To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Heather Ruiz, Human Resources Director
Prepared By: Molly Rattigan, Community Resources and Development Director
TITLE:
Title
Appointment of Retired Annuitant Michael Walker Pursuant to Government Code Section 7522.56
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution appointing Retired Annuitant Michael Walker pursuant to Government Code Section 7522.56 and 21221(h)
Body
DISCUSSION:
In accordance with the Government Code 7522.56, the Napa City Council may appoint a retiree to a position of limited duration and may authorize an exception to the 180-day waiting period following retirement when it is necessary to fill a critically needed position sooner than 180 days. Pursuant to Government Code section 21221(h) of the Public Employees’ Retirement Law, a CalPERS retired annuitant may be appointed to a vacant position requiring specialized skills during recruitment for a permanent appointment. Such an appointment is limited to a single appointment and may not exceed 960 hours in a fiscal year. It does not require reinstatement from retirement and does not impact the retiree’s pension benefits.
The Planning Division of the Community Resources and Development Department is entering into the public recommendations phase of the Zoning Ordinance, developed from the goals in the Napa 2040 General Plan and the Sixth Cycle Housing Element. The retirement of Michael Walker, Senior Planner, on November 21, 2025, after 10 years of dedicated service created an immediate gap in the project oversight at a time when public outreach is critical.
Under the direction of the Community Resources and Development Director and the Interim Planning Manager, Mr. Walker will provide professional planning support for the City’s Zoning Ordinance Update, with a primary focus on assisting with public outreach, draft ordinance review, and documentation of community input. Mr. Walker has specialized skills and experience necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the public engagement process related to the Zoning Ordinance Update.
Responsibilities will include coordination and support for public workshops, meetings, and study sessions; supporting the distribution and presentation of draft zoning ordinance materials to the public, advisory bodies, and stakeholders; assisting with the collection, organization, and summarization of public comments and feedback received through meetings, surveys, written correspondence, and online platforms; preparing plain-language summaries, outreach materials, and presentation content to help communicate proposed zoning changes to the community; Supporting staff and consultants with meeting logistics, comment tracking, and preparation of engagement summaries for Planning Commission and City Council consideration; performing related planning and housing and administrative tasks as assigned. Mr. Walker may perform duties as assigned that are necessary to maintain essential operations during this transition.
Michael Walker will be compensated at the hourly equivalent of the top-step Senior Planner salary listed in the publicly posted salary schedule. He will receive no additional benefits or compensation. His total hours worked will not exceed the 960-hour limit in accordance with CalPERS regulations for retired annuitants.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
This appointment will be funded using salary savings in the current approved budget.
CEQA:
The Human Resources Director has determined that the Recommended Action described in this Agenda Report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution
EX A - Retired Annuitant Conditional Offer Letter - Michael Walker
NOTIFICATION:
None.