Council committee notes CAO/RAP pay comparison for park and film monitors, requests follow-up on incentives and eligibility

At a special meeting, a Los Angeles City Council committee reviewed a joint report from the Office of the City Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) comparing wages, permit activity and revenues for the city's park activity monitors and FilmLA film monitors and voted to note and file the report with a request for follow-up analysis.

The report, prepared under Council File 23-1228, found the city's park activity monitors are currently paid $25.12 per hour, with a scheduled increase to $26.12 on June 29, 2025. The CAO's presentation also said FilmLA monitor staff earn, on average, about $26.83 per hour. The joint report compared the number of permits and filming activities at RAP-managed wrap properties and summarized revenue trends for 2022–2024.

Why it matters: RAP administers more than 15,700 acres of parkland and collects permit fees that fund monitoring and staffing for film shoots. Declining permit activity and film-related revenue reduce funds available for site maintenance and the cost recovery that pays monitor wages, department staff told the committee.

Key findings reported by the CAO and RAP included: RAP-managed wrap-property permits fell from 1,649 in calendar year 2022 to 1,121 in 2023, with 746 permits recorded as of Aug. 31, 2024. The report said there were about 2,048 filming activities at wrap properties in 2022, 1,470 in 2023 and 1,075 as of Aug. 31, 2024. RAP reported film-related revenues of $973,068 in 2022, $730,426 in 2023 and $510,000 through Aug. 31, 2024.

Mindy Petongsana of the Office of the CAO summarized the report and its scope: "The current hourly rate for the city's park activity monitors is $25.12 with a scheduled increase to $26.12 on 06/29/2025," she said. Petongsana told the committee the report includes a comparison of wages and a forecast of 2024 film activity and projected revenue, and that the recommendations are informational—recommended to be noted and filed.

RAP Assistant General Manager Brenda Guerra answered operational questions from committee members about hiring status and the MOU. "Per the MOU, the way that it's negotiated is that all staff is brought on as intermittent. If they complete 1,000 hours of service within a calendar year, then they become halftime exempt," Guerra said. Committee members asked the department to report back with analysis of how many permits and what level of activity would be required for monitors to reach that 1,000-hour threshold.

Committee members pressed RAP and the CAO on the budget and on strategies to attract filming. RAP staff said the fees charged for film services are intended to be cost-recovery for the department and that pricing has not been raised in almost nine years. RAP staff also said they have not undertaken a deep dive on city-level incentive models beyond state tax credits but agreed to provide additional research on incentive models other cities use.

During public comment, Ada Murillo, vice president of AFSCME Local 3090, urged better treatment and comparable wages for the film monitors assigned to film shoots. "I am with AFSCME Local 3090 vice president, and I'm here to represent the park activity monitors," Murillo said. Chuck Trujillo, who identified himself as working at Dodger Stadium, said FilmLA monitors earn more than the city's monitors and urged the committee to consider that in negotiations.

Outcome and direction: The committee voted to note and file the report as informational and approved an amendment requesting two follow-up items: (1) additional research on incentive models other cities use to attract film production and (2) an analysis of how many permits or level of activity would be required for park activity monitors to attain halftime exempt status under the MOU. The final recorded vote on item 5 was three ayes and the item was "approved as amended."

Votes at a glance: - Items 1–4, 6 and 7 (consent): publishing agreements for Angel City Press authors (items 1–3), reappointment of Valerie Shaw to the Board of Library Commissioners (item 4), a memorandum of understanding with the Campo de Cahuenga Historical Memorial Association and categorical CEQA exemption (item 6), and setting operating hours for Keswick Pocket Park in North Hollywood (item 7) were taken on consent and approved earlier in the meeting (recorded roll call: Councilmember Gerardo—yes; Councilmember Hernandez—yes; Councilmember Nazarian—absent; outcome recorded as approved). Specific contract numbers or detailed terms were not specified in the meeting record read into the public record. - Item 5 (CAO/RAP joint report on park activity monitors and FilmLA comparison): noted and filed as amended; motion to note and file carried (final recorded vote: 3 ayes; outcome: approved as amended). No mover or seconder was stated on the record.

Next steps and context: The committee instructed staff to return with the requested research on incentive models and the permit/activity analysis tied to the 1,000-hour halftime exemption. RAP staff said they will provide the follow-up report and additional details on coordination with other city departments and industry partners.

The committee meeting was convened as a special meeting, and staff noted that only comments on agenda items were accepted during the public-comment portion of the session.