Brief

The Mayor proposed creating a new exempt position—Hyperion Reclamation Plant Manager—within the Bureau of Sanitation. The role would oversee operations at the Hyperion treatment facility on the Los Angeles coast. The Personnel and Hiring Committee approved the proposal on January 23, 2026. Council adopted it on January 27 with a 14-0-1 vote. The file is now closed and final.

Full summary

The Mayor requested that the Hyperion Reclamation Plant Manager position within the Bureau of Sanitation be exempted from civil service rules under City Charter Section 1001(b). The exemption allows the Bureau to recruit and hire based on specialized expertise rather than through the standard civil service examination process — a recognition that the role demands highly technical and executive-level qualifications. The prior incumbent had retired in March 2024, leaving the position vacant. The position carries substantial responsibility: the manager oversees operations, engineering, capital improvements, and maintenance not only at the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant but also at three additional Bureau-operated facilities — Terminal Island, Donald C. Tillman, and LA-Glendale Water Reclamation Plants. Combined, these four plants serve the public health and environmental safety needs of much of Los Angeles, and the manager would directly supervise more than 600 employees. The Mayor's request emphasized that these are highly regulated, technically complex systems requiring a candidate with deep specialized knowledge. Under Charter Section 1001(b), the City may exempt up to 150 positions from civil service, of which 127 were already approved at the time of this request. The City Council may authorize an additional 50 exempt positions under Section 1001(b)(4); 18 of those were filled before this action. Approving this request made the Hyperion Plant Manager position the 19th filled slot in that supplemental pool of 50. The Personnel and Hiring Committee — with Councilmembers McOsker, Rodriguez, and Soto-Martinez all voting yes — approved the exemption on January 23, 2026, and forwarded it to the full Council. The Council adopted the measure on January 27 by a vote of 14-0-1. The file was finalized on January 28, formally authorizing the Bureau of Sanitation to fill the position outside of civil service requirements.

Activity (7)

• 2026-01-28 Council action final.
• 2026-01-27 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2026-01-23 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on January 27, 2026.
• 2026-01-23 Personnel and Hiring Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-01-16 Personnel and Hiring Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on January 23, 2026.
• 2026-01-05 Mayor document(s) referred to Personnel and Hiring Committee.
• 2026-01-01 Document submitted by Mayor, dated January 1, 2026.

Documents (7)

• 2026-04-27 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-04-23 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-01-28 Council Action · council_action
• 2026-01-27 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-01-23 Report from Personnel and Hiring Committee · report
• 2026-01-23 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-01-01 Report from Mayor · report