Resolution No. 2026-160
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-160
RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA,
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ELIMINATE
TWO VACANT SHELTER VETERINARIAN POSITIONS
AND ONE VACANT ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER II
POSITION; ESTABLISH AND FUND ONE ANIMAL
SERVICES SUPERVISOR, ONE REGISTERED
VETERINARY TECHNICIAN, ONE VETERINARY
ASSISTANT, AND ONE FACILITIES MAINTENANCE
MECHANIC POSITION; AUTHORIZE FIVE SEASONAL
ANIMAL SHELTER ATTENDANT POSITIONS AND
ADDITIONAL PER DIEM VETERINARIAN COVERAGE;
AND INCREASE THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL
SEVICES AUTHORIZED PERMANENT STAFFING FROM
70 TO 71 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS.
WHEREAS, on June 15, 2022, the Mayor and City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-125 authorizing the establishment of the Shelter Veterinarian classification to support in-house veterinary services and improve medical care capacity within the Department of Animal Services; and WHEREAS, despite consistent recruitment efforts, two full-time Shelter Veterinarian positions have remained vacant for nearly three years due to competition from private and corporate veterinary practices; and
WHEREAS, the Department has transitioned to a Per Diem Veterinarian model that has successfully maintained surgical capacity, with seven Per Diem Veterinarians performing 2,615 spay and neuter surgeries during Fiscal Year 2025/26; and
WHEREAS, the Department has identified the need for expanded shelter medicine coverage, veterinary support staff, dedicated veterinary services supervision, seasonal shelter staffing, and dedicated facility maintenance support to sustain shelter operations and increase in-house medical capacity; and WHEREAS, the proposed staffing realignment eliminates two vacant Shelter Veterinarian positions and one vacant Animal Control Officer II position and reallocates existing salary and benefit appropriations to support the Department's current operational needs; and WHEREAS, the proposed realignment results in a net increase of one permanent full-time equivalent position, increasing the Department of Animal Services' authorized permanent staffing from 70 to 71 FTEs, while remaining within existing salary and benefit appropriations; and WHEREAS, the proposed staffing model has an estimated annual salary and benefit cost of $612,261.66, offset by $612,354.65 in existing exchanged position funding, resulting in a net decrease of $92.99 in annual salary and benefit costs; and
WHEREAS, approximately thirty percent (30%) of eligible personnel costs associated with the Resolution No. 2026-160
proposed staffing model are anticipated to be reimbursed through regional partner agreements, estimated at $183,678.50 annually based on the proposed staffing model; and WHEREAS, no additional General Fund appropriation is requested for the proposed staffing realignment.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Manager is authorized to eliminate two vacant Shelter Veterinarian positions and one vacant Animal Control Officer II position.
SECTION 2. The City Manager is authorized to establish and fund within the Department of Animal Services one Animal Services Supervisor, one Registered Veterinary Technician, one Veterinary Assistant, and one Facilities Maintenance Mechanic position, resulting in a net increase of one permanent full-time equivalent position and increasing the Department's authorized permanent staffing from 70 to 71 FTEs.
SECTION 3. The City Manager is authorized to fund five seasonal Animal Shelter Attendant positions at up to 1,000 hours each annually and to provide funding for forty-nine (49) additional Per Diem Veterinarian days annually at the established Per Diem rate.
SECTION 4. The staffing realignment shall be funded through the reallocation of existing salary and benefit appropriations associated with the three eliminated vacant positions. No additional General Fund appropriation is authorized or required by this Resolution.
SECTION 5. CEQA. The Mayor and City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines in that it can be seen with certainty that the activity will not have a significant effect on the environment.
SECTION 6. Severability. If any provision of this Resolution or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the Resolution which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Resolution are declared to be severable.
SECTION 7. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution and the same shall become effective immediately.
Resolution No. 2026-160
APPROVED and ADOPTED by the City Council and signed by the Mayor and attested by the City Clerk this 7th day of October 2026.
Helen Tran, Mayor
City of San Bernardino
Attest:
Telicia Lopez, City Clerk
Approved as to form:
Albert J. Maldonado, City Attorney
Resolution No. 2026-160
CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO) ss CITY
OF SAN BERNARDINO )
I, Telicia Lopez, City Clerk, hereby certify that the attached is a true copy of Resolution No. 2026-1 6 0 , adopted at a regular meeting held on the 7 t h day of October 2026 by the following vote:
Council Members: AYES NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT
SANCHEZ
IBARRA
FIGUEROA
SHORETT
KNAUS
FLORES
ORTIZ
WITNESS my hand and official seal of the City of San Bernardino this day of 2026.
Telicia Lopez, City Clerk