During this week’s San Fernando City Council meeting, the City Manager Kanika Kith publicly announced her impending departure in early December, and the new director of the city’s Public Works Department addressed the councilmembers and city staff.
“I’m committed to working very closely with the council [and] with my community to improve our infrastructure, deliver quality public service and improve the quality of life of our citizens,” said Armen Avazian, who previously worked as principal civil engineer for the city of Glendale for more than 18 years, and has over 25 years of engineering and public works experience.
“I’m also committed to working with the city leadership, executives and my public works team to provide them the tools and resources that they need to succeed,” added Avazian.
Kith, who held the city’s top position for only a year, publicly addressed previously reported news regarding her acceptance of a new position as city manager for Rosemead. Her final day in the City of San Fernando will be Dec. 4; she is set to begin in Rosemead on Dec. 7.
“Leaving was not an easy decision, but the opportunity to become city manager in Rosemead is one I felt I must pursue,” said Kith, who worked for the City of San Fernando for five years. She was appointed city manager in October 2025, a few months after the previous city manager, Nick Kimball, stepped down.
“Rosemead is a community where my family has been connected for many years, which makes this chapter especially meaningful for me,” she said.
Kith’s resignation will leave two major city positions to fill – her seat as city manager and the chief of the San Fernando Police Department (SFPD), a post currently held by interim SFPD Chief Anthony Miranda.
The city has been challenged to find suitable candidates in the past and has had long periods of transition. Who will run the city next is a major question for residents and business owners.
Solorio Appointed ICA President
At Monday’s meeting, members of the City Council congratulated fellow Councilmember Mary Solorio on recently being appointed as president of the Independent Cities Association (ICA), a nonprofit organization that represents approximately 40 cities across Southern California.
Solorio was sworn in as ICA president by U.S. Congresswoman Luz Rivas during a ceremony last week.
Flock Cameras in the City
Like a growing number of other cities and law enforcement agencies, the City of San Fernando and the local police department currently utilize Flock Safety surveillance cameras – referred to as automated license plate readers (ALPRs) – at various sites across the city. They are often installed at traffic intersections, in shopping centers and at highway ramps to help identify cars involved in suspected crimes.
But people are increasingly raising privacy concerns about the escalating use of Flock cameras because they obtain data from all passing vehicles, not just from those involved in crimes or crashes. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) maintains that Flock cameras violate constitutional privacy rights, and have no proven public safety benefits. There is public concern that Flock cameras create an atmosphere of mass surveillance.
One of those concerned people is a City of San Fernando resident – identified only as “E.Q.” – who addressed the council during public comments.
“I’m calling on the City Council, on behalf of … 50-plus other people that submitted public comments today, to cancel the city’s contract with Flock and not pursue future ALPR contracts,” he said, claiming that the SFPD “has already identified new ways to meet grant requirements and terminate Flock entirely without cost.”
The San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol reached out to Kith for comment and to request information about current or future ALPR contracts, but she did not reply.
