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Jul 21, 2026

city council

The Compton City Council again delayed a decision on awarding $870,000 in [HUD](https://www.hud.gov)/ARPA funds to the Empowering Reach Foundation, a nonprofit that only incorporated in 2024, after multiple council members raised concerns about the organization's legitimacy, lack of local presence, and questioned why established Compton-based organizations were not chosen instead. The council directed staff to return next week with a recommendation that could split the funds among multiple organizations from the original RFP respondent list. In other action, the council unanimously approved $524,177 for Johnson Controls to replace a failing cooling tower at City Hall, with a temporary system to provide relief within days, and council members personally donated money to cover costs for the repass of July 4th shooting victim Eric Washington. A proposed $3,810 pipeline franchise review was tabled after a council member requested the consultant attend to answer questions. Public commenters raised concerns about World Oil environmental impacts, sheriff's department transparency and staffing, and the need for youth gang intervention over homeless spending.

Jul 20, 2026

charter committee

The Compton Charter Review Committee continued its section-by-section review of the city charter on July 20, 2026, debating changes to the Planning Commission, Personnel Board, and Recreation and Parks Commission. Key recommendations included requiring each commission to have one member from each council district with the mayor selecting one at-large member, adding professional qualifications for commissioners, and mandating that all discretionary development entitlements receive Planning Commission approval before going to council. Commissioner Baker's proposal to remove the Parks and Recreation Commission from the charter sparked the meeting's most heated debate, with multiple commissioners and public speakers arguing removal could jeopardize Compton's charter city status; Baker ultimately withdrew the recommendation pending further research. The committee voted unanimously to adjourn early at 7:00 PM and continue deliberations at a special meeting on Wednesday.

Jul 15, 2026

charter committee

The Compton Charter Review Committee heard testimony from Interim HR Director Taquan Jones, who explained city hiring processes, the personnel board's role, and urged the committee to modernize the outdated charter, noting it 'hamstrings' HR operations. Commissioners recommended adding the Charter Review Committee and Public Safety Commission as permanently required boards in Section 1000, debated whether to keep the Recreation and Parks Commission, and discussed establishing term limits for both commissioners and elected officials. The committee voted unanimously to table remaining Section 1000 discussion to address other agenda items, including Commissioner Lister's proposals on elected official term limits and mandatory public budget processes. Multiple residents urged the committee not to rush charter reform to meet an August ballot deadline, with one submitting a proposed 18-month timeline, while public correspondence from four community members was formally received and will be posted online.

Jun 24, 2026

charter committee

The Compton Charter Review Committee continued its section-by-section review of the city charter, focusing on the 600 series covering city council and mayoral powers, meeting procedures, and ordinance publication. The committee voted unanimously to reopen Sections 600 and 601 for discussion, with commissioners calling for the mayor's duties to be clearly defined beyond vague 'ceremonial purposes,' citing comparable cities that include policy leadership and legislative responsibilities. Vice Chair Butler recommended reducing city council meetings from four per month to two, though Commissioner Marquez cautioned that voters recently rejected this same proposal. Commissioners also recommended reorganizing Section 606, which combines quorum rules with council powers into one dense paragraph, and called for charter language requiring ordinances and legal notices to be published on the city website and social media in addition to a clearly identified official newspaper. Section 500 on council compensation was held over to the July 6th meeting when the HR director will attend to answer pending questions.

Jun 1, 2026

charter committee

The Charter Review Committee completed its initial review of Compton's city charter sections 1200 through 1700, voting unanimously to table the vast majority of sections for future discussion and potential revision, while keeping only a handful as-is. The committee confirmed additional special meeting dates on June 15, 22, 24, and 29 to begin substantive discussions on tabled items, and announced that the city council has agreed to extend the committee's deadline through late July. Commissioner Gideon formally requested that the committee's term be extended beyond its current less-than-one-year lifespan, arguing the short timeline has historically prevented meaningful charter reform. A member of the public raised concerns that meetings are not being prominently live-streamed or posted on the city's social media, and staff committed to improving visibility. A mandatory citywide ethics and [Brown Act](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=54950.) training for all commissioners and council members was announced for June 27.

May 19, 2026

city council

Attorney David Fleischman presented findings from an investigation into the city's credit card program, concluding that four council members' usage was consistent with policy while Council Member Spicer's usage included charges outside the policy and purchases lacking backup documentation. Mayor Sharif moved to refer the matter to the police department and District Attorney's office, but the vote (3 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain) failed to reach the two-thirds threshold required for a same-night agenda addition; the item will be agendized for next week. The council held public hearings on the $4.2 million Landscape and Lighting Assessment and the $925,575 Sewer Service Charge Assessment for FY 2026-2027, with no rate increases in either. The council unanimously approved a $4.79 million cost-sharing agreement with LA County for the Compton Boulevard resurfacing project, and Compton College President Dr. Keith Curry reported the new fire academy is on track to open in fall 2026.

Apr 16, 2026

personnel board

The Compton Personnel Board unanimously approved eligible lists for seven city positions, including 13 firefighter vacancies focused on paramedic-certified candidates narrowed from nearly 200 applicants. The board also approved three temporary appointments, abolished six outdated eligible lists, and granted temporary exemptions from classified service for three positions in the Water and General Services departments. HR Director Jones acknowledged an oversight in failing to bring an exempt appointment before the board previously and apologized for the lapse. Battalion Chief Jason Henderson was recognized for commanding the response to a major fire at a metal processing facility that drew national news coverage, and board members urged city leadership to prioritize inspections of high-risk industrial buildings.

Apr 7, 2026

city council

The council's two largest expenditure approvals were a combined $1,129,333 to Savi Construction, Inc. — structured as an $847,000 three-year citywide red curb painting contract plus a separate $282,333 first-year purchase order to the same vendor — approved 5-0 with Councilmember Bowers voting yes while stating 'reluctantly'; and a $801,642 two-year sole-source lease with Flock Safety, Inc. for 74 automatic license plate readers and 37 PTZ cameras, approved 5-0 despite opposition from at least four public speakers who cited privacy concerns, potential conflicts with California's SB 34 and SB 54, and the sole-source designation of the contract. The consent agenda — which included a $62,100 contract to Mariposa Eco Consulting for SB 1383 implementation, acceptance of a $32,208 LA Dodgers Foundation grant paired with a $24,000 contract to Harold Johnson (an amount that sits just below the $25,000 council approval threshold), and two sets of meeting minutes — passed 5-0 after item 7, a $5,662 Grainger purchase order for portable evaporative coolers at Wilson Park Gymnasium, was pulled for separate discussion and then approved 5-0. At the close of the meeting, following a reconvened closed session, council reported that the city manager was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. Item 12, a discussion on facilities honoring Cesar Chavez, received no council direction and died; item 11, scheduling public hearings for the FY 2026-27 budget, was tabled to be returned with printed dates.

Mar 19, 2026

personnel board

The Compton Personnel Board unanimously approved six items at its March 19, 2026 meeting, with the most significant being the authorization of temporary firefighter appointments to address a severe staffing shortage in the fire department. Fire Chief Donald reported 10 current vacancies across captain, engineer, and firefighter ranks, with retired fire captains and firefighter paramedics being brought in temporarily while the department works to fill 20 positions. The board also approved eligible lists for city clerk technician, street maintenance supervisor, and associate civil engineer positions, abolished a building inspector eligible list due to unsuitable candidates, and extended the fire captain eligible list for six months. Compton College's upcoming fire academy, expected to launch in fall 2026, was noted as a future pipeline for local firefighter recruitment.

Mar 17, 2026

city council

The council's largest spending action was approving Road Repair Project Phase IX, which encompasses a $5.58 million contract with Hardy & Harper, Inc. for construction and six separate line items to Bowman Infrastructure Engineers Ltd. totaling approximately $1.22 million for construction management and inspection services; the council voted specifically on a Bowman contract amendment stated in the resolution as $204,116.70, passing 4-0-1 with one abstention unnamed in the record — Bowman also held a $257,977 construction management contract approved in October 2024 for the same project type, and that identical figure reappears among the current Bowman line items. The council also approved a $98,375 contract with [Selbert Perkins Design](https://selbertperkins.com/) for municipal branding and marketing consulting services, 5-0 after council discussion; the amount falls $1,625 below the $100,000 approval threshold. The full consent agenda — including a $250,000 recurring purchase order with Springbrook Holding Company LLC for utility billing software (a vendor the city has paid continuously since at least 2009, when comparable orders were under $52,000), $182,182 to the LA Gateway Region Integrated Regional Water Management JPA for water quality monitoring, and $63,112 to Advanced Compliance Engineering for fuel pump maintenance — passed 5-0 without discussion. More than fifteen residents addressed the council during public comment on non-spending matters including pothole damage claims, parking enforcement disputes, and code enforcement concerns; no members of the public spoke to any of the spending items on the agenda.

Mar 10, 2026

city council

The council's two largest spending approvals at the March 17, 2026 meeting were a $204,116.70 amendment to an existing professional services agreement with Bowman Infrastructure Engineers Ltd. for additional construction management and inspection on road repair project phase nine—passed with four affirmative votes and one abstention—and a contract not to exceed $98,375 with Silbert Perkins Design for municipal branding and marketing consulting, passed 5-0; the Silbert Perkins amount sits $1,625 below $100,000, which analysts typically flag as a potential threshold-adjacent figure, though Compton's specific contract approval threshold is not stated in the meeting materials. Bowman Infrastructure Engineers is a repeat vendor on a multi-phase road project, with this item adding funds to an existing agreement whose original contract value is not disclosed in the available materials. A Special Legal Counsel Authorization Resolution (Item 2 on the structured agenda) was also approved as part of the consent agenda, 5-0, with no dollar amount appearing in the available materials. More than fifteen residents addressed the council during public comment on non-spending matters—including pothole damage reimbursement denials, parking enforcement disputes, code enforcement complaints, and questions about commissioner eligibility to run for office—while no members of the public addressed either the Bowman or Silbert Perkins spending items before those votes were taken.

Feb 10, 2026

city council

No new spending was approved at this meeting; the sole action item was the appointment of Sandra Lightner to the one vacant Beautification Committee seat designated for Councilmember Bowers to fill, approved 4-0 with Councilmember Spicer absent and no dollar amount attached. The city treasurer's FY26 Second Quarterly Investment Report — an informational receive-and-file item, not a spending decision — reported a $312.18M investment portfolio generating $3.01M in total interest revenue for the quarter, drawn from the General Fund ($1.19M), PERS ($890,903), Measure P ($376,350), the Successor Agency ($347,864), and Low Cost Housing ($201,513). Approximately twenty-two residents addressed the council during public comment, the majority focused on the Richland Farms preferential permit parking program; the city manager stated the program was erroneously suspended by a former city attorney, that the current ordinance enforces parking restrictions 24/7 with no time-of-day limits unlike surrounding cities, and that staff would return the following week with amendment options — no vote was taken on the ordinance. No repeat vendors, split payments, or threshold-adjacent amounts appear in the approved items because no spending was authorized.

Jan 13, 2026

city council

The council's largest spending approval was a $350,000 budget amendment appropriating California DOJ tobacco enforcement grant funds — $332,000 of that amount designated for overtime — passed 4-1 with Bowers dissenting; the council also approved a $220,493 contract amendment with NV5, Inc. for the Wilmington Avenue pedestrian and bicycle project (5-0) and an $82,500 grant administration agreement with Corelink Consulting (5-0, voted in a block with items 10 and 11). Three separate consent-calendar items each totaled exactly $50,000: a purchase order to TV Pro Gear, Inc. for council meeting production equipment (5-0), a purchase order to TAJ Trading Corporation DBA TAJ Office and School Supply for small business workshop supplies (4-0-1, Bowers abstaining, after two public commenters stated the recipient businesses were not identified in the agenda package), and a purchase order to Sherwin-Williams for anti-graffiti paint (5-0, in the block vote) — three contracts at an identical dollar amount spanning different departments and vendors. The meeting also included approval of $54,716 in recurring annual fees to the State Water Resources Control Board and $9,900 in Charter Review Committee stipends (both 5-0), while the March 2025 minutes were tabled due to the packet not being included. Outside of spending, the council voted 5-0 in open session to recruit a city controller following closed session, received and filed Bishop Guillory's resignation from the Public Safety Commission (5-0), denied Commissioner Inez Adkins a six-month leave of absence (5-0), and heard competing presentations from Oliveras Madruga, Nassiman LLP, and Sanders Roberts for special legal counsel services, with no contract awarded at this meeting.

Dec 23, 2025

city council

The council's largest spending approval was $884,333 to Greenfields Outdoor Fitness Inc. for Greenleaf Parkway outdoor fitness equipment, passed 5-0; the city manager noted the contract contained a copy-paste error naming Fig & Oleander Park instead of Greenleaf Parkway and stated staff would correct it before signing. Three additional action items passed 5-0: $243,663 to Innovative Playgrounds Co., Inc. for Fig & Oleander Park playground work; $214,977 to End Point Wireless Inc. for security cameras at five parks; and $173,431 to JMC2 Engineering + Surveying for a second amendment to an engineering services agreement at the Alameda–State Route 91 corridor. On consent (5-0, no item-level discussion), the council approved $210,208 to WestNet, Inc. for a fire alerting system and $70,000 (recurring) to Waxie Enterprises for equipment and supplies; pulled from consent for separate 5-0 votes were $250,000 (recurring) to Oppenheimer Investigations Group, Norman A. Traub & Associates, and Jackson Lewis P.C. for investigation and legal services — the city manager stated existing vendors were over capacity — and $86,420 (recurring) to ESRI plus $46,359 to Versatile for GIS software, with Versatile's amount sitting just below the $50,000 council approval threshold; the State Water Resources Control Board collected $57,543 across two separate consent line items ($36,393 for a stormwater permit fee and $21,150 for a sewer overflow permit fee, both recurring). Approximately twelve members of the public addressed the council during general public comment, with multiple speakers demanding censure of Councilmember Spicer over credit card use currently under active DA investigation, several disputing the terms of the city attorney's departure settlement, and Richland Farms residents requesting postponement of preferential parking enforcement pending production of District 3 records.

Dec 16, 2025

city council

The council's only spending approval was Item 5: $1,487.96 in General Fund expenditures for travel to the League of California Cities Mayor and Council Members Academy in Sacramento (January 21–23, 2026), structured as four separate line items — $675.00 payable to League of California Cities and three additional amounts of $508.96, $229.00, and $75.00 with no named vendors — approved 4-0, with Spicer absent. The city attorney publicly described a $200,000 settlement with former city official Eric Perrodin resolving two cross-litigation matters, but those agenda items were classified as informational and no open-session vote was recorded. Approximately 30 residents signed up for public comment; the dominant issue was opposition to the Richland Farms preferential parking ordinance, with multiple speakers citing the city's own code provision requiring 50% resident permit uptake before enforcement signs may be installed and stating that only roughly 40 of more than 400 homes had applied. Two speakers read California Penal Code 424 — covering misappropriation of public funds — into the record and formally noticed the city manager and all four council members regarding credit card charges attributed to Councilman Spicer; the mayor stated the investigation is ongoing and that the council has no control over its timeline.

Nov 18, 2025

city council

The council voted 5-0 to approve the consent agenda, which included a $50,000 contract with TV Pro Gear, Inc. for council meeting video services; before the vote, Councilmember Darden questioned costs and the city manager confirmed approximately $49,875 had already been expended at roughly $5,800 per meeting, meaning the contract amount was nearly exhausted at the moment of approval — three additional recurring personnel items passed on the same 5-0 consent vote without further discussion: a Grants Director position (up to $132,457 annually), an amended Maintenance Worker Trainee classification ($41,912), and a new Receptionist Clerk position ($38,003). On action items, the council voted 5-0 to authorize $214,730 in CDBG funds for the Clean Team employment training program, covering approximately ten temporary positions at $20.15 per hour, and voted 5-0 to accept $192,729 in state tobacco enforcement grant funds with $173,621 in authorized expenditures. No new spending was approved during the public hearing on potential reallocation of approximately $7.5 million in unspent federal CDBG and HOME funds dating back to 2018 — six residents spoke, raising questions about delayed fund deployment, park conditions, and toxic site remediation, and staff was directed to return with revised proposals. During general public comment, multiple speakers raised concerns about a city credit card charge linked to Councilmember Spicer; Spicer stated the charge was for a June event featuring a performer named Jason Martin, not a medical provider.

Oct 28, 2025

city council

The two largest items on the October 28, 2025 agenda—a $65.87 million payment to CalPERS from the Retirement Trust Fund (Item 3) and a $143,270 consulting contract with The Natelson Dale Group, Inc. for an Economic Development Strategic Plan (Item 5)—were tabled before any vote was taken. The consent agenda passed 5-0, approving $50,000 to Grainger for Public Works supplies and $43,092 to Nunez Office Installation DBA NOI Installations for Water Department furniture paid from the Water Fund. A resolution declaring certain city properties surplus under the Surplus Land Act passed 5-0 with no recorded discussion; the Successor Agency adopted a parallel resolution also 5-0 in the session immediately following. The Natelson Dale Group, Inc. appears in four line items across two agenda items totaling $429,810—with amounts of $143,270, $128,360, and $14,910 in one item and $143,270 in the other—a repeat-vendor and split-payment pattern residents should track, particularly given that the transcript records no vote on either Natelson Dale item. A pre-meeting public workshop on the city's unfunded accrued pension liability was informational only and produced no spending vote; approximately six members of the public spoke, including former city clerk Charles Davis, who urged the council not to act on any pension prepayment without broader analysis of all three CalPERS fund components.