SEIU 721 calls for urgent city staff vacancies filled in San Fernando

The San Fernando City Council held a Regular Meeting and Budget Study Session on June 2, 2025, addressing critical issues affecting city operations and community services. A significant focus of the meeting was the discussion surrounding the city’s vacancy report, presented by Ryan Murillo from SEIU 721, which represents city employees.

Murillo highlighted the urgent need to fill existing vacancies within the city workforce, emphasizing that the current staffing levels are insufficient to meet the community's needs. He pointed out that every unfilled position exacerbates service delivery issues across various departments, including public safety, sanitation, and administrative support. Murillo expressed concern that the remaining staff are facing increased workloads, leading to burnout and higher turnover rates, which ultimately costs the city more money and destabilizes operations.

In addition to the vacancy concerns, the council also considered an outreach letter to the Mexican consulate, which was supported by community member Ricardo Benitez. He recalled the positive impact of previous outreach efforts, suggesting that such initiatives could help many residents with essential paperwork. Benitez also proposed the idea of displaying photographs of council members to enhance community engagement and suggested recognizing June as Father's Month, similar to Mother's Day, to honor fathers in the community.

The discussions during the meeting underscored the importance of addressing staffing shortages and enhancing community outreach efforts. The council's next steps will likely involve reviewing strategies to fill vacancies and considering the proposed outreach initiatives to better serve the residents of San Fernando.