Pacific Beach Town Council held its annual installation dinner on Jan. 21 at Mission Bay Yacht Club, with new board president Charlie Nieto hosting an awards presentation that included naming PB’s Honorary Mayor for 2023.
Pointing out he joined the PBTC board just two years ago in the middle of COVID, Nieto said: “I have the privilege of speaking in front of such a diverse body of community members, first responders, business owners, and elected officials. For 72 years, without skipping a beat, even through the pandemic, all of us from different walks of life in PB have gathered together on this night to be a part of that history.”
About himself, a PB native, Nieto quipped: “You may ask yourself, who is this guy? Who does this 20-year-old think he is? I can now say that PB Town Council, the oldest town council in all of San Diego founded in 1951, has elected its youngest board president in its history. Hopefully, that illustrates the significance this year has for this organization. As a young leader, I realize that it is my generation’s full responsibility to honor and carry on the rich history and traditions that have come about in those 72 years.”
PBTC’s new board was sworn in by District 1 Councilmember Joe LaCava who said: “I can attest, PB is the best town council in the City. And I can attest that no other community embraces public safety servants like the community of Pacific Beach does.”
Joked LaCava, “I am very excited to now become the council member that you didn’t vote for (PB became part of District 1 in the 2020 redistricting).”
Nieto presented several special awards to PBTC board members, one being the mastermind award for organizing group functions, which was given to Denise Friedman. The creative confidant award went to the board’s community enhancement chair, Susan Crowers.
“For bringing the town council successfully out of the pandemic, building Concerts on the Green up to a record size, and for being my close friend and mentor, it is with immense pride and joy that I’m able to present the PB Town Council president for life award to Dr. Marcella Bothwell (immediate past PBTC president),” noted Nieto.
Another highlight of the evening came with the announcement of 2023’s PB Honorary Mayor. “This one honor carries an immense amount of weight,” said Nieto in announcing the winner while noting “past recipients have come from different backgrounds – people involved in the town council, prominent business leaders, and passionate community advocates fighting for causes they care about. This year’s Honorary Mayor is all of those: Brian Curry.”
“I’m only here because I love Pacific Beach,” said Curry in accepting. “We’ve spent a lot of time fighting against something that’s happening, against something that’s going to happen, and losing a lot of those battles, but winning a few. A few years ago, I made a commitment that, instead of always fighting, to join together to do something positive.
“As your mayor, I want to do something positive. I’d like to get a spirit of cooperation between all of the community groups to get a roundabout, a mosaic. I’d like to get a maintenance assessment district and a lot of other things. That’s what I’ll do this year. I’m here to help.”
