CAMPAIGN NEWS

Momentum, Not Slowdown Usually, things quiet down as the holidays approach. But, not in Carmel this year. The December Council meetings will tackle issues that matter to residents and are essential to keeping Carmel safe, beautiful, and productive. The same is happening with our Commissions. I’ve also represented Carmel at the Mayors Association, the Monterey County Hospitality Association’s recognition awards, the Carmel Innkeepers gathering, and the Panetta Institute’s Linc

Typically, city leadership transitions happen one at a time. A police chief retires. A department head moves on. A new city manager is hired. It’s natural, and often healthy. But in Carmel-by-the-Sea, 2025 will be a year of unique opportunity. In one year, our Public Works Director, Police Chief, Library and Community Activities Director, Fire Chief, Planning Director, and City Administrator will retire or will move into a new role. In the last two years, we also welcomed a n

Recently, 2,300 city leaders from across California met in Long Beach for the League of California Cities Annual Conference and  Expo. Assistant City Administrator Brandon Swanson, HR Director Marisa Bermudez, and I split up to cover as many of the 100 sessions as we could. Topics ranged across HR, planning and development, wildfire readiness, IT, and legal issues. In addition, during coffee breaks and evening events, I compared notes with colleagues from cities like Livermor

Over the last nine months, I’ve been meeting with mayors, councilpersons, and city managers across Monterey County, following neighboring...

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." We all remember the children's story of the little engine that refused to give up,...

Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to Carmel-by-the-Sea.  We have more than 350 people gathering here at the beautiful Sunset Cultural...

A Celebration of Community and Automotive Passion Car Week has always been one of those magical times when Carmel-by-the-Sea feels both...

Balancing Authority and Accountability in Municipal Decision-Making Local government works best when roles are clearly defined and...

A couple weeks ago, 260 of us gathered for a showing of “Don’t Pave Main Street” at the spectacular new Golden Bough Theater. It was a...

Balancing Charm and Community Life When people think of Carmel-by-the-Sea, they usually picture the storybook cottages, windswept cypress...

It’s been six months since this new City Council was seated, and Carmel-by-the-Sea is already showing visible and meaningful momentum—not...

If you’ve ever wondered how a small town like Carmel-by-the-Sea manages to make real progress while preserving its one-of-a-kind charm,...

A Budget Like a Symphony The last 5 months, I’ve come to see the development of a city budget like preparing for a symphony performance....

An Inspiring Response Over the past few weeks, something remarkable happened—quietly, without ceremony, but deeply meaningful for our...

A Lesson from WAYMISH In 1995, I sat next to retail consultant Ray Consodine on a flight. He was working on his book WAYMISH: Why Are You...

When I ran for mayor, I promised to move Carmel from “we should” to “we will”. With a dynamic City Council and an energized City staff,...

The Importance of Seeing Each Other Clearly In my last column, I emphasized the importance of collaboration to solve problems. This past...

Honoring the Past While Facing the Future Carmel-by-the-Sea stands at a pivotal moment. Our village was shaped by visionary founders and...

Carmel-by-the-Sea stands at a pivotal moment as we lay the groundwork for change and actively develop plans that will be turned into...

In my first three months as mayor, I’ve learned that strong leadership is key to effective city government. Carmel faces challenges, but...