City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: September 9, 2025
Agenda Item: 4.Q
1 of 3
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Dana Brown, Human Resources Director, Human Resources Department Subject: Approval of Agreement for Service as Interim City Attorney – Heidi von Tongeln
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15601(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Appoint Heidi von Tongeln as Interim City Attorney commencing September 9, 2025; and,
3. Authorize the Mayor to negotiate and execute an employment agreement with Ms. von Tongeln for her service as Interim City Attorney.
Summary
The City Council is in the process of recruiting and hiring a new City Attorney to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of City Attorney Douglas Sloan, whose last date of City employment was August 29, 2025. The City Manager recommends that the City Council appoint current City of Santa Monica Chief Deputy City Attorney Heidi von Tongeln to serve as Interim City Attorney pending final recruitment and hiring of a permanent City Attorney.
Ms. von Tongeln has agreed to serve as the Interim City Attorney at an annual salary of $395,392, which is the salary for the City Attorney position at Step 5 on the current City salary schedule.
It should be noted that Mr. Sloan’s resignation was effective as of 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 2 of 3
August 29, 2025, however, the next regular City Council meeting is not until Tuesday, September 9, 2025. To avoid a gap in authority, and without the need for a special meeting, on or about August 14, 2025, Mr. Sloan appointed Ms. von Tongeln as Acting City Attorney effective August 15, 2025, pending her appointment by the City Council as Interim City Attorney. It is recommended that the City Council appoint Ms. von Tongeln as Interim City Attorney commencing September 9, 2025, and authorize the Mayor to negotiate and execute an employment agreement in substantially the form as is attached.
Environmental Review
The agreement for Ms. Von Tongeln’s service is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The agreement is administrative in nature. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the agreement would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impact
The additional salary to be paid to Ms. von Tongeln during the period in which she will serve as the Interim City Attorney is already included in the FY 2025-26 budget and will have no fiscal impact. Because she will be serving as a “local agency executive” as defined in Government Code Section 3511.1(d), California law requires that Ms. von Tongeln’s pay be approved at a regular meeting, with an oral summary provided before final action is taken. See Government Code Sections 54953(c)(3), 54956(b). 3 of 3
Prepared By: Sasha Sargent, Executive Administrative Assistant Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Interim City Attorney Employment Agreement Von Tongeln 083025