“Members of the San Gabriel Veterans Memorial Coalition with San Gabriel councilmembers at the May 5, 2026 council meeting (Photo – Screengrab)
San Gabriel’s May 5 City Council meeting blended community celebration with institutional accountability, moving from proclamations honoring veterans and AAPI residents to a candid discussion about modernizing city staffing practices under AB 2561. The session highlighted both the city’s cultural identity and the operational challenges shaping its future.
By Zamourad Iqbal
The meeting opened with an expression of appreciation for current and former members of the United States Armed Forces, including those who sacrificed their lives and the families who supported them.
San Gabriel Veterans Memorial Coalition President and CEO Michael Anthony Cervantes accepted the proclamation for Military Appreciation Month and thanked the city for recognizing veterans and for building the future monument at Plaza Park.
“I want to thank the City Council for recognizing the veterans who have served our country over many years… We have worked together not only in military service, but in community service as well… We also appreciate the fact that the City Council has recognized their importance by establishing a future monument at Plaza Park. And we’re hoping that all people here will be in attendance on that day when we start the monument,” Cervantes said.
The city also celebrated AAPI Month. Mayor Eric L. Chan highlighted the community’s diversity, the essential role of AAPI residents across sectors and local businesses, and the importance of mental health.
“San Gabriel’s population is approximately 60% Asian American and Pacific Islander… and is home to over 2,300 local businesses, with a significant proportion owned and operated by members of the AAPI community. In addition, raising awareness about the mental health of AAPI communities will foster safe spaces for discussions about self-care, conflict resolution, coping strategies, and encourages professional interest.”
San Gabriel Human Resource & Risk Management Director Edward Macias presented the 2025 staff report regarding AB 2561 compliance. AB 2561 requires cities to publicly disclose staffing vacancies, hiring timelines, and recruitment barriers, making it easier for residents to understand how efficiently their local government is filling essential positions.
Councilmember Denise Menchaca asked clarifying questions about outdated work policies.
According to Macias, policies needing updates include seniority-based shift rotations in the police and fire departments, scheduling flexibility, and broader policy modernization.
“Shift rotations are historically seniority-based. And so newer employees, when they come into the organization, will get rotated and scheduled on the least favorable schedules at a greater rate and frequency than the more senior employees… but clearly the sentiment for the public and any aspiring police officer or firefighter today is that they’ll look at that as being an equity issue,” Macias said.
Menchaca emphasized the importance of closing the communication loop for all applicants to make the process more applicant‑friendly and to improve recruitment and feedback.
City Manager Mark Lazzaretto agreed to review and standardize the process for providing timely updates to applicants, which may include interim notifications for candidates still under consideration.
“We’ll absolutely look at the process and how long it takes for each of those communications. But I think Edward hit it on the head, that last part that he just mentioned,” Lazzaretto said. “When it gets to the department and somebody gets a list of four or five candidates or however many that department gets to interview, that is sometimes where that process lingers because we may be doing a background check for the prime candidate, and we don’t necessarily want to tell candidate number two that you’re not candidate number one. We want folks to still feel like they’re in the process.”
The council will reconvene on May 19, when members are expected to continue discussions on staffing modernization and upcoming community initiatives.
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