MINUTES
VERNON CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 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
Crystal Larios, Council Member
Monica Rodriguez, Council Member
ABSENT:
Judith Merlo, 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
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION
Council Member Larios moved and Council Member Rodriguez seconded a motion to approve the agenda. The question was called and the motion carried 4-0, Council Member Merlo absent.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Itzel Ortiz from Helpline Youth Counseling, Inc. provided a public comment regarding community projects initiated by the South East Community Alliance Coalition.
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 6
September 15, 2026
PRESENTATIONS
1. Human Resources Professional Day
Recommendation: Proclaim September 26, 2026, as Human Resources Professional Day in the City of Vernon to recognize the essential work of human resources professionals.
Human Resources Director Tan read the proclamation and Mayor Ybarra presented Human Resources staff with the proclamation.
2. Employee Service Pin Awards
Recommendation: Recognize August 2026 Employee Service Pin Award recipients.
Human Resources Director Tan presented the staff report, and the City Council recognized the 2026 Employee Service Pin Award recipients: Police Dispatcher, Ruth Cedeño; Computer-Aided Drafting Technician, Hugo Martinez; Resource Planner, Aziz Danialian; and Code Enforcement Officer, Angel Rivas.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
3. Conditional Use Permit for Dyrt Labs, Inc.
Recommendation: Continue the Public Hearing for the Conditional Use Permit for Dyrt Labs, Inc., to operate an indoor food waste composting facility at 2550 27th Street to the October 20, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting.
Director of Public Works Wall provided a brief presentation on the item, stating that staff is recommending continuing the public hearing to October 20, 2026 as the applicant has yet to provide the materials requested by the City Council.
MOTION
Mayor Pro Tem Rivera moved and Council Member Larios seconded a motion to Continue the Public Hearing for the Conditional Use Permit for Dyrt Labs, Inc. to the October 20, 2026 City Council meeting. The question was called and the motion carried 4-0, Council Member Merlo absent.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Ybarra inquired if there were any changes to the Consent Calendar. City Clerk Rocha announced there were no changes.
Mayor Ybarra invited public comments. There being none, Mayor Ybarra called for a motion to approve the Consent Calendar.
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 6
September 15, 2026
MOTION
Council Member Larios moved and Council Member Rodriguez seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar. The question was called and the motion carried 4-0, Council Member Merlo absent.
The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
4. Meeting Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the September 1, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes.
5. Claims Against the City
Recommendation: Receive and file the claim submitted by Brittany A. Castillo in an amount exceeding $10,000.00.
6. Operating Account Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve Operating Account Warrant Register No. 181, for the period of August 2, 2026 through August 15, 2026, totaling $16,299,771.62 and consisting of ratification of electronic payments totaling $15,794,925.42 and ratification of the issuance of early checks totaling $504,846.20.
7. Fire Department Activity Report
Receive and file the July 2026 Fire Department Activity Report.
8. Police Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the July 2026 Police Department Activity Report.
9. Amendment No. 2 to Attorney Services Agreement with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Attorney Services Agreement with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (LCW) for outside legal services, in substantially the same form as submitted, to increase the total not-to-exceed amount by an additional $75,000.
10. Purchase Order with Rush Truck Center for Two (2) New Ford F-350 Utility Trucks
Recommendation: A. Approve and authorize the issuance of a Purchase Order with Rush Truck Center for two (2) new Ford F-350 Utility Trucks equipped with Scelzi Service Body and Lighting Packages for a total amount not-to-exceed $155,880.08; B. Authorize a contingency amount of ten percent (10%) or $15,588.01 for the utility trucks purchase in case of unforeseen fluctuations in price driven by tariffs, inflation, manufacturing surcharges, or supply chain issues; and C. Authorize the City Administrator to facilitate the bidding and purchase of two (2) comparable utility trucks for an amount not-to-exceed $171,468.09 (Rush Truck Center price plus contingency amount) from an alternate source/dealership should Rush Truck Center availability be impacted by inventory shortages.
11. 2025 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 2025 Power Source Disclosure Program Annual Report.
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 6
September 15, 2026
NEW BUSINESS
12. Commission and Committee Appointments
Recommendation: A. Appoint one (1) Environmental Representative to a partial term (September 15, 2026 to June 30, 2030) to the Green Vernon Commission; and B. Appoint one (1) Legislative Representative to a partial term (September 15, 2026 to June 30, 2030) to the Vernon CommUNITY Fund Grant Committee.
City Clerk Rocha presented the staff report.
Mayor Ybarra invited public comments. There being none, Mayor Ybarra called for a motion.
MOTION
Mayor Ybarra moved and Mayor Pro Tem Rivera seconded a motion to appoint Sebastian Lozano as the Legislative Representative to the Vernon CommUNITY Fund Grant Committee to a partial term (September 15, 2026 to June 30, 2030), and to appoint Michael Villareal as the Environmental Representative to the Green Vernon Commission to a partial term (September 15, 2026 to June 30, 2030). The question was called and the motion carried 4-0, Council Member Merlo absent.
13. California Strategic Growth Council Community Resilience Centers Program Grant Funds
Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 2026-039 authorizing the submission of applications for grant funds from the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) Community Resilience Centers (CRC) Program Round 2, and delegating authority to the Director of Public Works, or designee, to apply for and accept CRC grant funds if awarded, and to execute all related grant documents, agreements, amendments, and activities related to the submission of the grant application, acceptance, and fulfillment of the CRC Program Round 2.
Director of Public Works Wall presented the staff report.
Mayor Ybarra invited public comments. There being none, Mayor Ybarra called for a motion.
MOTION
Council Member Larios moved and Mayor Pro Tem Rivera seconded a motion to adopt Resolution No. 2026-039 authorizing the submission of applications for grant funds from the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) Community Resilience Centers (CRC) Program Round 2, and delegating authority to the Director of Public Works, or designee, to apply for and accept CRC grant funds if awarded, and to execute all related grant documents, agreements, amendments, and activities related to the submission of the grant application, acceptance, and fulfillment of the CRC Program Round 2. The question was called and motion carried 4-0, Council Member Merlo absent.
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 6
September 15, 2026
ORAL REPORTS
14. City Administrator Reports on Activities and Other Announcements City Administrator Saeki announced a Coffee with a Cop event would take place the morning of September 16th; he also informed of the upcoming Special Business and Industry Commission Meeting on October 1, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., wherein the results of a recent tax parity study will be discussed; he announced a vacancy for the Vernon CommUNITY Fund Grant Committee; and lastly, he spoke about Senate Bill 1274 being signed into law by Governor Newsom, a law that recognizes the unique characteristics and infrastructure needs of California’s industrial cities, which was a win for the Big 4.
15. Council Reports on Activities (including AB 1234), Announcements, or Directives to Staff
None.
CLOSED SESSION
At 9:19 a.m., Mayor Ybarra recessed the meeting to Closed Session.
16. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation (2) Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
Chadwick McGovney v. City of Vernon
Workers Compensation Claim No. 19001382
Workers Compensation Appeals Board Case No. ADJ20010837 Joseph Alvarado v. City of Vernon
Workers Compensation Claim No. 25-187588
RECONVENE
At 9:31 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.
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 6
September 15, 2026
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Ybarra adjourned the meeting at 9:31 a.m.
_____________________________
MELISSA YBARRA, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________
GENOVEVA ROCHA, City Clerk