Council Member Frank Navarro Serves Hometown Since 1965

COLTON >> Colton’s City Council Member Frank Navarro confirms his desire to run again this upcoming election in November. Navarro has been serving District 3 for four years, since being elected in November 2012. “I have enjoyed being on the council this last four years, while there was a learning curve,” he said. “It was a challenge, but I like challenges.” Navarro is currently part of various projects in Colton. “I have ideas in mind, to improve the quality of life in Colton, that’s why I want to run again...another four years to work on them and bring some of those ideas to fruition,” he said. Over the years, Navarro has been instrumental in a wide variety of youth organizations. He served as Board President for the Ken Hubbs Little League, on the Board of Directors for other community youth organizations. He is also currently a member of the Sons of American Legion, American Legion and Knights of Columbus. “I’ve been in this community for a long time,” Navarro said. “Whether it’s a charitable event, a toy drive, etc....I enjoy getting involved with helping my community.” He also plays a key role for the future economic development in Colton. “I’m always looking at bringing businesses in Colton,” Navarro said. When he was first elected in 2012 and officially took his seat on council that December, Navarro was elected to be the city’s representative in San Bernardino Associated Government (SANBAG), which includes 24 cities in the county. SANBAG deals with various projects regarding transportation: freeways, interchanges, bridges, crossings, et cetera. His peers at SANBAG then elected him to be on the transportation committee for Southern California Association for Government (SCAG), a metropolitan planning organization that covers six counties. “After about six months of going to meetings, my colleagues there elected me to be on the regional council for SCAG and now as a regional council representative," Navarro said. "I represent Yucaipa, Redlands, Loma Linda, Grand Terrace and Colton." Gary Grossich, Colton planning commissioner and owner of Nickelodeon's Pizza, mentioned the level of respect his peers have for him. “It’s quite an honor for him to be a rookie councilmember and for him to be moving up into those levels," Grossich said. "He’s highly respected among his peers in other cities." Not only does Navarro represent San Bernardino County, the six cities as a regional council representative, but he is one of the representatives for the whole Southern California for transportation (planning) projects, which includes autos, trucks, trains and airplanes. He shared that their various improvement projects are long-term. “We’re working on plans that will take us out to 2040,” he said. Navarro has a plan for Colton. A couple of his ideas include building a Smart & Final on the corner of Colton Avenue and Mount Vernon, at which we hope to break ground sometime in July of 2016. He has a specific vision for the other corner on those streets: a retail intersection. Navarro was instrumental in making the groundbreaking of the Interstate 10 Pepper Avenue Bridge Replacement Project in March happen. “And it’s not just the third district that I’m out there for," Navarro said. "I’m out there for the whole community." He added that being on the city council has been a new experience for him. “Being on the city council has been a whole new level for me because now you are actually there doing the city’s business for its residents,” Navarro said. "Today and moving forward, and that’s the way I think we need to keep looking here in Colton. It’s just not right now. It's 10 years from now, 20 years from now." Grossich mentioned that there have already been three scoping meetings, and that the city is developing plans right now and moving forward. “That’s due to this man [Navarro] for being on the lookout for opportunities…because if you don’t know about them, you can’t cash in on them," Grossich said. Navarro is inviting family, friends and residents of District 3 and Colton to join him in kicking off his campaign June 29 at Nickelodeon's Pizza from 6 to 8 p.m., and would like to thank everyone for their support.