The Costa Mesa City Council is currently seeking residents to serve on the following City Committees/Commissions:

Animal Services Committee: This committee meets every other month and assists with the planning of animal related events, explores and provides recommendations to improve animal services, and promotes pet licensing within the City. The City is recruiting for a one-year term for four regular members, a two-year term for three regular members, and a one-year term for two alternate members. For further information, contact Assistant Recreation Supervisor Tracy Habiger at (714) 754-5083.

Bikeway & Walkability Committee: This committee meets monthly and assists with the review, update and implementation of the city’s Active Transportation Plan in order to make recommendations for bikeway and pedestrian improvements to the City Council. The City is recruiting for one-year term for six regular members, a two-year term for five regular members. For further information, contact Transportation Services Manager Jennifer Rosales at (714) 754-5180.

Cultural Arts Committee: This committee meets monthly and works to promote the City motto, “City of the Arts,” and to establish programs, events and information that help residents access the arts in many different venues. The City is recruiting for a one-year term for four regular members, a two-year term for five regular members, and a two-year term for two alternate members. For further information, contact Recreation Supervisor Ashley Thomas at (714) 754-5052.

Fairview Park Steering Committee: This committee meets every other month and provides advice to the City Council regarding the implementation of the Fairview Park Master plan and impacts of Measure AA on Capital Improvement Program projects, maintenance and activities. The City is recruiting for a four-year term for four regular members, a four-year term for one alternate member, and a two-year term for one alternate member. For further information, contact Fairview Park Administrator Cynthia D’Agosta at (714) 754-5135.

Finance and Pension Advisory Committee: This committee meets monthly and provides advice to the City Council regarding events and issues which may affect the financial status of the City.  It also evaluates annual and long-term pension and financial impacts from changes in CalPERS contribution rates and/or actuarial schedule changes.  The City is recruiting for a one-year term for four regular members and a two-year term for five regular members. Applicants shall have pension knowledge or shall be residents or individuals that conduct business within the City and have a background that includes experience in securities trading, financial planning, banking, auditing, accounting, or a closely related and relevant field.  For further information, contact Executive Secretary Angela Madsen at (714) 754-5243.

Historical Preservation Committee: This committee meets monthly and serves to maintain, preserve, educate and promote the city’s historical resources. The City is recruiting for a one-year term for four regular members, a two-year term for five regular members, and a one-year term for two alternate members. For further information, contact Recreation Supervisor Kevin Stoddart at (714) 327-7561.

Housing & Public Service Grants Committee: This committee meets twice a year with further meetings scheduled on an as-needed basis and helps to promote community understanding of the activities funded by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD), and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) with a focus on social service grants. The City is recruiting for a one-year term for four regular members, a two-year term for five regular member, and a one-year term for one alternate member.  For further information, contact CDBG Consultant Mike Linares at (714) 754-5678.

Mobile Home Park Advisory Committee: This committee meets quarterly and addresses mobile home park issues and concerns in Costa Mesa.  The City is recruiting for a two-year term for two Park Owner or his/her Representative, a two-year term for two Mobile Home Resident Owners, a two-year term for one Independent Citizen At-large, a one-year term for one Park Owner or his/her Representative, a one-year term for two Mobile Home Resident Owners, and a one-year term for one Independent Citizen At-large.  For further information, contact Zoning Administrator Willa Bouwens-Killeen at (714)754-5153.

Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committee: This committee meets on an as-needed basis to assist staff on all aspects related to the updating and revision of traffic impact fees.  The City is recruiting for one Major Developers’ Representative, one Small Developers’ Representative, and two At-large Representatives. For further information, contact Transportation Services Manager Jennifer Rosales at (714) 754-5180.

Parks, Arts and Community Services Commission: This Commission meets monthly and assists the City Council and various City departments with issues relating to parks, parkways, recreation programs and community services. The Commission also actively encourages programs for the cultural enrichment of the community and solicits partnerships with senior organizations which share the common goal to serve Costa Mesa’s senior population. Members must be residents of the district for which they seek to be appointed.  The City is recruiting for a four-year term for three regular members for Districts 1, 2 and 6. For further information, contact Executive Secretary Sylvia Chalmers at (714) 754-5009.

Planning Commission: The Commission meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month and advises on planning, land use, and development matters. The Commission is the final decision-making body for certain discretionary land use approvals such as design review, conditional use permits, and land divisions. The Commission also functions as an advisory body to the City Council for Zoning and General Plan amendments. Members must be registered voters and residents of the district for which they seek to be appointed. The City is recruiting for a four-year term for three regular members for Districts 1, 2, and 6, and one two-year term At Large position (Mayors appointment). For further information, contact Administrative Secretary Julie Colgan at (714) 754-5612.

Application Process – Residents who are interested in getting involved in local government are encouraged to complete a Committee/Commission Application Form from the City Clerk’s Office or from the City’s website (www.costamesaca.gov/apply).  The completed application may be submitted online; mailed to Costa Mesa City Clerk at Post Office Box 1200, Costa Mesa, California, 92628-1200; emailed to cityclerk@costamesaca.gov; or hand-delivered to the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.

The deadline has been extended to 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021.

Appointments are tentatively scheduled for the Jan. 19, 2021 City Council meeting.

The City of Costa Mesa received outstanding financial news recently as Standard & Poor’s (S&P) reaffirmed the City’s AA+ credit rating for the 2017 Lease Revenue Bonds for the Lions Park Project.

As previously reported, the City’s underlying credit rating of AAA remains unchanged and is the highest possible rating issued by a financial services company.  The bond rating for the 2017 Lions Park Project bonds is one notch under the City’s underlying rating consistent with best practices.

This news comes after Costa Mesa was able to overcome fiscal challenges brought on by the economic downturn related to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2020.

“This is great news that despite the financial setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are able to maintain our strong AA+ rating for the 2017 Lease Revenue Bond,” Mayor Katrina Foley said. “This is a testament to our talented Finance team and City staff. Congratulations to my fellow Council colleagues and the Finance and Pension Advisory Committee (FiPAC) whose prudent fiscal policies and budget actions helped us achieve this accomplishment, especially former Mayor Pro Tem Stephens served as liaison to the FiPAC for the past four years.”

S&P is considered the largest of the country’s Big Three credit-rating agencies, which also include Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings. The rating is the direct result of significant research by S&P in discussions with Costa Mesa leadership and finance staff to analyze the City’s audited financial statements, procedures and practices.

The S&P report credited the City’s responsible management of both its reserves and its debt. Indeed, the report cited numerous reasons for this top rating.

According to the report, S&P “reviewed governance risks and consider them better than the sector standard because of the City’s very strong management profile with strong financial policies and practices, and successful economic development efforts.”

“I’m so proud of our City Council, the leadership team and staff, especially our Finance team for making the tough choices to balance our budget early on in this crisis,” City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison said. “We were very proactive and this outstanding credit rating is a direct result of that. This is a great moment for our entire Costa Mesa team and Finance Director Carol Molina.”

Costa Mesa Finance Director Carol Molina was grateful to hear this news.

“This reaffirmation from Standard & Poor’s demonstrates the City’s strength and commitment to long-term fiscal health,” Molina said. “It’s an outstanding accomplishment that is achieved through strong leadership and dedicated staff.”

S&P stated that the ratings reflect its view of multiple factors including, but not limited to, the following City attributes:

• Very strong economy, with access to a broad and diverse metropolitan statistical area;
• Very strong management, with strong financial policies and practices under our financial management assessment methodology;
• Very strong budgetary flexibility, with an available audited fund balance in fiscal 2018-2019 of 35% of adjusted operating expenditures;
• Very strong liquidity, with total government available cash at 60.9% of total governmental fund expenditures and 34.4x governmental debt service, and access to external liquidity we consider strong;
• Strong debt and contingent liability position, with debt service carrying charges at 1.8% of expenditures and net direct debt that is 16.3% of total governmental fund revenue, as well as low overall net debt at less than 3.0% of market value, but a large pension and other postemployment benefit (OPEB) obligation; and
• Strong institutional framework score, which in sum means that the City’s federal single audit results are strong.

Click here to read the full report.

Due to a rise in COVID-19 hospitalization, Governor Gavin Newsom and state public health officials have issued a new regional state-at-home order that will go into effect within 48 hours in regions with less than 15% ICU availability.

Orange County is currently in the Southern California Region, which is anticipated to fall within that category in early December. Once enacted, the orders will last for a minimum of three weeks. The state is taking this action because at the current rate of spread, the statewide hospital system could be significantly overwhelmed by the end of December.

Once in effect, the new orders will require the following to close or remain closed:
• Indoor and outdoor playgrounds
• Indoor recreational facilities
• Hair salons and barbershops
• Personal care services
• Museums, zoos, and aquariums
• Movie theaters
• Wineries
• Bars, breweries, and distilleries
• Family entertainment centers
• Cardrooms and satellite wagering
• Limited services
• Live audience sports
• Amusement parks

The following sectors will have additional modifications in addition to 100% masking and physical distancing:
• Outdoor recreational facilities: Allow outdoor operation only without any food, drink or alcohol sales. Additionally, overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.
• Retail: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
• Shopping centers: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
• Hotels and lodging: Allow to open for critical infrastructure support only.
• Restaurants: Allow only for take-out, pick-up, or delivery.
• Offices: Allow remote only except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible.
• Places of worship and political expression: Allow outdoor services only.
• Entertainment production including professional sports: Allow operation without live audiences. Additionally, testing protocol and “bubbles” are highly encouraged.

The following sectors are allowed to remain open when a remote option is not possible with appropriate infectious disease preventative measures including 100% masking and physical distancing:
• Critical infrastructure
• Schools that are already open for in-person learning
• Non-urgent medical and dental care
• Child care and pre-K

The governor also announced the state may soon have 327,000 vaccines coming to California in mid December for distribution by priority tier status including health care workers. Other phases to follow shortly thereafter.

For more information on the new orders, please visit https://covid19.ca.gov/

On Tuesday Dec. 1, the City Council ratified the results of the Nov. 3 election that reflected a historic citywide turnout.

Katrina Foley was sworn in as Costa Mesa’s directly elected Mayor for the second time, and residents now have representation in District 1 with Don Harper, District 2 with Loren Gameros and District 6 with Jeff Harlan, a Costa Mesa first.

The Mayor and new Council Members were officially seated at the Dec. 1 City Council Meeting.

“The new Council Members bring experience critical to help to restore our economy, support struggling small businesses, protect jobs, and protect the public health and safety of our community all impacted by COVID-19,” Mayor Foley said. “Our top priority now requires sharp focus on managing the impacts of COVID19 by supporting residents and small businesses, as we await therapeutics and a vaccine.”

Mayor Foley, who was elected for a second two-year term, said she looks forward to the Council’s strategic planning session in January when they can also discuss future plans related to housing, an environmentally sustainable future, and quality of life improvements.

“I’m confident our new team will work well together to navigate through these challenging times to ensure a brighter 2021 and beyond,” she said.

Foley became the city’s first directly elected Mayor in 2018. Prior to that she served as Mayor in 2016-2017, and has been on the City Council for 12 years. Foley is an employment law attorney and business owner.  She graduated from Seattle University School of Law and UCLA as an English major with Women’s Studies emphasis.

For more information click Mayor Foley’s webpage here.

The new City Council also unanimously chose District 3 Council Member Andrea Marr as the Mayor Pro-Tem. The mayor and new council members join Marr, District 4 Council Member Manuel Chavez and District 5 Council Member Arlis Reynolds on the dais.

Longtime Costa Mesa resident Don Harper will represent District 1.

Since 1998, Council Member Harper has lived in Costa Mesa where he and his wife raised their two daughters. He coached youth sports and served as a member of the Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Commission. He brings executive-level experience as a business owner and as Chief Financial Officer and Director of Strategic Planning. His experience also includes senior management positions and as a Certified Public Accountant.

Click here for more information on Council Member Harper.

Joining the Council representing District 2 is Loren Gameros.

A 40-year resident of Costa Mesa, Gameros currently lives in the city with his wife Heather, son Kyle and daughter Presley. Council Member Gameros brings his two-decade career and experience with the Operating Engineers Training Trust Local 12 to the Costa Mesa City Council. The OETT is a nonprofit labor organization where he serves as an instructor of building inspectors.

Click here for more information on Council Member Gameros.

Council Member Jeff Harlan has been sworn to represent District 6.

Harlan is a land-use attorney and urban planner. In February 2017, Harlan was appointed unanimously by the City Council to the Costa Mesa Planning Commission, where he has served as the Vice Chair for the past two years.

During his 25-year law career, he has worked with and within government to improve communities through smart planning, design, and public policy. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and earned his law degree, focusing on environmental law, from Vermont Law School. He and his wife have two daughters.

Click here for more information on Council Member Harlan.

Departing the City Council are Mayor Pro Tem John Stephens, two-term Council Member Sandy Genis and Council Member Allan Mansoor.

“I’d like to give a welcome to our three new council members and a congratulations to Mayor Foley for winning her second term,” City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison said. “We have lots of work to do and lots to accomplish and I look forward to collaborating with you all in the years to come. Additionally, I want to thank our outgoing Council Members. Their experience and dedication to the City of Costa Mesa is very much appreciated.”

Local firefighters are getting fired up about taking part in the 2020 Spark of Love Toy Drive campaign to help provide toys for kids in need.

The Spark of Love Toy Drive originally began in 1993 as a partnership between KABC-7 and firefighters from the Counties of Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Ventura.

There are many other worthwhile toy drives, however, The Spark of Love is the only one created and operated by local firefighters. The Spark of Love 2020 marks the 28th anniversary and runs from Nov. 20 through Dec. 24, 2020.

Please help us stay safe by following safety recommendations, including remembering to wear your mask when dropping a donation. We ask that donations are placed inside a plastic bag before placed in the box.

Any new unwrapped toy must be in their original packaging or box. Sports equipment such as balls and tennis rackets are not required to have a box or package. We cannot distribute stuffed animals, clothing, personal care items or blankets, etc.

Toys to consider include board and card games, craft activities, art kits, building blocks, dolls, infant toys and youth sports equipment of all kinds. Toys should be in their original packaging or box.

For questions about toy drop-off requirements, toy collection sites and events, please reference the list of local fire agency representatives below, and visit your City’s website for additional information.

For additional information, please contact your fire department’s primary representative:
• Anaheim Fire & Rescue: 714-765-5092
• Brea Fire Dept: 714-738-6500
• Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue: 714-327-7400
• Fountain Valley Fire Dept: 714-593-4436
• Fullerton Fire Department: 714-738-6511
• Huntington Beach Fire Dept: 714-536- 5411
• Laguna Beach Fire Dept: 949-497-0700
• Newport Beach Fire Dept: 949-644-3110
• Orange City Fire Dept: 714-288-2500
• Orange County Fire Authority: 949-239-5987

Please note the Orange County Fire Authority serves the Cities of Aliso Viejo, Buena Park, Cypress, Dana Point, Garden Grove, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda, and the unincorporated areas of Orange County.

The Association of California Cities – Orange County awarded the City of Costa Mesa’s reStore Costa Mesa Recovery Team and the Costa Mesa Business Assistance Collaborative (Costa Mesa’s BAC) with a Golden Hub of Innovation Award for Excellence in Public Private Partnerships at its annual awards ceremony on Oct. 15.

“We are thrilled to receive this award from ACC-OC,” Mayor Katrina Foley said. “After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, our local businesses were forced to shut down. We immediately formed the reStore Costa Mesa Recovery Team that met for 13 meetings virtually to keep businesses informed, cut through red tape, and assist in reopening. This was a coordinated effort with my Council colleagues Mayor Pro-Tem John Stephens and Andrea Marr, City staff, Travel Costa Mesa, South Coast Metro Alliance, and the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce. A big thanks to everyone involved.”

City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison credited the City’s Economic Development staff, especially Economic Development Administrator Dan Inloes and Chief of Staff Connor Lock, for identifying ways to help local businesses most affected when the economy shut down.

“I’m extremely proud of our staff and their commitment to help local businesses by providing timely information regarding funding opportunities and reopening guidelines to get the economy reopened,” Farrell Harrison said. “Costa Mesa has a reputation of being business friendly and we proved it by engaging with industry leaders and exploring creative ways to assist them with keeping the doors open during this challenging time.”

Costa Mesa’s BAC deployed a call center to reach out to over 2,000 businesses to find out how they have been impacted by COVID, launched a new mass email campaign to keep thousands of businesses up to date on actions and guidelines issued by federal, state and county governments and the resources available to them.

City staff also launched a Shop Costa Mesa Campaign, which included a social media push and with graphics and branding. Staff managed the administration of the Small Business Relief Grant Program and provided universal signage designs for businesses to use while Orange County COVID Safety Guidelines are in affect.  It assisted businesses with modifying  hours of operation and service restrictions and helped create outdoor seating, outdoor retail, and curbside or drive-through pickup opportunities.

Finally, the staff developed a new Website www.costamesabac.com to mobilize businesses and patrons by directing residents to local businesses in a safe manner and providing resources to local businesses through a comprehensive resource guide.

ACC-OC hosted its 9th Annual and first ever virtual Golden Hubs of Innovation Awards ceremony to acknowledge public agencies and public servants that are improving the community around them with innovative programs and service excellence.

Due to the ongoing state-mandated restrictions, this year’s ACC-OC awards event was streamed live over Zoom. The award presentation included short videos of each Golden Hub recipient.

Click here to watch a video of Mayor Foley’s award acceptance message.

For more about ACC-OC click here.

Individuals who seek out shelter services arrive at the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter needing much more than housing. Primary among their concerns is healthcare.

In response to that need, Share Our Selves (SOS), a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center that provides high quality, comprehensive medical and safety net services to the Orange County community, has agreed to bring their fully functional mobile medical unit on site two times a month beginning in October.

For many of the Bridge Shelter clients, their survival is a daily task, prioritization of health can slip away. As clients settle in and begin to plan the next step for housing stability, the need to get a physical checkup becomes apparent.

Once again, the amazing collaboration of community resources and partners has come together to develop an opportunity for shelter guests to receive medical attention that may have been needed and missing for long periods of time.

The SOS services will provide a critical opportunity for shelter guests to receive convenient access to health care. Along with comprehensive examinations and medical history, clients will have the opportunity to be properly enrolled in a health care provider network that fits the need for the client and provides the best linkage to individualized care.

Housing an individual requires a whole person approach. Having SOS on site fulfills a key role of the client housing plan and overall health, which is a factor that contributes greatly to long term and permanent housing.

The City is grateful and values this new partnership with SOS and look forward to continuing this partnership at the permanent shelter location.

This partnership will provide an overall improvement of healthcare outcomes for Bridge Shelter clients.

For more information please visit our webpage here.

Mayor Katrina Foley recognized the Power of One Foundation with the Mayor’s Award at Tuesday Oct. 6 City Council.

Through their hard work and partnership development the Costa Mesa based organization has been able to make a significant impact not only in this community, but throughout Orange County, benefitting hundreds of families first hand through their food distribution events and ongoing charitable outreach.

“Congratulations for being recognized as the Mayor’s Award recipients,” Foley said. “The Power of One Foundation identified a need and dedicated themselves to help feed the most vulnerable families in our communities, by creating a network of community partners, supporters and volunteers to feed over 1.3 million people across Orange County.”

Council Members Arlis Reynolds and Andrea Marr played an instrumental role in getting the city involved with Power of One.

Accepting the award via Zoom were Power of One CEO Andre Roberson and Treasurer Shawnee Witt.

“We thank the City of Costa Mesa and all of our supporters,” Roberson said. “We couldn’t have done this without you guys opening the doors. We look forward to continue to work with you. We just want you to know as an organization we are here in the fight with you.”

Watch the video below:

If you thought masks weren’t cool in Orange County, think again.

All of Orange County’s 34 mayors have teamed up to send a message to residents, businesses and visitors: “Mask up to open up OC!”

The message comes in a video featuring Orange County’s mayors socially distant and masked up at iconic locations across Orange County.

You can see it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IXroRLLaIQ

Sites include Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the Tustin Hangars, Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, Laguna Beach’s Festival of the Arts Amphitheater, Los Alamitos Race Course and Yorba Linda’s Birthplace of Richard Milhous Nixon.

The 34 mayors:

• Aliso Viejo: Mayor Mike Munzing
• Anaheim: Mayor Harry Sidhu
• Brea: Mayor Marty Simonoff
• Buena Park: Mayor Fred Smith
• Costa Mesa: Mayor Katrina Foley
• Cypress: Mayor Rob Johnson
• Dana Point: Mayor Richard Viczorek
• Fountain Valley: Mayor Cheryl Brothers
• Fullerton: Mayor Jennifer Fitzgerald
• Garden Grove: Mayor Steven Jones
• Huntington Beach: Mayor Lyn Semeta
• Irvine: Mayor Christina Shea
• La Habra: Mayor Tom Beamish
• La Palma: Mayor Peter Kim
• Laguna Beach: Mayor Bob Whalen
• Laguna Hills: Mayor Janine Heft
• Laguna Niguel: Mayor Laurie Davies
• Laguna Woods: Mayor Noel Hatch
• Lake Forest: Mayor Neeki Moatazedi
• Los Alamitos: Mayor Richard Murphy
• Mission Viejo: Mayor Brian Goodell
• Newport Beach: Mayor Will O’Neill
• Orange: Mayor Mark Murphy
• Placentia: Mayor Ward Smith
• Rancho Santa Margarita: Mayor Bradley McGirr
• San Clemente: Mayor Pro Tem Laura Ferguson
• San Juan Capistrano: Mayor Troy Bourne
• Santa Ana: Mayor Miguel Pulido
• Seal Beach: Mayor Schelly Sustarsic
• Stanton: Mayor David Shawver
• Tustin: Mayor Allan Bernstein
• Villa Park: Mayor Robbie Pitts
• Westminster: Mayor Tri Ta
• Yorba Linda: Mayor Beth Haney

The video drives home that across diverse Orange County, we are all in this together and must work together to keep fighting coronavirus in our communities.

As Orange County’s COVID-19 case numbers and testing positivity rates continue a dramatic decline, we’re moving toward gradual reopening of more businesses and activities.

But, as we do so, wearing masks will be more important than ever to ensure we maintain our progress, keep our cases low and prevent another shutdown.

The OC mayors’ promotional video debuts Friday, Sept. 25, on social media throughout Orange County as well as on local TV stations.

The video is produced in partnership with the Orange County Mayors coalition and the Orange County School for the Arts.

For more information on coronavirus in Orange County, visit https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/.

Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano has been officially sworn in as the new president for the California Fire Chiefs Association (CalChiefs), becoming the first chief from Costa Mesa to hold that post and the first from Orange County in over 20 years.

Stefano will now lead the state organization that represents more than 800 fire agencies operating throughout California, including a nine-person executive board, an additional 12 area directors to complete the full board, as well as eight professional sections, covering the spectrum of all areas related to Fire, Rescue, EMS, and Community Risk Reduction activities. He remains the president of the Orange County Fire Chiefs Association, a role he has held for the past two years.

“The California fire service has never been more in alignment and unified on the critical issues we are facing today, as evidenced by our advocacy and legislative successes over the past few years.” Stefano shared. “Our talented CalChiefs leadership team will continue to build on our strong partnerships and highly valued relationships from the local level to the Capitol, in thoughtfully setting the stage for the best possible outcomes for the communities we all serve and for all of those who we serve together with, shoulder to shoulder, to that end.”

City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison congratulated Chief Stefano on this key appointment.

“Those of us who work daily with Chief Stefano are keenly aware of his strong leadership, dedication and professionalism,” Farrell Harrison said. “But it is even more impressive that the chief’s peers in the fire service have elected him to lead this statewide agency. We congratulate him on this major achievement.”

Mayor Katrina Foley also praised Chief Stefano’s leadership.

“Chief Stefano is a true public servant,” Mayor Foley said. “During this pandemic, his calm, steady, and stable leadership served our council, fire department and city well. As we transition out of the COVID-19 crisis, and manage the devastating wildfires across the state of California, his servant leadership will benefit the region and state.  We are honored to support him in this new role.”

Chief Stefano said he is humbled that his colleagues chose him to lead this organization at such a critical time as firefighters across the state battle historic wildfires. Further, he said while he welcomes this new role, his dedication to the Costa Mesa Fire team and community remains his top priority.

Chief Stefano was elected to CalChiefs last year and had been serving in the role of president elect until his formal installation took place on Sept. 10.  The last fire chief from the Orange County region to lead CalChiefs was Newport Beach Fire Chief Tim Riley in 1998.

Stefano, who grew up in neighboring Newport Beach, has served as the fire chief for Costa Mesa since 2013. Prior to that he served the Laguna Beach Fire Department for nearly two decades.

On Tuesday, the City Council officially proclaimed the month of Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month.

The City of Costa Mesa will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by launching a virtual program, featuring  the profiles and stories of Hispanic City leaders, City Employees and business owners that chronicles their contributions to the community.

Council Members Manuel Chavez, Arlis Reynolds and Andrea Marr, who were elected in 2018 and became the first members of the City Council of Hispanic heritage, will be featured in the campaign.

“The Hispanic community has deep roots in the City of Costa Mesa,” Mayor Katrina Foley said. “Today, residents of Hispanic and Latino origin represent 36 percent of the City’s population and by celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month we encourage all Costa Mesa residents to increase their cultural awareness and learn the important role that our Hispanic and Latino community has played in contributing to our City’s prosperity.”

In addition, the campaign will feature City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison, who in July of 2019 became the first Latina to hold the top job in the City of Costa Mesa.

“It is my honor to be the City Manager of a city with such a strong Hispanic heritage,” Farrell Harrison said. “For many years, the Hispanic community has enriched the City of Costa Mesa through their resilience, spirit, vibrancy, leadership, investments, and entrepreneurship, advancing the many successes of our richly diverse City. This is a proud day for Costa Mesa.”

The virtual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration will take place in both English and Spanish languages and will be viewable on the city’s social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988.