Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Personnel Recruitment Vacancies topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City of Sonoma holds required AB 2561 hearing; staff reports low vacancy rate after reorganization
Summary
At a public hearing required by Assembly Bill 2561, staff reported on 2024 vacancies and recruitment: the city began 2024 with 44.5 full-time equivalents, had a 7% turnover rate, and ended the year with four vacancies (under 10%). Staff said reorganization, new positions and automation drove a short-term vacancy spike.
The City of Sonoma held a public hearing on May 21 to meet the requirements of Assembly Bill 2561 and to report the city’s 2024 vacancies, recruitment and retention efforts.
Jenny Yankovich, assistant to the city manager, opened the item and said, “This is a public hearing to ensure the city of Sonoma's compliance with assembly bill 25 61,” noting the law took effect January 1, 2025 and requires an annual public hearing before budget adoption.
Yankovich reported that the city began calendar year 2024 with 44.5 full-time-equivalent positions, 30 of which were represented by SEIU, and five vacancies at the start of the year. A vacancy spike occurred between March and June tied to a departmental reorganization and retirements. Yankovich said leadership combined two departments, added a dedicated chief building official and created a cemeteries manager position; the combination of retirements and new recruitments produced a short-term increase in vacancies.
By year-end the city had filled seven positions (three represented by SEIU and four administrative/managerial roles) and recorded a turnover rate of 7 percent for the year. Yankovich said the city finished the reporting period with four vacancies, “less than a 10% vacancy rate,” and that recruitment pipelines were active for several roles: parks-and-rec director shortlists, an administrative assistant (recently filled), and a permit technician recruitment in progress.
During council questions, Vice Mayor Ron Welander asked for clarification on the specific vacancies; staff said the March–June vacancies included a plans examiner, a maintenance worker and a senior maintenance worker and that two of those positions had been filled by July. Gates and Yankovich added that automation of the permitting system and reorganization had reduced the baseline need for a full-time plans examiner in the short term and helped improve permit turnaround times.
Council members asked several questions about the new AB 2561 reporting requirement and about the city’s efforts to limit long-term vacancies. Council discussion noted structural challenges in recruiting in an expensive housing market but concluded that recent reorganizations and hiring actions left the city in a stronger position entering fiscal 2025–26.
No formal vote was required on the report; the hearing satisfied the AB 2561 presentation requirement and will inform budget deliberations.
