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