This election year there are three seats up for election and one will assuredly have a new face: my own seat in what is now known as District 2. I am retiring as a councilmember after 20 years of elected service to the City of Citrus Heights.

There are many projects I have been part of as a member of the Citrus Heights City Council that are very visible, from new shopping centers, to forming our own police department, the construction of our community center and new city hall, to name a few.  While those projects are highly visible, some of the things I’ve helped along the way are less visible; projects like the Sayonara Youth Center, the Citrus Heights Community Garden, getting the Verner neighborhood a Citrus Heights address with the post office, working with the Chapel View Homeowner’s Association to solve a substantial sewer issue, and working with a property owner and staff to resolve an old lot line issue so they could sell their deceased mother’s property.

Some of the projects I was involved in as a councilmember might not sound exciting, but it made a big difference in the lives of the people involved. And that is the greatest satisfaction this role provides; the ability to create and be a part of positive change in our community, sometimes person by person. It’s not the stuff of big headlines, but it touches people’s lives on a personal level.

Serving Citrus Heights on the city council was an unexpected calling; I wasn’t looking for it, but it found me when I least expected it. I never thought my life path would take me in this direction but looking back it has been one of my greatest honors to serve.

People have asked me over the years the secret to my longevity, and I tell them that I did my best to avoid politics, but rather chose to stay in the arena of public service, and to the best of my ability, put the city’s interests above my own, regardless of any personal fallout.

Local leadership in Citrus Heights has never been more important than now when our community sits at the beginning of a fresh new chapter to write. We recently closed a hefty chapter that included a pandemic and a long stretch of limited fiscal resources. I am so proud of our resilience and how we took care of each other during that time.  On this fresh new page, we are beginning to write an exciting story line for our next chapter that includes new leadership, renewed resources, and big goals to enhance our community image and increase our community connection now that we are emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.  We need engaged citizens on our city council to help write the next part of the Citrus Heights story.

If, like I was, you are called to explore service to your community as a city councilmember, there are a couple of things you should keep in mind:

First, the candidate filing period is Monday, July 18 through Friday, August 12, 2022 for the next general municipal election on November 8, 2022; Second, during that period, candidate nomination packets will be available for pick up from the city clerk. All candidates are required to make an appointment with City Clerk Amy Van in order to receive their candidate nomination packets; Third, the city has created a one-stop webpage of elections information at www.citrusheights.net/2022election where you can make an appointment and locate your district.

The City website page on elections information also features a recording of the recent Prospective Council Member Workshop where I shared my experience on the role, responsibilities, and time commitment of being a city councilmember, and city staff presented information on governance, the functions of each department, and election requirements and deadlines to effectively prepare potential candidates as they consider elected office.

Our city’s motto is “Solid Roots. New Growth.” It reflects the strength and determination that is Citrus Heights "' from our hearty foundation to our promising future. We need new leaders who will continue the path of self-reliance, local control and community vibrancy that was laid with our city’s incorporation in 1997. I will be here to cheer you on for this next chapter and every page of the chapters yet to write.  

Thank you for electing me to serve these five terms on the Citrus Heights City Council. It has been a joy to serve the people in the city that I love.