RESOLUTION NO. 2026-019
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON
APPOINTING LILIA HERNANDEZ TO SERVE AS THE DEPUTY CITY
ADMINISTRATOR OF THE CITY OF VERNON AND APPROVING AND
AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A RELATED AT-WILL
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
SECTION 1. Recitals.
A. The Deputy City Administrator position was recently vacated.
B. In March 2026, the City Administrator requested a promotional recruitment process to fill this vacancy.
C. Human Resources advertised the recruitment flyer announcing a promotional opportunity for the position (attached hereto as Exhibit A). The recruitment opened effective March 30, 2026 and ran through April 8, 2026.
D. Two application packets were received and carefully evaluated. Both candidates were deemed qualified and invited to participate in a selection panel interview process on April 13, 2026.
E. The selection panel consisted of six department heads and the City Administrator.
The City Administrator has determined Lilia Hernandez (Hernandez) to be the most qualified candidate for the position of Deputy City Administrator and desires to appoint Hernandez to serve as the Deputy City Administrator, effective May 6, 2026.
F. At its regular City Council meeting on May 5, 2026, prior to taking final action to adopt this resolution, the City Council received an oral report summarizing the recommended appointment and compensation, in accordance with Government Code Section 54953(d)(3).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby finds and determines that the above recitals are true and correct.
SECTION 3. The City Council hereby appoints Lilia Hernandez to serve as the Deputy City Administrator of the City of Vernon, effective May 6, 2026.
SECTION 4. The City Council hereby approves and authorizes the execution of the At-Will Employment Agreement with Lilia Hernandez to serve as Deputy City Administrator of the City of Vernon, in substantially the same form as attached hereto as Exhibit B.
SECTION 5. The City Clerk, or any authorized officer, shall administer the Oath of Office prescribed in the Constitution of the State of California to Hernandez and shall have her subscribe to it and file it with the Human Resources Department.
SECTION 6. The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby directs the City Clerk, or the City Clerk’s designee, to give a fully executed Agreement to Hernandez.
SECTION 7. All resolutions or parts of resolutions not consistent with or in conflict with this resolution are hereby repealed.
SECTION 8. 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, and to this end, the provisions of this Resolution are declared to be severable.
SECTION 9. The City Clerk, or Deputy City Clerk, shall certify the passage and adoption of this resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED May 5, 2026.
LETICIA LOPEZ, Mayor
ATTEST:
GENOVEVA ROCHA, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ZAYNAH MOUSSA-MILWARD,
Resolution No. 2026-019
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CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF VERNON )
I do hereby certify that the attached is a true copy of Resolution No. 2026-019 that was passed and adopted at the Regular Meeting held on May 5, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
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GENOVEVA ROCHA, City Clerk
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Exhibit A
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AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (NON-SAFETY)
BETWEEN THE CITY OF VERNON AND LILIA HERNANDEZ
This At-Will Employment Agreement (Agreement) is between the City of Vernon (City) and Lilia Hernandez (Employee).
Recitals
City desires to employ Employee as an at-will employee in the position of Deputy City Administrator. Employee desires to be the Deputy City Administrator and acknowledges that such employment is at-will.
The City Administrator, pursuant to the authority granted by the City of Vernon Charter and City Council, agrees to hire Employee, as an at-will employee, subject to the terms and conditions identified below.
AGREEMENT
Section 1: TERM
The effective date of this Agreement shall be May 6, 2026. Either party may terminate this Agreement pursuant to the provisions set forth below. Employee is an atwill employee and may be terminated, with or without cause, upon thirty (30) days written notice. Employee may resign with thirty (30) days advance notice as set forth in Section 8 below.
Section 2: DUTIES
A. City engages Employee as the Deputy City Administrator to perform the functions and duties specified in the job description for the position (Attachment “A”, incorporated herein by this reference), as the same may be modified by the City Administrator, from time to time, and to perform such other legally permissible and proper duties and functions as the City Administrator shall, from time to time, assign.
B. Employee agrees that to the best of her ability and experience that she will at all times conscientiously perform the duties and obligations required, either express or implied, by the terms of this Agreement, the ordinances, resolutions and adopted policies of the City of Vernon and the laws and regulations of the State of California and the United States.
C. As a public employee, Employee is required to work a full and complete work week pursuant to the established work schedule as determined by the City Administrator, and devote whatever time is necessary to fulfill the employment responsibilities and duties as identified in this Agreement.
Exhibit B
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D. During the term of this Agreement, Employee is required to have and maintain a valid California Driver’s license.
E. Employee acknowledges that in connection with the performance of her duties, she will obtain information from City employees and third parties that is of a confidential nature. Employee agrees that she will not disclose such confidential information other than to officers and employees of the City who have been authorized to have access to such information. Employee further agrees that if she has a question as to the confidentiality of information obtained in the course of her employment, she will contact the City Attorney for advice.
Section 3: EXCLUSIVE EMPLOYMENT
Employee agrees to focus her professional time, ability and attention to City business during the term of this Agreement. Consequently, Employee agrees not to engage in any other business pursuits, whatsoever, directly or indirectly, render any services of a business, commercial, or professional nature to any other person or organization, for compensation, without the prior written consent of the City Administrator. This does not preclude Employee from volunteering her services to other entities or individuals as long as such volunteer services are not in conflict with the services to be provided by Employee under this Agreement.
Section 4: COMPENSATION
As compensation for the services to be rendered by Employee, City agrees to pay Employee a base starting salary of no less than $207,040, per year, payable in twenty-six (26) biweekly installments at the same time as other employees of the City are paid and subject to customary withholding. Salary adjustments (merit increases), if any, in Employee’s salary during the term of this Agreement shall be at the sole discretion of the City Administrator based upon the City Administrator’s evaluation of Employee’s job performance and within the base salary range established by the City Council or as otherwise approved by the City Council. Employee shall receive cost of living adjustments (COLAs) that are received by City executive staff, if any. Any and all adjustments shall be in accordance with City personnel policies and procedures.
Employee’s salary shall be reflected in the City’s publicly available salary schedule.
Section 5: BENEFITS
A. Retirement
As an employee of the City of Vernon, Employee will be enrolled in the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) retirement plan, as such plan may be amended by the City Council. As of the date of this employment agreement, such plan includes the 2.7% at 55 benefit formula for “classic” miscellaneous employees or the
2.0% at 62 benefit formula for “new” miscellaneous employees. The Employee pays for Resolution No. 2026-019
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the employee contribution to PERS. Classic CalPERS member employees currently pay an 8% employee contribution and a 3% share of the employer contribution. PEPRA CalPERS member employees currently pay a 7% employee contribution.
B. Other Executive Management Benefits
Employee shall receive all benefits specified by the then current Resolutions of the City Council of Vernon for Executive Management Staff, including, without limitation, those related to Vacation, Executive Leave, Holidays, Sick Leave, Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance, Retiree Health benefits, Life Insurance, Flexible Benefits Plans, Other Leaves, Deferred Compensation at employee cost, and other types of leave in accordance with the Citywide Fringe Benefits Policy and Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual. The benefits set forth in the City’s current Citywide Fringe Benefits Policy, shall be the minimum benefits provided to Employee, subject to any future enhancements or increases as may be approved and adopted by the City Council.
Upon Employee’s hire date, Employee shall receive credit for all previous fulltime years of service in other CalPERS public agencies for purposes of determining Employee's eligibility for Retiree Health benefits and in determining Employee’s accrual rate and eligibility for Sick Leave and Vacation time, as provided in the Citywide Fringe Benefits Policy.
Section 6: TERMINATION AND SEVERANCE PAY
A. Employee is an at-will employee and serves at the will and pleasure of the City Administrator and may be terminated at any time, without cause, subject to the conditions of paragraphs B and C, and D of this section.
B. A newly appointed City Administrator may not terminate Employee without cause during the first twelve (12) months after his/her appointment by City Council.
C. In the event that Employee is terminated by the City Administrator for reasons other than physical or mental incapacity, and other than those reasons noted in paragraph F, below, the City agrees to pay the employee a severance amount equal to six (6) months of base salary.
D. To be eligible for severance pay, as identified in paragraph C, of this section, Employee shall fulfill all of her obligations under this Agreement and shall sign a severance agreement and release of all claims against the City.
E. All severance payments shall be paid within thirty (30) calendar days of the date Employee executes the severance agreement and release of claims against the City.
F. Notwithstanding paragraphs A, B C, and D above, if Employee resigns or retires, or is terminated due to insubordination, incapacity, dereliction of duty, violation of the City’s Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace Policy III-1, conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude or involving personal gain to her or abuse of her office or position or any felony or for a breach of this Agreement, City shall have no obligation to pay any severance provided in this section.
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Furthermore, Employee agrees that any severance provided shall be fully reimbursed to the City if the Employee is convicted of a crime involving an abuse of her office or position.
G. Upon termination, Employee shall be paid for all earned, but unused, vacation time and any sick leave if Employee meets the eligibility criteria for this type of leave payout.
Section 7: ABUSE OF OFFICE OR POSITION
If Employee is paid leave salary during a pending investigation, any salary provided for that purpose shall be fully reimbursed to the City if Employee is convicted of a crime involving an abuse of her office or position.
If Employee is provided funds for any legal criminal defense during her employment with the City, any funds provided for that purpose shall be fully reimbursed to the City if the Employee is convicted of a crime involving an abuse of her office or position.
If this Agreement is terminated, any cash settlement related to the termination that Employee may receive from the City shall be fully reimbursed to the City if Employee is convicted of a crime involving an abuse of her office or position.
Section 8: CONFLICT OF INTEREST PROHIBITION
Employee understands and agrees that because of the duties of Employee within and on behalf of the City of Vernon, Employee shall not, during the term of this Agreement, individually, as a partner, joint venture, officer or shareholder, invest or participate in any project, development, or venture conducting business within the corporate limits of the City of Vernon or within real property owned by the City of Vernon, except for stock ownership in any company whose capital stock is publicly held and regularly traded, without prior written approval of the City Council and compliance with all applicable state and local regulations governing financial conflicts of interest.
Employee further agrees not to invest in any real estate or property improvements within the corporate limits of the City of Vernon or on real property owned by the City of Vernon without prior written consent of the City Council.
Section 9: RESIGNATION / RETIREMENT
Employee may resign at any time. Employee may retire, provided she is eligible for retirement, at any time. Employee agrees to provide thirty (30) calendar days advance written notice of the effective date of her resignation or retirement.
In the event Employee retires or resigns, Employee shall be entitled to payment for earned, but unused, vacation time, and any sick leave if Employee meets the eligibility criteria for this type of leave payout, but not to severance pay as delineated in Section 6, paragraph C above.
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Section 10: DISABILITY
If Employee is permanently disabled or otherwise unable to perform her duties because of sickness, accident, injury, mental incapacity or health for a period of thirty (30) calendar days beyond any earned sick leave, City shall have the option to terminate this Agreement; however, the City’s option to terminate under this Section shall be limited by its obligation to engage in the interactive process for reasonable accommodations and to provide reasonable accommodations as required by law.
Nothing in this Section shall be construed to limit or restrict Employee’s benefits or rights under workers’ compensation or the Public Employees Retirement System (“PERS”).
However, as delineated in Section 6 of this Agreement, an employee terminated under this section is not eligible for severance pay.
In cases of disability, Employee shall be compensated for any earned, but unused, vacation leave, and any sick leave if Employee meets the eligibility criteria for this type of leave payout.
Section 11: GENERAL PROVISIONS
A. Notice
Any notices required by this Agreement shall be in writing and either delivered in person or by first class, certified, return receipt requested U.S. Mail with postage prepaid. Such notice shall be addressed as follows:
TO CITY: City Administrator
City of Vernon
4305 Santa Fe Avenue
Vernon, CA 90058
TO EMPLOYEE: Lilia Hernandez
[Deliver to last updated address in personnel file]
B Entire Agreement
The text of this Agreement shall constitute the entire and exclusive agreement between the parties. All prior oral or written communications understanding or agreements between the parties, not set forth herein, shall be superseded in total by this Agreement. No Amendment or modification to this Agreement may be made except by a written agreement signed by the Employee and the City Administrator and approved as to form by the City Attorney.
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C Assignment
This Agreement is not assignable by either the City or Employee.
D Severability
In the event that any provision of this Agreement is finally held or determined to be illegal or void by a court having jurisdiction over the parties, the remainder of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless the parts found to be void are wholly inseparable from the remaining portions of this Agreement.
E. Effect of Waiver
The failure of either party to insist on strict compliance with any of the terms, covenants, or conditions in this Agreement by the other party shall not be deemed a waiver of that term, covenant or condition, nor shall any waiver or relinquishment of any right or power at any one time or times be deemed a waiver or relinquishment of that right or power for all or any other time or times.
F. Jurisdiction
Any action to interpret or enforce the terms of this Agreement shall be held exclusively in a state court in Los Angeles County, California. Employee expressly waives any right to remove any such action from Los Angeles County.
G. Effective Date
This Agreement shall take effect on May 6, 2026.
[Signatures Begin on Next Page].
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the City of Vernon has caused this Agreement to be signed and executed on its behalf by its City Administrator, and executed by the Employee.
City of Vernon, a California charter City and
California municipal corporation
Dated: By:
Brian Saeki, City Administrator
ATTEST:
Genoveva Rocha, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Zaynah Moussa-Milward, City Attorney
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In signing this Agreement, Employee understands and agrees that her employment status is that of an at-will employee and that her rights to employment with the City are governed by the terms and conditions of this Agreement rather than the ordinances, resolutions, and policies of the City of Vernon which might otherwise apply to employees of the City. Employee further acknowledges that she was given the opportunity to consult with an attorney prior to signing this Agreement.
Signed:
Dated:
Employee
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ATTACHMENT A
Job Description
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JOB DESCRIPTION
Deputy City Administrator
Date
Prepared:
Date Revised:
March 2014
June 2024
July 2025
Class Code: 1013
SUMMARY: Under limited supervision, administers, advises, and manages City departments, programs, and special projects, as assigned by the City Administrator; manages strategic planning, policy development, public relations, priorities, and departmental and inter-department operations.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: -- Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class; employees may be assigned duties which are not listed below; reasonable accommodations will be made as required. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement and is subject to change at any time by the employer. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:
• On a day-to-day basis, relieves the City Administrator of routine administrative tasks • Manages and evaluates City operations and programs, as assigned by the City Administrator; directly manages assigned programs and special projects • Investigates and evaluates departmental and inter-department operational issues, and develops solutions to complex problems in consultation with the City Administrator, executive staff, and department heads
• Assist the City Administrator in developing long and short-range plans, goals, and policy recommendations; exercises independent judgment within broad policy guidelines; encourages new ideas, interactive dialogue, and collaborative approaches to solving problems
• Meets regularly with City management staff to discuss and resolve assignments, priorities, workload, staffing, budgets, technical issues, quality standards, and services; motivates and evaluates staff, and provides leadership, direction, and guidance in operational plans and priorities; assures all operational activities are in compliance with City policies and procedures, and state and federal regulations Resolution No. 2026-019
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• Monitors City operations, analyzes operational information, evaluates trends, and develops plans to meet City goals and future needs; presents status reports to City Council, and assures effective communication of operational and technical issues; assures all operational, legal, technical, and financial issues are properly addressed and resolved
• Attends and coordinates City Council meetings and work sessions, and researches issues for the City Administrator, Mayor, and City Council; assures effective communication of major project and policy issues
• Develops and presents status and summary reports; reviews and approves City staff reports
• Attends and coordinates internal and external stakeholder meetings; collaborates in management of public information and community relations activities; meets with City committees, commissions, and residents to discuss and resolve issues; coordinates projects and regional issues with local officials, agencies, community organizations, and advocates
• Collaborates with City staff and officials on community relations issues; represents the City amongst local civic and service organizations, and ancillary boards and agencies; remains abreast of local and regional issues; cultivates relationships with the community; advocates for City programs and philosophies
• Maintains relationships with federal, state, county, regional, and local government officials and staff decision makers regarding public policies and legislative or regulatory activities that may have an impact on the City of Vernon and the City’s private sector constituency; prepares reports on public policy or governmental matters that may impact the City; prepares analysis, develops content in response to legislation
• Serves as the liaison between other agencies to coordinate with members of executive staff; supports internal communication efforts with the agency between executive staff and employees
• Supports the relationship between the City of Vernon and the general public by demonstrating courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with visitors and City staff; maintains confidentiality of work-related issues and City information; performs other duties as required or assigned
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education, Training and Experience Guidelines:
Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Business, Public Administration or related field; AND five years of progressively responsible administrative or managerial experience in municipal administration.
Knowledge of:
• City organization, operations, policies, and procedures • Federal and state laws and regulations governing municipalities, and City rules and ordinances
• Duties, powers, authorities, and limitations of a City Administrator Resolution No. 2026-019
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• Principles and practices of local government administrative management, including personnel rules, procurement, finance, budgeting, contract and risk management, performance management, and evaluation of public sector programs, policies, and operations
• Strategic planning techniques for the economic, financial, and environmental needs of the City
• Legal, ethical, and professional rules of conduct for municipal government officers
• Current political and economic trends in state and federal government • Techniques and practices for efficient and cost effective management of resources
• Business computers, and standard and specialized software applications Skill in:
• Analyzing complex administrative and operational issues, interpreting laws and regulations, evaluating alternatives, and developing recommendations, strategies, and operational improvements
• Analyzing City needs, and prioritizing and promoting operational strategies to meet future needs
• Preparing, tracking, and administering budgets
• Interpreting and applying municipal policies and procedures • Presenting and defending operational reports and information in public meetings
• Analyzing problems, resolving disputes and conflicts, and developing effective solutions
• Using initiative and independent judgment within established procedural guidelines
• Assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects and demands • Establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships with City employees, elected officials, community groups, advocates, and representatives from other local, state, and federal agencies • Communicating effectively verbally and in writing
LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
A valid California State Driver’s License may be required.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed in a standard office environment and required to attend meetings and events at various City facilities and/or outside the City. Position requires the ability to work hours outside of the normal duty hours in order to complete assigned responsibilities.
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Pursuant to California Government Code §3100, all public employees are required to serve as disaster service workers subject to such disaster service activities as may be assigned to them by their supervisors or by law.
JOB SERIES:
Administrative Assistant, Senior
Executive Assistant to the City Administrator
Management Analyst
Management Analyst, Senior
Communications and Public Information Manager
Assistant to the City Administrator
Deputy City Administrator
City Administrator
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