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Palmdale council appoints Salvador Mendes as city manager after contested review of late-delivered background summary
Summary
The Palmdale City Council voted 3–2 on March 3 to approve an employment agreement for Salvador Mendes as city manager amid objections about a confidential background summary that several council members said arrived too late for closed-session review.
Palmdale’s City Council voted 3–2 on March 3 to approve an employment agreement for Salvador Mendes as city manager after a heated debate over a background-investigation summary that council members said was delivered late and raised procedural concerns.
The council approved a two-year employment agreement setting Mendes’s annual salary at $345,000, a $500 monthly vehicle allowance, a $2,000 annual technology allowance, standard benefits and a 12-month severance if terminated without cause. City staff said Mendes passed the background review carried out by Curry Investigations Inc.; the investigator’s summary, however, was emailed to council late the night before the meeting.
Several council members urged that the confidential report be discussed in closed session before any vote. “We get this email Monday, March 2, 9:34 p.m. with the report saying that there are privacy concerns and we can’t talk about it, and we’re expected to award the single most important position in the city today,” Council Member Bishop said during public debate, urging a delay for closed-session review.
Supporters cited Mendes’s recent performance in the interim role. Business owner and public commenter David Harris told the council he had seen Mendes “take my calls, willing to give me the time I need” and described staff morale as positive. A council member who moved the final motion said the city workforce needed stability and that Mendes had shown steady leadership during his interim service.
After the failed motion to return the item to closed session, the council approved the employment contract 3–2. The ballot included a public breakdown of compensation and the term; the council also directed staff to follow standard onboarding and reporting procedures.
The appointment concluded months of recruitment activity and follow-up background checks. Several council members said they want clearer procedures for timing and review of sensitive background material in future recruitments to avoid last-minute disclosures that prevent closed-session discussion.
The council’s closed-session report later that night did not indicate additional personnel votes related to this appointment.
