Local leaders and city dignitaries joined together to honor community standouts at the Pacific Beach Town Council’s (PBTC) 56th annual installation dinner, 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, at the Catamaran Resort Hotel.
“It is the Pacific Beach Town Council that is the heart and soul of the community,” Councilman Kevin Faulconer said. “The strength of the town council is bringing everyone together.”
The evening brought together longtime community activists, new volunteers and San Diego leaders.
San Diego’s Chief of Police William Lansdowne, State Assemblywoman Lori Saldaãa and Deputy Attorney General and former state assemblyman, Howard Wayne, joined Faulconer.
Faulconer presented outgoing president Don Mullen with a special proclamation honoring his service. In keeping with the lighthearted tone of the evening, Faulconer joked that he could now stop calling Mullen “President Don.”
Mullen continued the awards, first singling out PBTC board member and Honorary Mayor Karl Jaedtke.
Jaedtke said he was proud to have served as honorary mayor, calling the group of “a who’s who of epic people who have done nothing but good for this community.”
Susan Roth, a 25-year resident of Pacific Beach, will serve as 2007’s honorary mayor. The vice president of San Diego National Bank, Roth is also active with Discover Pacific Beach.
“I’m very surprised,” she said following the dinner. “It’s an honor and says a lot about the bank’s community involvement.”
In acknowledgement of his five terms as president, Jim Moore was named the President Emeritus of the town council.
For her decades of community service, Mullen presented 58-year Pacific Beach resident Mary Cook with the Golden Seahorse Award.
Also recognized with a Golden Seahorse was the late Vern Taylor.
“He was the classiest businessman I’ve ever met in my life,” Mullen said of the business and civic leader. A plaque honoring him will be hung in the Pacific Beach library at 4275 Cass St. that bears his family’s name. June Sandford was announced as the recipient of the Pug Sandford Community Service Award.
“We treasure her as a community resource as much as we treasured Pug,” Mullen said.
Noelle Dorman of Congresswoman Susan Davis’ office was recognized for her years of “selfless service.”
Also recognized for his service was Nathan Ward, who received the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award.
Mullen presented community partnership awards to the Pacific Beach Community Foundation, FreePB.org and the San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, which was also recognized as business of the year.
Presidential appreciation award recipients included Police and Emergency Services Appreciation Night (PAESAN) contributor, Crickett Moore; Rose Creek Cottage activities director, Mark Johnston; PBTC board member and Pacific Beach Community Parking District delegate, Patrick Finucane; outgoing board member and manager of the wine-tasting event, Heather Serratt; town council office manager, Mary Lee Popard; PBTC officer and Concerts on the Green champion, Georgina Smith; town council member and instrumental figure in the PBTC’s membership survey, Pete Jungers; the Beach & Bay Press; and PBTC board member committed to keeping city streets clean, Rick Oldham.
Commenting on Oldham’s methodical approach to tackling city issues, Mullen joked, “Maybe your approach was a wiser one.”
Also receiving appreciation awards were volunteer and PBTC board member John Westwood; former town council treasurer John Logan; wine-tasting manager Inese Pavars; longtime council president Jim Moore; PBTC board member and Special Events Committee member Eric Swenson; town council member and representative on the Alcohol Task Force Katie Keach; PBTC treasurer Britta Justesen; board member and elections manager Annemarie Rynearson; and PBTC officer and Sundowner manager Rose Galliher.
Turning the focus from the past year of service to the upcoming year, Mullen said, “It’s all about Ruby, folks.”
Praising Houck for her “perpetual smile” and management of the most successful PAESAN in the town council’s history, Mullen passed the gavel to the woman known to many throughout the community as “Ruby the doer.”
The town council’s 2007 officers are Houck, president; Galliher, vice president; Justesen, treasurer; Smith, secretary; and Mullen, past president.
Directors include Chip Epps, Finucane, Jerry Hall, Jaedtke, Jim Menders, Jan O’Connor, Oldham, Pavars, Rynearson, Michael Stevens, Swenson and Westwood. June Sandford will return as parliamentarian.
Before installing the officers, Lansdowne said, “You’re absolutely the ‘American Dream’ for me. You represent the very best of what the city of San Diego is all about.”
At the end of the official swearing-in, Lansdowne jokingly asked incoming officers and directors to “clean up all of the problems that Don Mullen left.”
The past year included changes many found controversial and others found necessary.
Mullen announced that the town council met one of the group’s goals for 2006: increased PBTC membership.
“We doubled the membership this year,” Mullen announced.
Houck hopes to build on that growth and increase representation. She would also like to create more volunteer opportunities to address concerns.
“We have a responsibility and an obligation to move toward a common goal,” Houck said.
One of her first goals is working with the San Diego Police Department to create a Neighborhood Watch Program.
“We can make Pacific Beach the most wonderful place in San Diego,” Houck said.
Quoting Helen Keller, she added, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”
“Ruby is going to be great for this community,” PBTC member Marcie Beckett said following the dinner. “I think she will tackle a lot of important issues and find solutions.”
The PBTC will hold its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 6:30 p.m., at the Earl & Birdie Taylor Library, 4275 Cass St.