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Residents, police groups and business owners urge San Fernando council to continue support for City Manager Kenneka Keith
Summary
At a special City Council meeting called to order at 4:30 p.m., multiple residents, a small-business representative, the Police Advisory Council and the Police Officers Association publicly urged the council to continue supporting City Manager Kenneka Keith, citing neighborhood initiatives, staff morale work and a claimed preservation of more than $15 million in grant funding.
A special San Fernando City Council meeting called to order at 4:30 p.m. opened with public statements in which residents, business owners and police organizations urged the council to continue supporting City Manager Kenneka Keith.
Supporters said Keith, who first served as interim city manager beginning July 7, 2025 and was appointed permanent city manager on October 6, 2025 (as stated by a speaker), has improved employee morale, strengthened community partnerships and advanced public-safety and neighborhood programs. "She has done a marvelous job keeping the city on course while overseeing a significant budget surplus," said Lewis A. Lopez, who identified himself as a lifelong San Fernando resident. "Please consider this letter of support as we move forward in this everchanging climate."
Longtime resident Julie Quillyar listed programmatic steps she attributed to Keith's leadership: an organization assessment of the police department; professional-development opportunities and an employee-recognition program; a "Walk the Block" neighborhood initiative; a strategic plan; bus-shelter upgrades; and efforts on water-supply projects. Quillyar said those efforts included securing a state extension through 2028 and "preserving more than 15 million in grant funding," a figure she presented to the council as part of her endorsement.
A representative of the San Fernando Police Advisory Council read a letter from the council's executive board praising Keith's responsiveness and partnership with the police department and saying the city manager "has always treated PAC as a true community partner." Paul Ventamea, identified as president of the San Fernando Police Officers Association, told the council the association "strongly support[s]" Keith and highlighted what he described as a positive working relationship between the department and the city manager.
A small-business owner who addressed the council (identified in the record as Lupita Gonzalez) said local merchants have seen more customers and a cleaner downtown, but also raised past concerns about lighting and safety; the speaker framed continued leadership as important to small-business recovery. A remote caller, Flor Sanchez, told the council she had found Keith to be "professional, responsive, knowledgeable, and committed to serving the people of San Fernando."
The clerk placed on the record that Council member Mary Cordio — previously noted as absent during roll call — arrived at 4:44 p.m. The clerk also noted the council received eight written public comments via email; those written comments were to be included in the official record.
Procedurally, the council approved the special meeting agenda by voice after the motion was made and recessed into closed session following public statements. The meeting record does not show any formal public vote or employment action taken on the city manager during the open session.
The council recessed to closed session after public comments; the written public comments were added to the official record.
