21/12/2024
On December 10, 2024, I will attend my last council meeting as Mayor of Newport Beach. I will thank my family, our city staff, and especially the voters of Newport Beach for the honor and opportunity to serve on our City Council. After that, I will step down after the maximum two four-year terms and become a regular resident again.
This wild ride started with a friend encouraging me to run for an open City Council seat. My initial reaction at the time was simple: “No, that sounds terrible. Who would ever want to run for that?” It turned out that after many conversations and being added to the city’s finance committee, I did.
I will never forget the 3,000+ doors I knocked on (or the little dog that bit me), election night in 2016, and being sworn in by my father with my wife and children next to me. I’ll never forget the positive comments during the hardest moments.
Along with all of you, I’ll always remember 2020. I’ll remember the neighbors, friends, and family we lost in a helicopter crash. I’ll remember the public vigils, remembrances, and community bonds. I’ll remember the beaches staying open, businesses finding ways to flourish, and the education campaign waged with major help from Hoag Hospital. I’ll remember fully funding our police department. I’ll remember Mario Marovic and Helpers stepping up in massive ways.
I’ll remember the parades with my kids by my side, the girl scout troop tours of City Hall, and the Newport Coast Elementary School sixth-grader responsible for accessible playground equipment in our city. I’ll remember the fire stations we rebuilt, the roads we re-paved, and the parks we re-made.
Newport Beach really is a shining city on a hill. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve. God bless you all.
