Full Biography for Shirley S. Dettloff

Candidate for
Member, City Council; City of Huntington Beach

I have lived, worked, and raised my family in Huntington Beach. During the past 35 years I have felt a responsibility to my community and have had a role in trying to make this the best city in the nation. I started as a young mother volunteering my time as a Girl Scout Leader, a member of the City's first Environmental Board, a founding member of the Huntington Beach branch of the League of Women Voters, and a founding member of the Amigos de Bolsa Chica. Later I would become president of the Amigos.

I am a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in education. After graduation, I had a family, and later was a Special Education Teacher. I also worked for the State Legislature, as an Administrative Assistant in an Assembly district office. I was the executive director for several environmental organizations, and owned a travel agency for four years. Currently I am the owner of an educational publishing business, Teacher Designed Learning, Inc.

During this time I was involved in many community activities. I have served on many committees, both at a local and county level. I am past chair of the Huntington Beach Planning Commission, past chair of the Orange County Harbors, Beaches, and Parks Commission,and Director of the Orange County Sanitation District. Currently I am Mayor of the City of Huntington Beach, and have served on the City Council for four years. I also serve on the California State Coastal Commission. I am a member of many organizations such as Amigos de Bolsa Chica, League of Women Voters, AAUW, Sierra Club, and Audubon. I am past president of the American Heart Association, and currently serve as a Director for the Boys and Girls Club.

I am very proud of my accomplishments while serving as a City Councilmember during the past four years. We have increased revenues to the city by bringing new businesses into Huntington Beach, which allows us to provide better services to our citizens. I co-authored the city's Human Dignity Policy, which led to the formation of the Human Relations Task Force. During my term we acquired the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, and funding for restoration. We completed Pier Plaza, increased funding for youth sports, additional programs for seniors. An in-depth infrastructure study was completed and now we must provide funding sources to repair, rebuild, and maintain an aging infrastructure system. During 1998, we resolved all but two of our labor negotiations, and finalized these employee contracts. We are working hard to resolve our negotiations with the last two employee organizations. We increased the number of police and also improved our helicopter program.

Is our work done? NO! We still have many goals that we must achieve in the next four years. I believe that we must focus on the children and youth of this community for they are our future. I am chair of the Children's Task Force and we are working on a plan addressing children's need and how the city can help meet those needs. I believe that we must make sure that the needs of our senior citizens are met. This is the largest growing population in Huntington Beach, and in 1999 we must make a decision on where, when and how the new Senior Center can be built. I am very concerned about the city experiencing deterioration, as we grow older as a city. As Mayor I have been working on a plan which will require all development to meet certain design and quality standards. We must, and we will demand quality in all we do. I want to see the shopping centers, and strip malls be put on notice to upgrade their developments, so that we stop the blight that many are now experiencing. We must move forward and carry out the plans to renovate, remodel Huntington Center, so that it can bring revenues to the city, and provide a place for our citizens to shop, dine, and be entertained. Economic development must continue. New businesses must come to Huntington Beach. We need jobs and the revenues they produce so that we can provide services to our citizens. A finance package must be in place so that we can rebuild, repair and maintain our infrastructure. We can do it! Much has been achieved in the past four years, and I am eager to lead the charge and accomplish further goals in the next four years.