Brea voters are deciding the winners of two seats on the City Council, with the incumbents facing two challengers.
Vying for the seats are Thomas Donini, Bill Klovstad and incumbents Christine Marrick and Marty Siminoff.
Donini, a retired university business professor, is a 25-year Brea resident. He has previously served on the Cultural Arts Commission, the Parks, Recreation and Human Services Commission and the Planning Commission.
When asked by the newspaper’s voter guide about leadership he brings to the table, he said he’s held “positions in higher education, nonprofits and in investor-owned corporations.”
“I’m collegial, a good listener and have always been in an ethnically diverse workforce environment,” he said. “This experience is invaluable in providing civic leadership.”
As for the biggest need facing Brea, he said “the increased traffic flow through the city” is what he hears about from the community.
He would support, he said, “exploring traffic calming measures within our neighborhoods that slow traffic to create a more pedestrian/bicycle-friendly environment.”
Klovstad, a ranch owner, has lived in Brea since 2017.
He has been appointed to the county’s Large Animal Rescue Program and said that has given him experience leading more than 200 volunteers that are there to help with evacuations during emergencies.
“As an owner of two businesses, I know how to balance books and have a profitable business, which would make me a responsible councilmember,” he added.
When asked by the voter guide about the biggest need facing Brea, he said, “fire protection and the sky-rocking costs of homeowner insurance.” Klovstad is advocating for heli-hydrants to provide an easily accessible water source to help in a fire and “possibly reducing” premiums.
Marrick, who has been serving the last year as the city’s mayor, has been on the City Council since 2012.
Marrick said she champions openness and inclusivity. “I have gotten to know families through youth sports and Scouts and residents of all ages at the Senior Center and through other community events and programs,” she said in response to the voter guide. “I am accessible via email, phone call, text and even impromptu conversations while shopping or enjoying a coffee.”
She said the biggest need facing Brea is maintaining the city’s financial stability and investing in infrastructure and facilities helps the community and attracts visitors, “generating additional sales tax revenue.”
Marrick said she was part of the council that instead of having to ask voters to approve a local sales tax, “wisely invested in trusts for both pension and other post-employment benefits expenses, and we formalized a reserve policy requiring at least 25% of our general fund expenditures be set aside in reserves available for emergencies and budget stabilization if necessary.”
Simonoff, a Brea resident for 43 years, has been a councilmember since 1996.
“I have been active in the community, not only on the council, but I have coached youth sports, served in the past on Brea Football Boosters, been active in a service club and worked with Brea seniors,” he said in response to the voter guide. “I have always been open to meetings with citizens, working to resolve issues or provide them with the proper staff contact.”
Maintaining local control of how the city develops is the biggest need he said he sees facing Brea.
“Having the ability to govern development is necessary,” Simonoff said, adding, “Also, working to avoid “unfunded mandates” imposed by the state that only create a fiscal cost to our citizens and to city programs.”
He said the city has started using a two-year budget cycle again, that has improved planning for major purchases and community improvement project and has been successful in finding grants to help offset costs.
“I view these dollars,” he said, “as a return to Brea of dollars that Brea citizens have paid in taxes on both the federal and state level.”
The newspaper’s voter guide asked the candidates questions about budgeting, meeting housing demands, climate change and what makes a good leader. Check out what they said at ocregister.com/voter-guide. The guide includes all the races on the ballots.
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