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Aug 21, 2026

city council special

The Compton City Council held a special meeting on August 21, 2026, primarily to discuss the hiring of a new city manager. After a closed session, the council voted to approve moving forward with a professional services agreement for recruiting a city manager. The council then passed a resolution authorizing the city manager to negotiate and enter into an agreement with Bob Murray and Associates, an executive recruiting firm, for professional recruitment services for the city manager position in an amount not to exceed $35,000. Council members Spicer was absent for the votes. Council Member Darden closed the meeting by honoring the memory of community member Jermaine L. Brown.

Jul 28, 2026

city council

The Compton City Council held a public workshop on air quality concerns from the World Oil Recycling facility, where [AQMD](https://www.aqmd.gov) confirmed 8 violations and over 130 odor complaints in 2026 alone, with residents and children reporting nosebleeds, headaches, and nausea. World Oil did not attend in person, drawing sharp criticism from residents and commissioners. The council also received a presentation on a 90-day drone first responder pilot program launching August 19 at Compton Station, approved a $30,810 pipeline franchise fee review, authorized a state financing application for a [PFAS](https://www.epa.gov/pfas) water treatment plant, and approved purchasing a $127,000 remote-controlled mulching machine for city maintenance. A contentious discussion over Richland Farms permit parking enforcement ended without formal action, with the city manager directed to present a consultant selection for a citywide parking study in September.

Jul 22, 2026

charter committee

The Compton Charter Review Committee held what was originally scheduled as its final meeting on July 22, 2026, and voted unanimously to request that the City Council extend the committee's mandate through December 31, 2028, acknowledging that insufficient time was allotted for a thorough charter review. The committee also voted unanimously to hold an additional meeting on August 3 and to have the assistant city manager present their extension request at a special council meeting on August 4. During substantive charter discussions, the committee addressed sections on civil service (1100), official bonds (1200), and elections (1300), making recommendations including adding nepotism provisions, increasing bond minimums to $4 million following a prior $3.7 million theft from the treasurer's office, and mandating special elections within 90 days when council vacancies occur. Public commenters urged the committee to preserve charter protections for the Planning and Recreation and Parks Commissions and called for broader community engagement in the reform process. No charter amendments will appear on the November 2026 ballot; all recommendations are targeted for the November 2028 general election.

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

city council

The Compton City Council reconvened from closed session at 2:38 PM on July 20, 2026, with a brief public report. City Manager reported that the council conducted second-round interviews for the city controller position during closed session. The council completed the interviews and provided direction to staff on how to proceed with filling the role. The meeting was adjourned at 2:39 PM. Council members Duart, Spicer, and Mayor Cherise voted yes on procedural motions, while Council members Bowers and Darton were not recorded as responding.

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.

Jul 14, 2026

city council

The Compton City Council's July 14, 2026 meeting saw an $870,440 contract for homeless supportive services (using federal HOME ARP funds) die for lack of a second, prompting Councilwoman Darden to warn that failing to use [HUD](https://www.hud.gov) funds could jeopardize future federal allocations and request the item be brought back. Multiple residents raised concerns about an undisclosed survey sent from the city manager's office that asked residents about a warehouse tax and their opinions of specific elected officials, demanding to know how the vendor was selected, how it was funded, and why council was not informed. Special counsel presented on all-mail ballot election law, clarifying that while Compton's charter authorizes mail ballots, consolidation with county and state elections requires voting centers to remain open — though residents continued to allege widespread election fraud. The council also declared key city properties surplus land to advance commercial development, scheduled a September 15 public hearing for the Compton 2045 General Plan, and approved a three-year medical director contract for the fire department.

Jul 7, 2026

city council

The July 7, 2026 Compton City Council meeting was dominated by devastating public testimony from the family of Mia Bordenave Jenkins, a 19-year-old UNLV student killed in a July 4th mass shooting at the Wilmington Arms apartments, whose body was left uncovered on the ground for approximately 12 hours while officers and bystanders stepped over it. Councilwoman Duhart formally requested an Internal Affairs investigation into deputies' conduct, and the mayor directed staff to develop a community safety and violence prevention action plan. In closed session, the council accepted City Manager Willie Hopkins' resignation and appointed Acting City Manager Grooms as interim city manager at $334,070 annually (3-1 votes). The council certified the June 2026 election results 3-1 despite public objections, approved $137,170 to complete the long-overdue General Plan 2045 update, and postponed a ballot measure to permanently ban fireworks after learning no enforcement task force had been deployed on July 4th.

Jun 29, 2026

charter committee

The Compton Charter Review Committee reviewed Sections 700–713 of the city charter, covering the city clerk, treasurer, city attorney, city manager, and public safety leadership positions. A heated debate erupted when Commissioner Marquez proposed adopting Huntington Beach's in-person voter ID model, which Commissioner Lister called voter suppression and legal counsel confirmed had been ruled unconstitutional by a California appellate court. The committee recommended adding professional qualifications and certifications for the city clerk and city treasurer, establishing timelines for filling vacant appointed positions, and clarifying Measure CA's language on whether the appointed city attorney must be an individual or a law firm. Vice Chair Butler formally rescinded her earlier recommendation to reduce city council meetings from four to two. The HR director is scheduled to attend the July 6 meeting to address job descriptions and civil service questions raised throughout the session.

Jun 23, 2026

city council

The Compton City Council adopted the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget, which includes approximately $30 million for the sheriff's contract, new street sweepers, a vacuum truck, and a community services manager position for homeless outreach that has gone unfilled for two years despite being budgeted. The council approved $600,000 in federal HOME ARP funds to formally partner with [HOPICS](https://www.hopics.org) for homeless supportive services for the first time and authorized $2.03 million to purchase four ambulances and one paramedic squad for the fire department. The council voted to pause its membership in the California Cities for Self Reliance Joint Powers Authority after discovering the JPA had not actually joined a critical lawsuit challenging the state's ban on blackjack-style card games, potentially jeopardizing casino revenue. During discussion of extending contracts with eight outside law firms, Councilmember Bowers raised conflict-of-interest concerns about council members voting on a firm's contract after accepting holiday gifts from that firm, prompting a public exchange with the city's special legal counsel about [Form 700](https://www.fppc.ca.gov/Form700.html) reporting requirements.

Jun 15, 2026

charter committee

The Compton Charter Review Committee met on June 15, 2026, to discuss previously tabled charter sections and develop proposed amendments. The most significant debate centered on Section 504, where commissioners recommended increasing council and mayoral compensation from $600 to $3,000 per month while eliminating car allowances, cell phone stipends, and lifetime medical/dental benefits, with disagreements over whether changes should take effect immediately or be phased in with future elections. Commissioners also debated extending the 30-day residency requirement for candidates to 60 days or one year, discussed what population data source should trigger redistricting at the 100,000-resident threshold, and recommended changing redistricting criteria from 'registered voters' to 'residents.' The committee only completed Sections 500-505, falling short of its goal to cover Sections 100-700, prompting acknowledgment that additional special meetings on June 22 and 24 will be needed. Public commenters criticized the committee's rushed timeline and lack of community workshops, arguing the charter review process needs broader public engagement.

Jun 4, 2026

personnel board

The Compton Personnel Board held a special meeting on June 4, 2026, approving several routine staffing actions including eligibility lists for two assistant electrician and three office assistant positions, three temporary 90-day appointments, and the exemption of an associate civil engineer position from classified service for up to six months while recruitment continues. The board abolished the Code Enforcement Officer 2 eligibility list because those positions have been reclassified as Public Safety Supervisors, and abolished the Painter list after the top candidate fell through. The board tabled approval of October 2023 meeting minutes so newer members could review video recordings, while approving the May 2026 minutes with one abstention from newly appointed member Bryant. Board member Black raised concerns about expiring temporary payroll specialist appointments in the city controller's office and was told recruitment should be ready for the next regular meeting.

Jun 3, 2026

city council

The Compton City Council held its annual AB 2561 public hearing on workforce vacancies, with HR reporting the city's vacancy rate dropped from 27.8% to 20.1% after 136 successful hires this fiscal year. The Fire Fighters union raised concerns about 15 fire department vacancies and the loss of 239 years of combined experience from 22 departures over the past decade. Multiple residents urgently demanded action on World Oil refinery emissions near Cesar Chavez Park, citing repeated citations, a facility fire, and ongoing health effects including nosebleeds and nausea affecting families and children. A proposed memorandum of understanding with SLA Inc. for a Raymond Street Park equestrian project failed on a 2-2-1 vote after concerns about the lack of a competitive bidding process. Council Member Bowers was appointed the new Mayor Pro Tem for District 3, and the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget public hearing was rescheduled to June 16.

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 26, 2026

city council

The Compton City Council formally censured Councilman Andre Spicer for misusing the city Cal Card (purchasing card), voting 4-0 to revoke his card privileges, remove him from all committees, boards, and commissions, strip his Mayor Pro Tempore title, and refer the independent investigator's findings to the LA County Sheriff and District Attorney. The council also held a budget workshop for FY 2026-2027, presenting a proposed $83.7 million general fund with $56.5 million dedicated to public safety, including a sheriff's contract increasing to $30.5 million. Other approvals included a three-year, $525,500-per-year street name sign installation program, $150,000 for traffic calming devices including neighborhood roundabouts, and a salary schedule for unclassified employees through 2029. Residents voiced strong concerns about World Oil Recycling Center's recent fire and air violations, brown water quality, sheriff's department costs and responsiveness, and the need for better emergency communication systems.

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.

May 12, 2026

city council

At the May 12, 2026 meeting, the Compton City Council approved several key items including a $200,000 CalTrans grant to continue the city's Clean Team cleanup program, a $309,495 contract for asphalt pavement rehabilitation at various locations, a $67,500 contract for dirt removal and dumping cleanup on city-owned parcels near the 710 freeway, and an $874,908 cost-sharing agreement with the City of Carson for street improvements on Central Avenue. The council also adopted a schedule for upcoming community budget workshops across all four districts, with an additional Saturday session being explored, and scheduled a public hearing for the HUD 2026-27 Annual Action Plan on June 9. During public comment, residents raised concerns about street conditions, Republic Services trash pickup delays, transparency and financial accountability, the Compton Unified School District bond measure, and a credit card misuse investigation — with the city manager announcing that a full report and the investigator will be presented at next week's meeting.