Background & Experience


Background and Experience
Took office December 7, 2004
Re-Elected in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020

Work Experience

  • Land use consultant
  • Employment Agency Owner/Manager
  • Newspaper reporter, columnist, editor-in-chief and publisher
  • Electronic media news, commentary and talk show host
  • Lobbyist in Sacramento, six other states, and at local governments state and nationwide
  • CEO of Concerned Citizen groups in S.L.O. and Sonoma counties
  • College and University level department head and lecturer
  • Painting contractor in the Midwest prior to 1960

Current Civic and Political Activities

  • City Council member and former Mayor Pro-Tem of the City of El Paso de Robles
  • President, San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG)
  • President, San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (SLORTA)
  • Past Chairman and current Board Member of the Pacific Surfliner Authority (LOSSAN)
  • National Transportation Policy Chairman for all of the Regional Governments of the United States
  • National Rail Policy Co-Chairman for all of the cities of the United States

Current Political and Issue Advisory Positions

  • Paso Robles City Council (Mayor Pro Tem 2008-2010)
  • President, San Luis Obispo Council of Governments
  • Vice President, California Councils of Governments
  • Board Member representing California: National Association of Regional Councils (NARC)
  • Past President and Board Member: LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency Joint Powers Board (Pacific Surfliner Rail Corridor)
  • Coast Rail Coordinating Council
  • Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce
  • League of California Cities’ Revenue and Taxation Policy Committee
  • League of California Cities’ Housing, Community and Economic Development Policy Committee
  • City Voting Delegate to the League of California Cities’ Annual Conference
  • National League of Cities and Rail Policy Co-Chairman

City Council Liaison or Alternate Liaison to:

  • Paso Robles Main Street Association
  • North County Transit Policy Committee
  • Paso Robles Housing Authority
  • Library Board of Trustees
  • Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce
  • Youth Advisory Council

Previous or Current Civic, Benevolent and Political Activities and organizations,

  • Partisan political party offices: youth group, clubs and Central Committee
  • Aide to three United States Senators
  • Advisor to three United States Presidents
  • Registered expert witness on land use issues for the California Assembly
  • President or C.E.O. of large citizen’s and special interest organizations
  • General Obligation Bond Co-Chairman for City of San Jose
  • Member Entryway Beautification Committee for City of Milpitas
  • Member of the Airport subcommittee of the Planning Policy Committee of Santa Clara County
  • Drafted City Ordinance for landscape requirements on new development for City of Golden, Colorado
  • Member of the American Association of University Professors (Marquette University Chapter)
  • Co-author of the original Economic Development Strategy For Paso Robles
  • Consultant to the City of Paso Robles on legal rights to water behind the Salinas River Dam (Santa Margarita Lake)
  • Charter member, three time President of the Paso Robles Optimist Club and Lt. Governor twice of Optimist International’s Pacific Southwest District
  • Member Paso Robles Men’s Golf Club
  • Paso Robles Main Street volunteer
  • Member Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce
  • Member Smithsonian Institution
  • Member Sierra Club
  • Board of Directors and Manager of the North County Duplicate Bridge Club
  • President of Unit 540, American Contract Bridge League

Past Member of various issues research and advisory committees:

  • Parks and Recreation needs for the City of San Jose
  • Municipal Services adequacy for the City of San Luis Obispo
  • North County Water Needs Committee of the County of San Luis Obispo
  • Chairman of Proposition 13 Campaign Committee for Sonoma County
  • Keynote speaker for the California Association of County Assessors (1976)
  • Lecturer for League of California Cities’ Councilmen’s and Planning Commissioners’ Academy (1970s)
  • Nine member committee for the establishment of the Local Government Relations (LGR) Committee of the California Association of Realtors
  • Representative for all boards of Realtors in San Luis Obispo for LGR with local governments (1970s)
  • Founding member of the Santa Margarita Advisory Council
  • San Luis Obispo County Agricultural Advisory Committee (Introduced the Right To Farm law for San Luis Obispo County, amended and adopted)

Paso Robles City Council Ad Hoc Committee experience:

  • Sewer Plant Design
  • Developer Fees
  • Vacant Area Specific Plans
  • Review Downtown Parking Management Action Plan
  • Finance and Investments

Previous City Council Liaison, or alternate representative, to:

  • Integrated Waste management Authority (IWMA)
  • Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce
  • Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance
  • Senior Citizens’ Advisory Board

Member:

  • San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG), current President
  • San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (SLORTA), curerent President
  • League of California Cities’ Revenue and Taxation Policy Committee
  • League of California Cities’ Housing, Community and Economic Development Policy Committee
  • League of California Cities voting representative of the City of El Paso de Robles

Personal
Married: Patty Strong
Family: five adult children; six grandchildren; three great grandchildren

Education
Marquette University
Lincoln University School of Law