MINUTES
VERNON CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2025
COUNCIL CHAMBER, 4305 SANTA FE AVENUE
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Lopez called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Lopez led the Flag Salute.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Leticia Lopez, Mayor
Melissa Ybarra, Mayor Pro Tem
Jesus Rivera, Council Member
Judith Merlo, Council Member
Crystal Larios, Council Member
STAFF PRESENT:
Brian Saeki, City Administrator
Zaynah Moussa, City Attorney
Genoveva Rocha, City Clerk
Alice Hui, Finance Director/City Treasurer
Fredrick Agyin, Health and Environmental Control Director Su Tan, Human Resources Director
Robert Sousa, Police Chief
Dan Wall, Public Works Director
Todd Dusenberry, Public Utilities General Manager
Diana Figueroa, Senior Management Analyst
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION
Mayor Pro Tem Ybarra moved and Council Member Rivera seconded a motion to approve the agenda. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Sheila Lopez of Helping Hands extended an invitation to attend their 5th Anniversary Celebration Give-Away Event on October 4, 2025, at 5 p.m. at 2360 E. 51st Street in Vernon.
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PRESENTATIONS
1. Fiscal Year 2024-25 Vernon CommUNITY Fund Scholarship Grant Awards Recommendation:
A. Receive and file the report on scholarship grants awarded by the Vernon CommUNITY Fund (VCF) Grant Committee for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25; and B.
Recognize FY 2024-25 VCF Scholarship Grant Recipients for their outstanding academic performance, personal achievement, community involvement, and leadership.
Senior Management Analyst Figueroa presented the staff report.
Mayor Lopez invited public comments. There being none, Mayor Lopez called for a motion.
MOTION
Council Member Larios moved and Mayor Pro Tem Ybarra seconded a motion to:
A. Receive and file the report on scholarship grants awarded by the Vernon CommUNITY Fund (VCF) Grant Committee for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25; and B.
Recognize FY 2024-25 VCF Scholarship Grant Recipients. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Lopez presented each grantee a certificate and City Council recognized the FY 2024-25 Scholarship Grant recipients for their outstanding academic performance, personal achievement, community involvement, and leadership.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Lopez invited public comments. There being none, Mayor Lopez called for a motion.
MOTION
Mayor Pro Tem Ybarra moved, and Council Member Merlo seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
2. Meeting Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the September 2, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes.
3. Operating Account Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve Operating Account Warrant Register No. 157, for the period of August 3, 2025 through August 16, 2025, totaling $9,366,457.22 and consisting of ratification of electronic payments totaling $8,932,275.65 and ratification of the issuance of early checks totaling $434,181.57.
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4. Redevelopment Agency Obligation Retirement Account Warrant Register Recommendation: Approve Redevelopment Agency Obligation Retirement Account Warrant Register No. 72, for the period of March 2, 2025 through August 16, 2025 and consisting of ratification of electronic payments totaling $2,250.
5. Fire Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the July 2025 Fire Department Activity Report.
6. Police Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the July 2025 Police Department Activity Report.
7. Zoning Code Amendments
Recommendation: A. Find that the proposed action is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because the adoption of this ordinance is not a “project” pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378; and B. Adopt Ordinance No. 1307 Amending Zoning Code to meet California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Requirements.
8. Code Enforcement Update
Recommendation: A. Find that the proposed action is not a project within the meaning of Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines because it has no potential for resulting in physical change in the environment, either directly or ultimately. In the event that the proposed Ordinance is found to be a project under CEQA, it is subject to the CEQA exemption contained in CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty to have no possibility of a significant effect on the environment; and B. Adopt Ordinance No. 1308 Amending Certain Sections of Chapter 1.08 (Administrative Citations), 8.20 (Nuisances), and 10.16 (Parking Regulations) of the Vernon Municipal Code Regarding Public Nuisances, Administrative Citations, and Enforcement of Code Violations.
9. Report on Contract Extension with SDI Presence LLC Approved by the City Administrator
Recommendation: Receive and file the report on Amendment No. 2 to the Agreement with SDI Presence LLC extending the agreement for one year at no additional cost, as approved by the City Administrator pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code Sections 3.32.220(B) and 3.32.110 (B)(3).
10. Microsoft Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) and Purchases from Insight Public Sector
Recommendation: A. Approve a Microsoft Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) and associated purchases of Microsoft Licenses, in substantially the same form as submitted, from Insight Public Sector for Citywide information technology operations, for an amount not-to-exceed $718,399.23 for a three-year term; and B. Approve additional funds with Insight in the amount of $65,000 for additional purchases that may be necessary from this vendor during the 2025-26 Fiscal Year.
11. Services Agreement with Eagle Eye Demolition, Inc. for On-Call Nuisance Abatement Services
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a Services Agreement with Eagle Eye Demolition, Inc., in substantially the same Docusign Envelope ID: 07A1F98D-E423-45DA-B765-B4EE46BF6E9F Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 6
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form as submitted, for On-Call Nuisance Abatement Services for a total amount not-to-exceed $400,000, for a three (3) year term.
12. Amendment No. 2 to Labor and Materials Contract with Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc.
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Labor and Materials Contract with Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc., in substantially the same form as submitted, to extend the term of the Contract by an additional five-month period, for a total amount not-to-exceed $15,000.
13. 2024 Power Source Disclosure Program Annual Report
Recommendation: Ratify the submission to the California Energy Commission (CEC) of the attestation signed by Vernon Public Utilities’ General Manager of the veracity of the 2024 Power Source Disclosure Program Annual Report.
NEW BUSINESS
14. Memorandum of Understanding Between the Cities of Commerce, Irwindale, Santa Fe Springs, Industry, and Vernon
Recommendation:
Approve and authorize the Mayor to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cities of Commerce, Irwindale, Santa Fe Springs, and Industry, effective September 1, 2025, for the purpose of uniting efforts to advocate for, advance, and plan shared priorities to seek state and federal funding, and advocate for and advance legislative and administrative policies to address the unique needs and benefits that their industrial and commercial activities offer Los Angeles County and the State of California.
City Administrator Saeki presented the staff report.
Mayor Lopez invited public comments. There being none, Mayor Lopez called for a motion.
MOTION
Council Member Rivera moved and Mayor Pro Tem Ybarra seconded a motion to approve and authorize the Mayor to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cities of Commerce, Irwindale, Santa Fe Springs, and Industry, effective September 1, 2025, for the purpose of uniting efforts to advocate for, advance, and plan shared priorities to seek state and federal funding, and advocate for and advance legislative and administrative policies to address the unique needs and benefits that their industrial and commercial activities offer Los Angeles County and the State of California. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
15. Confirmation Letter with BP Energy Company
Recommendation:
A. Find the action is not in reference to a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Guidelines Section 15378 because it Docusign Envelope ID: 07A1F98D-E423-45DA-B765-B4EE46BF6E9F Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 6
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involves the continuing administrative activity of purchasing power and resource adequacy; and even if it were a “project” subject to CEQA, the approval requested is exempt in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to projects that may have a significant effect on the environment, and any construction that may occur by a private party in the future in reliance on this approval would be subject to CEQA review by another governmental agency at the time when actual details of any physical proposal would be more than speculative; and B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute the Confirmation Letter with BP Energy Company (BP Energy), in substantially the same form as submitted, for the Purchase of Portfolio Content Category Product 1 (PCC1) Energy in the amount not-to-exceed $74,018,950 for a 10-year term.
Public Utilities General Manager Dusenberry presented the staff report.
Mayor Lopez invited public comments. There being none, Mayor Lopez called for a motion.
MOTION
Mayor Pro Tem Ybarra moved and Council Member Larios seconded a motion to:
A. Find the action is not in reference to a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Guidelines Section 15378 because it involves the continuing administrative activity of purchasing power and resource adequacy; and even if it were a “project” subject to CEQA, the approval requested is exempt in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to projects that may have a significant effect on the environment, and any construction that may occur by a private party in the future in reliance on this approval would be subject to CEQA review by another governmental agency at the time when actual details of any physical proposal would be more than speculative; and B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute the Confirmation Letter with BP Energy Company (BP Energy), in substantially the same form as submitted, for the Purchase of Portfolio Content Category Product 1 (PCC1) Energy in the amount-not-to exceed $74,018,950 for a 10-year term. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
ORAL REPORT
16. City Administrator Reports on Activities and Other Announcements City Administrator Saeki announced the Business and Industry Commission would hold a special meeting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, October 2, 2025, to discuss matters relevant to the business community, particularly Vernon Public Utility water-rate schedule updates, and invited the community to attend the meeting. He also announced a save-the-date and extended an invitation to the Halloween Docusign Envelope ID: 07A1F98D-E423-45DA-B765-B4EE46BF6E9F Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 6
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Spooktacular Event at 5 p.m. on October 29, 2025, and noted a revision to the event date provided in the recent Resident Newsletter.
17. Council Reports on Activities (including AB 1234), Announcements, or Directives to Staff
None.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
RECESS
At 9:22 a.m., Mayor Lopez recessed the meeting to Closed Session.
CLOSED SESSION
18. Public Employee Performance Evaluation (Annual)
Government Code Section 54957
Title: City Attorney
RECONVENE
At 10:09 a.m., Mayor Lopez adjourned the Closed Session and reconvened the regular meeting with all Council Members present except Council Member Larios.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
City Attorney Moussa reported that the City Council met in Closed Session, discussed the item on the agenda, and took no reportable action.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lopez adjourned the meeting at 10:09 a.m.
_____________________________
LETICIA LOPEZ, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________
GENOVEVA ROCHA, City Clerk
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