League of California Cities Announces New Board Officers and Directors

Oct 17, 2019
           

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jill Oviatt, (916) 658-8228; Cell: (916) 882-8656

LONG BEACH — The League of California Cities announced its 2019-20 leadership and board of directors on Friday, Oct. 18, during the League’s Annual Conference & Expo in Long Beach.

The board elected Yountville Mayor John Dunbar to serve as president, El Centro Council Member Cheryl Viegas Walker to serve as first vice president and Walnut Creek Mayor Cindy Silva as second vice president. Grass Valley Council Member Jan Arbuckle, who served as the 2018-19 president, became immediate past president.

“I am excited to work with this talented group of local leaders,” said Carolyn Coleman, executive director, League of California Cities. “Each of them brings tremendous knowledge and background to help advance the League’s mission to protect local control for the good of all California residents and communities.”

The Yountville Town Council appointed John Dunbar to the council in 2004, and he was elected to his first full term in 2006 before being elected mayor in 2010. Voters re-elected him to a third term as mayor in 2018. He served as the League’s North Bay Division president from 2011-12 and continues to serve on the North Bay Division Executive Committee. The North Bay Division appointed Mayor Dunbar to the League board in 2016 to represent the division.

At the local level, Mayor Dunbar is engaged in numerous regional and county-wide boards and commissions including the Yountville Tourism Improvement District — Local Governing Committee, Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Napa Valley Transportation Authority, Napa County League of Governments, and the Association of Bay Area Governments. Gov. Jerry Brown in 2012 appointed Mayor Dunbar to the 25th District Agricultural Association, Napa Exposition and Fair Board, where he serves as president. He also is a board member of The Pathway Home nonprofit veteran treatment program.

Under the League’s bylaws, officers are elected to serve a one-year term with the outgoing president becoming immediate past president. Along with the League Executive Director Coleman, the four officers comprise the League’s executive committee. Individual releases for each of the Board officers can be found at the end of this release.

The board also elected six at-large directors who will serve a two-year term. These directors are: 

  • Rich Garbarino, vice mayor, South San Francisco;
  • Jesse Loren, council member, Winters;
  • Steve Manos, mayor, Lake Elsinore;
  • Dennis Michael, mayor, Rancho Cucamonga;
  • Ed Spriggs, council member, Imperial Beach; and
  • Alan Wapner, council member, Ontario. 
 

The 2019-20 League full board of directors members are:

Officers:

  • President John Dunbar, mayor, Yountville;
  • First Vice President Cheryl Viegas Walker, council member, El Centro;
  • Second Vice President Cindy Silva, mayor, Walnut Creek; and
  • Immediate Past President Jan Arbuckle, council member, Grass Valley. 

Directors:

  • Amy Albano, city attorney, Burbank - City Attorneys Department;
  • Denise Athas, mayor pro tem, Novato - At-large;
  • Melanie Bagby, mayor, Cloverdale - Mayors & Council Members Department;
  • Emily Beach, vice mayor, Burlingame - Peninsula Division;
  • Allan Bernstein, mayor pro tem, Tustin - At-large;
  • Patrick Bouteller, director of government relations, San Diego - Large City Alternate for Mayor Faulconer;
  • Lee Brand, mayor, Fresno - Large City;
  • London Breed, mayor, San Francisco - Large City;
  • Joe Buscaino, council member & assistant president pro tem Los Angeles - Large City Alternate for Mayor Garcetti & NLC Board of Directors;
  • Ken Carlson, mayor, Pleasant Hill - East Bay Division;
  • Ross Chun, mayor, Aliso Viejo - Orange County Division;
  • Pippin Dew, vice mayor, Vallejo - North Bay Division;
  • Rich Garbarino, vice mayor, South San Francisco - At-large;
  • Karen Goh, mayor, Bakersfield - Large City;
  • Eric Guerra, vice mayor, Sacramento - Large City Alternate for Mayor Steinberg;
  • George N. Harris II, deputy city manager/treasurer, Victorville - Personnel & Employee Relations Department;
  • Steve Hofbauer, mayor, Palmdale - Desert Mountain Division;
  • Sergio Jimenez, council member, San Jose - Large City Alternate for Mayor Liccardo;
  • Randi Johl, director of legislative affairs/city clerk, Temecula - City Clerks Department;
  • Dan Kalb, council member, Oakland - Large City Alternate for Mayor Schaaf;
  • Jim Lewis, city manager, Pismo Beach - City Managers Department;
  • Jesse Loren, council member, Winters - At-large;
  • Clint Lorimore, council member, Eastvale - Riverside County Division;
  • Steve Manos, mayor, Lake Elsinore - At-large;
  • Annie Mezzacappa, mayor’s chief of staff, Anaheim - Large City Alternate for Mayor Sidhu;
  • L. Dennis Michael, mayor, Rancho Cucamonga - At-large;
  • Leyne Milstein, assistant city manager, Sacramento - Fiscal Officers Department;
  • John Minto, mayor, Santee - San Diego County Division;
  • Richard Montgomery, mayor pro tem, Manhattan Beach - NLC Board of Directors;
  • JoAnne Mounce, council member, Lodi - At-large;
  • Lou Muñoz, planning commissioner, Rancho Cucamonga - Planning & Community Development Department;
  • Robert Newman, director of public works, Santa Clarita - Public Works Department;
  • Eric Nickel, fire chief, Santa Barbara - Fire Chiefs Department;
  • Daniel Parra, council member, Fowler - South San Joaquin Division;
  • Dave Potter, mayor, Carmel - Monterey Bay Division;
  • David Sander, vice mayor, Rancho Cordova - At-large;
  • Mariam Shah, council member, Grover Beach - Channel Counties Division;
  • Tod Sockman, police chief, Galt - Police Chiefs Department;
  • Sam Spagnolo, council member, Rancho Cucamonga - Inland Empire Division;
  • Ed Spriggs, council member, Imperial Beach - At-Large;
  • Randall Stone, mayor, Chico - Sacramento Valley Division;
  • Ali Sajjad Taj, council member, Artesia - At-large;
  • Jess Talamantes, council member, Burbank - At-large;
  • Mireya Turner, mayor, Lakeport - Redwood Empire Division;
  • Roberto Uranga, council member, Long Beach - Large City Alternate for Mayor Garcia;
  • Alan Wapner, mayor pro tem, Ontario - At-large;
  • Jeramy Young, mayor, Hughson - Central Valley Division;
  • Ana Maria Quintana, council member, Bell - Los Angeles County Division; and
  • Vacancy – position to be filled in January - Imperial County Division.
   


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Yountville Mayor John Dunbar Elected League of California Cities President

LONG BEACH — The League of California Cities board of directors elected Yountville Mayor John Dunbar to serve as its 2019-20 president. Mayor Dunbar was installed on Oct. 18 as part of the League’s Annual Conference & Expo in Long Beach.  

During its meeting this week, the League board of directors also elected El Centro Council Member Cheryl Viegas Walker to serve as first vice president and Walnut Creek Mayor Cindy Silva as second vice president. Grass Valley Council Member Jan Arbuckle, who served as president in 2018-19, became immediate past president.

“Throughout my fifteen years of public service, I have benefitted both personally and professionally from my involvement with the League of California Cities, and I am honored to serve as the organization’s president this year,” said President Dunbar. “Our cities face complicated issues, but I am confident that we will find success in uniting our voices and advocating for state and federal policies that enhance our communities and the lives of our residents. I am looking forward to the year ahead.”

The Yountville Town Council appointed Dunbar to the council in 2004, and he was elected to his first full term in 2006 before being elected mayor in 2010. Voters re-elected him to a third term as mayor in 2018.

At the local level, Mayor Dunbar is engaged in numerous regional and county-wide boards and commissions including the Yountville Tourism Improvement District — Local Governing Committee, Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Napa Valley Transportation Authority, Napa County League of Governments, and the Association of Bay Area Governments. Gov. Jerry Brown in 2012 appointed Mayor Dunbar to the 25th District Agricultural Association, Napa Exposition and Fair Board, where he serves as president. He also is a board member of The Pathway Home nonprofit veteran treatment program.

Dunbar served as the League’s North Bay Division president from 2011–2012 and continues to serve on the North Bay Division Executive Committee. The North Bay Division appointed Dunbar to the League board in 2016 to represent the division.

“John is a dedicated leader, and I have witnessed firsthand his dedication to the League and improving his community and all California cities over the years,” said Carolyn Coleman, executive director, League of California Cities. “As president, John will use his expertise on a variety of issues impacting our cities, including land use, housing and economic development to protect local democracy and advocate for the issues that matter most to California cities.”


El Centro Council Member Cheryl Viegas Walker Elected League of California Cities First Vice President

LONG BEACH — The League of California Cities board of directors elected El Centro Council Member Cheryl Viegas Walker to serve as its 2019-20 first vice president on Oct. 18 as part of the League’s Annual Conference & Expo in Long Beach.  

During its meeting this week, the League board of directors also elected Yountville Mayor John Dunbar to serve as president and Walnut Creek Mayor Cindy Silva as second vice president. Grass Valley Council Member Jan Arbuckle, who served as president in 2018-19, became immediate past president.

“It is an honor to serve as first vice president for the leading voice of California’s cities,” said Council Member Viegas Walker. “I look forward to working with my fellow officers, our board, and our member cities to ensure the common interests of cities are represented at all levels of government, and will work tirelessly to ensure that cities are receiving the resources they need to best serve their residents.” 

Viegas Walker was first elected to serve on the El Centro City Council in 1997, and has served as Mayor five times. She is a member of the El Centro Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees, and serves on the Finance and Board Quality Committees at the Hospital.

Regionally, Viegas Walker represents El Centro on the Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC), Local Transportation Authority, and the Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies. Council Member Viegas Walker is also the ICTC representative to the California Association of Councils of Governments, where she serves as President. Council Member Viegas Walker is past president of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the largest metropolitan planning organization in the nation, and is currently a member of the SCAG Executive, Transportation, and Audit Committees, as well as the Imperial County representative on the SCAG Regional Council. 

Viegas Walker is also a member of the Juvenile Justice Commission, a state mandated citizens' commission which operates under the auspices of the Imperial County Probation Department. She also serves on the San Diego State University (Imperial Valley Campus) Dean's Advisory Board and is active with the Imperial Valley Food Bank.

Viegas Walker has served as the Imperial County Division representative for the League since 2015, and has been an active member of the League since she was elected in 1997. She is also a Past President of the League’s Women's Caucus.

“Council Member Viegas Walker is a passionate and dedicated public servant who has remained steadfast in her commitment to both the League and improving California’s communities,” said Carolyn Coleman, executive director, League of California Cities. “Cheryl’s insight and perspective will be integral as we collaborate to find solutions to difficult policy challenges in our cities.”


Walnut Creek Mayor Cindy Silva Elected League of California Cities Second Vice President

LONG BEACH — The League of California Cities board of directors elected Walnut Creek Mayor Cindy Silva to serve as the organization’s 2019-20 second vice president on Oct. 18 as part of the League’s Annual Conference & Expo in Long Beach.  

The League board also elected Yountville Mayor John Dunbar to serve as president and El Centro Council Member Cheryl Viegas Walker as first vice president. Grass Valley Council Member Jan Arbuckle, who served as president in 2018-19, became immediate past president.

“For nearly a decade, I have participated with the League and seen firsthand its strong advocacy efforts on behalf of California residents, and experienced the League’s educational resources and professional development opportunities,” said Mayor Silva. “I am honored to serve as second vice president and look forward to working collaboratively to find solutions to the major issues affecting our cities.”

Mayor Silva was first elected to the Walnut Creek City Council in 2006, subsequently re-elected in 2010, re-appointed in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. She has served as mayor three times, in 2010-11, 2012-13 and now again in 2018-19.

As mayor, Silva founded Walnut Creek Community Service Day in 2011, which she still co-chairs, spearheaded a Community Blue Ribbon Task Force on Fiscal Health, and organized the city’s Second Saturday Spotlight in 2013 and 2019. In her council member role, Silva served on numerous council committees: Finance; Public Education; Housing and Community Development; Public Safety; Youth and Family Services; and several ad hoc committees. Prior to her election to the city council, Silva served on the Planning Commission from 2004-06, including two years during which the city was updating and adopting its General Plan 2025.

Regionally, Silva represents Walnut Creek on the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority (Recycle Smart), chairing in 2015, and is the director Finance Committee member of the East Bay Regional Communications System Authority. Silva chaired the Contra Costa Mayors’ Conference in 2017 and the City Selection Committee of the Mayors’ Conference in 2019. From 2008-10, Silva was Walnut Creek’s representative to the regional transportation planning committee of Central Contra Costa and chaired in 2010.

Silva is an active member of the League of California Cities. She has been a League board member since 2015, served as the East Bay Division president in 2013 and on a number of League Policy Committees including: Housing, Community and Economic Development (2010-present, 2016 chair); Governance, Transparency and Labor Relations; and Community Services. Recently, Silva served on a statewide Homelessness Task Force in 2016 and on a housing working group in 2017. In 2012-13, she was one of 16 city representatives on the League’s Strategic Initiatives Task Force. 

“Cindy has been an invaluable and knowledgeable member of the League for many years,” said Carolyn Coleman, executive director, League of California Cities. “Cindy’s expertise on issues of housing and transit oriented development will be vital as we face new challenges and opportunities in the coming year.”

 

Founded in 1898, the League of California Cities is an association of California city officials who work together to enhance their knowledge and skills, exchange information, and combine resources so that they may influence policy decisions that affect cities. The League’s mission is to restore and protect local control for cities through education and advocacy to enhance the quality of life for all Californians.