Candidate for
Member, City Council; City of Martinez

I was born in Berkeley, CA in 1953 and grew up in Walnut Creek. I have been a lifelong resident of Contra Costa County.

I graduated from Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord in 1971 and immediately went to the University of California, Berkeley. I spent four (4) years at Berkeley and received a Batchelor of Science degree from the School of Business Administration in 1975.

After graduation I attended the Commercial Casualty Underwriter Training Program at the Home Insurance Company in New York City, Great Barrington, Mass. and Chicago. After spending a year working in Chicago I returned to Walnut Creek and joined the family insurance brokerage started by my grandfather in 1933. Twenty three (23) years later I am still with the family firm.

Prior to moving to Martinez in 1992, I lived in Lafayette with my wife, Carole, and our two (2) daughters, Kristi and Sarah. We lived in the home that my greatgrandfather built after he retired from working as a sea captain for a Canadian shipping line.

We had discovered the quaintness of Martinez when my father sat on the Board of Supervisors representing District III. We had always thought of Martinez as the Jail, the Shell Refinery and the Dumps. But once we found the "real" Martinez with its' quaint homes, beautiful views, wonderful waterfront, and historical downtown buildings, we knew we wanted to live there. When the time was right, we found the perfect home and moved.

I had no initial desire to become involved in local community affairs, but after living in Martinez for a year or so I began to take note that there was tremendous potential in the town that was not being tapped. I also felt that the city was in a slow downward cycle that was causing it to slowly crumble around itself.

My first active involvement came with the formation of a small community group of neighbors in the Green Street, Arlington, Talbart area. We were concerned about dilapidated buildings, unruly tenants partying at all hours of the night, drug dealing, litter, and a murder in the neighborhood that was a drug deal gone bad. We formed Martinez Clean and Safe. We took our concerns to the city leaders and they responded with code enforcement, abatement, extra police patrols and neighborhood watch programs.

From there I was appointed to the Blue Ribbon Budget Committee. We spent months reviewing city finances and made recommendations on how to help solve the budget crisis of the day.

The Planning Commission was next. I was appointed to that body in 1994 and served until my election to the City Council in November 1996. I served as Vice Mayor 1998-1999 and I currently represent Martinez on the Board of Directors of the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority (County Connection). I also sit on the Bay Area Economic Forum representing the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). I am also the city liaison to the Martinez Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

As a City Councilman, I have served on the Budget Subcommittee, Marina Subcommittee, Solid Waste Subcommittee, City/County Liaison Committee, Downtown Flood Task Force, Economic Vitality Task Force, Downtown/General Plan Update Subcommittee, Interim City Manager Subcommittee, and Internet Subcommittee.

I am married to Carole Schroder. We have two (2) daughters, Kristi, 17, a Junior at Alhambra High School, and Sarah, 9, a 4th grader at Palmer School.