Candidates Questionnaire: What community service have you done specifically?

The Pacifica Chamber of Commerce submitted 12 questions to each of the candidates for Pacifica City Council. Every week we will be posting two questions, and the answers from each of the candidates.


Question 3. What community service have you done specifically?

Rich Campbell - 2 Year Seat

     -Planning Commission since 2007

     -Member, Pacifica Beach Coalition

     -Founding Patron, Pacifica Education Foundation

Victor Spano - 2 Year Seat

I volunteered to create the "PacificaOpportunities.com" website which the Chamber called for months earlier.  I volunteered for Giro Di Pacifica, finding a sponsor, donations, and assisting with some logistics.  I am on the Chamber's Tourism Committee.  I look forward to performing more community service as Pacifica's 2-year Councilman.

Gary Mondfrans - 2 Year Seat

The first 10 years of my adult life were in efforts to improve my community and I successfully helped change has the how the land use plan and zoning ordinance would support growth as well as how the voters must approve changes which affected the character of their city. Those are goals which I will use to approach the bond between the people and government here in Pacifica. 

At the age 23 I was first elected to the San Bruno City Council, by age 25 I was Mayor of San Bruno, and the land use reforms I had petitioned and labored for were signed into law under my very signature. 

I gathered experience by working for two law firms prior to my even going to law school, and at age 30, after public service as an elected official in San Bruno, I began a 31 year career in Public Safety, first with the San Francisco Police Department, working side-by-side my Pacifica cousin who proceeded me there and have recently retired from San Francisco's Department of Emergency Management. You might well be amazed at the number San Francisco police officer and fire fighters who live in Pacifica and who also call Pacifica home; you may even known them as your own friends and neighbors, precisely because it was affordable for them to move to Pacifica, and they continue to raise their families here because Pacifica is a great and beautiful place to live and raise a families .

During the time I was a City Employee I could not be politically active still I could be socially active and for years I have used my advocacy of social and democratic issues through the web via Facebook and my other website such as my own www.GshotsTV.com, and via my GShotsTV channel on YouTUBE: http://www.YouTUBE.com/GShotsTV, and in particular by selecting and viewing my playlist entitled “Gary is Passionate about Pacifica.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az100OjL7i4&feature=html5_ns&list=PLD100BC781D6760F6&playnext=1

Mike O'Neill - 2 Year Seat

14 Years Pacifica School Board of Trustees

City of Pacifica Planning Commission

Board of Directors Boys and Girls Club

Board of Directors Pacifica Library Foundation

Advisory Board Spindrift Theatre

Founder of Treasures and Trivia of Pacifica

Many, many, many volunteer hours in fundraisers, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, youth athletics, and PTO’s

 

Susan Vellone - 4 Year Seat

I serve my community through Rotary of Pacifica and liaison to the Terra Nova Rotary Club. My 2011 President project brought businesses and a generous Past District Governor together, willing to donate time, material, and labor in replacing the entire roof at Spindrift Playhouse. Council just approved the project and it will begin shortly. 

Organized the fundraiser “Hearts on Fire” for the Pacifica Fire Dept. off road vehicle. Board Director for Pacifican’s Care, Vice President  Chamber of Commerce, Past President Chamber of Commerce, Chamber Liaison for the GGNRA, Committee Member for the Beautification Task Force.

Karen Ervin - 4 Year Seat

I have been actively involved in the Pacifica schools for many years as a classroom volunteer, in fundraising activities, and I have served many positions on the PTO Boards while my children attended elementary schools.  

In 2010 I received the Elna Flynn Award for my volunteer work at Ingrid B Lacy Middle School.  I served as trustee of the Pacifica School District Governing Board from 2006 to 2010, and President in 2010.   

I am a member of the Financing City Services Task Force where our objective is to evaluate the revenues and expenditures in the city’s budget and make recommendations to City Council.  

I am a director of Pacifican’s Care, a nonprofit that funds social service organizations in Pacifica.  I have been an active member of the Pacifica Beach Coalition primarily working to encourage the students in Pacifica schools to partner with the PBC in preserving our oceans, beaches and wildlife and to do the same myself.

Mary Ann Nihart - 4 Year Seat

I have served Pacifica as a community activist and volunteer for over twenty-four years. With community outreach, consensus building, and positive motivation, I have been able to bring together extremely diverse groups in support of causes like education, economic development and the environment. When our community comes together, we are truly an amazing force and a joy to experience.  Over the years I have been involved in a variety of capacities, organizing events and fundraisers for:

• Fog Fest Organizing Group, Board of Directors: Parade Chair and Former Sponsorship Chair;
• Support Pacifica, founding member;
• Pacifica Democrats;
• Pacificans United for Positive Solutions, founding member;
• Past Co-chair Saving Pacifica Schools and co-chair for the successful Measure N;
• Strategic Planning committee for Pacifica School District;
• Vice Chair, West Sharp Park Advisory Committee
• Pacifica Education Foundation, founding Friend;
• Pacifica Connected and Pacifica Library Foundation Supporter;
• Pacifica Historical Society;
• Preserve Our Pier supporter;
• American Association of University Women, member
• Assistant organizer, Brighton Beach Neighborhood Watch and
• Fundraiser/organizer for various campaigns/events such as the Town Hall meeting to support Jackie Speier’s election.

Most recently, I led a community-wide cleanup, beautification, and promotional effort that garnered national recognition for Pacifica as one of the six most beautiful towns in the U.S.