After an extensive national executive recruitment, Citrus Heights Police Chief, Ron Lawrence, has been selected to lead Costa Mesa’s highly regarded Police Department.

Chief Lawrence is a distinguished leader with 31 years of experience in law enforcement, including 10 years as the top law enforcement official in two California cities. He was appointed Chief of Police for the Northern California City of Citrus Heights on Oct. 31, 2016, overseeing a department of 157 employees and serving a population of nearly 90,000.

Chief Lawrence has held many assignments throughout his 30-plus year career, including being a court bailiff, jail deputy, patrol officer, field training officer, motorcycle officer, traffic officer, street crimes and vice officer, internal affairs investigator, personnel and training, watch-commander, division-commander as well as serving as a sergeant and lieutenant.

“Chief Lawrence will be tasked with leading one of the top-performing and innovative law enforcement agencies in the state,” said City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison, who selected Chief Lawrence from a talented pool of candidates. “Costa Mesa’s Police Department is well respected in our community, and I have full confidence that our new Chief will carry on the legacy of law enforcement excellence that Chief Glass and his team and prior Chiefs have worked so hard to achieve.”

Elected unanimously by his Police Chief colleagues to serve as the 54th President of the California Police Chief’s Association (CPCA), Chief Lawrence is respected throughout the state, and for the 2019/2020 term he represented all 334 municipal Police Chiefs in the state of California.

“I want to thank City Manager, Lori Ann Farrell Harrison, for her confidence in me to serve as Costa Mesa’s next Police Chief,” Chief Lawrence said. “She and her staff are doing amazing work, and I look forward to joining such a successful team. I am excited to lead the Costa Mesa Police Department and build upon the legacy of Chief Bryan Glass and so many other chiefs who have shaped the organization’s culture. The men and women of the police department are well-respected, highly skilled professionals, and I am fortunate to be a part of creating a bright future alongside them. My wife, Jennifer, and I are very excited about the next chapter in our lives working with the City Council and community, and we look forward to becoming active members of the Costa Mesa community.”

Mayor John Stephens expressed his confidence in the new Chief.

“Through a nationwide search, we have identified a strong leader for our Police Department for years to come,” Mayor Stephens said.  “Chief Lawrence has distinguished himself among his fellow chiefs, and will now serve Costa Mesa well.  I’m pleased to welcome Chief Lawrence and to support him in his efforts to keep our community safe.”

Current Chief of Police Bryan Glass also welcomed Chief Lawrence to Costa Mesa.

“I congratulate Chief Lawrence for being selected as the next Chief of Police for the Costa Mesa Police Department,” Chief Glass said. “He is an experienced law enforcement professional and seasoned chief, who can ensure the department continues to progress and provide quality police services to the Costa Mesa community.”

Chief Lawrence has experience building diverse police departments through recruitment, promotions, and succession planning. He knows how to collaborate with the community to ensure community goals are achieved, including reducing crime and traffic collisions, while building community trust.

In his early years, he grew up on a rice farm in Northern California. In 1989, he graduated from the Sacramento Sheriff’s Academy beginning his long career in law enforcement. Prior to being named Chief in Citrus Heights, Lawrence served as both the Police Chief and Captain of the City of Rocklin.

As President of the California Police Chiefs Association, he served as media spokesperson, represented CPCA with the Governor and State Attorney General, and worked closely with legislators at the State Capitol on critical public safety legislation.

He served on the CPCA Board of Directors for nine years from 2012 to 2021, chairing several crucial committees. Chief Lawrence was selected by the CPCA Board to represent the State of California as its sole representative to the State Association of Chiefs of Police (SACOP), which grants each state one delegate as a liaison to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Chief Lawrence has held this prestigious appointment for many years.

Chief Lawrence currently serves on the California Office of Emergency Services’ Homeland Security Advisory Committee, the Governor’s “Creating Safer Communities Statewide Taskforce,” and the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee with the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC); a non-partisan, non-profit think-tank dedicated to informing and improving California public policy. He also sits on the Board of Directors for the Western States Information Network (WISN), one of six U.S. regions within the national Regional Information Sharing System (RISS), a law enforcement information complex funded by the U.S. Congress.

In 2013, Chief Lawrence was invited to teach at William Jessup University as an Adjunct Professor in the Public Policy Division, where he has taught Introduction to Criminal Justice, as well as Criminology.

Chief Lawrence has received extensive specialized police training throughout his career in a variety of specialized topics, and his formal education includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Leadership. He also attended the FBI National Academy and the POST Command College for law enforcement executives.

Chief Lawrence is a dedicated public servant with a passion for serving the community. He is a firm believer in community policing, one of the many reasons he and his wife, Jennifer, a retired Police Officer, look forward to moving to Costa Mesa to serve in this honorable role and immerse themselves into the fabric of this great community. They both look forward to being closer to their adult children living in Southern California and will enjoy all the diversity Costa Mesa has to offer.

Chief Lawrence will be officially sworn in as the Chief of Police at the Regular City Council Meeting of Sept. 7, 2021.

The Parks and Community Services Department is providing on-the-spot interviews for part-time positions to contribute in the areas of Aquatics, Facilities, Field Ambassadors, Senior Center, and Youth Programs.

Program positions include Community Services Leader II/III, Lifeguard, Instructor Guard, and Senior Guard. Applicants can simply drop in at the Balearic Community Center (1975 Balearic Drive) anytime during one of the available dates and times below:

• Tuesday, August 24: 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 25: 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
• Thursday, August 26: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Please bring your résumé and face mask with you.

All employment offers are contingent to successfully passing all components of the pre-employment process. To view job descriptions and qualifications, please visit www.costamesaca.gov/jobs and for questions, contact the Parks and Community Services Department at (714) 754-5300.

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

Parks, Arts and Community Services Commission: This Commission meets monthly and assists 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. The City is recruiting for one (1) member from District 3, one (1) member from District 4, and one (1) member from District 5 terms expiring Jan. 2023. Applicants must be a resident in Districts 3, 4, and 5, respectively. For further information, contact Parks and Community Services at (714) 754-5300.

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 and conditional use permits. The Commission also functions as an advisory body to the City Council for Zoning and General Plan amendments. The City is recruiting for one (1) member, term expiring Jan. 2023, and for one (1) member, term expiring Jan. 2025. For further information, contact Executive Secretary Julie Colgan at (714) 754-5270.

Finance and Pension Advisory Committee: This committee meets monthly and provides advice to the City Council regarding issues which may affect the financial status of the City and it also evaluates financial impacts. The City is recruiting for one (1) regular member, expiring April 2022. 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, financial planning, banking, accounting, or a closely related field.  For further information, contact Executive Secretary Dina Wild at (714) 754-5243.

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 one (1) regular member, expiring April 2023. For further information, contact Executive Secretary Julie Colgan at (714) 754-5270.

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 is 5 p.m., Thursday, September 2, 2021.  Appointments are tentatively scheduled for the September 21, 2021 City Council meeting.

City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison has given the City Manager Leadership Award for July to Recreation Supervisor Kevin Stoddart.

“Kevin’s passion for providing creative recreational opportunities to the residents of Costa Mesa is much appreciated,” Farrell Harrison said. “His effort and diligence in all of his tasks make him truly deserving of the Leadership Award. I’m thankful he is part of our team.”

Stoddart currently supervises the Downtown Recreation and Aquatic Center, and oversees the Senior Citizen programs, the Aquatic Center, the Downtown Recreation Center, the Teen Center, and now the Norma Hertzog Community Center.

During the last 12 months, Stoddart has been instrumental in reopening the Aquatic Center, the first official recreational program to reopen after Covid Closures. This required new policies and procedures that helped pave the way for other programs to reopen.

The Aquatic Center is in full swing, with lessons, aerobics, and lap swimming currently in operation. In addition, Stoddart worked with the Fire Department to develop a plan for the opening of a Cooling Center at the Costa Mesa Senior Center during last year’s heat wave.

This coordinated effort provided shelter for numerous Costa Mesa residents.

Stoddart led staff in bringing COVID testing clinics and Vaccination Pods to the community, both at the Costa Mesa Senior Center and offsite at Hoag Hospital. He coordinated with Public Services on training and understanding all of the components of the Norma Hertzog Community Center and helped facilitate the Movies in the Park at IKEA and on the Event Lawn at Lions Park.

Stoddart took over SMART Camp this summer, and worked with Newport-Mesa school district officials and staff to bring that program back to glory.

Even with all these projects Stoddart led his staff in handling his regular duties, including the OCTA Grants and Agreements, the hiring of two new Program Coordinators, and the training of multiple Aquatics staff.

Stoddart first joined the City of Costa Mesa in 2011 as a part time lifeguard. He climbed the ranks promoting first to Recreation Leader in 2013, Recreation Coordinator in 2015 and Recreation Supervisor in 2020.

Stoddart holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology, law and society from UC Irvine.

After more than a year of shutdowns, the City of Costa Mesa will host a Concert in the Park on Saturday July 31 featuring live music from three amazing bands, gourmet food trucks, a beer and wine garden, kids’ activities and fun for the entire family.

The event will begin at 1 p.m. at Fairview Park and at 5 p.m., the headliner band Tijuana Dogs will take the stage.

“Saturday’s event will have something for everyone, three bands with the Tijuana Dogs headlining, activities and give-aways for kids, great food, beer and wine for adults. and even a rib eating contest,” said Mayor John Stephens, who spearheaded the event. “An event like this has been a long time coming in Costa Mesa. That time is Saturday!”

Additionally, the City has made it easier than ever to walk, bike, scoot or skate to the Concert by installing a temporary two-way cycle track on the west side of Placentia Avenue from Fairview Park to Victoria Street and placing delineators in the bicycle lane buffers on both sides of Placentia Avenue from Adams Avenue to Fairview Park.

Temporary bike racks will be provided by the Costa Mesa Foundation.

Fairview Park is located at 2525 Placentia Ave. For more, visit costamesaca.gov/citp

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

1 p.m. Pre Show Activities

1:30 p.m. Mariachi Juvenil Herencia Michoacana (Mexican Folk)

3 p.m. Jasmine Fields (New Country)

5:00 p.m. Tijuana Dogs (Rock)

See below for sponsors:

On Saturday July 17, the City of Costa Mesa unveiled to the community the new Norma Hertzog Community Center and the reinvigorated Lions Park Playground (Airplane Park), marking the final chapter on a $36.5 million, world-class campus that has quickly become the jewel of Costa Mesa’s Westside.

“On Saturday, we officially opened the Norma Hertzog Community Center and the Lions Park Playground,” Mayor John Stephens said. “This completes the Lions Park Project, which is the largest capital improvement project in Costa Mesa’s history. It is wonderful to see so many residents and visitors enjoying these new community assets as they will for generations to come.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony began at 10 a.m. at the Norma Hertzog Community Center, named in honor of Costa Mesa’s first woman council member and mayor, and concluded at the Lions Park Playground, where city officials welcomed visitors to the see the newly engineered Korean War-era Panther Jet.

Photos courtesy of Ashley Fisher

In a special moment, attendees heard from former Mayor Hertzog, who had pre-taped a video greeting and then appeared briefly on the center’s two new big screens to greet the crowd virtually via Zoom.

City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison emceed the event and gave special thanks to Public Services Director Raja Sethuraman, who led the project construction. Other city officials attending were Assistant City Manager Susan Price, Police Chief Bryan Glass, IT Director Steve Ely, Finance Director Carol Molina and Parks & Community Services Director Jason Minter.

Council Member Arlis Reynolds, who represents District 5 where the park is located, celebrated both the park opening and coincidentally her birthday that day.

“It was such a joy, and the best birthday gift I could ask for, to see our downtown Lions Park campus – including the library, the new community center, Airplane Park, and all the open spaces thriving with so many smiling Costa Mesa faces,” Council Member Reynolds said. “Many of my favorite childhood memories are from this campus, and so many generations of Costa Mesans have stories here. The Lions Park campus will be home again to many more happy memories!”

Several hundred members of the community attended the event as well as VIPs that included four former Costa Mesa mayors Arlene Scheafer, Mary Hornbuckle, now County Supervisor Katrina Foley and Ed McFarland.

Photos courtesy of Ashley Fisher

“I couldn’t be happier with the outcome,” Supervisor Foley said. “It was so important to me to name the beautiful community center after Costa Mesa’s first female mayor, Norma Hertzog, as there were no buildings in Costa Mesa named after a woman. I loved seeing the Lions Park playground transformed from a site that families avoided to one filled with kids playing joyfully this weekend. Costa Mesa is better because of this project.”

Also in attendance were dignitaries and community leaders, including Assembly Member Cottie Petrie Norris, who helped secure $1 million in state funding for the park improvements.

“I’m so proud to have secured $1 million for the revitalization of Lions Park,” said Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris. “The new playground is an incredible interactive experience for kids and Lions Park is now the jewel of Costa Mesa. I can’t wait to see families come and gather together in community.”

The new Community Center features a 330-person capacity main assembly room and 100 person-capacity conference room, upgraded restrooms and a catering kitchen. It also features state of the art technology for special events.

The Lions Park Playground features a new airplane-themed play area with swing sets, a zip line, double-duo see saws and most importantly the refurbished historic Panther Jet that has been a fixture of the park for decades.

The Panther Jet was refurbished by Capt. Vic Bakkila and several volunteers including Pete “the pirate” Carolin, Cindy Brenneman, Sue Lester and Beth Refakes.

Photos courtesy of Ashley Fisher

The improvements include new restrooms and open lawn areas, modern playground equipment and rubberized surface and sand play areas. Other park infrastructure upgrades include storm drain and irrigation improvements, new site lighting, landscaping and concrete pathways.

The opening of the Community Center and Playground marked the completion of Phase 2 of the City’s Capital Improvement Project that began in June of 2017. Phase 1 included the new 23,615-square-foot Donald Dungan Library that was opened to the public in May of 2019.

The design of both the library and community center, which was formerly the Donald Dungan Library, was completed by the Southern California-based architectural firm Johnson Favaro and the construction was managed by Costa Mesa’s Public Services Department and the Tovey/Shultz construction firm.

Along with the new Donald Dungan Library, Phase 1 of the project included a one-acre park with 25,000-square-feet of programmable grass area. The facility is owned by the City and library services are provided by Orange County Public Libraries.

A total of 225 new trees have been planted in Lions Park, which is the city’s oldest park, as part of this project. Both the Donald Dungan Library and Norma Hertzog Community Center are LEED Gold Certified. Costa Mesa is the only city in Orange County and fourth in the state that is LEED Gold Certified.

The Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce honored the City of Costa Mesa with its prestigious Pillar of the City Award at the annual 2021 State of the City address.

The city was recognized for its many accomplishments, resiliency and dedication to the business community and public safety amid a worldwide pandemic.

The award was presented at the Chamber of Commerce’s State of the City luncheon held at the Rene and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on Thursday July 15 before an audience of 230 attendees. Mayor John Stephens, Mayor Pro-Tem Andrea Marr and Council Members Loren Gameros, Manuel Chavez, Arlis Reynolds and Jeff Harlan presented the City’s many accomplishments to a crowd of business leaders.

The award was presented by Chamber of Commerce CEO Carla Valenzuela and President Emeritus Tom Johnson and City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison received the award on the City’s behalf.

“Many thanks to the Chamber for recognizing our hard work with this Pillar of the City Award,” said Mayor Stephens. “As we all get back to our normal lives, I’m proud to say the State of the City in Costa Mesa is better than ever. We are now well positioned to meet our challenges.”

The Chamber singled out the City for numerous accomplishments. Costa Mesa was the first city in Orange County to issue a state of emergency, which enabled the City to receive federal stimulus dollars and get a head start on managing the pandemic. It is one of only two cities to balance its budget without the use of reserves.

“Despite the pandemic, we were able to continue our AAA credit rating and balance the city’s budget,” Farrell Harrison said. “We built major capital projects including our new Norma Hertzog Community Center, the new Lions Park Playground and our permanent 72-bed Bridge Shelter in which we leveraged a regional partnership with Newport Beach and the County securing $4 million in grant funds.”

City leaders held more than 20 meetings with approximately 40 local businesses and opened a call center with 10 volunteers as part of the Costa Mesa’s BAC (Business Assistance Collaborative) initiative.

The City issued over 80 permits for businesses to conduct retail and dining outdoors. To further help businesses, the City gave $2 million to over 450 small businesses through its City-funded small business grant program.

Costa Mesa hired two more police officers, and seven new firefighter vacancies were filled. Public safety responded to a combined 140,000 calls for service. Fire crews conducted more than 1,000 inspections and plan checks, and fire strike teams were called out to help fight 15 wildfires throughout the region and state. The Police Department managed a dozen rallies and protests amid the most civil unrest experienced in decades.

A new Rental Assistance Program was created to provide $387,000 in relief to 124 families in need. And through the Cares Act Funding, City leaders were able to give out an additional $3 million to aid struggling local businesses.

During the pandemic, the City still housed over 200 individuals previously suffering from homelessness and worked closely with the Power of One Foundation to provide meals to the needy.

Costa Mesa also partnered with the County of Orange and 360 Clinic to provide a mass testing site at the Fairgrounds and a vaccine Super Pod to serve the community.

Nearly 11,000 business licenses were issued. And the City was instrumental in the deal that resulted in defense contractor Anduril to sign a lease for The Press site, the largest real estate deal in Orange County at 600,000 square feet.

Costa Mesa is one of four cities in the nation and the only one in Orange County to be awarded LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

After the retail cannabis Measure Q received approval in November with 65% of the votes, the City Council is prepared to start the new business program yielding up to $3 million or more in new revenue for the City and 150 well-paying jobs.

For a list of many of the City’s accomplishments last year please click on the following link

On Saturday July 17, the City of Costa Mesa will hold its first public ribbon cutting ceremony in 18 months to celebrate the opening of the new Norma Hertzog Community Center and the new Lions Park Playground (Airplane Park) and add the finishing touches to the City’s Lions Park Projects.

“We are beyond excited to present this new community center and playground to Costa Mesa families,” City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison said. “The completion of this project fulfills the commitment we made to the community to create a $36.5 million, world-class campus that will be the jewel of Costa Mesa’s Westside.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at the Norma Hertzog Community Center and conclude at the Lions Park Playground, where city officials will unveil the newly engineered Korean War-era Panther Jet.

The opening of the Community Center and Playground marks the completion of Phase 2 of the City’s Capital Improvement Project that began in June of 2017. Phase 1 included the new 23,615-square-foot Donald Dungan Library at the City’s oldest park that was opened to the public in May of 2019.

The design of both the library and community center, which was formerly the Donald Dungan Library, was completed by the Southern California-based architectural firm Johnson Favaro and the construction was managed by Costa Mesa’s Public Services Department and the Tovey/Shultz construction firm.

The new Community Center features a 330-person capacity main assembly room and 100 person-capacity conference room, upgraded restrooms and a catering kitchen. It also features state of the art technology for special events.

The Lions Park Playground features a new airplane-themed play area with swing sets, a zip line, double-duo see saws and most importantly the refurbished historic Panther Jet that has been a fixture of the park for decades.

The improvements include new restrooms and open lawn areas, modern playground equipment and rubberized surface and sand play areas. Other park infrastructure upgrades include storm drain and irrigation improvements, new site lighting, landscaping and concrete pathways.

Along with the new Donald Dungan Library, Phase 1 of the project included a one-acre park with 25,000-square-feet of programmable grass area. The facility is owned by the City and library services are provided by Orange County Public Libraries.

A total of 225 new trees have been planted in Lions Park as part of this project. Both the Donald Dungan Library and Norma Hertzog Community Center are LEED Gold Certified. Costa Mesa is the only city in Orange County that is LEED Gold Certified.

Due to the observation of the Fourth of July holiday, there will be no residential street sweeping on Monday July 5, 2021. The remainder of the week, residential street sweeping will continue with its normal routes.

For more information, residents can call the city’s street sweeping hotline at (714) 327-7471, which has been updated with this information.

On Tuesday June 15, the City Council unanimously approved an agreement with Save Our Youth (SOY) to offer joint recreational programming opportunities that will enhance the current recreation offerings to approximately 260 children ages 13-18 from Costa Mesa.

With many of the City’s recreational programs being fee-based, teens from lower income households are often not able to take full advantage of the City’s recreational programming and offerings.

By partnering with the City’s Parks and Community Services Department, teens in the SOY program will be offered shared use of City staff, facilities and equipment.

“I am pleased that we have partnered with SOY, a great organization that has helped countless teens in Costa Mesa,” Mayor John Stephens said. “This new venture will help fulfill the vision of Council Members Manuel Chavez and Arlis Reynolds and the Council to provide support to this community treasure.”

District 4 Council Member Manuel Chavez and District 5 Council Member Arlis Reynolds were instrumental in advocating for this new partnership.

“I’m happy to see the City of Costa Mesa enter into an M.O.U. with SOY,” said SOY alumni Council Member Chavez said. “It’s an exciting opportunity for both of us to work together and provide the best services to Westside Costa Mesa students.”

Council Member Reynolds agreed.

“Strong community-based organizations are critical for a thriving and resilient community, and they help our City teams better understand community assets and needs and align our services with those needs,” Reynolds said. “This partnership with SOY is a great example and step forward for the partnerships we need to embrace to meet our mission of supporting a vibrant and inclusive city.”

The agreement with SOY is for three years with an option for two additional years if both the City and SOY agree to continue. The $42,000 in funding for the program will come from the City’s contingency funds.

SOY was established in 1993 through the hard work and steadfast vision of parents on the Westside of Costa Mesa as a non-profit agency serving low-income youth that often lack opportunities due to limited economic means. The nonprofit provides a productive and healthy environment where teens receive mentoring, tutoring, and college preparedness.