Item No. 11
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: August 11, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Steven Graham Pacifico, City Attorney
SUBJECT: Approval of First Amendment to Employment Agreement for Interim City Manager RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council approve the First Amendment to the Employment Agreement with Jennifer Crawford for the position of Interim City Manager, effective retroactively to the first pay period of July 2025.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
Following the vacancy in the City Manager position in March 2025, Assistant City Manager Jennifer Crawford assumed the responsibilities of Acting City Manager to ensure the continuity of day-to-day operations and organizational leadership. At its April 14, 2025 meeting, the City Council formally appointed Ms. Crawford as Interim City Manager. At the April 28, 2025 meeting, the City Council approved an Employment Agreement with Jennifer Crawford to serve as Interim City Manager.
Section 6. Term and Termination of the Employment Agreement provides that the term of the agreement shall not exceed October 1, 2025 unless extended by mutual written consent of the parties. It is uncertain whether a permanent City Manager will be selected by October 1, 2025, and to ensure continuity of operations, the First Amendment extends the maximum term of the agreement to December 31, 2025, subject to the earlier appointment of a permanent City Manager.
Section 4. Base Salary provides that salary changes approved for and applied to other city employees shall not be applied to Employee unless the City Council expressly provides that they shall apply. All city employees received a cost -of -living adjustment effective July 1, 2025. The First Amendment would confirm that the 2.5% adjustment shall also apply to the Interim City Manager, retroactive to the first pay period of July 2025.
BROWN ACT ORAL REPORT:
The Brown Act requires that before taking final action to approve changes to executive compensation, such as this amendment to the employment agreement for the Interim City Manager, the City Council must publicly report a summary of the recommended compensation and benefits orally in open session.
This ensures transparency around public salaries and executive compensation.
The following should be read aloud before the City Council votes on this item:
"Before the Council considers final action on the proposed first amendment to the employment agreement for the Interim City Manager, I am providing the required summary as mandated by Government Code Section 54953(c)(3):
The term of the existing Employment Agreement is extended to December 31, 2025 subject to the appointment of a permanent City Manager
The cost -of -living adjustment provided to all employees effective July 1, 2025, in the amount of
2.5%, shall also be applicable to the Interim City Manager, retroactive to the first pay period of July 2025."
Attachment(s):
1. First Amendment to Interim City Manager Employment Agreement Approved by
ATTACHMENT 1
FIRST AMENDMENT TO INTERIM CITY MANAGER EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT This First Amendment to the Interim City Manager Employment Agreement is made and entered into as of this 1 lth day of August 2025, by and between the City of Yucaipa ("Employer") and Jennifer Crawford ("Employee"). Employer and Employee are sometimes hereinafter referred to as "Party" and hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Parties."
RECITALS
A. The Parties entered into an agreement for the position of Interim City Manager dated April 28, 2025 and effective April 1, 2025 ("Agreement"); and B. Pursuant to Section 4 of the Agreement, salary changes applied to other employees shall not apply to the Interim City Manager unless the City Council expressly so provides; and C. Employees of the City of Yucaipa received a cost -of -living adjustment of 2.5% effective the first pay period of July 2025, and the City Council desires the Interim City Manager to receive the same adjustment as all other employees; and
D. The Agreement expires on October 1, 2025 unless extended in writing by the parties; and E. To ensure continuity of operations while the City Council selects and appoints a permanent City Manager, the City Council desires to extend the term of the Interim City Manager's appointment to a maximum of December 31, 2025, subject to the earlier appointment of a permanent City Manager.
OPERATIVE PROVISIONS
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises made and recited herein, the Parties do hereby enter into this First Amendment, which modifies and amends the Agreement as follows:
1. AMENDMENT. The Agreement is hereby modified and amended as follows:
Pursuant to the Requirements of Section 4 of the Agreement: The Cost of Living Adjustment in the Amount of 2.5% applied to all other City employees effective the first pay period of July 2025 shall also be effective for the Interim City Manager retroactive to the first pay period of July 2025.
Pursuant to the Requirements of Section 6 of the Agreement: The term of the Agreement shall be extended to December 31, 2025, subject to the termination provisions of Section 7.
2. REMAINDER UNCHANGED. Except as specifically modified and amended in this First Amendment, the Agreement remains in full force and effect and binding upon the Parties.
First Amendment to Interim City Manager Employment Agreement City of Yucaipa
3. INTEGRATION. This First Amendment consists of pages 1 through 2, inclusive, which constitute the entire understanding and agreement of the Parties and supersedes all negotiations or previous agreements, including written or verbal communications between the Parties with respect to all or any part of the transaction discussed in this First Amendment.
4. SEVERABILITY. If any portion of this First Amendment is declared invalid, illegal or otherwise unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This First Amendment shall be retroactively effective July 1, 2025.
6. APPLICABLE LAW. The laws of the State of California shall govern the interpretation and enforcement of this First Amendment.
7. REFERENCES. All references to the Agreement include all their respective terms and provisions. All defined terms utilized in this First Amendment have the same meaning as provided in the Agreement, unless expressly stated to the contrary in this First Amendment.
CITY OF YUCAIPA EMPLOYEE
Jon Thorp, Mayor Jennifer Crawford, Interim City Manager ATTEST:
By:
Ana V. Sauseda, MMC
Director of General Services/City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
By:
Steven Graham Pacifico
City Attorney
First Amendment to Interim City Manager Employment Agreement City of Yucaipa