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Cerritos council keeps building and safety contract with Los Angeles County after heated debate
Summary
The Cerritos City Council voted 3-2 on Sept. 8 to continue contracting building and safety services with the County of Los Angeles, rejecting proposals from two private firms that said they could speed plan‑check turnaround times.
The Cerritos City Council voted 3-2 on Sept. 8 to continue contracting building and safety services with the County of Los Angeles, rejecting proposals from two private firms that said they could speed plan-check turnaround times.
City staff told the council the county currently provides five on‑site personnel dedicated to Cerritos and that the county plan‑check time frame for standard projects is "approximately 4 to 6 weeks." Advanced Planning Manager Sabrina Chan presented a side‑by‑side comparison showing estimated annual costs of roughly $980,000 for the county, $1.3 million for Willdan Engineering (hourly billing), and about $2.0 million for TransTech Engineers (hourly plus a percentage of plan‑check revenue). Chan also noted that, per county staff, if Cerritos terminates the county contract it would not be able to return to county services in the future.
Proponents of privatization — represented in public comment by Melissa DeMerci of TransTech and by Willdan representatives — argued private firms could reduce review times. "Our quick turnaround times range from 3 days to 15 business days," TransTech principal Melissa DeMerci told the council, adding that off‑site reviewers included in TransTech's proposal would make faster reviews possible. Willdan representatives said their proposal used hourly rates and that they would work with the city on a fee model.
Several council members and residents said long review times have caused hardship. Resident Jeff Goldenberg told the council his household's residential rebuild "took us 6 months," and attendees described frequent phone and email delays at the planning counter. Community Development Director Kristen Aguila and Chan said the city's planning division also had temporary staffing shortfalls that contributed to delays and that the city is recruiting for vacant positions and completing a year‑long upgrade to its permitting platform.
City staff said the county partnership yields some nonbilled services and institutional knowledge: county employees assigned to Cerritos have historically stayed long‑term and handle inspections, plan check and on‑site permits. Staff also warned that TransTech's proposed revenue‑sharing model would create a projected annual deficit of about $400,000 under the city's FY 24‑25 fee and revenue assumptions.
After discussion the council split 3-2 in favor of staying with the county. Staff members said that if council later directs termination of county services the decision would be effectively irreversible and would require a budget amendment to accommodate higher contract costs if a private firm is chosen.
Councilmembers and staff asked for follow‑up work on staffing and the permitting software upgrade; Mayor Frank Yokoyama and others asked staff to return with clarifying cost and workload figures before any future change of service provider.
