At the Dec. 5 Brea City Council meeting, the councilmembers voted unanimously for Councilmember Christine Marick to serve the next year as mayor and Councilmember Blair Stewart as mayor pro tem.
The two roles are chosen by the councilmembers each year from among their ranks.
Marick, who served the last year as mayor pro tem, and Stewart were nominated together by Councilmember Marty Simonoff, who was wrapping up his year as mayor, and seconded by Councilmember Cecilia Hupp. There were no other nominations nor any discussion. The vote was 5-0.
Marick was first elected to the City Council in 2012, and re-elected in 2016 and 2020. This is her third time as Brea’s mayor. She previously served as mayor in 2016 and 2020. Stewart just completed his first year as a councilmember. Not bad.
So what can we expect from our city’s new leaders? Marick said, “My goal is work with my colleagues, city staff and our engaged resident/businesses to keep Brea a top-tier city that continues to attract families, businesses and visitors.” She added that they would have a continued focus on homelessness, infrastructure, including Arovista Park, and major investments in public safety.
She and Stewart recognize a lack of affordable and workforce housing and the major importance of public safety, including support of the Brea Police Department’s planned integrated crime center to help combat crime, including the smash and grab crimes so prevalent today.
Marick serves on the Orange County Waste Management Commission, the Orange County Public Library Advisory Board and the city’s Investment Advisory Committee.
In the past year as a first-time Brea councilmember Stewart worked on the city’s Development Committee, and is a member of the Wildlife Corridor & Conservation Authority and the Hillside Open Space Education Coalition or HOSEC. Stewart expressed interest in being the city’s representative for the Orange County Sanitation District. We’ll see if he gets it.
Sometimes council members vie for the same commissions and it gets ugly. I recall a City Council study session several years ago when two council members both wanted on a particular county committee. I believe it was for the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District. It got a bit testy and the tempers heated up. All I could think was that they needed a mom in there to separate those arguing kids.
But in the end, it is the mayor who appoints council members to city and some county commissions. Other appointments are done through an interview process by the county agencies.
It is important for our city leaders to be a part of county and regional organizations because often what affects them also affects us, and our city should have a say in it.
At present, Stewart is a HAZMAT firefighter for the Torrance Fire Department, while Marick is the CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Brea, Placentia and Yorba Linda.
And speaking of the Boys & Girls Club, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 16 there will be a holiday toy giveaway for kids of all ages. To receive a toy, children must be accompanied by one adult or parent per family. A child must be present to receive a toy. No picking up something for a sibling who didn’t come.
Bring the kids early because the toy supply is limited.
The Brea clubhouse is at 502 S. Sievers Ave., next to the Brea Senior Center.
Terri Daxon is a freelance writer and the owner of Daxon Marketing Communications. She gives her perspective on Brea issues twice a month. Contact her at daxoncomm@gmail.com.
