Port Hueneme, Calif. — The Port Hueneme City Council used its Dec. 15 meeting to complete its annual reorganization and take multiple governance actions, including appointing a city attorney, adjusting a youth-sports agreement and introducing a new police canine.

Reorganization: In a roll-call vote the council elected Martha McQueen LeJeune as mayor and appointed Councilmember Hernandez as mayor pro tem. The mayoralty and pro tem posts are part of the council’s rotational reorganizational process; the votes were recorded and carried by the council during the meeting.

City attorney appointment and contract: After completing a competitive RFP, the council authorized the city manager to execute a legal services agreement with Alshire & Winder LLP and appointed Paul Early as the city attorney. City staff described the negotiated arrangement as a not-to-exceed five-year contract beginning Dec. 16, 2025, with council option to terminate earlier; the agreement sets a 40-hour monthly retainer billed at a discounted $287.50 per hour (monthly retainer $11,500), with additional hourly rates for specialized or litigation services. City Manager Vega said the retainer is "use it or lose it" and that the council will review the arrangement after six months.

Early introduced himself to the council after the vote and said he would share the resume of his proposed assistant, Darren Ziegler, and meet individually with council members before appearing on the dais on Jan. 20.

Little League renewal: Staff and Charles Peretz reviewed the Port Hueneme Little League’s experience at the renovated Bubbling Springs Park, noting increased enrollment and broader public use of the fields. Staff recommended renewing a one-year agreement with three adjustments: allow the city manager to authorize up to four one-year extensions (subject to compliance), increase weekday hours for spring and fall seasons to match demand, and permit up to a six-week seasonal field closure for maintenance. Council members expressed concerns about utility cost allocation for the snack bar and whether manager-authorized extensions would limit council oversight. Councilmember Jess Lopez moved to shorten the manager-only extension window and have the agreement return to council sooner; the council approved the renewal with the agreed modification.

K‑9 presentation: Earlier in the meeting Police Chief Frederico introduced the department’s new narcotics-detection K‑9, Gator, and handler Officer Joe Tubbs. Chief Frederico credited community fundraising (including REACH, VFW and the Osborne Family Foundation) and local sponsors for enabling the donation and noted donated veterinary support from a local clinic.

Other actions: The council enacted the consent calendar (items 1, 2, 3 and 5) and closed the meeting with a preview of the Jan. 20 agenda that includes a public hearing for the city’s annual 5K permit, a council policy manual review, playground replacement planning and a building appeals board item. The meeting adjourned at 9:01 p.m.

The council directed staff to return routine clarifications on the Little League utilities and the city attorney onboarding schedule at a future meeting.