REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Michael E. Gates, City Attorney
VIA: Travis K. Hopkins, Acting City Manager
PREPARED BY: Jennifer Carey, Deputy City Manager
Subject:
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Recommendation to Approve and Adopt Resolution No. 2025-08 Appointing Chief Assistant City Attorney Michael J. Vigliotta to the Position of City Attorney for the City of Huntington Beach
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Statement of Issue:
Michael E. Gates will be resigning from his position as City Attorney for the City of Huntington Beach to accept a position with the United States Department of Justice. Per Section 312 of the City Charter, a vacancy in an office designated as elective by the City Charter shall be filled by appointment by the City Council. The City Council is requested to appoint Chief Assistant City Attorney Michael J. Vigliotta to the position of City Attorney upon Michael E. Gates vacating the office of City Attorney.
Financial Impact:
Some salary cost savings will be realized. The City Attorney position is funded in the current fiscal year budget.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
A) Appoint Chief Assistant City Attorney Michael J. Vigliotta to the position of City Attorney for the City of Huntington Beach; and,
B) Approve and adopt Resolution No. 2025-08, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach Setting the Salary Rate and Assigning Certain Benefits for the Appointed City Attorney.”
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not approve, and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael E. Gates has announced that he will be resigning from his position to accept a position with the United States Department of Justice. In the instance of an elected official vacating their position, Section 312 of the City Charter states that the position shall be filled by appointment by the City Council. The City Council is requested to appoint Chief Assistant City Attorney Michael J. Vigliotta to the position of City Attorney upon Michael E. Gates vacating the office of City Attorney.
Michael J. Vigliotta served the City of Huntington Beach as Chief Assistant City Attorney for nearly two decades. During his tenure with Huntington Beach, Mr. Vigliotta has been involved in countless challenging and high-profile projects relating to State housing mandates, land use, and labor negotiations. He has also held the position of City Attorney for the City of Orange.
Environmental Status:
This action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Non Applicable - Administrative Item
Attachment(s):
1. Resolution No. 2025-08, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach Setting the Salary Rate and Assigning Certain Benefits for the Appointed City Attorney.”