Palmdale council keeps Sal Mendez as interim manager, orders search and removes clause granting automatic permanent appointment

The Palmdale City Council on Oct. 7 amended and approved an employment agreement for Sal Mendez, allowing him to remain interim city manager while directing staff to initiate a search for a permanent city manager.

Janelle Sampson, director of operations, presented the proposed employment agreement that would formalize Mendez’s interim role; the council had already appointed him to the interim position in closed session earlier. Public commenters urged a nationwide search and more vetting given recent hiring controversies. Council discussion reflected competing priorities: several members praised Mendez’s steady leadership through a turbulent period and worried about staff stability if the city left the chief executive position open for months; others argued the public had been promised a broader search and wanted a transparent process that would allow external applicants to apply.

Councilmember Andrea Alarcon proposed a plan to keep Mendez as interim while staff conducts a 30‑ to 60‑day recruitment process and to strike the contract clause that would have automatically appointed Mendez as permanent city manager on Jan. 19, 2026. The council agreed and voted to direct staff to initiate a search (national or statewide per the council’s final direction) and to allow Mendez to retain the interim title and associated benefits; the motion included striking the sentence that would have made the appointment automatic at the initial term’s expiration.

City attorney and staff explained that personnel negotiations may be reviewed in closed session; council recessed to closed session and returned with report‑outs on other investigations. The final action on the employment agreement did not lock in a permanent appointment; instead, it established an accountability path and a directive for staff to proceed with a search while maintaining continuity of city management.