MINUTES
VERNON CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2026
COUNCIL CHAMBER, 4305 S. SANTA FE AVENUE
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Ybarra called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Ybarra led the Flag Salute.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Melissa Ybarra, Mayor
Jesus Rivera, Mayor Pro Tem
Judith Merlo, Council Member
ABSENT:
Crystal Larios, Council Member
Monica Rodriguez, Council Member
STAFF PRESENT:
Brian Saeki, City Administrator
Zaynah Moussa-Milward, City Attorney
Genoveva Rocha, City Clerk
Alice Hui, Finance Director/City Treasurer
Veronica Petrosyan, Health and Environmental Control Director Su Tan, Director of Human Resources
Robert Sousa, Police Chief
Dan Wall, Public Works Director-City Engineer
Todd Dusenberry, Public Utilities General Manager
Diana Figueroa, Communications and Public Information Manager
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION
Mayor Pro Tem Rivera moved and Council Member Merlo seconded a motion to approve the agenda. The question was called and the motion carried 3-0, Council Members Larios and Rodriguez absent.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
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August 4, 2026
PRESENTATIONS
1. Fiscal Year 2025-26 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) 2025- 26; and
B. Recognize FY 2025-26 VCF Scholarship Grant Recipients for their outstanding academic performance, personal achievement, community involvement, and leadership.
Communications & Public Information Manager Figueroa presented the staff report.
Mayor Ybarra invited public comments. There being none, Mayor Ybarra called for a motion.
MOTION
Council Member Merlo moved and Mayor Pro Tem Rivera seconded a motion to approve recommendation A. The question was called and the motion carried 3-0, Council Members Larios and Rodriguez absent.
Mayor Ybarra announced that Communication and Public Information Manager Figueroa would continue with recommendation B and introduce the grant recipients. Mayor Ybarra then presented the grant recipients with certificates of recognition.
Mayor Ybarra suggested that the Vernon Community Fund Grant Committee consider awarding second-year scholarships to students. City Administrator Saeki informed the City Council that staff would return with an item to consider providing that direction to the committee.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. New Regulations for Vacant Property Registration
Recommendation: A. Conduct a Public Hearing;
B. Find that the proposed action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) and 15378, as an action for which there is no possibility that the ordinance will have any significant effect on the environment;
C. Introduce, read by title only, and waive further reading of Ordinance No. 1314 establishing Chapter 8.58 (Vacant Property Registration) of Title 8 (Health and Safety) of the Vernon Municipal Code pertaining to the mandatory registration and regulatory framework for vacant properties; and
D. Direct staff to schedule adoption for the August 18, 2026, City Council meeting.
Public Works Director Wall presented the staff report.
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August 4, 2026
Mayor Ybarra opened the public hearing at 9:16 a.m. There being none, Mayor Ybarra closed the public hearing at 9:17a.m.
Mayor Ybarra invited further Council discussion. There being none, Mayor Ybarra called for a motion.
City Clerk Rocha read the title of the Ordinance into the record before the roll call vote was taken.
MOTION
Council Member Merlo moved and Mayor Pro Tem Rivera seconded a motion to approve recommendations A, B, C, and D. The question was called and the motion carried 3-0, Council Member Larios and Rodriguez absent.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Ybarra inquired if there were any changes to the Consent Calendar. City Clerk Rocha announced a correction to the July 21, 2026, meeting minutes, item No. 5 – Warrant Register recommendation. She informed the City Council that each member received a revised set of meeting minutes with the required revisions.
Mayor Ybarra invited public comments. There being none, Mayor Ybarra called for a motion to approve the consent calendar.
MOTION
Mayor Pro Tem Rivera moved and Council Member Merlo seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar with the recommended edits. The question was called and the motion carried 3-0, Council Members Larios and Rodriguez absent.
The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
3. Meeting Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the July 21, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes.
4. Claims Against the City
Recommendation: Receive and file the claim submitted by Lorenzo Rodriguez Luna.
5. Operating Account Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve Operating Account Warrant Register No. 178, for the period of June 14, 2026 through July 4, 2026, totaling $14,167,830.82 and consisting of ratification of electronic payments totaling $13,791,033.00 and ratification of the issuance of early checks totaling $376,797.82.
6. Redevelopment Agency Obligation Retirement Account Warrant Register Recommendation: Approve Redevelopment Agency Obligation Retirement Account Warrant Register No. 74, for the period of October 19, 2025 through July 4, 2026 and consisting of ratification of electronic payments totaling $2,250.
Docusign Envelope ID: 387E8625-6794-867F-8160-2A32C6256054 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 6
August 4, 2026
7. Public Works Department Monthly Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the June 2026 Building Report.
8. Amendment No. 1 to Services Agreement with Actum-E, LLC Recommendation: A. Find that it is in the best interests of the City to extend the agreement with Actum-E, LLC without a competitive selection process, pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code Section 3.32.110(B)(2); and
B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute Amendment No. 1 to the Services Agreement with Actum-E, LLC, in substantially the same form as submitted, extending the term of the agreement for six (6) months for a total amount of $38,625, to continue to provide government affairs services related to “The BIG 4” cities’ efforts, and bringing the contract total not-to-exceed amount to $83,625.
9. Quarterly Report of Cash and Investments
Recommendation: Receive and file the Second Quarter Cash and Investments Report
10. Professional Services Agreement with All City Management Services Inc. for Crossing Guard Services
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a Professional Services Agreement with All City Management Services Inc. in substantially the same form as submitted, for crossing guard services, for a total amount not-to-exceed $179,675, for a three-year term.
11. Purchase Order with Merrimac Energy Group for Fuel Procurement Recommendation: Approve and authorize issuance of a Purchase Order with Merrimac Petroleum, Inc. dba Merrimac Energy Group in an amount not-to-exceed $750,000 to procure fuel for the Citywide fleet for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.
12. Purchase Order with Quinn Company CAT Retailer
Recommendation: A. Approve and authorize the issuance of a Purchase Order with Quinn Company CAT Retailer (Quinn CAT) for a new Towmaster T-12DT Trailer for a total amount not-to-exceed $20,175.24;
B. Authorize a contingency amount of ten percent (10%) or $2,017.52 for the trailer purchase in case of unforeseen fluctuations in price driven by inflation or supply chain issues; and
C. Authorize the City Administrator to facilitate the bidding and purchase of a comparable utility trailer for an amount not-to-exceed $22,192.76 (Quinn CAT price plus contingency amount) from an alternate source/dealership should Quinn CAT availability be impacted by inventory shortages.
13. Sewer System Management Plan Update
Recommendation: A. Find that the proposed action is exempt from the California Environmentally Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with the common-sense exemption under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment; and
B. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-036 approving and adopting the updated Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) and authorizing the Legally Responsible Official to certify and submit the SSMP to the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
Docusign Envelope ID: 387E8625-6794-867F-8160-2A32C6256054 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 6
August 4, 2026
14. Report on Emergency Sewer Repairs for City Housing Approved by the City Administrator
Recommendation: Receive and file the report regarding emergency sewer main line repairs affecting City-owned housing completed by Quality Jet Rooter, Inc., as approved by the City Administrator pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code Section
3.32.250.
15. Fiscal Year 2026-27 Membership Dues for California Municipal Utilities Association
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the issuance of a payment to the California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA) for the annual membership dues for fiscal year 2026-27 for a total amount not-to-exceed $116,572.
NEW BUSINESS
16. Participation in a Multiple Employer Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB)/Pension Section 115 Trust and Approval of Related Agreements with Global Retirement Partners, LLC d/b/a Shuster Advisory Group Recommendation:
A. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-037 Approving the Multiple Employer OPEB/Pension Section 115 Trust administered by Shuster Advisory Group, LLC, for the purpose of pre-funding the City’s pension and OPEB obligations; and authorizing the transfer of the City’s current OPEB trust from the California Employers’ Retiree Benefit Trust (CERBT) administered by CalPERS; and B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute the Trust Adoption Agreement for participation in the Multiple Employer OPEB/Pension Section 115 Trust and the related Investment Advisor Agreement with Global Retirement Partners, LLC, d/b/a Shuster Advisory Group, a HUB International Company (SHUSTER) and the Trust Administrative Services Agreement with Shuster Advisory Group, LLC, in substantially the same form as submitted.
Finance Director Hui presented the staff report.
Mayor Ybarra invited public comments. There being none, Mayor Ybarra called for a motion.
MOTION
Council Member Merlo moved and Mayor Pro Tem Rivera seconded a motion to approve recommendation A and B. The question was called and the motion carried 3-0, Council Members Larios and Rodriguez absent.
Docusign Envelope ID: 387E8625-6794-867F-8160-2A32C6256054 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 6
August 4, 2026
ORAL REPORTS
17. City Administrator Reports on Activities and Other Announcements City Administrator Saeki announced National Night Out event taking place later in the evening on the City Hall lawn. He also provided details for the Southern California Air Quality Management District Hearing Board on August 5, 2026 regarding Lineage Logistics, and announced that the Vernon CommUNITY Fund is accepting nonprofit applications. Lastly, he spoke about the upcoming American Red Cross Blood Drive on August 13, 2026, and commented on the completion of the Southeast Community Foundation tutoring program.
18. Council Reports on Activities (including AB 1234), Announcements, or Directives to Staff
None.
CLOSED SESSION
At 9:23 a.m., Mayor Ybarra recessed the meeting to Closed Session
19. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
Simon Perez Melchor v. City of Vernon, et al.
Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. 24NWCV01639
RECONVENE
At 9:47 a.m., Mayor Ybarra adjourned the Closed Session and reconvened the regular meeting.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
City Attorney Moussa-Milward reported that the City Council met in Closed Session, discussed the item on the agenda, and took no reportable action.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Ybarra adjourned the meeting at 9:47 a.m.
_____________________________
MELISSA YBARRA, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________
GENOVEVA ROCHA, City Clerk
Docusign Envelope ID: 387E8625-6794-867F-8160-2A32C6256054