City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: June 17, 2025
From: Genoveva Rocha, City Clerk
Department: City Clerk
Submitted by: Yonnie Parker, Deputy City Clerk
Subject
Designation of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore
Recommendation
Conduct City Council Reorganization and Designation of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore following the Certification of the April 8, 2025 General Municipal Election (GME) Results and Filing Submission to the California Secretary of State.
Background
On May 21, 2024, the City Council discussed and provided staff direction on council seat rotation for Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore, desiring clear language to establish a rotation that would not be impacted by unscheduled vacancies. The City Council asked staff to bring back a discussion item incorporating a seniority-based Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore rotation that would allow city council members to term out as the mayor. On August 6, 2024, staff presented to the City Council a red line to the Charter amending certain sections governing the rotation of the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore that aimed to address the City Council’s concerns. Such an amendment could only be accomplished with the approval of a majority vote of the registered voters.
On November 8, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-23 that provided the authority to place on the ballot and submit to the voters, Measure Y amending Chapters 3.5 and
3.6 of the Vernon City Charter to state that during City Council installation following a regular municipal election, the position of Mayor shall be filled by the Council Member entering their fifth (last) year of their Council seat’s term, and the position of Mayor Pro Tempore shall be filled by the Council Member entering their fourth year of their Council seat’s term, and so on in descending order if necessary, set to be presented to the registered voters at the April 8, 2025 General Municipal Election (GME).
At the April 8, 2025 GME, a majority of the voters voted in favor of Measure Y. At the regular City Council meeting held on May 7, 2025, the results of the election were ratified by the adoption of Resolution No. 2025-011. As outlined in, and pursuant to Government Code sections 34459 and 34460, Charter amendments approved by a majority of voters in a city shall be ratified, but shall not take effect until accepted and filed by the Secretary of State. Following ratification, the Vernon City Clerk filed the requisite official certificates of election documents with the California Secretary of State (SOS). Acceptance by the SOS authorizes the City Council to bring to action the reorganization of the City Council and the designation of a new Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore.
Council Member Judith Merlo, who has held the designation of Mayor for the past year, was most recently re-elected to a second term on April 8, 2025, has begun the first year of the 5-year term of office. Council Member Leticia Lopez, who was elected to a second full term of office on April 13, 2021, has entered the fifth (final) year of the 5-year term of office. Council Member Michelle Ybarra, who was elected to a second full term of office on April 12, 2022, has entered the fourth year of the 5-year term of office. The City Council has the opportunity to reorganize the seats on the dais and in doing so, formally recognize Council Member Leticia Lopez as the Mayor of the City of Vernon, who shall be the presiding officer of the City Council, be the official head of the City for all ceremonial purposes and perform other such duties consistent with the office of Mayor; and recognize Council Member Michelle Ybarra as Mayor Pro Tempore, who shall perform the duties of the Mayor during the Mayor’s absence.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Attachments
1. Resolution No. 2025-011