially the crucial Planning Manager role. Along this journey, we have faced challenges common to many municipalities, such as competition for qualified candidates, evolving compensation expectations, and the need to foster a work environment that supports both recruitment and long-term retention. These experiences have reinforced the importance of maintaining competitive salary schedules to attract, support, and retain the talented individuals who contribute to the City’s stability and success.

Since the Planning Director position became vacant in November 2024, I have spent time understanding the nuances of the Planning Department, which included staff workload, planning complexities, studying current classifications, and evaluating the expertise of current employees. The evaluation included how to best structure the department for sustained success. This Planning Department has seen inconsistency since 2019, when the previous long-serving Planning Director retired. Since then, turnover has been high, with employees coming and going within the Planning Department. The absence of continuity has impacted the preservation of institutional and historical knowledge critical to managing City projects effectively.

As a result of the evaluation, a Planner Manager position was created. The Planning Manager position would address the City’s immediate operational needs while fostering long-term leadership development. This role provides hands-on management for active projects and establishes a pathway for professional growth toward a future Director-level position.

The City Council, in approving the Planning Manager position, established a unique approach. Unlike most cities on the Peninsula, Rolling Hills now offers a rare opportunity for advancement beyond the Senior Planner level. Among surveyed cities, only El Segundo, Lawndale, and Signal Hill have a Planning Manager role; others generally cap out at Planner or Senior Planner. In many agencies, planners report directly to a Deputy Director or Director, limiting advancement opportunities and often

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leading talented staff to seek growth elsewhere. By offering a Planning Manager role, Rolling Hills sets itself apart, creating a career ladder that supports retention, motivates employees, and encourages sustainable growth for both the organization and the community.

Recognizing the critical role compensation plays in attracting strong candidates, the City Council directed staff to review comparable classifications in neighboring agencies and update salary schedules accordingly and reduce the recommended salary range for the Planning Manager position by up to 10%, including using comparable agencies without a Planning Manager classification to utilize the Senior Planner classification for similar roles, was made with fiscal prudence in mind (Attachment A).

As a City that relies heavily on property tax revenues, Rolling Hills places significant value on maintaining responsible budgeting practices while striving to attract and retain qualified staff. This approach reflects a careful balance between competitive compensation and long-term financial stewardship, which is highly regarded by our community and leadership.

However, despite these measures, communicating the vision of growth and opportunity within the Planning Department and successfully filling the Planning Manager position has proven challenging.

Candidates are weighing compensation and work-life balance alongside professional development prospects, making it difficult to fully “sell” the position’s potential. The City remains committed to sustaining this balance while exploring strategies to attract top talent that supports both organizational goals and fiscal responsibility.

This evening, staff respectfully seeks City Council authorization to revise the salary schedule for the Planning Manager position only, as it remains the sole vacancy. Specifically, staff requests reconsideration of the City Manager’s initial recommended salary schedule to better support successful recruitment for this critical role.

Discussion:

Planning Department Recruitment Updates
Code Compliance Officer / Permit Technician
The Code Compliance Officer/Permit Technician position was created to enhance community service by combining code enforcement and permit processing into a single, full-time role. It ensures timely response to compliance issues, promotes community understanding and environmental awareness, and efficiently processes counter projects, answers code-related questions, and issues construction and demolition permits. By handling these operational tasks, the position allows the Assistant Planner and Planning Manager to focus on larger, more complex projects and work closely with applicants and their professional teams. This new approach, merging the former part-time Bookkeeper/Clerk role with contracted Code Enforcement services, was successfully implemented and filled within 60 days.

Assistant Planner
After three years of service with the City, the incumbent Assistant Planner left in October to accept a promotional position with a neighboring agency, offering increased salary and career growth.

Following this vacancy, the City promptly announced the opening, conducted interviews, and selected a candidate aligned with the City’s standards and future growth goals. The new employee is currently completing pre-employment requirements and is expected to begin work by the end of November.

Entry-level classifications like these continue to attract individuals eager to grow their careers in

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planning. By offering advancement pathways and supporting professional development, the City helps them develop their skills and remain with Rolling Hills.

Planning Manager Recruitment Challenges
Delivering high-quality service is a core part of the City’s culture and a value the community consistently appreciates. Maintaining these standards requires strong leadership, particularly in the Planning Manager role, which oversees many of the City’s most complex and visible projects. A wellqualified Planning Manager provides significant value through careful project oversight, continuity in departmental operations, and effective communication with residents and applicants.

Despite proactive recruitment efforts, including three hiring cycles and outreach to more than a dozen qualified candidates, the position has been challenging to fill. Those that have declined applying for the offer have cited concerns about work-life balance and compensation.

Throughout the recruitment process, public sector recruiters and industry peers were consulted to better understand the challenges of today’s job market. Many agencies spend nearly a year trying to hire Planners, Senior Planners, Planning Managers, or Planning Directors, but in some cases, it takes two years to fill. In the case of the Rolling Hills Planning Manager position, several common themes also emerged among interested candidates:
• Work-Life Balance: Candidates increasingly prioritize flexibility and manageable workloads.

The Planning Manager role encompasses a broad range of responsibilities, which can make balancing professional and personal demands more challenging in a smaller team than in larger agencies. Ensuring that the work aligns with compensation is important. • Organizational Scope: Rolling Hills is primarily focused on residential, single-story homes and maintaining the City’s distinctive character. This approach emphasizes careful, contextsensitive development that preserves the natural landscape, scenic views, and overall community aesthetics. While this provides specialized experience in thoughtful planning, it may not offer the high-volume project exposure or diverse advancement opportunities that some professionals seek. In comparison, planners in other agencies often work on mixed-use projects, commercial development, historical preservation of city structures, and other varied planning contexts.
• Salary Competitiveness: The current salary overlaps with Senior Planner roles at neighboring agencies, making it difficult to attract experienced Senior Planners who are willing to take on broader responsibilities for comparable pay.

Positive Candidate Feedback and Attraction to Growth Opportunities Setting aside compensation, it is important to highlight that candidates shared positive feedback about the City’s approach to hiring a Planning Manager with the potential to grow into a Director role, noting that it reflects thoughtful succession planning. They were excited about the opportunity to build a long-term career in Rolling Hills and felt their contributions would be valued. Several candidates highlighted their enthusiasm for mentoring and developing staff, taking on projects unlike typical residential developments, and designing homes with unique features, such as finished levels or living spaces built below the main structure. They also appreciated the chance to connect directly with residents and be part of a close-knit community that values its distinctive and highly regarded homes.

Ultimately, compensation was key.

Overview of Salary Schedule Considerations
Competitive Salary Schedule and Citywide Workforce Impacts While City Council is not addressing other classifications in Rolling Hills at this time, recent

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recruitment experiences within the Planning Department highlight a broader issue where competitive compensation is crucial not only to attract new talent but also to retain the skilled employees who already deliver valuable services to the community. For example, recent vacancies, such as the Administrative Assistant position in the City Clerk’s Office, demonstrate how even highly valued staff may be drawn to neighboring agencies offering stronger pay and greater opportunities for advancement. Although the City intended to support internal growth and advancement, some promising employees have opted to pursue opportunities with agencies with deeper financial resources.

These experiences underscore a common challenge faced by smaller cities: maintaining competitive salary schedules is vital for ensuring seamless operations, encouraging internal career growth, and reducing turnover-related disruptions.

Below is a brief history of salary schedules for the Planning Manager position, along with the current list of authorized full-time classifications as approved by City Council, effective July 1, 2025.

City Council Approved Salary Schedule Effective July 1, 2025 Full-Time Classification Monthly
Minimum
Monthly
Maximum
City Manager $16,738
Planning Manager $7,457 $11,147
Assistant to the City
Manager/City Clerk
$7,624 $9,497
Management Analyst $6,449 $8,341
Assistant Planner $5,028 $6,417
Code Compliance
Officer/Planning Technician
$4,551 $6,085
Administrative Assistant $4,373 $5,795
The final salary schedule above reflects adjustments made by the Personnel Ad Hoc Committee. The Cities of Carson and Hermosa Beach were removed from the primary salary survey due to their significantly larger organizational size compared to the City of Rolling Hills. To ensure a more appropriate comparison, the Cities of Bradbury and Avalon were added to the survey pool.

To establish the Planning Manager salary range, the Ad Hoc Committee applied a 10% reduction from the survey median to the bottom step of the classification. The top step of the range reflects the median of the combined salaries, with no further adjustments applied. Because not all surveyed agencies maintain a Planning Manager position, the Senior Planner salary range was used as a proxy when duties and responsibilities were deemed sufficiently comparable (Attachment A). For example, the City of Avalon staff identified a classification closest to that of a Senior Planner or Planning Manager.

Recommended Salary Schedule for the Planning Manager Position – Only This evening, staff is requesting that the City Council consider the proposed salary schedule previously presented at the May 12 City Council meeting, which recommended a Planning Manager salary range of $7,325 to $14,293 per month (Attachment B). This schedule does not include Avalon

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or Bradbury, as neither agency employs a Planning Manager. However, the Cities of Carson and Hermosa Beach are included because recruitment patterns show that candidates applying to Rolling Hills traditionally come from the immediate South Bay region.

Including these cities ensures that Rolling Hills remains competitive in attracting qualified candidates who possess the necessary experience, meet organizational needs, and have the potential for professional growth.

Recognizing that Rolling Hills is not a one-size-fits-all organization, and that today’s competitive market makes recruitment especially challenging, staff intentionally set the monthly low-end of the salary range 5% below the lowest comparable agency, while maintaining the full median for the top step across all surveyed cities. This structure is intended to attract candidates who meet the qualifications and may currently be in a position below Senior Planner—not due to lack of skill, but due to organizational structures within their current agency that limit opportunities for advancement.

See below or attachment B.

Comparable Agencies
This adjustment is designed to cast a wider net, encouraging applications from candidates who may not fit the traditional mold but bring valuable transferable skills, knowledge, and growth potential.

Staff believes that in broadening the candidate pool, Rolling Hills positions itself to attract diverse talent and address vacancies more effectively, while maintaining a competitive and responsible compensation structure. This thoughtful and flexible strategy remains consistent with the City’s

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commitment to innovation and adaptability in meeting workforce needs. Staff also noted that the previous Planning Director’s salary was $12,784, which was at the top of the range of $12,351 to $12,784 per month. It is likely that the pool of candidates interested in this classification will consist primarily of experienced Senior Planners. The recommended salary range of $7,325 to $14,293 exceeds the range of most Senior Planner positions, which typically top out around $11,900 per month. Therefore, setting the Planning Manager salary range at $7,325 to $14,293 allows the City to consider qualified candidates while maintaining alignment with the previous incumbent’s salary range.

CONCLUSION
The proposed salary range is expected to attract qualified candidates based on the recruitment efforts and feedback received. It balances competitiveness with budget considerations, broadens the candidate pool, and addresses key concerns related to compensation, helping the City secure strong leadership for the Planning Manager position.

Fiscal Impact:

The City has maintained service levels through contracted planning support from Willdan Engineering, with costs staying within the budgeted amount. If City Council approves revising the Planning Manager salary range from $7,325 to $14,293 per month, there will be no fiscal impact for FY25-26, as new hires are expected to start below $12,784 per month. Over the long term, the proposed increase may result in an additional fiscal impact of approximately $24,000 per year, anticipated as the employee progresses along the salary range within two to three years. This is typically addressed during each budget cycle. The additional $24,000 annual fiscal impact from revising the Planning Manager salary range is nominal compared to the potential negative effects on service levels and operations that can result from not filling the position. Ensuring this key leadership role is filled with qualified talent is critical to maintaining departmental continuity, effective project oversight, and high-quality planning services for the community.

Recommendation:

Staff recommends that City Council approve revising the Planning Manager salary schedule to a range of $7,325 to $14,293 per month.

Attachments:

1. Attachment A - CL_AGN_250528_CC_Item13B

2. Attachment B - CL_AGN_250512_CC_Item13A

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Agenda Item No.: 13.B
Mtg. Date: 05/28/2025
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: KARINA BAÑALES, CITY MANAGER
THRU: KARINA BAÑALES, CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED EMPLOYEE SALARY SCHEDULE

AND JOB CLASSIFICATION MODIFICATIONS
DATE: May 28, 2025
BACKGROUND:

On May 12, 2025, the City Council considered a staff report regarding proposed employee salary schedule and job classification modifications for the City of Rolling Hills (Attachment 2).

At that meeting, staff explained that, given the City's small workforce and limited budget, a customized approach was necessary to ensure the classification and compensation study reflected the unique needs and structure of the organization. Unlike larger agencies, Rolling Hills requires a tailored framework that supports its high service standards, small-town character, and commitment to fiscal responsibility.

As is best practice, most agencies conduct comprehensive studies every five to seven years to promote fair compensation, legal compliance, and the recruitment and retention of qualified personnel. However, it is unknown when a study of this nature was last completed and presented to the City Council for consideration. In this instance, the City Manager conducted the study in-house, reviewing each classification and comparing job duties and salary ranges to comparable city positions per the City Council adopted 2022 update of the Employee Handbook and Personnel Policy Manual (Attachment 2 sub-attachment A). This approach allowed the City to balance best practices with practical experiences, ensuring the recommendations are both relevant and sustainable for Rolling Hills.

The Council subsequently directed the City Manager (staff) to coordinate with the Personnel Ad Hoc Committee (Ad Hoc Committee), comprised of Mayor Pieper and Mayor Pro Tem Dieringer, to further review options for lowering the top end of the salary ranges for benchmarked agencies. The Council also requested a review of the Council-approved comparison cities list to determine whether cities should be added, or existing ones be removed from the salary survey for greater relevancy and accuracy. 172

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This evening, staff are asking the City Council to consider new recommendations as discussed with the Ad Hoc Committee that will strengthen the City’s ability to provide high-quality, responsive services to residents:

1. Adoption of the updated City salary schedule and classifications

2. Approval to replace the Planning Director classification with Planning Manager, eliminate the Administrative Clerk/Bookkeeper position, and bring code enforcement in-house under the new consolidated classification of Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician.

3. Direction to begin recruitment for the revised and consolidated positions.

DISCUSSION:

The Ad Hoc Committee and staff met to discuss the composition of the survey cities used for benchmarking, the methodology for salary adjustments, and to address any anomalies in the data. As a result, a revised Salary Survey using Comparable Cities was created (Attachment 1). Below are highlights of those discussions and the approach.

Survey City Selection and Adjustments
During the meeting, it was discussed that the City of Carson and Hermosa Beach are significantly larger agencies compared to the City of Rolling Hills. Their inclusion in the salary survey could skew the results, leading to salary benchmarks that do not accurately reflect the operational scale and service level of Rolling Hills. To address this, both cities were removed from the survey.

The City of Bradbury and the City of Avalon were added as replacements to maintain a robust and comparable dataset. These cities are more similar in size and scope of services to Rolling Hills, ensuring that the salary comparisons are relevant and appropriate. Staff will return at a future meeting with updates made to the list of survey cities for the adoption of the Employee Handbook and Personnel Policy Manual by City Council.

Methodology: 10% Reduction from Median
The primary goal was to ensure that both the bottom and top steps of each salary classification were fiscally responsible and reflective of the services provided. At the May 12 City Council meeting, staff presented a salary schedule that reduced the median of the salary survey by 5% while maintaining the top end of the salary as indicated in the median of the salary survey which at that time also included the Cities of Carson and Hermosa Beach.

The Ad Hoc Committee and staff agreed to apply a 10% reduction to both the bottom and top steps of the median salary for all surveyed cities in each classification. This approach balances the need to remain competitive in the labor market while safeguarding the City's financial health.

Anomalies and Special Consideration
Two notable exceptions were identified:

Code Enforcement Compliance/Planning Technician: The salary range for this 173

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classification remained at its original range of Code Enforcement Officer, as the current compensation accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities assigned. The only change is the title, as it will now be “Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician. No adjustment was deemed necessary (Attachment 1).

Code Compliance Officer/Planning
Technician
Bottom Top
$4,551 $6,085
Planning Manager: Not all surveyed cities had a Planning Manager classification. In such cases, the Senior Planner salary was used, provided the duties and responsibilities were sufficiently similar. This ensured that the benchmark data remained relevant and the salary range for the Planning Manager was appropriately aligned with comparable roles in other cities. A 10% reduction was applied only to the bottom of the range, while the top of the range was maintained at the market median. This adjustment allows for greater flexibility in recruiting and retaining staff while ensuring continued fiscal responsibility.

It is important to note that this position will replace the Planning Director position. Staff will evaluate the position and return to the City Council should a need arise to make any adjustments.

Agency
Planning Manager Senior Planner
Bottom Top Bottom Top
Avalon $7,161 $9,237
Bradbury
El Segundo $11,237 $14,293 $7,995 $9,718
Hidden Hills
La Habra Heights
Lawndale $8,286 $10,072 $8,286 $10,072
Lomita
Palos Verdes Estates $7,711 $9,672
Rancho Palos Verdes $8,846 $11,500 $8,846 $11,500
Rolling Hills Estates $7,707 $11,147 $7,707 $11,147
Signal Hill $10,318 $13,169 $7,743 $9,883
Average $8,752 $11,299 $8,115 $10,464
Median $8,286 $11,147 $7,995 $10,072
10% reduction on
bottom only
$7,457 $11,147
Rows shaded in grey indicate that the Planning Manager classification was missing and has been replaced with the Senior Planner classification.
174

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Title Change for City Clerk/Executive Assistant to the City Manager The classification of City Clerk/Executive Assistant to the City Manager is recommended to be changed to City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager, removing the “Executive” designation.

This updated classification aligns with the scope of the role, which includes capital improvement project management, support of City Manager initiatives, as directed by the City Council, and greater oversight of the City’s budget.

There is no fiscal impact for this change.

Adding Missing Salaries to Classification
Staff received and reviewed additional salary ranges that were not captured in the initial presentation (Attachment 1). The following were added:

City of La Habra Heights:

Administrative Assistant
City of Lawndale
Assistant City Clerk
Community Development Director
Assistant Planner
Code Enforcement Officer
Conclusion
As directed, staff and the Ad Hoc Committee met to discuss adjustments that allow the City of Rolling Hills to balance fiscal responsibility and competitiveness in employee compensation.

The process presented this evening ensures that salaries are aligned with the City's size, service level, and financial resources while still attracting and retaining qualified staff to serve the community effectively.

As shared at the May 12 City Council meeting, the classification and compensation review presented is a targeted response to Rolling Hills’ operational needs and current staffing challenges. The recommendations are grounded in a salary survey of comparable peer cities and a careful review of internal roles, ensuring the City remains competitive and fiscally responsible. The proposed changes - updating the salary schedule, restructuring the Planning Department, and consolidating code enforcement and administrative support - are designed to streamline operations, improve recruitment, and enhance service delivery.

Based on the information presented, staff seeks City Council approval for:

1. Adoption of the updated City salary schedule and classifications

3. Direction to begin recruitment for the revised and consolidated positions.

FISCAL IMPACT:
175

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Salary Schedule
As discussed at the May 12 City Council meeting, no fiscal impact is anticipated for FY 2025– 26 when adopting the proposed salary schedule since all current employees already earn above the proposed classifications' minimums. However, over time, there will be a long-term fiscal impact as employees advance within their salary ranges based on merit, not tied to any cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) outlined in the City’s Employee Handbook (Attachment 2, sub attachment A).

Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician
As explained at the May 12 City Council meeting, merging the two positions would not result in a fiscal impact for FY 2025–26. The current budget allocates $62,880 for contracted code enforcement services and $25,332 for the Bookkeeper position, totaling $88,202, which is sufficient to cover the cost of the consolidated role at the proposed salary level.

Planning Manager
At the May 12 City Council meeting, staff presented a Planning Manager salary range of $7,325 to $14,293 and noted that it would have no short-term fiscal impact. The previous Planning Director position, which is currently vacant, was paid and is still budgeted at $12,784 per month (Attachment 2).

This evening, staff is presenting a revised salary range of $7,457 to $11,147 for the Planning Manager position. Even as the individual progresses within the range over time based on merit, their compensation would remain below the previous Planning Director salary, ensuring continued fiscal responsibility.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff seeks City Council approval of the following:

Adoption of the updated City salary schedule and classifications Approval to replace the Planning Director classification with Planning Manager, eliminate the Administrative Clerk/Bookkeeper position, and bring code enforcement in-house under the new consolidated classification of Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician.

Direction to begin recruitment for the revised and consolidated positions.

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment 1 - HR_Revised Salary_Survey_Ad Hoc.pdf
Attachment 2 - CL_AGN_250512_CC_Item13C_ClassificationCompensation_StaffReport.pdf 176

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Attachment 1
Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Avalon $ 18,375 $ 10,631 $ 13,713 $ 5,878 $ 7,582 - - $ 4,834 $ 6,235 $ 6,025 $ 7,771 $ 5,325 $ 6,869 - - $ 7,161 $ 9,237 - - Bradbury $ 12,500 - - $ 6,250 $ 7,917 - - - - $ 5,417 $ 7,917 - - - - - - - - El Segundo $ 24,336 $ 13,581 $ 18,750 $ 6,583 $ 8,373 - - $ 6,877 $ 8,359 $ 7,176 $ 9,128 $ 5,988 $ 7,278 - - $ 11,237 $ 14,293 $ 7,995 $ 9,718 Hidden Hills $ 17,917 - - $ 5,833 $ 8,711 - - - - $ 2,885 $ 4,038 - - - - - - - - La Habra Heights $ 12,471 - - - - $ 3,555 $ 4,764 - - - - - - - - - - Lawndale $ 21,239 $ 12,966 $ 15,761 $ 9,716 $ 11,810 $5,140 $6,247 $5,791 $7,039 $ 6,657 $ 8,092 $ 5,768 $ 7,005 - - $ 8,286 $ 10,072 $ 8,286 $ 10,072 Lomita $ 20,000 $ 12,688 $ 15,422 $ 8,547 $ 10,389 $ 4,013 $ 4,878 $ 5,346 $ 6,499 $ 6,200 $ 7,536 $ 5,397 $ 6,560 - - - - - - Palos Verdes Estates $ 20,833 $ 10,735 $ 16,050 $ 8,895 $ 11,148 $ 4,579 $ 5,845 $ 5,989 $ 7,280 $ 6,345 $ 8,502 - - - - $ 7,711 $ 9,672 - - Rancho Palos Verdes $ 21,250 $ 14,437 $ 18,768 $ 11,825 $ 15,373 $ 5,517 $ 7,173 $ 6,459 $ 8,426 $ 7,043 $ 9,156 $ 6,481 $ 8,424 - - $ 8,846 $ 11,500 $ 8,846 $ 11,500 Rolling Hills Estates $ 18,847 $ 12,276 $ 18,418 $ 8,546 $ 12,473 $ 4,469 $ 6,554 $ 6,012 $ 7,624 $ 7,202 $ 9,252 $ 4,971 $ 7,512 - - $ 7,707 $ 11,147 $ 7,707 $ 11,147 Signal Hill $ 22,917 $ 14,131 $ 18,542 $ 8,397 $ 10,716 $ 4,655 $ 5,941 $ 5,841 $ 7,457 $ 6,721 $ 8,578 $ 5,587 $ 7,130 - - $ 10,318 $ 13,169 $ 7,743 $ 9,883 Average $ 19,153 $ 12,681 $ 16,928 $ 8,047 $ 10,449 $ 4,561 $ 5,915 $ 5,894 $ 7,365 $ 6,167 $ 7,997 $ 5,645 $ 7,254 - - $ 8,752 $ 11,299 $ 8,115 $ 10,464 Median $ 20,000 $ 12,827 $ 17,234 $ 8,471 $ 10,553 $ 4,579 $ 5,941 $ 5,915 $ 7,368 $ 6,501 $ 8,297 $ 5,587 $ 7,130 - - $ 8,286 $ 11,147 $ 7,995 $ 10,072 10 Percent reduction $ 18,000 $ 11,544 $ 15,511 $ 7,624 $ 9,497 $ 4,121 $ 5,347 $ 5,324 $ 6,632 $ 5,851 $ 7,467 $ 5,028 $ 6,417 - - $ 7,457 $ 11,147 - - Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Rolling Hills - - - $ 7,624 $ 9,497 $ 4,121 $ 5,347 $ 4,551 $ 6,085 $ 5,851 $ 7,467 $ 5,028 $ 6,417 - - $ 7,457 $ 11,147 - - Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Rolling Hills $ 16,172 $ 12,351 $ 12,785 $ 6,488 $ 8,519 $ 4,373 $ 5,795 $ 4,551 $ 6,085 $ 6,449 $ 8,341 $4,551 $6,085 $25.63 $32.70 - - - - Bookkeeper/
Administrative
Clerk
Planning Manager Senior Planner Agency City Manager
Planning and
Community Services
Director
City Clerk/Executive
Assistant to the City
Manager
Administrative
Assistant
Code Enforcement
Officer
Management
Analyst
Administrative
Assistant
Code Compliance
Officer/Planning
Technician
Management
Analyst Assistant Planner
Assistant Planner
Bookkeeper/
Administrative
Clerk
Planning Manager Senior Planner Agency City Manager
Planning and
Community Services
Director
City Clerk/Assistant
to the City Manager
Revised Salary Survey of Comparable Cities
Management
Analyst Assistant Planner
Bookkeeper/
Administrative
Clerk
Planning Manager Senior Planner
City of Rolling Hills Recommended Salary Schedule
Current City of Rolling Hills Salary Ranges
Agency City Manager
Planning and
Community Services
Director
City Clerk/Executive
Assistant to the City
Manager
Administrative
Assistant
Code Enforcement
Officer
May 28, 2025
City Council Meeting 177

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Agenda Item No.: 13.C
Mtg. Date: 05/12/2025
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: KARINA BAÑALES, CITY MANAGER
THRU: KARINA BAÑALES, CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED EMPLOYEE SALARY SCHEDULE

AND JOB CLASSIFICATION MODIFICATIONS
DATE: May 12, 2025
BACKGROUND:

In 2022, the City Council adopted the City of Rolling Hills Employee Handbook and Personnel Policy Manual (Attachment A), establishing policies for employee compensation, classification, and best practices in workforce management. The Handbook outlines a structured approach to setting and amending salary ranges, conducting regular compensation surveys to ensure market competitiveness, and authorizing classification studies to keep job descriptions and pay aligned with actual duties and responsibilities. Given the City’s small staff and limited budget, conducting a classification and compensation study required a thoughtful, tailored approach to ensure the results truly fit the organization's unique needs. Unlike larger agencies, the City does not have a one-size-fits-all structure, so care was taken to review each position carefully. As is best practice, most agencies conduct comprehensive studies every five to seven years to promote fair compensation, legal compliance, and the recruitment and retention of qualified personnel.

Based on research performed, it is unknown when a study of this nature was last completed and presented to the City Council for consideration. In this instance, the City Manager conducted the study in-house, reviewing each classification and comparing job duties and salary ranges to comparable city positions. This approach allowed the City to balance best practices with practical experiences, ensuring the recommendations are both relevant and sustainable for Rolling Hills.

This evening, staff are asking the City Council to consider a few recommendations that will strengthen the City’s ability to provide high-quality, responsive services to residents:

Adoption of the updated City salary schedule and classifications; Approval to replace the Planning Director classification with Planning Manager, eliminate the Administrative Clerk/Bookkeeper position, and bring code enforcement in-house 112

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under the new consolidated classification of Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician; and
Direction to begin recruitment for the revised and consolidated positions.

DISCUSSION:

As part of the City’s ongoing commitment to strengthening internal operations and aligning services with community needs, staff recommend several key adjustments following the recent classification and compensation study. These recommendations are designed to ensure that the City remains an employer of choice, attracting and retaining highly qualified staff who are dedicated to delivering exceptional service to our residents.

The following discussion outlines the rationale for these recommendations, including a summary of the proposed salary schedule, an overview of the updated classification structure, and the operational benefits of filling these vacancies. Council approval will allow staff to move forward with these actions, strengthening City operations and enhancing the services provided to Rolling Hills residents.

Current Rolling Hills Salary Schedule:

Below is the current salary schedule for City of Rolling Hills classifications. As outlined in the Employee Handbook, this schedule is available on the City’s website under the Finance Department webpage. The schedule is updated annually to reflect any cost-of-living adjustments that take effect on July 1 during the budget adoption process.

Full-Time Classification Monthly
Minimum
Monthly
Maximum

City Manager $16,172
Planning & Community Services Director $12,351 $12,785
Management Analyst $6,449 $8,341
City Clerk/Executive Assistant to the City Manager $6,488 $8,519 Senior Planner $6,442 $8,333
Assistant Planner $4,551 $6,085
Code Enforcement Officer $4,551 $6,085
Administrative Assistant $4,373 $5,795

Part-Time Classification Hourly
Minimum
Hourly
Maximum
Bookkeeper/Administrative Clerk $26 $33
Salary Survey of City Council Approved Cities
To remain competitive with comparable agencies, staff has developed an updated 113

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compensation schedule based on an analysis of City Council approved cities (Attachment A, page 14): Carson, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Hidden Hills, La Habra Heights, Lawndale, Lomita, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates, and Signal Hill.

This analysis ensures that salary ranges are both fair and market-driven, helping recruit and retain the talent necessary to serve the community effectively (Attachment B).

Proposed Salary Schedule for Current City Budgeted Positions Proposed Salary Schedule
The proposed salary structure addresses the unique challenges faced by the City of Rolling Hills, particularly in filling specialized roles like Planning (Attachment D). First, the recommendation focuses on those classifications that are currently filled or expected to be filled soon, ensuring the proposed salary schedule is both timely and relevant. By utilizing the median salary, representing the middle of the market rather than the highest end, our approach balances fiscal responsibility with the need to offer competitive compensation. This thoughtful methodology positions the City as an employer of choice, supporting staff’s commitment to excellent public service and organizational stability.

Secondly, Staff adopted a non-traditional approach to salary benchmarking that goes beyond the standard public sector methodology. Recognizing that Rolling Hills is not a one-size-fits-all organization, and that today’s competitive market makes recruitment especially difficult, staff intentionally set the minimum salary range 5% below the lowest comparable agency.

This deliberate adjustment is designed to cast a wider net, encouraging applications from candidates who may not fit the traditional mold but bring valuable transferable skills, knowledge, and potential to grow within the City. By broadening the candidate pool in this way, Rolling Hills positions itself to attract diverse talent and address vacancies more effectively, while still maintaining a competitive and responsible compensation structure. This thoughtful, flexible strategy reflects the City’s commitment to innovation and adaptability in meeting its workforce needs.

Additionally, the classification of City Clerk/Executive Assistant to the City Manager is recommended to be changed to City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager, removing the “Executive” designation. This updated classification aligns with the scope of the role, which includes capital improvement project management, support of City Manager initiatives as directed by the City Council, and greater oversight of the City’s budget.

Lastly, staff recognize that this may be the first-time staff are presenting a salary study before the City Council. Being mindful of that, Staff will ensure that any future changes in classifications or salaries are brought back to the Council for review and approval, ensuring transparency and alignment with the Employee Handbook and Personnel Policy Manual (Attachment A, pages 12-14).

Fiscal Impact:

There is no fiscal impact for fiscal year 2025-26 because all existing employees are currently above the low end of the proposed salary ranges.

Long term, the increase in the top end of the salary range will result in $142,380 in additional 114

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costs as employees will have the opportunity to move up to a higher threshold in their salary ranges through merit-based salary increases, separate from any cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) provided by the City’s Handbook for employees.

Recommendation:

Staff seeks City Council approval of the recommended salary schedule reflecting current positions and salaries.

Planning Department Enhancements
Staff recommend restructuring to address current vacancies and strengthen succession planning within the Planning Department, emphasizing internal organizational growth and advancement opportunities.

Creating a Planning Manager Classification
Rather than recruiting immediately for a Planning Director, staff propose filling the vacancy with a Planning Manager position. This approach aligns with hiring trends and responds to recruitment challenges. It also broadens the candidate pool to include talented planners eager to advance their careers. Importantly, this structure creates a clear pathway for professional development: after two years of successful performance evaluations, the Planning Manager would be eligible for a re-classification change to Planning Director. This supports succession planning and ensures the department’s leadership is well-prepared to navigate the City’s complex regulatory environment and long-range planning initiatives. Staff has attached a draft list of duties (Attachment D).

Code Enforcement
Rolling Hills has seen its code enforcement approach evolve over the years, from part-time, in-house oversight to contracting with outside firms. As the community continues to grow and residents express a strong interest in timely code compliance, such as addressing dead vegetation, unpermitted construction, and other concerns, an opportunity exists to enhance the City’s approach and better serve the community's needs. The contracted Code Enforcement Officer works 12 hours per week, two 6-hour shifts on Tuesday and Thursday.

Part-Time Administrative Clerk/Bookkeeper
The Administrative Clerk/Bookkeeper position became vacant in March 2025. The previous incumbent was responsible for arranging and attending morning and evening Planning Commission meetings. They prepared minutes, processed applications or Over the Counter Applications, Administrative Reviews, and Discretionary review applications. They also processed Construction & Demolition (C&D) Hauling Permits and assisted the Finance Department with processing payments and making deposits – to name a few.

The part-time Administrative Clerk/Bookkeeper position is also budgeted for 19 hours per week. By consolidating these roles into a single, in-house Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician, the city can provide a more consistent and responsive level of service to the community.

Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician
Based on the City’s services and needs, staff recommend consolidating the roles of 115

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Administrative Clerk/Bookkeeper and contract Code Enforcement Officer into a single, inhouse Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician. Bringing code enforcement in-house is more than just a staffing adjustment - it offers consistent enforcement and a deeper understanding of the community’s unique needs. Beyond addressing violations, this role will also educate and engage residents, fostering a collaborative approach to maintaining Rolling Hills’ high quality of life. Staff has attached a draft list of duties (Attachment D).

This consolidation streamlines operations and enhances efficiency, giving residents a point of contact for code compliance, public inquiries, inspections, and permit processing.

Fiscal Impact:

The creation of a Planning Manager with a salary range of $7,325 to $14,293 has no shortterm fiscal impact. The current Planning Director position, currently vacant, was paid and is budgeted at $12,784 per month. This is at the higher end of the proposed salary range; thus, unless the Planning Manager is brought in higher than this level, there will be no fiscal impact.

Long-term, assuming the Planning Director’s salary was capped at $12,784 per month, then there would be a fiscal impact when the Planning Manager moves into the higher end of the salary range over several years.

With regards to the merger of Code Enforcement and Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper roles and responsibilities, there is no short-term fiscal impact. At the low-end of the salary range ($5,078), the full estimated cost of the new position is $85,582. However, the current budget includes $62,880 for contracted code enforcement services and $25,332 for the existing Bookkeeper position, which totals $88,202 and is enough to cover the costs at that salary level. Over time, however, as the employee filling the new position moves up through the salary range, there would be some fiscal impact, although nominal, based on the assumption that the $62,880 budgeted for contracted code enforcement services would not otherwise increase each year as well.

Recommendation:

Staff requests City Council approval to replace the Planning Director classification with a new Planning Manager classification, eliminate the Administrative Clerk/Bookkeeper position, and bring code enforcement functions in-house under the new classification of Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician. Staff also seeks direction to begin the recruitment process for these revised and consolidated positions.

CONCLUSION
The classification and compensation review presented is a targeted response to Rolling Hills’ operational needs and current staffing challenges. The recommendations are grounded in a salary survey of peer cities and a careful review of internal roles, ensuring the City remains competitive and fiscally responsible. The proposed changes - updating the salary schedule, restructuring the Planning Department, and consolidating code enforcement and administrative support - are designed to streamline operations, improve recruitment, and enhance service delivery.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact in FY 2025–26, as current employees are above the proposed salary minimums. Long-term, merit-based increases could result in up to $142,380 in additional costs. The new Planning Manager position has no short-term impact and only potential long116

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term costs if the employee exceeds the previous Planning Director’s salary. The merged Code Enforcement/Bookkeeper role is budget-neutral at entry level, with minimal long-term impact as the employee progresses through the salary range.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff seeks City Council approval of the following:

Direction to begin recruitment for the revised and consolidated positions.

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment A - HR_EHB_220425_Final.pdf
Attachment B - HR_Salary Survey_20250512.pdf
Attachment C - HR_Proposed Salary Schedule_20250512.pdf Attachment D - HR_Draft Job Duties for Planning Manager and Code Compliance Officer_Planning Technician.pdf
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CITY OF ROLLING HILLS

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
AND

PERSONNEL POLICY MANUAL
Update: April 25. 2022
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2 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the City of Rolling Hills! We trust you will find working for the City professionally challenging, an excellent career opportunity, a positive experience and an environment that strives to provide a work / life balance. The City prides itself on excellent customer service, the highest level of professionalism, being responsive and communicative, maintaining a small-town, rural atmosphere, and sustaining the privacy of the community. City staff are committed to public service, excellence and efficiency in the provision of services, the ICMA Code of Ethics, and the principles of democracy and professional management afforded by the Council-Manager form of government. As a member of the City team, we look forward to your positive contributions in these areas.

This handbook has been developed to provide new staff persons with important introductory information regarding the City’s personnel benefits and policies on matters relevant to all employees. On subjects not included in this handbook, please ask the City Manager or the Human Resources Director. Updates to the policies herein will be provided in separate announcements throughout your career with the City.

CITY ORGANIZATION
The City of Rolling Hills is a “contract city” that operates under the Council-Manager form of government. As a contract city, Rolling Hills contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department (Lomita Station) and Building & Safety Department (Lomita Office) for police and building permit services, respectively. Fire protection, water, electricity, natural gas, and road maintenance are also the responsibility of other non-City agencies. Under the Council-Manager form of government, the City is governed by five Council members who are elected at-large in municipal elections held every two years. City Council terms are staggered so that in one election, three members will be elected and in the next election, two members will be elected. The City Council hires a City Manager who is responsible for day-to-day operations of the City, implementing City Council policy and all aspects of staff supervision.1 The City Council also hires a City Attorney for legal counsel.

Rolling Hills is a “general law” city and, as such, its authority is established under the California State Constitution. The City has an adopted Municipal Code that contains the ordinances of the City.

UNIQUE FEATURES OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
Rolling Hills is a private, gated community under the rules and regulations of two separate and unrelated agencies, the City of Rolling Hills and the Rolling Hills Community Association (RHCA). The RHCA has authority and responsibility for road maintenance, access into the City, architectural review, and all easements and trails. Under the auspices of the RHCA, the roads in the City are not public. They are private property

1 The provisions of this Employee Handbook and Personnel Policy Manual apply to the position of City Manager; provided, however, that to the extent any provision in the contract for the City Manager conflicts with this Employee Handbook, the provision in the contract for City Manager shall prevail. 119

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3 maintained by the RHCA. The City of Rolling Hills, in contrast, is responsible for land use regulation, building permits, environmental issues, traffic safety (e.g., roadway striping and signage), law enforcement through a contract with the Sheriff’s Department, emergency preparedness, municipal elections, and other typical city functions.

Approximately 75% of the City’s revenues derive from property taxes with the remaining 25% basically from building permits.

Rolling Hills is also a residential community with no business or industrial activities. The community consists of only one-story, ranch-style, single-family homes. Properties are typically one or two acres. Each lot is required to have a barn and corral or area designated for a barn and corral. There are a total of twenty-three miles of equestrian and hiking trails. Some trails are connected to trails in the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy or other peninsula-wide trails. There is also no leash law; dogs are free to roam throughout the community. These characteristics are intended to maintain the integrity and identity of Rolling Hills as a rural community.

As a City team member, it is important to understand the distinction between the City and RHCA in order to provide residents and the public with the best customer service.

IN ROLLING HILLS, SERVICE IS THE BUSINESS!
Local government is a service-oriented and public profession. City employees directly connect with the public in many different ways. In Rolling Hills, it is an expectation that members of the City team maintain a pleasant, friendly, and cooperative demeanor to each other and in all capacities when working and communicating with the public. Care should be taken to act in a professional and respectful, courteous manner at all times, for example, on the telephone, in written communications (emails and letters), and during encounters in public settings (at meetings, the public counter, and events). City staff must keep in mind that they are ambassadors of the City and represent the organization.

With service as our business, it is the responsibility of City staff to be responsive and helpful to residents and assist the public. In that capacity, City staff also has the responsibility to exercise sound judgment and appropriate discretion to circumstances and situations.
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4 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Title Page
I Purpose and Application................................................................. 5 II Definition of Terms.......................................................................... 6 III General Provisions........................................................................ 10 IV Classification................................................................................. 12 V Compensation............................................................................... 14 VI Benefits......................................................................................... 18 VII Hours of Work............................................................................... 22 VIII Applications and Applicants.......................................................... 23 IX Examinations ................................................................................ 26 X Employment Eligibility Lists .......................................................... 28 XI Method of Filling Vacancies.......................................................... 29 XII Probationary Period ...................................................................... 30 XIII Attendance and Leaves ................................................................ 31 XIV Holidays ........................................................................................ 39 XV Changes in Employment Status.................................................... 41 XVI Separation from Employment ....................................................... 42 XVII Reports and Records.................................................................... 44 XVIII Grievance Procedures .................................................................. 46 XIX Discipline....................................................................................... 48 XX Performance Evaluations and Annual Work Plans ....................... 51 XXI Vehicle Use................................................................................... 53 XXII Professional Development............................................................ 54 XXIII Employee Standards of Conduct .................................................. 55 121

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5 CHAPTER I

PURPOSE AND APPLICATION
Section 1. Purpose: The purpose of the City of Rolling Hills Employee Handbook and Personnel Policy Manual is to establish lawful procedures for dealing with personnel matters.

The personnel provisions set forth herein constitute the personnel rules and regulations for the City of Rolling Hills. Employees are expected to read this Handbook carefully, and to know and understand its contents. The City reserves the right to make changes to this Handbook at any time without prior notice. Employees’ at-will employment can only be changed by the City Council and by written agreement signed by the employee and the City Manager. Except as otherwise provided in this Handbook, no one has the authority to make any promise or commitment contrary to what is in this Handbook. Employees are responsible for knowing about and understanding those changes once they have been disseminated. The City also reserves the right to interpret the provisions of this Handbook.

This Handbook replaces all earlier Handbooks and supersedes all prior inconsistent policies, practices, and procedures.

Section 2. Application: These rules apply to all employees of the City of Rolling Hills unless a specific rule or procedure indicates otherwise.

Section 3. No Contract Created: These rules do not create any contract of employment, express or implied, or any right in the nature for a contract.

Section 4. Handbook Acknowledgement: Employees should sign the acknowledgement form at the end of this Handbook and return it to the City Manager or Designee. This will provide the City with a record that each employee has received this Handbook.
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6 CHAPTER II

DEFINITION OF TERMS

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Unless the context indicates otherwise the following terms, whenever used in this document, shall be defined as follows:

Advancement: A salary increase within the limits of the pay range established for the position.

At-Will: All employment at the City is “at-will.” This means that both employees and the City have the right to terminate employment at any time, with or without advance notice, and with or without cause. Employees also may be demoted or disciplined and the terms of their employment may be altered at any time, with or without cause, at the discretion of the City. Only the City Council has the authority to alter this arrangement, to enter into an agreement for employment for a specified period of time, or to make any agreement contrary to this at-will status. Any such agreement must be in writing, must be signed by the employee and the City Manager, and must express a clear and unambiguous intent to alter the at-will nature of the employment relationship.

Nothing contained in this Handbook or any other documents provided to employees is intended to be, nor should it be, construed as a guarantee that employment (or any benefit) will be continued for a specific time period.

For example, any salary figures provided to an employee in annual or monthly terms are stated for the sake of convenience. They are not intended to create an employment contract for one or more months or years.

Employees should ask the City Manager if they have any questions about their status as an employee at-will.

City Manager’s Designee: The person assigned to the Human Resources function (Human Resources Director).

Demotion: The movement of an employee from one class to another class having a lower maximum rate of pay. A demotion may be voluntary or involuntary.

Domestic Partner: A domestic partnership is legally established in California when all of the following requirements are met: both persons file a Declaration of Domestic Partnership with the Secretary of State; both persons have a common residence; neither person is married to someone else or is a member of another domestic partnership with someone else that has not been terminated, dissolved, or adjudged a nullity; two persons are not related by blood in a way that would prevent them from being married to each other in another state; both persons are at least 18 years of age; 123

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7 either of the following: (a) both persons are members of the same sex; or (b) one or both of the persons are over the age of 62, and meet certain eligibility criteria pursuant to the Social Security Act; and both persons are capable of consenting to the domestic partnership.

Eligible: When used as a noun, means a person whose name is considered for appointment to a position.

Employment Eligibility List: A list of one or more names of persons who are being considered for a position vacancy generated from candidate resumes, the results of an examination, or some other method of identifying eligible persons.

Examinations:
(a) Open-competitive examination: An examination for a particular position which is open to all persons meeting the qualifications for the class.
(b) Promotional examination: An examination for a particular position, admission to the examination being limited to employees identified by the City Manager or Designee.
(c) Continuous examination: An open competitive examination which is administered periodically and as a result of which names are placed on an employment list, in order of final scores, for a period of not more than one (1) year.

Exempt: An employee not entitled to overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Job Classifications: For the purposes of the City’s personnel rules and regulations, each position title shall correspond to the City’s list of classifications and salary range.
(a) Full-time Exempt: Various executive, administrative, and professional positions exempt from overtime requirements. (b) Full-time Non-Exempt: Positions subject to overtime requirements and working 37.5 hours per week.
(c) Hourly Benefited: Positions known as regular part-time working twelve (12) months per year and an average of twenty (20) or more hours per week on a year-round basis. Benefits are provided to regular part-time employees on a pro-rated basis.
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8 (d) Hourly Non-benefited: At-will positions also known as either seasonal part-time or part-time. These employees are sometimes referred to as “Temporary”.
(e) Seasonal Part-time: A position utilized up to 37.5 hours per week on a seasonal or partial year basis, but not more than 1,000 hours per fiscal year. If an employee identified as seasonal part time works more than 1,000 hours in a fiscal year he or she does not acquire regular employee status.
(f) Part-time: A position with an average of 19.5 hours or less per week and no more than 1,000 hours per fiscal year. If an employee identified as part time works more than 1,000 hours in a fiscal year he or she does not acquire regular employee status.

Layoff: The involuntary separation of a regular status employee or reduction to a position in a lower classification because the position is no longer needed.

Personnel Ordinance: City of Rolling Hills Municipal Code, Title 2, as amended from time to time.

Probationary Period: A working test period during which an employee is required to demonstrate his or her fitness for the duties to which he or she is appointed by actual performance of the duties of the position. The probationary period or initial period of employment is considered a part of the examination process and shall be utilized for closely observing the employee’s work to determine the employee’s fitness for the position.

Promotion: The movement of an employee from one position to another position having a higher maximum rate of pay and different job duties from the previous position.

Provisional Appointment: A temporary appointment of a person who possesses the minimum qualifications established for a particular class, and who has been appointed to a position in the absence of available eligible personnel. This is sometimes referred to as an “Interim Appointment”.

Reclassification: The change of a position from one position to another as a result of the gradual accretion or reduction of duties and/or responsibilities over time.

Regular Employee: A full-time employee who has successfully completed his or her probationary period and has been retained as an employee.

Regular Part-Time Employee: An employee who has successfully completed his or her probationary period.
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9 Rejection: The separation of an employee from employment during the probationary period or examination process.

Reinstatement: The re-employment, without examination, of a former regular employee.

Temporary Employee: An employee who has been appointed to a full-time or part-time position of limited duration.

Transfer: A change of an employee from one position to another position in having the same maximum salary limits, involving the performance of similar duties and responsibilities, and requiring the same qualifications.

Y Rate: When an employee is moved to a different position with a lower salary range, the employee will retain his/her current salary until the salary of the new position has a maximum salary rate that is equal to or higher than the current salary.
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10 CHAPTER III

GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Equal Employment Opportunity: It is the City’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The City does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and religious grooming practices), sex (including pregnancy, perceived pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity (including transgender identity), gender expression (including transgender expression), because an individual has transitioned (to live as the gender with which they identify), is transitioning, or is perceived to be transitioning), sex stereotyping, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age (40 years and over), mental disability and physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), legally protected medical condition or information (including genetic information), protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), military and/or veteran status, service, or obligation, reserve status, national guard status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance program, engaging in protected communications regarding employee wages or otherwise exercising rights protected under the California Fair Pay Act, requesting a reasonable accommodation on the basis of disability or bona fide religious belief or practice, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws. Consistent with the law, the City also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled applicants and employees; for pregnant employees who request an accommodation [with the advice of their health care providers] for pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; for employees who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and for applicants and employees based on their religious beliefs and practices.

The City prohibits sexual harassment and the harassment of any individual on any of the other protected bases listed above. The City also prohibits retaliation against a person who reports or assists in reporting suspected violations of this policy, cooperates in investigations or proceedings arising from a violation of this policy, or engages in other activities protected under this policy.

This policy applies to all areas of employment including recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits, transfer, disciplinary action, and social and recreational programs. It is the responsibility of every manager and employee to conscientiously follow this policy. Any employee having any questions regarding this policy should discuss them with the City Manager’s Designee.
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11 Section 2. Political Activity Prohibited: City employees shall not engage in political activities in violation of Government Code Section 3201 et seq. No one employed by the City may engage in political activities on City premises, while engaged in official duties, using City equipment, or wearing an official City uniform.

Section 3. Outside Employment: No employee may hold outside employment that is incompatible with his/her City employment. Each regular employee who holds any other position in addition to City employment shall submit a written request to the City Manager prior to accepting such employment.

Section 4. Employee Duties: Employees are required to carry out the primary duties and responsibilities of their employment.

Section 5. Violation of Rules: Violation of the provisions of these rules shall be grounds for disciplinary action.

Section 6. Amendment and Revision of Rules: Amendments and revisions to these rules must be recommended by the City Manager and approved by the City Council.

Section 7. Employee Standards of Conduct and ICMA Code of Ethics: Employees are requested to be mindful of the ICMA Code of Ethics and uphold the intent of the tenets and guidelines of the Code. Employees are required to adhere to the Employee Standards of Conduct (Chapter XXIII).

Section 8. Federal Taxes: Completion of appropriate IRS forms will be required of all personnel at the time of employment. The number of exemptions claimed will determine the amount of federal tax deductions.

Section 9. Social Security: All employees, full and part time, will be required to have a Social Security number and/or meet other legal requirements including proof of citizenship or permanent residency status at the time of employment. Social Security deductions will be made according to established schedule provided by government agencies.
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12 CHAPTER IV

CLASSIFICATION
Section 1. Classification Plan: The City of Rolling Hills has an established list of classifications as follows:

Full-time Exempt
City Manager
Planning and Community Services Director
City Clerk/Executive Assistant to the City Manager
Senior Management Analyst
Senior Planner
Full-time Non-Exempt
Administrative Assistant, City Clerk Department
Code Enforcement Officer/Assistant Planner

Hourly Non-Benefited
Finance Director
Human Resources Director
Account Manager
Part-time Planning Technician, Planning Department
Each position in the City service is defined by specifications, including title, definition of the position, supervision received and exercised, a description of the duties and responsibilities of positions in each class, and the training, experience, and other qualifications to be required of applicants for positions in each class.

Section 2. Adoption, Amendment, and Revision of Plan: The list of classifications may be amended from time to time by resolution of the City Council.

Section 3. New Positions: When a new position is created, an employment eligibility list will be established before an appointment is made, unless the position is filled by a promotional appointment.

Section 4. Classification Studies: Classification studies shall be conducted from time to time to determine if the duties and responsibilities of a position have substantively changed, have become inequitably aligned in relation to other classifications within the City service, and/or are otherwise incorrectly designated. The City Manager or Designee shall conduct the classification study and as a result, a position may be reclassified to a more appropriate classification, whether new or already authorized, at a higher or lower maximum salary level.
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13 After conducting a classification study of the position(s), the City Manager will recommend classification changes, if any, to the City Council for approval.

Section 5. Qualifying Examination: A reclassification with a title change that results in a salary increase above the old classification may require of the incumbent a qualifying examination to determine whether or not the incumbent possesses the minimum qualifications for the new class. The method for the qualifying examination shall be determined by the City Manager or Designee. It may be an interview, demonstration of skills and abilities, or a written examination. An incumbent proposed for a reclassification who does not pass the qualifying examination shall retain his or her original title until such time as he or she does pass the qualifying examination.

An employee whose position is being reclassified upward and who has demonstrated competency for the position, need not take a qualifying examination.

Section 6. Y-Rate: When a reclassification results in a lower maximum rate of pay for the incumbent, the incumbent shall be “Y-Rated” at the salary level he/she has earned up to that time.
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14 CHAPTER V

COMPENSATION
Section 1. Compensation Plan: The City has established salary ranges covering all positions in the City service, showing the minimum and maximum rates of pay. The salary ranges can be found on the City’s website under the Finance Department.

Section 2. Amendment of Plan: The compensation plan may be amended from time to time by action of the City Council.

Section 3. Comprehensive Compensation Survey: A Comprehensive Compensation Survey will be conducted as needed, to assure that the City’s jobs are paid equitably against the labor market. The Survey will include each position and include labor market comparisons to:

Carson
El Segundo
Hermosa Beach
Hidden Hills
La Habra Heights
Lawndale
Lomita
Palos Verdes Estates
Rancho Palos Verdes
Rolling Hills Estates
Signal Hill
Section 4. Salary upon Initial Hire: The City Manager shall have the discretion to place the employee at a salary level within the salary range of the position into which the employee is hired.

Section 5. Merit Advancement: The City Manager has the authority and discretion to adjust all regular and part-time employee salaries within their range at any time. The City Manager shall justify a salary change within the range with documentation and based on the performance and skill-level of the employee.

Section 6. Evaluation: Each employee will be formally evaluated annually on the anniversary of his or her employment in regards to the employee’s performance of his or her work responsibilities. In the evaluation, the City Manager will consider and evaluate the employee’s salary for a potential merit advancement. If the evaluation is untimely and in the evaluation, the employee is deemed meritorious of a salary adjustment within the salary range, the employee will receive the increase retroactively. Performance evaluations and Annual Work Plans will be tracked by the City Manager or his or her Designee.
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15 Section 7. Probationary Period: At the end of the probation period and annually thereafter on the anniversary date of hire, each employee will be evaluated by the City Manager with regard to work performance. An adjustment to the base salary within the salary range will be considered. Adjustments to the base salary are subject to the determination and approval of the City Manager; adjustments to the base salary upon completion of the probation period are not automatic.

Section 8. Effective Date of Increase: Salary increases shall be effective the first day of the pay period following the approved effective date.

Section 9. Salary on Promotion: An employee promoted to a position having a greater maximum salary will be placed at a salary that results in not less than a three and one-half percent (3.5%) increase above the employee’s current regular salary. The City Manager may establish the salary at a higher level within the range.

Section 10. Salary on Demotion: An employee who is demoted will be placed within the salary range for the position into which demoted. The salary will be set at a level that is lower and closest to the salary the employee was receiving before the demotion.

Section 11. Salary on Reclassification: An employee whose position title is changed but will be performing similar duties will receive the salary set forth below. (a) If the new position title maintains the same salary range, the salary will not change.
(b) If the new position title has a higher salary range, at the discretion of the City Manager, the salary adjustment will be determined in the same manner as a promotion.
(c) If the new position title has a lower salary range, the employee will be Y-rated.

Section 12. Pay Periods: Employees shall be compensated by paycheck or electronic transfers every two weeks. Checks or electronic transfers in payment for compensation will be made available by the City to employees.

Section 13. Bilingual Pay: The City does not provide a bilingual premium pay differential in addition to regular pay for employees who are requested by the City to use bilingual skills during their scheduled work hours on a recurring basis.

Section 14. Overtime:
(a) As a matter of general policy, the City does not permit employees to work overtime and will provide adequate staff to handle normal 132

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16 operations. However, non-exempt employees may be required to work overtime at the discretion of the City Manager.
(b) Overtime for non-exempt employees is defined as hours assigned to be worked and actually worked in excess of thirty-seven and onehalf (37.5) hours in the designated work week. (c) Non-exempt employees working overtime when not expressly authorized to do so shall be subject to discipline.
(d) Overtime assigned and worked by non-exempt employees shall be compensated at time and one-half their regular rate of pay. The employee may request, and the City Manager shall have the unrestricted discretion to approve or not approve, compensation in the form of accrued compensatory time at time and one-half pay, except an employee may not accrue more than thirty-seven and onehalf (37.5) hours compensatory time at any time. (e) If a non-exempt employee is required to work on an observed holiday beyond the regular thirty-seven and one-half (37.5) hour work week, he or she shall be entitled to pay at the rate of two (2) times the regular rate of pay.
(f) Employees who are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are compensated on a salary basis and are not eligible for overtime.

Section 15. Acting Pay: An employee who is provisionally appointed to an acting or interim position that is in a higher salary range than that of the position title in which the employee is normally assigned shall receive acting compensation.
(a) Acting pay shall be provided only for appointments with duration greater than twenty-one (21) consecutive calendar days and shall be retroactive to the effective date of the acting appointment and continue until completion of appointment.
(b) Such acting appointments shall be made in writing by the City Manager.
(c) Compensation shall be at the entrance of the salary range of the acting position or a minimum of three and one-half percent (3.5%) higher than the employee receives, whichever is greater.

Section 16. Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA): Annually, employees will receive a COLA in their salary or hourly rate based on the month of March, Los Angeles/Orange County/Riverside Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all items. The COLA will be applied to employee salaries or hourly rates 133

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17 automatically not to exceed 3.5% on July 1 of every year based on the March CPI.

On July 1 of every year, position salary ranges will also adjust automatically.

The salary range will adjust based on the month of March, Los Angeles/Orange County/Riverside CPI for all items not to exceed 3.5%.

Section 17. Exceptional Performance Recognition: The City’s program for recognizing an employee’s exceptional performance is described in Chapter XX. 134

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18 CHAPTER VI

BENEFITS
Section 1. Retirement Plan:
(a) The City is a member of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). Eligible Regular employees of the City hired prior to December 31, 2012 are enrolled in the 2%@60 retirement program.

Under PERS Regulations, employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 and who are considered “Classic” employees will be enrolled in the 2%@60 retirement program. Eligible Regular employees of the City hired on or after January 1, 2013 are enrolled in the 2%@62 and

2.5%@67 retirement program consistent with State Assembly Bills 340 and 197 enacted September 12, 2012 and City Resolution No. 1136. All conditions of PERS apply to all eligible Regular employees of the City of Rolling Hills.
(b) The pensionable compensation used to calculate the defined benefits paid to employees hired after December 31, 2012 will not exceed the maximum amount specified in the federal retirement system (United States Code Title 42 § 430(b), as may be amended from time to time); as adjusted annually based on changes to the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers.
(c) Regular employees hired after December 31, 2012 pay 100% of the employee portion of the retirement program or 50% of the “normal cost,” defined as that portion of the present value of projected benefits under the defined benefit plan that are attributable to the current year of service (also known as the “Member Contribution Rate as a percentage of payroll”), whichever is higher. Exercising its authority to implement the provisions of section 414(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), all employee’s payments for the retirement program are tax deferred. For employees hired after December 31, 2012, the City is prohibited from making contributions greater than the amount specified in the federal retirement system. (d) The final compensation is the average full time monthly pay rate for the highest 36 consecutive months. If the service is coordinated with Social Security, the final compensation will be reduced according to State law. “Compensation” is defined as the normal monthly rate of pay or base pay for the employee for services rendered on a full-time basis during normal working hours, pursuant to the City’s pay schedule. It does not include pay for unused sick leave or time off or overtime pay.
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19 (e) Employees are permitted to replenish their PERS out of their own funds, if they have chosen to remove those funds from PERS following termination of previous employment.
(f) All employees, full and part time, are required to participate in the Social Security System.
(g) Newly retired former employees, or employees of another PERS member, are required to sit out for at least 180 days before returning to work for the City to avoid forfeiture of their retired status. Such employees also cannot serve more than 960 hours in a calendar year. This subsection shall not apply to employees hired to fill a critically needed position, where the appointment has been approved by City Council in a public meeting.
(h) Any public official or employee who is convicted of a felony related to performance of his or her official duties, related to seeking an elected office or appointment, in connection with obtaining benefits, or committed against a child who the official or employee has contact with as part of his or her official duties, forfeits all pension benefits earned or accrued after the date of the conviction.

Section 2. Health and Life Insurance:
(a) The City maintains Workers’ Compensation Insurance for workrelated injuries. Group term life insurance, long-term disability insurance, health insurance, prescription drug, dental insurance, and vision insurance is also provided for all Regular Exempt and NonExempt full-time employees who have successfully completed their twelve month probationary period.
(b) The City of Rolling Hills provides 100% of the single-party premium for health, dental, and vision insurance, inclusive of prescription drug coverages within the health plans, of each Regular employee who has successfully completed their probationary period. The City will pay 80% of the premium for the eligible dependents of Regular employees up to a maximum monthly family premium of $1,642.21 based on the 2015 rate for the Anthem Traditional HMO plan. The City will contribute up to a maximum monthly premium of $202 for dental insurance based on the 2015 rate for Met Life DPPO plan and up to a maximum monthly premium of $30 for vision insurance based on the 2015 rate for VSP plan2 following successful completion of the Regular employee’s probationary period.

2 Resolution 1249 sets the City’s monthly contribution to insurance premiums for the eligible dependents of regular employees for calendar year 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 as follows: (1) health insurance up to a maximum of $1,658.42; (2) dental insurance up to a maximum of $204.02; (3) vision insurance up to a 136

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20 Information describing coverage is available from the Finance Department.
(c) Through the implementation of an IRS compliant Section 125 plan, the City will provide Regular employees with the ability to withhold pre-tax income from his/her salary to pay his/her portion of insurance premiums.

Section 3. Credit Union:
(a) Applications are available to all employees for membership in the F & A Federal Credit Union. Automatic payroll deductions may be arranged.

Section 4. Deferred Compensation and Employment Longevity Plan:
(a) The City of Rolling Hills offers an employee funded deferred compensation program. Applications are available in the Finance Department.
(b) According to the following schedule, effective July 1, 2009, the City of Rolling Hills will match employee contributions up to the IRS limit.

Years of service City match to employee’s
contribution (up to __% of
salary)
0 - 1.99 0%
2 – 2.99 1%
3 – 5.99 2%
6 – 8.99 3%
9 – 11.99 4%
12 – 14.99 5%
15+ 6%
Section 5. Other benefits:
(a) The City provides single-party health coverage for its Regular employee retirees through PERS. Heath plan options and terms of the program are governed through the City’s contract with PERS.

Regular employees hired after December 31, 2012 will be qualified to receive single-party retiree health coverage from the City providing 1) the Regular employee retires from the City of Rolling Hills and 2)

maximum of $30.30. The maximum contribution for each policy will be increased by 2% for calendar year 2024 and beyond.
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21 the Regular employee has been in the employment of the City of Rolling Hills for a minimum of 5 consecutive, uninterrupted years. (b) A surviving beneficiary of a current or former employee hired before January 1, 2013 will receive benefits through PERS, as appropriate to individual circumstances. The terms of these benefits are specified in the City’s contract with PERS.
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22 CHAPTER VII

HOURS OF WORK
Full-time employees are assigned to the 9/75 flex plan under which they will work seventyfive (75) hours in a nine (9) day period.

Section 1. The 9/75 Plan: Full-time employees work 37.5 hours over a 5-day workweek exclusive of meal periods as follows:

Alternating Week 1 Alternating Week 2
Mon - Wed: 7:30am to 5:00pm Mon - Wed: 7:30am to 5:00pm Thursday: 7:30am to 5:00pm Thursday: 7:30am to 3:30pm
Friday: 7:30am to 5:00pm Friday: off
Section 2. Alternate Work Schedule: Full-time employees may be assigned to work days or hours other than those set forth in Section 1.

Section 3. Work Week Defined: The work period or work week will begin at 12:01 p.m. on Friday and end the following Friday at 12:00 noon for all full-time employees working under the 9/75 work schedule if the employee is scheduled to be off every other Friday.

Section 4. Work Week Schedule Change: The City may change the work week when public necessity or convenience so requires.

Section 5. Request to Change Schedule: Employees for whom personal necessity requires a different schedule than above, may make a request for the alternate schedule to the City Manager. Alternate schedules must begin no earlier than 7:00 a.m. and end no later than 6:00 p.m. and will not include a shorter meal period than below.

Section 6. Meal Period: Because City employees are public employees the sections of the California Labor Code regarding mandatory meal and rest periods are not applicable. Meal periods are non-paid and nonworking time and shall be one hour for all full-time employees. Every effort will be made to schedule such meal period during the middle of the shift.
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23 CHAPTER VIII

APPLICATIONS AND APPLICANTS
Section 1. Announcement: All recruitments for positions shall be publicized by means as the City deems advisable. The announcements shall specify the title and pay of the position, duties and responsibilities of the work to be performed, minimum requirements established, the manner of making application, and other pertinent information.

Section 2. Application: Applications shall be made as prescribed on the announcement. Application forms shall require information covering training, experience, and other pertinent information. All applications must be signed by the person applying.

Section 3. Disqualification: The City Manager or Designee may reject any application which indicates on its face that the applicant does not possess the minimum qualifications required for the position or for any material cause which, in the judgment of the City Manager or Designee would render the applicant unsuitable for the position. Falsification of any information presented on the employment application shall be grounds for rejection/disqualification from the recruitment and/or termination from employment, if applicant is appointed to the position.

Section 4. Prohibition Against Nepotism: It is the policy of the City to seek the best possible candidates through appropriate search procedures. The City seeks to eliminate or limit even the appearance of impropriety where possible. As such, the City has adopted the following policy regarding application and/or hiring of employee relatives.

For purpose of this policy, “relative” shall mean a spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law, step-parent, legal guardian, sibling, step-sibling, sibling-in-law, child, step-child, child-in-law, legal ward, grandchild, or grandparent.

Each applicant is required to disclose the identity of any relative who is a current employee. An applicant’s failure to disclose a relative who is a current employee may result in the rejection of the applicant or future disciplinary action against the applicant after employment, up to and including termination.

Relatives of current employees shall not be hired into positions in which one relative may supervise, directly or indirectly, any other relative. One or more of the following roles, undertaken on a regular, acting, overtime, or other basis shall constitute direct or indirect supervision:

1. Occupying a position in an employee’s direct line of supervision; 140

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24 2. Functional supervision, such as a lead worker, crew leader, or shift supervisor; or

3. Participating in personnel actions including, but not limited to, appointment, transfer, promotion, demotion, layoff, suspension, termination, assignments, approval of merit increases, evaluations, and grievance adjustments.

Relatives of current employees shall not be hired into positions in which one relative may work in a capacity which would allow a current employee to evaluate or control the terms, conditions, and/or performance circumstances of employment of a relative. Relatives of current employees shall not be hired into any position in which the employment of such relative has the potential for adversely impacting the supervision, safety, security, or morale of other employees. The City shall review each applicant who is a relative of a current employee to determine whether hiring the applicant would result in any of the prohibited situations. If the City Manager or Designee finds that any of those situations exists, then the applicant may be rejected, or may be considered for employment in a position that does not present the above situations.

Current employees shall not participate, directly or indirectly, in the recruitment or selection process for a position for which a relative is an applicant. Current employees having hiring powers or authority to recommend hires shall not, either directly or indirectly, seek to influence or assist in the hiring of any relative to any position within the City. Current employees shall not participate or interfere in, or otherwise attempt to influence, any personnel actions affecting his or her relative including, but not limited to, transfer, promotion, demotion, layoff, suspension, termination, assignments, approval of merit increases, evaluations, and grievance adjustments.

Change In Status. Current employees must report a change of status to the City Manager or Designee in advance of the effective date where feasible, but in no event later than a reasonable time after the effective date of the change of status. For purposes of this policy, “a change of status” is the change in the legal status or personnel status of one or more current employees.

1. Changes in legal status include but are not limited to marriage, divorce, separation, or any such change through which a current employee becomes a relative or ceases to be a relative of another current employee.

2. Changes in personnel status include but are not limited to promotion, demotion, transfer, re-assignment, resignation, retirement, or termination of a current employee who is a relative of another current employee. 141

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25 Within thirty (30) days from receipt of notice, the City shall undertake a caseby-case consideration and individualized assessment of the particular work situation to determine whether the change of status has the potential for creating an adverse impact on supervision, safety, security, or morale. The City Manager or Designee shall make a good faith effort to regulate, transfer, condition, or assign duties in such a way as to minimize problems of supervision, safety, security, or morale. Notwithstanding this, the City retains the right to exercise its discretion to refuse to implement a change in personnel status due to its potential for creating an adverse impact on supervision, safety, security, or morale.

The City shall reasonably monitor and regulate both relatives’ conduct and performance for a period of one (1) year from the date of the determination.

If the City determines that a change of status has caused potential for creating an adverse impact on supervision, safety, security, or morale, the City shall re-visit the prior determination.

Depending on the nature and severity of the situation, the City may transfer one of the relatives to a similar position that would not be in violation of this policy. The transfer will be granted provided the relative qualifies and there is an opening to be filled. There can be no guarantee that the new position will be within the same classification or at the same salary level. If the situation cannot be resolved by transfer or by good faith efforts to regulate, transfer, condition, or assign duties in such a reasonable way that would not be in violation of this policy, one of the relatives must separate from City employment.

Pre-Existing Relationships. Where situations exist prior to the effective date of this policy that may be in conflict with these rules, reasonable efforts shall be made to address the situation so as to minimize potential problems of supervision, safety, security, or morale and to avoid future conflict. 142

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26 CHAPTER IX

EXAMINATIONS
Section 1. Types of Examinations: The selection techniques used in the examination process shall measure the knowledge and abilities of the applicants to execute the duties and responsibilities of the position to which they seek to be appointed.

Examinations shall consist of selection techniques which will test fairly the qualifications of candidates. The City Manager or Designee may select the appropriate examination(s) to be utilized in the selection process.

Section 2. Promotional Examinations: All candidates for promotion must meet the minimum qualifications identified by the City Manager or Designee.

The City Manager or Designee will determine whether the examination is open competitive or a promotional appointment.

Section 3. Continuous Examinations: Open-competitive examinations may be administered periodically for a single position as the needs of the service require. Names shall be placed on employment lists, in order of final scores, for a period of not more than one (1) year, unless extended by the City Manager or Designee.

Section 4. Conduct of Examinations: The City Manager or Designee will determine the manner and methods and by whom examinations shall be prepared and administered.

Section 5. Reasonable Accommodation in Testing: Should an otherwise qualified applicant who is disabled request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the testing process the City may modify the process to reduce or eliminate the testing barrier.

Section 6. Background Investigations: Following a conditional offer of employment, each prospective employee shall submit to a criminal background check.

The City does not consider, distribute, or disseminate information about any of the following while conducting a criminal background check in connection with a job application: an arrest not followed by a conviction, except when the applicant is out on bail or his/her own recognizance pending trial; a referral to or participation in a pre-trial or post-trial diversion program; and a conviction that has been sealed, dismissed, expunged, or statutorily eradicated pursuant to law.

If the City’s criminal background check reveals an applicant’s prior conviction, the City shall conduct an individualized assessment to determine whether the conviction has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific job duties that may justify denying employment. The following 143

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27 factors shall be considered as part of the individualized assessment: the nature and gravity of the offense or conduct; the time that has passed since the offense or conduct and completion of the of the sentence; and the nature of the job held or sought.

If the results of the City’s individualized assessment justify denying employment the applicant shall be provided with notice and an opportunity to respond within five business days. Written notice of the preliminary decision to deny employment shall be provided to the applicant. The written notice shall contain the identity of the disqualifying conviction, a copy of the conviction history report, an explanation of the applicant’s right to respond to the notice before a final decision is made, notice of the deadline to respond within five business days, and an explanation informing the applicant that the response can include evidence challenging the accuracy of the conviction history report and/or evidence of rehabilitation or mitigating circumstances.

If the City makes a final decision not to hire the applicant based on the conviction history after considering the applicant’s response the City shall provide a final determination notice that includes notice of the final denial, any existing procedure the City has for the applicant to challenge the final decision, and the applicant’s right to file a complaint with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing.

Section 7. Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986: In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, all new employees must verify identity and entitlement to work in the United States by providing required documentation.

Section 8. Notification of Selection Process Results: Each person competing in an employment selection process shall be given notice of the results from the examination.
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28 CHAPTER X

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY LISTS
Section 1. Employment Eligibility Lists: As soon as possible after the completion of a continuous examination, the City Manager or Designee will prepare and keep available an employment eligibility list consisting of the names of applicants who qualified in the examination, arranged alphabetically.

Section 2. Removal of Applicants from Lists: The name of any person appearing on an employment eligibility list shall be removed by the City Manager or Designee if the person eligible requests in writing that his or her name be removed, fails to respond to a notice mailed to his or her last known address, or has been certified for appointment and has not been appointed.

Section 3. Use of Employment Eligibility Lists: A vacant position may be filled by the appointment of a person whose name is on an employment eligibility list for the position.
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29 CHAPTER XI

METHOD OF FILLING VACANCIES
Section 1. Types of Appointment: All vacancies shall be filled by re-employment, transfer, voluntary demotion, promotion, or from eligible applicants by a process deemed appropriate by the City Manager or Designee.

Section 2. Appointment: After interview(s) and an examination if deemed necessary for the selection of a candidate, the City Manager or Designee shall thereupon notify the person of the conditional offer of appointment, subject to passing a required medical examination and all background investigations.

Section 3. Temporary Assignments: Employees may be temporarily assigned higher or lower duties without a change in pay. Such action shall not be deemed as a transfer, demotion, promotion, or reclassification. In all cases where periodic or regular variations in assignments occur because of seasonal needs, the temporary change of duties or a change of the work schedule shall be considered as incidental to the position.

Section 4. Extended Assignment to Vacant Higher Position: Employees assigned to perform duties in a vacant higher level regular position in excess of twentyone (21) consecutive calendar days as authorized by the City Council shall be entitled to a salary rate increase to the higher level for the time actually worked in the assignment. (See CHAPTER V, Section 15, Acting Pay.) The duration of such assignment to a vacant higher position shall not exceed one (1) year. It is the responsibility of the City Manager to adjust the salary rate increase.
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30 CHAPTER XII

PROBATIONARY PERIOD
Section 1. Probationary Period: Upon initial and promotional appointment to a position, an employee must serve a probationary period of 1 year of actual and continuous service. Periods of time on paid or unpaid leave excluding five (5) days or less automatically extends the probationary period by the number of days the employee is on leave. The City Council may, by resolution, establish a longer probation period for a specified classification prior to the time of an appointment. Continuous service with the City in a temporary position may be calculated into the probationary period upon hiring the individual into a regular position at the discretion of the City Manager. Completion of the probationary period does not entitle an employee to continued employment for any length of time. Completion of the probationary period does not alter the at-will nature of the employment.

Section 2. Purpose of Probationary Period: During the probationary period, the City Manager shall review, examine, and monitor the conduct, capacity, efficiency, skill, responsibility, integrity, and effectiveness of an employee to determine whether the employee is fully qualified for employment in the position to which the employee has been appointed.

Section 3. Extension of Probationary Period: The probationary period may be extended by the City Manager for a period up to six (6) months by written notice to the employee prior to the expiration of the original probationary period.

Section 4. Reduction of Probationary Period: The probationary period may be shortened by the City Manager.

Section 5. Rejection During Probation: At any time during the probationary period an employee may be rejected from employment without cause and without right of appeal.

Section 6. Rejection During Probation From a Promotional Position: A promoted employee who has attained regular status in another position of City employment who does not successfully complete the probationary period in the promoted position may be returned to the former position without right to review or appeal unless terminated for cause.

Section 7. Use of Leave During Probation: Accrued sick leave may be used any time by the probationary employee during the probationary period. Vacation leave hours are accrued during the probationary period, but shall be available for use upon completion of 1 year of service unless otherwise approved by the City Manager.
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31 CHAPTER XIII

ATTENDANCE AND LEAVES
Section 1. Attendance: Full-time employees shall be in attendance at their work in accordance with the rules regarding hours of work, holidays, and leave.

Absence of any employee without leave may result in disciplinary action, including discharge.

Section 2. Vacation Leave: Vacation is a right, earned as a condition of employment, to a leave of absence with pay for the recreation and well-being of the employee. If an employee has exhausted sick leave, vacation may be used for sick leave upon request of the employee and with approval of the City Manager.
(a) Employees shall accrue, on a pro-rata basis, vacation leave for completed pay periods. Such vacation allowance shall be available for use on the first day following the pay period in which it is earned; however, vacation allowance shall be available for use after one year by a probationary employee.
(b) All Full-time employees accrue vacation as follows:

Years of Service
Completed Vacation Days Accrual
0 – 3 5/6 day per month
3 1 day per month
5 1 1/4 days per month
10 1 2/3 days per month
(c) Maximum Accrual: Employees shall be permitted to accumulate a maximum of 40 days of vacation leave or the maximum amount accumulated in a two-year period of employment, whichever is less.

Employees who have accumulated the maximum amount of vacation leave shall accrue no further vacation leave until they use sufficient leave to fall below the maximum that may be accumulated. (d) Waiver of Maximum Accrual: A waiver must be requested by the employee and approved by the City Manager, for a period not to exceed thirteen (13) pay periods per fiscal year. If, at the end of the waiver period the maximum accrual amount is exceeded, vacation accrual for the affected employee will stop. No further vacation time will be accrued until the employee’s vacation leave balance is below the maximum accrual amount. In the event that the failure to utilize vacation past the thirteen pay period waiver is due to the City’s inability to allow an employee to take vacation (as opposed to an employee’s delay and/or failure to request vacation time off), the 148

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32 employee may, with City Manager authorization, continue to accrue vacation.
(e) Vacation Leave Cash Out Option: In December of each year, if an employee has over two weeks of accrued vacation after using accrued vacation leave for one week (37.5 hours) of vacation during the calendar year, he or she may “cash out” up to two weeks of the accrued vacation (75 hours) at his or her base rate of pay. (f) The minimum charge against accumulated vacation leave shall be fifteen (15) minutes or multiples thereof. Vacation leave shall be compensated at the employee’s base rate of pay.
(g) The time during a calendar year at which an employee may take his or her vacation shall be determined by the City Manager with due regard for the wishes of the employee and particular regard for the needs of the City.
(h) All vacation leave requests shall be made with as much advance notice as possible, and prior approval must be given by the City Manager. When circumstances warrant and advance notice is impractical, the City Manager may approve the use of vacation leave for emergency absences. If an employee does not request time off in advance and simply does not show up for work, the City Manager may deny the use of vacation time or any leave accruals, and said employee may be subject to disciplinary action.
(i) When a fixed holiday falls within a vacation period, the holiday time shall not be charged against an employee’s earned vacation benefits.
(j) Employees who terminate or retire shall be paid for all accrued vacation leave earned at their base rate of pay at the time of their separation of employment.
(k) Employees on Unpaid Leave: Employees on Unpaid Leave do not accrue Vacation Leave.
(l) Employees not Eligible for Vacation: All part-time employees including temporary, emergency, and seasonal part time, do not accrue Vacation Leave.

Section 3. Paid Sick Leave: Employees who are hired to work at least thirty days are eligible for California Paid Sick Leave.

Paid Sick Leave may be taken for below prescribed purposes:
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33 1. The diagnosis, care, or treatment of an existing health condition of, or preventive care for, an employee or an employee’s family member; or

2. To attend legal proceedings, or to obtain medical treatment, counseling, or other victims’ services for domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

A “family member” for these purposes is defined as a child (a biological, adopted, or foster child, stepchild, legal ward, or a child to whom the employee stands in loco parentis), a parent (a biological, adoptive, or foster parent, stepparent, or legal guardian of an employee or the employee’s spouse or registered domestic partner, or a person who stood in loco parentis when the employee was a minor child), a spouse or registered domestic partner, a grandparent, grandchild, and sibling. Additionally, Paid Sick Leave may be used for an employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

Accrual: Employees shall accrue one day of sick leave (7.5 hours) with full pay for each month of service. Sick leave shall be available for use the first day following the payroll period in which it is earned. If the employee does not take the full amount of sick leave allowed in any year, the amount not taken shall be accumulated from year to year, to a maximum of 30 days.

Separation of Employment: Upon separation of employment (voluntary termination, involuntary termination, retirement, etc.) employees are not entitled to be compensated for unused Paid Sick Leave. However, previously unused paid sick days must be reinstated if an employee separates from employment and then is rehired within one year.

To the extent possible, employees must provide reasonable advance notice of their need for Paid Sick Leave under this policy. If the need is not foreseeable, the employee must provide notice as soon as practicable. Paid Sick Leave under this policy will not constitute a break in service for the purpose of City benefits or seniority.

Minimum Use: The minimum charge against accumulated sick leave shall be fifteen (15) minutes or multiples thereof. Approved sick leave with pay shall be compensated at the employee’s base rate of pay.

Notification: Employees should notify the City Manager prior to, or within 45 minutes after the time set for the beginning of his/her regular duties if using paid sick leave. The City Manager may request a certificate issued by a licensed physician or other satisfactory proof of illness if the sick leave extends more than 3 consecutive days.

Violations: Violation of sick leave privileges may result in disciplinary action when in the opinion of the City Manager, the employee has been excessively absent or has abused such privileges. Employees who do not 150

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34 call in within 45 minutes of the start of their assignment may be denied use of sick leave.

Employees on Unpaid Leave: Employees on unpaid leave do not accrue Paid Sick Leave.

Employees may donate accrued paid sick time up to two (2) days per calendar year to other employees in need of additional paid time off to seek medical treatment for themselves. Donation of paid sick time to another employee will only be permitted after that recipient employee has exhausted all other available accrued leave. The donation of paid sick time is strictly voluntary.

Section 4. Occupational Injury or Illness Leave: Whenever a person is compelled to be absent from employment with the City on account of injury or illness arising out of or in the course of that employee’s employment as determined by the Workers’ Compensation Act, the employee may elect to apply pro-rated accrued sick leave, if any, to such absence to receive compensation of an amount of the difference between the compensation received under the Workers’ Compensation Act and that of the employee’s regular pay, not to exceed the amount of the employee’s earned sick leave. An employee, in such instance, may also elect to use any earned vacation time in like manner after sick leave is exhausted. An employee, in such instance, may also elect to use any earned Floating Holiday hours in like manner after sick leave and earned vacation time is exhausted. Employees shall receive full salary in lieu of Workers’ Compensation benefits and paid sick leave for the first twenty-four (24) hours following an occupational injury or illness, if authorized absence is by order of an accepted physician under the Workers’ Compensation sections of the California Labor Code.

Section 5. Bereavement Leave: When circumstances are such and the City Manager determines that conditions warrant, full-time employees may be granted up to three (3) days of paid bereavement leave per occurrence following completion of one year of employment in the event of the death of a spouse, domestic partner, child, brother, sister, parent, parents-in-laws, or grandparent.

Section 6. Jury Duty and Witness Leave: If a regular full-time employee is required to serve as a juror, such employee shall receive regular pay less amounts received while actually performing jury service for a period of service not to exceed 10 days of jury service. The City will not pay mileage or other additional expenses incurred by jury duty. Employees will be required to provide a Jury Duty Certification form to their supervisor, to be attached to their time sheet for that time period.
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35 Employees shall be granted leave with pay when subpoenaed to testify as a witness other than as a party or an expert.

Employees absent from work due to jury duty or witness leave must notify the City Manager of the status of their leave daily.

Section 7. California CFRA Leave:

The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) provides eligible employees the opportunity to take unpaid, job-protected leave for certain specified reasons. The maximum amount of leave is twelve (12) weeks within a 12- month period. All employees who have worked at least twelve (12) months in the preceding seven (7) years and have worked at least 1,250 hours within the twelve (12) months preceding the date the leave commences are eligible for CFRA leave.
(a) Reasons for leave: CFRA leave may be used for the following reasons:
(1) To care for or bond with a newborn child.
(2) To care for or bond with a child placed with the employee and/or the employee’s registered domestic partner for
adoption or foster care.
(3) To care for an immediate family member (spouse, parent, registered domestic partner, child or registered domestic partner’s child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild) with a serious health condition.
(4) For the employee’s serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform his or her job (except pregnancy, which is covered under PDL and does not run concurrently with CFRA).
(5) For a qualifying military exigency related to the covered active duty or call to covered active duty of a spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent in the United States armed forces.

Eligible employees may take CFRA leave in a single block of time, intermittently, or by reducing the normal work schedule when medically necessary for the serious health condition of the employee or immediate family member. Employees may choose to use accrued paid sick leave or vacation time with some or all of the CFRA leave.
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36 When seeking leave under this policy, employees must provide the City Manager or Designee with the following: (1) Thirty (30) days’ notice of the need to take CFRA leave (if foreseeable), or notice as soon as practicable in the case of unforeseeable leave; (2) Medical certification supporting the need for leave within fifteen (15) calendar days of the company’s request for the certification. Failure to do so may result in the delay of the commencement of leave or denial of a leave request; (3) Periodic reports as deemed appropriate during the leave regarding the employee’s status and intent to return to work; and (4) A return-to-work release before returning to work if the leave was due to the employee’s serious health condition.

The City will maintain health insurance coverage for employees and /or their families when CFRA leave is taken on the same terms as if the employee had continued to work. In some instances, the City may recover premiums paid to maintain health coverage or other benefits for employees and/or their families.

Section 8. California Paid Family Leave: The City participates in a private voluntary disability insurance program that it offers to its employees as a legal alternative to the mandatory State Disability Insurance (SDI). Employees may inquire into this program with the City Manager or Human Resources Director.

Section 9. Pregnancy Disability Leave: A full-time employee is eligible for up to four (4) months of unpaid leave for an actual disability caused by the employee’s pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition.
(a) During the pregnancy disability leave time, paid leave may be charged to accrued benefit time such as vacation and floating holiday, at the employee’s request. In addition, accrued sick leave may be used at the employee’s request, in accordance with Section

3. (b) Health insurance benefits shall continue for the duration of the pregnancy disability leave under the same conditions as if the employee had continued employment. If the employee fails to return to work after the period of leave to which the employee is entitled has expired, the City is entitled to recover the premiums paid on behalf of the employee for maintaining coverage.
(c) The City Manager may require the employee to file a physician’s certificate or personal affidavit and to provide reasonable notice of the date the leave will begin and the estimated duration of the leave. (d) Employees disabled by pregnancy may also take intermittent leave or be provided reasonable accommodation to continue work. 153

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37 (e) Employees returning from Pregnancy Disability Leave generally are entitled to be reinstated in the same position, subject to certain conditions, and consistent with applicable law.

Section 10. Lactation Accommodation Policy: The City provides accommodations to lactating employees who need to express breast milk during work hours in accordance with applicable law. The City will provide the employee with the use of a room or other location (not a bathroom) to express breast milk that is in close proximity to the employee’s work area, shielded from view, and free from intrusion. Such space will meet the requirements of the California Labor Code including a surface to place a breast pump and personal items, a place to sit, access to electricity, a sink with running water, and a refrigerator for storing breast milk.

Employees who are nursing have a right to request a lactation accommodation. Such requests may be made verbally or in writing, and should indicate the need for an accommodation in order to express breast milk at work, and should be directed to the City Manager or Designee. The City will promptly respond to such requests and indicate the approval or denial of the break request. The City reserves the right to deny an employee’s request for a lactation break if the additional break time will seriously disrupt City operations.

The requested break time should, if possible, be taken concurrently with other scheduled break periods.

The City prohibits any form of discrimination or retaliation against an employee for exercising or attempting to exercise any rights provided by this policy. Any such conduct or other violations of this policy should be reported to the City Manager or Designee. Employees have the right to file a complaint with the California Labor Commissioner for violation of a lactation accommodation right described in this policy.

Section 11. Election Leave: If a full-time employee does not have sufficient time outside of working hours to vote at a statewide election, the voter may, without loss of pay, take off enough working time, which when added to the voting time available outside of working hours will enable the voter to vote. Regular part-time employees are eligible for election leave based upon hours scheduled to work. No more than two (2) hours of the time taken off for voting shall be without loss of pay. The time off for voting shall be only at the beginning or end of the regular work shift, whichever allows for the greatest free time for voting and the least time off from the regular working shift, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon. The employee shall give the City Manager at least two working days’ notice that time off for voting is desired.
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38 Section 12. Leave of Absence Without Pay: The City Manager may grant a regular employee a leave of absence without pay for a period not to exceed one (1) month. No such leave shall be granted except upon written request of the employee, setting forth the reason for the request. Approval will be in writing. Upon expiration of a regularly approved leave or within a reasonable period of time after notice to return to duty, the employee shall be reinstated in the position held at the time leave was granted. Failure on the part of an employee on leave to report promptly at its expiration, or within a reasonable time after notice to return to duty, shall be cause for discharge.

Such leave of absence shall not be counted as a break in service for purposes of satisfying the continuous employment requirement for vacation allowance.

An employee on leave of absence without pay does not accrue sick leave, vacation time, or receive benefits while on leave. Such employee does not lose or forfeit any sick leave or unpaid vacation time that had been accumulated prior to the time being granted.

Section 13. Military Leave: Military leave shall be granted to City employees in accordance with the provisions of current federal and state law.

Section 14. Administrative Leave: At the discretion of the City Manager and in special circumstances, Regular employees may be provided administrative leave without loss in pay or the deduction of other leave accrued.

Section 15. Disability Accommodation: It is the City’s policy to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as applicable state and local laws relating to disability issues. The City will not discriminate against any employee with respect to any terms, privileges, or conditions of employment because of his or her physical or mental disability. The City will also reasonably accommodate all employees and applicants with disabilities who are otherwise qualified to safely perform the essential duties of the job unless any such accommodations would impose an undue hardship in the City’s operations.

If an employee needs a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential job duties of his or her position, the employee should make the request to the City Manager or Designee. The City believes in an interactive process with the employee to identify and consider possible accommodations that would enable the employee to perform his or her position’s essential job duties.

Reasonable accommodation is available to all disabled employees, where his or her disability affects the performance of job functions and when such accommodations would not impose undue hardship. All employment decisions are based on the merits of the situation in accordance with defined criteria, not the disability of the individual. 155

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39 CHAPTER XIV

HOLIDAYS
Section 1. Holidays Observed: The City observes the following paid holidays:

1. New Year’s Day (January 1)

2. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (observed the third Monday in January)

3. President’s Day (observed the third Monday in February)

4. Memorial Day (observed the last Monday in May)

5. Independence Day (July 4)

6. Labor Day (observed the first Monday in September)

7. Veteran’s Day (November 11)

8. Every day appointed by the President or Governor for a public fast, thanksgiving, or holiday including Thanksgiving Day

9. Friday following Thanksgiving Day

10. Christmas Eve (December 24)

11. Christmas Day (December 25)
Holidays which fall on Saturday shall be observed the preceding Friday and holidays which fall on Sunday shall be observed on the following Monday.

Paid holidays are only for the observed days.

If an observed holiday falls on an eight and one-half (8.5) hour work day under the 9/75 work schedule, those employees on the 9/75 schedule shall receive eight and one-half (8.5) hours of holiday pay.

If an observed holiday falls on a seven (7) hour workday under the 9/75 work schedule, those employees on the 9/75 schedule shall receive seven (7) hours of holiday pay.

If the holiday falls on a regular day off for that employee, that employee will take the preceding day off.
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40 Section 2. Floating Holiday:
(a) Each full-time employee is allowed eight and one-half (8.5) hours per calendar year, January through December with the approval of the City Manager.
(b) Floating holiday hours are not cumulative and must be used during the above period or said employee will lose the allocated hours. (c) Each employee must submit a request in advance.
(d) An employee is eligible to use floating holiday hours as they are allocated.
(e) Floating holiday hours may be used in lieu of sick leave only if all other benefit time has been exhausted.

Section 3. Eligibility for Holidays: All employees are eligible for holiday pay except the following:
(a) Seasonal and part-time employees.
(b) Temporary employees.
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41 CHAPTER XV

CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Section 1. Transfer: An employee may be transferred by the City Manager at any time from one position to another position. Transfer shall not be used to effectuate a promotion, demotion, advancement, or reduction, each of which may be accomplished only as provided in these rules. No person shall be transferred to a position for which he/she does not possess the minimum qualifications.

Section 2. Promotion: When practicable and consistent with the best interests of the City, vacancies may be filled by promotion. All candidates for promotion must meet the minimum qualifications identified by the City Manager or Designee.

If, in the opinion of the City Manager or Designee, a vacancy in the position could be filled better by an open, competitive recruitment instead of a promotional appointment, he/she shall arrange for an open competitive examination.

Section 3. Demotion: The City Manager may demote an employee whose ability to perform his/her required duties falls below standard. No employee shall be demoted to a position for which he/she does not possess the minimum qualifications.

Section 4. Suspension: The City Manager may suspend an employee at any time for cause.

Section 5. Reclassification: The City Manager may reclassify a position from one position to another if there has been a gradual accretion or reduction of duties and/or responsibilities over time.
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42 CHAPTER XVI

SEPARATION FROM EMPLOYMENT
Section 1. Job Abandonment: An employee is deemed to have resigned if the employee is absent for three (3) consecutive workdays without prior authorization and without notification during the period of absence. On the second working day of unauthorized absence, the City Manager shall send an overnight letter to the employee’s last known address informing the employee that if the employee fails to report to work within one (1) workday, or receive authorization for such absence, the employee will be deemed to have resigned and extending to the employee an informal pre-disciplinary conference. Employees separated from employment for job abandonment will be reinstated with such charge removed from the employee’s record upon presentation of justification for absence such as severe accident, severe illness, false arrest, or mental or physical impairment which prevented notification. Employees have no right to appeal if deemed to have resigned as a result of job abandonment.

Section 2. Discharge: An at-will employee may be discharged at any time with or without cause or notice.

Section 3. Lay-off: The City Manager may lay off an employee because of change in duties or organization or shortage of work or funds.
(a) Notification: Employees to be laid off shall be given, whenever possible, at least ten (10) calendar days prior notice. (b) Order of Layoff: Employees shall be laid off in the inverse order of their seniority and with regard to their responsibilities. Seniority shall be determined based upon date of hire in the position. A lay off out of the inverse order of seniority may be made if, in the City’s judgment, retention of special job skills is required.
(c) Re-employment Rights for Laid-off Employees: Regular employees, who have received a satisfactory or better evaluation for the twelve (12) months prior to lay off, have completed their probationary period, and who have been laid off shall be automatically placed on a reemployment list for one year for the classification from which they were laid off.

Section 4. Resignation: An employee wishing to leave City service in good standing shall file with the supervising official at least ten (10) working days before leaving the service, a written resignation stating the effective date and reasons for leaving. Failure to give such notice shall mean the employee did not terminate in good standing, unless the City Manager has waived the two-week notice requirement. Failure to comply with this Chapter shall be entered on the service record of the employee and be cause for denying 159

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43 future employment by the City. A resignation becomes final when accepted by the City Manager and only at the City Manager’s discretion can be withdrawn.

Section 5. Reinstatement: A regular employee who has resigned, or has otherwise been separated while in good standing, may be considered for reinstatement by the City Manager, to a position in the former employee’s same or comparable position for a period of two (2) years after resignation or separation provided such a position is vacant and available. The employee shall be reinstated to the salary range and step held at the time of resignation or separation and shall receive a new anniversary date which shall be the first date of employment upon reinstatement. The employee will serve a new probationary period.
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44 CHAPTER XVII

REPORTS AND RECORDS
Section 1. General: The City maintains a personnel file on each employee. An employee’s personnel file shall contain only material that is necessary and relevant to the administration of the City’s personnel program. Personnel files are the property of the City, and access to the information they contain is restricted.

Section 2. Notifying City of Changes in Personal Information: Each employee is responsible to promptly notify the City Manager or Designee of any changes in relevant personal information, including:
• Mailing address
• Telephone number
• Persons to contact in emergency
• Number and names of dependents
Section 3. Location of Personnel Files: The personnel files will be kept secure and confidential by the City Manager or Designee.

Section 4. Medical Information:
(a) Separate Confidential Files. All medical information about an employee or applicant is kept separately and is treated as confidential, in accordance with federal and state law. (b) Information in Medical Files. The City will not obtain medical information about an employee or applicant except in compliance with the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act. To enable the City to obtain certain medical information, the employee or applicant may need to sign an authorization for release of employee medical information.
(c) Access to Medical Information. Access to employee or applicant medical information shall be strictly limited to only those with a legitimate need to have such information for City business reasons.

In the case of an employee with a disability, managers and supervisors may be informed regarding necessary restrictions on the work or duties of the employee and necessary accommodations.

Section 5. References and Release of Information in Personnel Files:
(a) Public Information: Upon request, the City will release to the public information about its employees as required by the Public Records Act. The City will not disclose personnel information that it considers would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. 161

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45 (b) Reference Checks: All requests from outside the City for reference checks or verification of employment concerning any current or former employee must be referred to the City Manager or Designee.

Information will be released only if the employee signs an authorization for release of employment information, except that without such authorization, the following limited information will be provided: dates of employment and job title.

Section 6. Employee Access to Personnel File: An employee may inspect his or her own personnel file at reasonable times and at reasonable intervals. An employee who wishes to review his or her file should contact the City Manager or Designee to arrange an appointment. The review must be done in the presence of the City Manager or Designee.

Section 7. Destruction of Records: Personnel files, payroll records, and records relating to personnel recruitment, including correspondence, applications, examinations, and reports will be destroyed according to the City’s Records Retention Schedule.
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46 CHAPTER XVIII

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
Section 1. Definition:
(a) Grievance: A “grievance” is a written allegation by an employee, submitted as herein specified, claiming violation(s) of the specific express terms of the Employee Handbook and Personnel Policy Manual, or expressing concern relating to an aspect of employment, and for which there is no other specific method of review provided by City law.
(b) Grievant: A grievant is an employee or group of employees adversely affected by an act or omission of the City.
(c) Day: A day is any day the agency is open to the public, that is any day except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays recognized by the City.

Section 2. Procedure:

Step A: Informal Discussion: The grievant shall discuss the controversy with the City Manager on an informal basis in an effort to resolve the situation.

The issue will be considered resolved if not presented to the City Manager within ten (10) working days following the day the event occurred upon which the controversy is based. The City Manager shall respond within five (5) working days following the meeting with the grievant. Failure of the City Manager to respond within such time limit shall entitle the grievant to process the controversy to the next step.

Step B: First Level of Review: If the controversy is not settled at Step A, the grievant may submit the grievance in writing to the City Manager within five (5) working days of the receipt of the grievance response at Step A. Failure of the grievant to deliver the written grievance shall constitute a waiver of the grievance. The City Manager shall meet with the grievant and a written decision and statement of facts and issues shall be rendered to the grievant within ten (10) working days from the date of the written grievance. Failure of the City Manager to respond within such time limit shall entitle the grievant to process his/her grievance at the next level of review. If the City Manager is the subject of the grievance the grievance shall be submitted to the Personnel Committee instead of the City Manager.
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47 Step C: Second Level Review: If the grievance is not settled at Step B, the grievant may place the grievance in writing to and present it to the Rolling Hills City Council within five (5) working days of receipt of the Step B grievance response. Failure of the grievant to deliver such written notice shall constitute a waiver of the grievance. The City Council shall hear the grievance at a regular meeting, and a written decision and statement of facts and issues shall be rendered to the grievant. The decision of the City Council shall be final and binding.

Section 3. Reprisals: Employees shall be insured freedom from reprisal for using the grievance procedure.
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48 CHAPTER XIX

DISCIPLINE
Nothing in this Section is intended to alter the at-will status of employment with the City.

Consistent with the City’s Employment At Will policy, you and the City each have the right to terminate the employment relationship at any time with or without cause and with or without prior notice. As well, the City reserves the right to terminate any employment relationship, to demote, and to otherwise discipline an employee without resort to the below disciplinary procedures.

Section 1. Types of Disciplinary Action:
(a) Oral Warning: A formal discussion with an employee, by the City Manager, about performance or conduct problems, the need for the employee to improve, and what specific improvement is expected.

The City Manager shall make a written record of the warning. (b) Written Reprimand: A formal written notice to the employee regarding performance or conduct problems, the need for the employee to improve, and what specific improvement is expected.

The written reprimand goes in the employee’s personnel file. (c) Suspension: Removal of an employee from duty without pay for a specified period.
(d) Reduction in Pay: A reduction in pay from the employee’s current salary to a lower salary.
(e) Demotion: A reduction in position title and salary. (f) Dismissal or Discharge: Separation from employment of an employee for cause.

Section 2. Grounds for Disciplinary Action Involving Regular Employees: Grounds for discipline include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) Fraud in securing employment or making a false statement on an application for employment.
(b) Incompetency; i.e., the inability to comply with the minimum standard of an employee’s position for a significant period of time. (c) Inefficiency or inexcusable neglect of duty, i.e., failure to perform duties required of an employee within his/her position. (d) Willful disobedience or insubordination, a willful failure to submit to duly appointed and acting supervision or to conform to duly 165

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49 established orders or directions of persons in a supervisory position, or insulting or demeaning any fellow employee.
(e) Dishonesty.
(f) Possession, distribution, sale, use, or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs or narcotics while on duty or while operating a vehicle in the course of City business or potentially dangerous equipment leased or owned by the City.
(g) Excessive absenteeism.
(h) Inexcusable absence without leave.
(i) Abuse of sick leave, i.e., taking sick leave without a doctor’s certificate when one is required, or misuse of sick leave. (j) The conviction of either a misdemeanor or a felony related to the position held will constitute grounds for dismissal of any employee.

The record of conviction will be conclusive evidence of the fact that the conviction occurred. The City Manager may inquire into the circumstances surrounding the commission of the crime in order to support the degree of discipline. A plea or verdict of guilty, or a conviction showing a plea of nolo contendere, is deemed to be a conviction within the meaning of this Section.
(k) Discourteous treatment of the public or other employees. (l) Improper or unauthorized use of City property.
(m) Refusal to subscribe to any oath or affirmation which is required by law in connection with agency employment.
(n) Any willful act or conduct undertaken in bad faith, either during or outside of duty hours, which is of such a nature that it causes discredit to the City.
(o) Inattention to duty or negligence in the care and handling of City property.
(p) Violation of the rules and regulations of the City. (q) Outside employment not specifically authorized.
(r) Acceptance from any source of a reward, gift, or other form of remuneration in addition to regular compensation to an employee for the performance of his or her official duties.
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50 (s) The refusal of any officer or employee of the City to testify under oath before any Grand Jury having jurisdiction over any then pending cause of inquiry in which the investigation of government bribery or misconduct in agency office is involved shall constitute of itself sufficient ground for the immediate discharge of such officer or employee.
(t) Willful violation of any of the provisions of an ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation, or policy prescribed by the City.
(u) Improper political activity. Example: Campaigning for or espousing the election or non-election of any candidate in national, state, county, or municipal elections while on duty and/or during working hours or in City uniform on or off duty; or the dissemination of political material of any kind while on duty and/or during working hours or in uniform.
(v) Working overtime without authorization.
(w) Possession of weapons on agency property unless authorized. (x) Making false or malicious statements concerning any employee, the City, or the City’s policies or practices.
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51 CHAPTER XX

PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS AND ANNUAL WORK PLANS
Section 1. General: Performance evaluation is the process of evaluating and recording the performance of each employee. The performance evaluation is best used:
(a) To maintain a high level of efficiency or assist in raising efficiency by commending the employee.
(b) To indicate to the employee those points in which he/she shows weak performance, and suggest the proper means of raising his/her working performance to the standard level.
(c) To inform the employee of good performance.
(d) To encourage better working relationships and mutual understanding by letting the employee know where he/she stands with relation to the City Manager’s evaluation of his/her work.
(e) To establish an annual work plan consisting of goals and tasks to be accomplished.

Section 2. Responsibility for Evaluation: The City Manager is responsible for proper preparation of the performance evaluation for each employee. The City Manager should carefully review the complete position description, and the goals and objectives for the employee, if any, before beginning each evaluation, to remind himself/herself of what should be expected from the employee.

Section 3. Discussion with Employee: The performance evaluation must be discussed with the employee. During the interview, as well as in the performance evaluation documentation, special attention should be given to discussing specific ways in which the employee can improve his/her performance. An opportunity should also be afforded to the employee to comment and bring up any questions he or she may have.

Section 4. Schedule: Performance evaluations for probationary employees are to be presented at the end of the first six (6) months, and after the first twelve (12) months, to correspond to the completion of the one year probationary period. After the probationary evaluation, an evaluation should be done on an annual basis on the employee’s anniversary date.

Section 5. Appeal Procedure: It is the intent of the City to offer fair and equitable appeals procedures for employees’ performance evaluations. Below are the official guidelines.
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52 (a) Employee and City Manager meet to review and discuss the employee’s performance evaluation.
(b) The employee may respond in writing to the contents of the evaluation. The employee must submit this response to the City Manager within ten (10) working days immediately following receipt of the evaluation. The decision shall be rendered in writing within fifteen (15) working days by the City Manager, and the decision of the City Manager shall be final.

Section 6. Exceptional Performance Recognition: Based on fiscal year finances and Council approval, the City Manager is provided a pool of funds to recognize an employee’s exceptional performance. Annually, the City will endeavor to budget a 5% increase in salaries. The amount of funds potentially available in the bonus pool is the difference between the CPI adjustment provided to staff in July (see Chapter V) and 5%. An employee can be given exceptional performance recognition of no more than the difference between the CPI and 5% as a one-time check, gift card, or item (the recognition, in other words, does not become part of the employees’ salary) for exceptional performance during the prior fiscal year. The recognition will require the City Manager to document and justify the action.
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53 CHAPTER XXI

VEHICLE USE
Section 1. Use of Private Vehicles: Private automobiles are not to be used for the City business except as authorized. The City Manager may authorize such use at the reimbursement rate equal to that set forth by the Internal Revenue Service. Payments shall be based upon the most direct route to and from the destination and garage and parking expenses shall be paid in addition to the current rate, upon submission of paid receipts within the fiscal year of the trips. To receive mileage reimbursement, the employee must acknowledge and be in compliance with the City’s Vehicle Use Policy.

Section 2. Auto Allowance: Select employees will receive a monthly car allowance.

This stipend will be in lieu of any mileage reimbursement and is intended to cover all actual expenses incurred. If additional garage, parking, and other related auto expenses are incurred above the monthly allowance, they are reimbursable.
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54 CHAPTER XXII

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Section 1. Training: The City Manager and employees of the City are eligible to request specialized training in the form of symposiums, special courses, forums, professional association meetings, professional development courses, etc., at the City’s expense. The City retains the sole authority to approve or deny requests for specialized training.
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55 CHAPTER XXIII

EMPLOYEE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
Section 1. Code of Ethics:
(a) Each officer, official, and employee has an obligation to the residents, to the people’s elected representatives, and to fellow employees to meet the highest ethical and professional standards and to enhance the public’s respect and trust for the City government and its operations.
(b) Employees of the City have responsibilities unique from their counterparts in the private industry. Employment with the City carries an obligation of personal integrity and conduct that serves to establish public respect, confidence, and trust.
(c) Employees represent the City of Rolling Hills and the quality of City service is judged through their performance and conduct. The residents of Rolling Hills have the right to expect that City employees will provide services in an efficient, thorough, and courteous manner. (d) The City, as a condition of employment, expects to receive from the employee:
(1) Initiative and a conscientious effort to perform productive work.
(2) Cooperative, positive, responsive, and courteous relations with fellow employees, supervisors, subordinates, and the public.
(3) A continuous effort to strive for greater knowledge and skill on the job in order to maintain performance at a high level. (4) Compliance with all policies, regulations, rules of conduct, and ordinances established by the City.
(5) Responsible work habits demonstrated by:
a. Dependability, promptness, reliable attendance, and
performing required duties competently,
b. Keeping informed of developments and matters
affecting job performance,
c. Being flexible and adaptable to change,
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56 d. Accepting constructive suggestions and criticism. (6) Neat and clean grooming and attire appropriate to the job assignment.
a. Work days
Appropriate dress shall be professional and business casual, representative of an office environment and appropriate for meetings and interaction with the public.
b. Other
As appropriate for the position, the employee is required to have shoes and clothing for meetings in the field, visits to construction sites, and walking on trails.
(7) Support in principle of the ICMA (International City/County Management Association) Code of Ethics and related tenants.

No employee will accept a fee, compensation, gift, payment of expenses, or any other thing of monetary value in any circumstances in which acceptance may result in or create the appearance of any one or more of the following:

1. Use of public office and/or employment for
personal or private gain.

2. Preferential treatment of any person.

3. Loss of complete independence or impartiality.

4. Making a City decision outside of official
channels.

5. Reduction of public confidence in the integrity of
City government and/or its employees.

6. Impeding government efficiency or economy.

Section 2. Policy Against Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation The City strictly prohibits and has “zero tolerance” for discrimination and harassment in any phase of the employment, including but not limited to recruitment, testing, hiring, upgrading, promotion/demotion, transfer, layoff, termination, rates of pay, benefits, and selection for training. This includes sexual harassment (which includes harassment based on sex, pregnancy, perceived pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical 173

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57 conditions), as well as harassment, discrimination, and retaliation based on such factors as race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and religious grooming practices), sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age (40 years and older), mental disability and physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), legally-protected medical condition or information (including genetic information), protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the California Family Rights Act), military and/or veteran status, service, or obligation, reserve status, national guard status, marital status, domestic partner status, gender, gender identity (including transgender identity), gender expression (including transgender expression), because an individual has transitioned (to live as the gender with which they identify), is transitioning, or is perceived to be transitioning), sex stereotyping, sexual orientation, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance program, engaging in protected communications regarding employee wages or otherwise exercising rights protected under the California Fair Pay Act, requesting a reasonable accommodation on the basis of disability or bona fide religious belief or practice, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Discrimination and Harassment Defined. Discrimination and harassment may consist of offensive verbal, physical, or visual conduct when such conduct is based on or related to an individual’s sex or membership in one of the above-described protected classifications, and: (1) Submission to the offensive conduct is an explicit or implicit term or condition of employment; (2) Submission to or rejection of the offensive conduct forms the basis for an employment decision affecting the employee; or (3) The offensive conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

Examples of Sexual Harassment. For the purpose of clarification, examples of what may constitute prohibited sexual harassment include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Making unsolicited sexual advances or written, verbal, physical, or visual contact with sexual overtones. (Written examples: suggestive or obscene letters, notes, invitations. Verbal examples: derogatory comments, slurs, jokes, epithets. Physical examples: touching, assault, blocking or impeding access, leering gestures, display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures, cartoons, or posters.)

2. Continuing to express sexual interest after being informed that the interest is unwelcome. (Reciprocal attraction is not considered sexual harassment.)
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58 3. Making reprisals, threats of reprisal, or implied threats of reprisal following a negative response. (For example, implying or actually withholding support for an appointment, promotion, or change of assignment; suggesting a poor performance report will be prepared; or suggesting probation will be failed.)

4. Engaging in implicit or explicit coercive sexual behavior which is used to control, influence, or affect the career, salary, or work environment of another employee.

5. Offering favors or employment benefits, such as promotions, favorable performance evaluations, favorable assigned duties or shifts, recommendations, reclassifications, etc., in exchange for sexual favors. (Similar conduct when applied to other protected classes such as race, color, creed, national origin, age, disability, medical condition, religion, sexual orientation, or marital status may constitute harassment and violation of this Policy. For example, racial jokes or degrading comments about age or ethnic background can constitute harassment under this policy). Accordingly, in order to avoid the risk of discipline, such acts should be avoided in all circumstances.

Internal Complaint Procedure. Any applicant or employee who believes that he or she has been the victim of sexual or other prohibited discrimination or harassment by co-workers, supervisors, clients or customers, visitors, vendors, corporate officers, or others must immediately notify the City Manager or Designee of the alleged conduct. If the employee believes that, for any reason, the City Manager is the source of the conduct or is biased, the employee may submit the complaint to the Personnel Committee.

Internal Investigation and Resolution. Following receipt of a discrimination or harassment grievance, the City shall begin an immediate and thorough investigation to determine if sexual or other discrimination/harassment has occurred. The investigation shall be conducted in an impartial manner and all information shall be maintained confidential to the extent possible. After full consideration of all relevant facts and circumstances involving the inquiry, a timely decision will be made by the City and appropriate disciplinary or other action will be taken, up to and including termination of employment.

Prohibition Against Retaliation. Retaliation against anyone for opposing conduct prohibited by the City’s anti-discrimination/harassment policies or for filing a complaint with or otherwise participating in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing conducted by the City, or any authorized governmental agency, is strictly prohibited and may subject the offending person to, among other things, disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
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59 External Reporting. In addition to the City’s internal complaint procedure, an employee may file a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Section 3. Injury and Illness Policy
The City of Rolling Hills has an adopted Injury and Illness Policy for the purpose of preventing injury and illness at work. The policy applies to all employees.

Section 4. Information Technology Policy
The City of Rolling Hills has an adopted Information Technology Policy for the purpose of defining inappropriate use of the electronic information, technological equipment (e.g., computers), and technological systems (e.g., email). The policy applies to all employees.

Section 5. Smoking Policy
The City of Rolling Hills is a smoke-free City. Employees are not permitted to smoke within the City limits.

Section 6. Drug and Alcohol Use Policy
The City strictly prohibits its employees from using alcohol or drugs in connection with their employment, as it constitutes a threat to the safe and efficient performance of an employee’s duties. At no time shall any employee be under the influence of any controlled drug or alcohol while on the job, including but not limited to marijuana (with, or without, prescription).

Please note that, while Proposition 64 (2016) legalized use of recreational marijuana in California, the City still will find a positive test for marijuana as a valid basis for discipline, up to and including termination of employment. (Employees who are taking lawful medications pursuant to a physician’s prescription, except in the case of medical marijuana, who has also certified that they may efficiently perform their duties without jeopardizing the health or safety of others will not be considered to have violated this policy for taking such prescription medicine).

Prohibitions. The following conduct is prohibited and may result in discipline, up to and including termination:

1. Using or possessing alcohol or other controlled substances while on duty.

2. Reporting for duty or remaining on duty when the employee used any controlled substances, except if the use is pursuant to the instructions of a physician who has advised the employee that the substance does not 176

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60 adversely affect the employee’s ability to safely operate a vehicle or otherwise perform the employee’s job.

3. Reporting for duty or remaining on duty if the employee tests as having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 or greater.

4. Reporting for duty or remaining on duty if the employee tests positive for controlled substances (including, but not limited to, marijuana, whether prescribed or not).

5. Refusing to submit to any alcohol or controlled substances test required by this Policy. An employee who refuses to submit to a required drug/alcohol test will be treated in the same manner as an employee who tested 0.02 or greater on a blood alcohol test or tested positively on a controlled substances test. A “refusal to submit” to an alcohol or controlled substances test required by this policy includes, but is not limited to:
• A refusal to provide a urine sample for a drug test;
• An inability to provide a urine sample without a valid medical explanation;
• A refusal to complete and sign the breath alcohol testing form, or otherwise to cooperate with the testing process in a way that prevents the completion of the test;
• An inability to provide breath or to provide an adequate amount of breath without a valid medical explanation;
• Tampering with or attempting to adulterate the urine specimen or collection procedure;
• Not reporting to the collection site in the time allotted by the supervisor or manager who directs the employee to be tested; • Leaving the scene of an accident without a valid authorization.

Reasonable Suspicion Testing. All employees may be required to submit to an alcohol or drug test if a supervisor has reasonable suspicion to believe the employee is under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances.

Reasonable suspicion alcohol and drug testing will generally be administered within two hours of the observation. If not, the supervisor should provide written documentation as to why the test was not promptly conducted.

Consequences of Failing an Alcohol or Drug Test. A positive result from a drug or alcohol test may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination, even for a first offense. The City also reserves the right to 177

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61 discipline or terminate an employee convicted of an offense which involves the use, distribution, or possession of illegal drugs. If an employee is not terminated, the employee:

1. Must be removed from performing any job function and immediately placed in an unpaid status.

2. Must submit to an examination by a substance abuse professional.

Upon a determination by the substance abuse professional, the employee may be required to undergo treatment for his or her alcohol or drug abuse.

The City is not required to pay for this treatment.

3. Shall not be returned to his or her former position until the employee submits to a return to duty controlled substance and/or blood alcohol test (depending on which test the employee failed) which indicates and alcohol concentration level of less than 0.02 or a negative result on a controlled substance test.

4. Will be required to submit to unannounced follow up testing and, possibly other conditions if he or she has been returned to his or her position.

Compliance With State and Federal Law. At all times, the City will comply with current applicable state and federal law concerning drug and alcohol testing. Issues or inconsistencies that are not addressed in this policy will be determined by referring to state or federal law and regulations governing drug and alcohol testing. The City reserves the right to make changes to this policy at any time, for the purpose of complying with state and/or federal law or regulation as it exists now or as it may be amended. 178

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62 EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I acknowledge receipt of the City of Rolling Hills Employee Handbook and warrant and represent that I have read and understand the document. I had an opportunity to ask questions and receive clarification from the City regarding conditions of employment, policies, and rules contained in this Handbook. I agree to observe and abide by the conditions of employment, policies, and rules contained in this Handbook.

I understand and agree that my relationship with the City is ‘‘at-will,’’ which means that my employment is for no definite period and may be terminated by me or by the City at any time and for any reason with or without cause or advance notice. I understand that the City retains the right to make decisions involving employment as needed in order to conduct its work in a manner that is beneficial to the employees and the City.

I understand and agree that nothing in the Handbook creates or is intended to create a promise or representation of continued employment and that employment at the City is employment “at-will”; employment may be terminated at the will of either the City or myself with or without cause. I understand and agree that the terms of my at-will employment may not be modified or superseded except by the City Council and by written agreement signed by me and the City Manager, that no other employee or representative of the City has the authority to enter into any such agreement, and that any agreement to employ me for any specified period of time or that is otherwise inconsistent with the terms of this Acknowledgment will be unenforceable unless in writing, approved by the City Council and signed by me and the City Manager.

My signature below certifies that I understand that the foregoing agreement on “at-will” status is the sole and entire agreement between the City and me concerning my employment and the circumstances under which my employment may be terminated. I also understand that if I violate the rules, policies, and procedures set forth herein that I may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of my employment. This Handbook supersedes all prior agreements, understandings, and representations concerning my employment. I understand that if I have questions regarding the Handbook that I can discuss them with the City Manager’s Designee.

Name Date
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Attachment B
City Council Meeting May 12, 2025
Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Carson $ 28,600 $ 15,432 $ 19,696 $ 7,976 $ 10,179 $5,515 $7,040 $6,184 $7,893 $ 12,441 $ 15,879 $7,410 $9,457 $6,289 $8,026 - - El Segundo $ 24,336 $ 13,581 $ 18,750 $ 6,583 $ 8,373 $6,877 $8,359 $ 11,237 $ 14,293 $7,176 $9,128 $5,988 $7,278 - - Hermosa Beach $ 22,765 $ 14,942 $ 17,297 $ 10,736 $ 12,429 $5,954 $7,237 $6,240 $7,585 $ 12,209 $ 14,840 $7,123 $8,658 $6,045 $7,349 - - Hidden Hills $ 17,917 $ 5,833 $ 8,711 $2,885 $4,038 - - La Habra Heights $ 12,471 - -
Lawndale $ 21,239 $ 12,966 $ 15,761 $6,657 $8,092 $5,768 $7,005 - - Lomita $ 20,000 $ 12,688 $ 15,422 $ 8,547 $ 10,389 $4,013 $4,878 $5,346 $6,499 $6,200 $7,536 $5,397 $6,560 - - Palos Verdes Estates $ 20,833 $ 10,735 $ 16,050 $ 8,895 $ 11,148 $4,579 $5,845 $5,989 $7,280 $ 7,711 $ 9,672 $6,345 $8,502 - - Rancho Palos Verdes $ 21,250 $ 14,437 $ 18,768 $ 11,825 $ 15,373 $5,517 $7,173 $6,459 $8,426 $7,043 $9,156 $6,481 $8,424 - - Rolling Hills Estates $ 18,847 $ 12,276 $ 18,418 $ 8,546 $ 12,473 $4,469 $6,554 $6,012 $7,624 $7,202 $9,252 $4,971 $7,512 - - Signal Hill $ 22,917 $ 14,131 $ 18,542 $ 8,397 $ 10,716 $4,655 $5,941 $5,841 $7,457 $ 10,318 $ 13,169 $6,721 $8,578 $5,587 $7,130 - - Average $ 21,016 $ 13,465 $ 17,634 $ 8,593 $ 11,088 $4,957 $6,381 $6,119 $7,640 $ 10,783 $ 13,571 $6,476 $8,240 $5,816 $7,411 - - Median $ 21,239 $ 13,581 $ 18,418 $ 8,546 $ 10,716 $4,655 $6,554 $6,098 $7,605 $ 11,237 $ 14,293 $6,882 $8,618 $5,878 $7,314 - - Bookkeeper/
Administrative
Clerk
Management
Analyst
Assistant
Planner Planning Manager
Administrative
Assistant
Code
Enforcement
Officer
City Clerk/Executive
Assistant to the City
Manager
Agency City Manager
Planning and
Community Services
Director
Salary Survey of City Council Approved Cities
For each relevant classification, staff gathered each agency's monthly low and high salary ranges and calculated the average and median for a comprehensive market perspective.
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Attachment C
City Council Meeting May 12, 2025
Proposed Salary Schedule for Current City Budgeted Positions 181

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City of Rolling Hills Planning Manager & Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician Draft List of Duties
Attachment D
City Council Meeting May 12, 2025
Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

Planning Manager duties:
• Read and interpret development plans, subdivision layouts, site plans, and other technical drawings.
• Oversee the preparation, submittal, and review of planning documents, site development plans, subdivision maps, and related applications for compliance with the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and applicable codes.
• Author, update, and revise the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Building Code, and other legislative policies.
• Conduct research and analysis for planning projects; develop maps, charts, graphs, and reports interpreting phases of planning studies and cases. • Prepare comprehensive reports, recommendations, staff analyses, and resolutions on planning, zoning, and development matters.
• Conduct environmental impact assessments and prepare required reports and declarations.
• Coordinate and collaborate with residents, applicants, consultants, and public agencies on the submittal, review, permitting, and inspection of development applications. • Respond to development code enforcement cases; conduct investigations, compliance actions, and assist in complaint resolution.
• Respond to public inquiries at the counter, by telephone, and in writing regarding the municipal code, zoning code, permitted uses, current development projects, and code enforcement matters.
• Serve as primary staff support to the Planning Commission and its subcommittees; prepare agendas and reports; attend and participate in Planning Commission, City Council, and other board and committee meetings.
• Prepare and compose correspondence, staff reports, resolutions, meeting packets, and other documents in support of the City Council, City Manager, Commissions, and Committees.
• Implement and administer programs such as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
• Participate in the preparation, analysis, and administration of the department budget. • Develop, direct, and coordinate the implementation of departmental goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and work standards; establish service and staffing levels within City policies and budget.
• Participate in professional group meetings and stay abreast of trends, innovations, and legislative changes in planning and zoning.
• Provide critical thinking and professional recommendations in all aspects of staff work and decision-making processes.
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City of Rolling Hills Planning Manager & Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician Draft List of Duties
Attachment D
City Council Meeting May 12, 2025
• Work collaboratively across disciplines and with regional, state, and federal public agencies.
• Conduct field studies, investigations, and enforcement activities related to code compliance as needed.
• Work irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, as necessary; be available for call-back with a reasonable response time during emergencies, disasters, and critical incidents.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Code Compliance Officer/Planning Technician duties
• Analyze research and data to determine applicable ordinances, codes, regulations, and statutes.
• Read and interpret maps, plot plans, codes, ordinances, and regulations. • Apply knowledge of zoning, building, and related codes; quickly learn and implement new regulations as needed.
• Conduct field investigations of potential code violations, including site visits, walking/hiking trails, evidence gathering, and identifying relevant issues. • Receive, review, and properly investigate complaints regarding zoning, noise, nuisances, and other code compliance issues.
• Oversee and enforce conditions of approval for permits, variances, Construction & Demolition Permits, Temporary Use Permits, Conditional Use Permits, and related applications.
• Perform final field inspections to ensure compliance with codes and permit conditions. • Respond to public inquiries in person, by phone, email, and at the counter regarding municipal and zoning codes, code enforcement, permitted uses, and development projects.
• Exercise independent judgment and sound decision-making in enforcement matters. • Review and process planning and zoning applications, permits, variances, and related documents for accuracy and compliance.
• Perform plan checks for zoning code compliance; review and approve designated permit applications, assess fees, and establish permit conditions. • Assist with planning projects and activities, including research, data compilation, inspections, and preparation of special reports.
• Prepare staff reports and resolutions; present applications at Planning Commission or City Council meetings as needed.
• Assist with the preparation of various agenda packets and associated materials. • Attend committee and staff meetings (including morning or evening Planning Commission meetings); prepare meeting minutes and distribute materials. • Manage, organize, and process online applications, payments, and approvals in the permitting software system.
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Item: 14.D.

Meeting Date: 11/24/2025
To: City Council
From: Karina Bañales, City Manager
Thru: Karina Bañales, City Manager
Subject: Receive and file a verbal update regarding the Los Angeles County Public Works Department of Building and Safety
Background:

None.

Discussion:

None.

Fiscal Impact:

None.

Recommendation:

Receive and file.

Attachments:

None

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Item: 15.A.

Meeting Date: 11/24/2025
To: City Council
From: Nicolas Papajohn, City Attorney
Thru: Karina Bañales, City Manager
Subject: Public Employee Performance Evaluation Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957 (B)(1) Title: City Manager
Background:

Discussion:

Fiscal Impact:

Recommendation:

Attachments:

None

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Rolling Hills City CouncilNovember 24, 2025

Rolling Hills City Council
November 24, 2025