City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: April 15, 2025
From: Lisette Grizzelle, Interim Director of Human Resources Department: Human Resources
Submitted by: Lisette Grizzelle, Interim Director of Human Resources Subject
Appointment of Genoveva Rocha as City Clerk
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution No. 2025-010 appointing Genoveva Rocha to serve as City Clerk of the City of Vernon effective April 21, 2025, and approving and authorizing the execution of a related at-will employment agreement.
Background
Following the departure of the former City Clerk in 2024, the City’s Human Resources Department initiated a Request for Proposal for Recruitment Firms to conduct four executive level recruitments, City Clerk being one of the four recruitments. The City selected Bob Murray and Associates (Vendor) to conduct the City Administrator, City Clerk, Director of Finance/City Treasurer and Director of Human Resources recruitments.
Recruitment Summary
The recruitment period to fill this vacancy began December 10, 2024, and ran through January 12, 2025. Bob Murray and Associates received 63 resume and questionnaire packets. Following an in-depth review of the resumes and questionnaires submitted, five candidates moved forward as highly qualified. Of the five highly qualified candidates, two withdrew and three were invited to participate in a dual panel interview process consisting of City and external evaluators on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. A final interview with the top two candidates was conducted by the City Administrator on February 27, 2025. The City Administrator has recommended the appointment of Genoveva Rocha to serve as the City Clerk for the City of Vernon.
At-Will Employment Agreement
The At-Will Employment Agreement for City Clerk has been presented to Ms. Rocha and is included as Exhibit B to Resolution No. 2025-010. The agreement establishes an effective start date of April 21, 2025, and a starting salary of $219,467 per year, plus all benefits provided to executive personnel.
The proposed agreement is consistent with other City of Vernon executive employment agreements, albeit with the following exception:
• Added language to Section 5B indicating Employee shall receive an initial balance of 80 hours of Vacation time and 80 hours of Sick leave during her first year of City employment, which cannot be cashed out and shall not carry over to the next calendar year.
Candidate Summary
Genoveva Rocha has approximately ten years of experience working for the City of San Bernardino in a City Clerk’s office in management level positions ranging from Deputy City Clerk, Chief Deputy City Clerk, Acting City Clerk and currently City Clerk. Ms. Rocha holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of La Verne. She also possesses the following certifications:
• California Professional Municipal Clerks
• Certified Municipal Clerk
• Records Management Certificate
• Notary Commission
Given Ms. Rocha’s qualifications and considerable experience in a public sector City Clerk office, she is well suited to meet the needs of the City and lead the City Clerk Department.
At its regular City Council meeting on April 15, 2025, prior to taking final action to approve this resolution, the City Council received an oral report summarizing the recommended appointment and compensation, in accordance with Government Code Section 54953(c)(3).
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact is estimated at approximately $280,897 including salary and benefits ($224,267 base salary and $56,630 in benefit costs). Sufficient funds for the appointment of the City Clerk are available in the General Fund, City Clerk Department, Salaries, Taxes, and Benefit Accounts for current fiscal year and will be budgeted in subsequent fiscal years.
Attachments
1. Resolution No. 2025-010