Mike Gotch will be remembered in a “celebration of his life” during a gathering on Crown Point Shores Friday, July 18, at 3 p.m. according to his longtime assistant Evonne Schulze.

While living in Mission Beach and working for the County of San Diego as the executive director of the Local Agency Formation Commission, Gotch first ran for public office in 1979, when he won the District 6 seat on the San Diego City Council. At that time, District 6 covered Clairemont, Pacific Beach and Mission Beach.

Gotch was host of plans to create the Ocean Boulevard boardwalk near the Crystal Pier, the redevelopment of Belmont Park, cleanup of stormwater going into Mission Bay, completing the walkways around Sail Bay, the 20-year extension of the De Anza Cove lease from 1982 to 2002, the managed growth elements of the City General Plan and many other accomplishments.

He went on to serve two terms representing the beach area in the State Assembly from 1990 to 1994. Schulze was his chief of staff while on the City Council and in the Assembly.

He stayed in Northern California as a consultant until he was hired by Gov. Gray Davis to serve as legislative secretary to the governor. Gotch represented the governor’s policy interests to the elected legislators and state agencies. He resigned the position months before that administration began to collapse.

“I keep a close eye out for the interests of San Diego,” Gotch said while serving in the governor’s office in 2001.

Gotch died May 18 at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla of skin cancer at the age of 60. He had been living in Borrego Springs.

He is survived by his wife Janet, his father Howard of Arizona, brothers Jeff of Napa and Steve of Glendora, sister Deborah of Pauma Valley and Myhro.

The gathering on Crown Point will be around the grassy rise on the easterly shore. Dress is casual.