CANDIDATE PROFILES for city offices in Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Westminster.

Note to readers: The Orange County Tribune is posting the results of questionnaires sent to candidates for city office in Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Westminster as a public service. These are not paid political ads and do not imply endorsement. They are being posted in the order in which they are received. And please remember to vote on Tuesday.

Name:   Rickk Montoya

Office Being Sought:   Garden Grove City Council District 6

City of Residence:   Garden Grove

Age:   42                                    Occupation: 911 Operator/Police Dispatcher

Family:   Wife, Autumn, Daughter Juliet (22yrs), Son Kennedy (13yrs)

Education:   Associate of Arts in Political Science, Santa Ana College

RICKK MONTOYA, Garden Grove city council candidate.

Public Service:   I served over 10 years in the Army primarily based on the East coast and in Western Europe to include a deployment as part of Operation Joint Guardian, Kosovo. I currently serve Garden Grove as Chairperson of the Parks, Recreation & Arts Commission, where I have advocated for community partnerships and civic engagement to increase recreational opportunities for our neighborhoods. My community involvement includes being a member of Garden Grove LULAC, CIVIC GG, and the Garden Grove Neighborhood Association, where I have participated in local community outreach, charitable, and youth mentorship events and programs. My family and I are a Greater OC/Inland Empire MDA Ambassador Family who partner with local fire departments and other area sponsors to support individuals and families dealing with muscle diseases.

Why do you want to run for office?

I am running for office to bring a voice to the community I was raised in and the city I call home. We are at a true turning point in our city with the potential to accomplish great things. I want to be part of the leadership who will put our city on the right path towards increased public safety, strong economic opportunities, and efficient services while maintain our family first atmosphere.

What do you think are the major issues facing your city/school district, and what would you do about them?

Public Safety – Our current Police and Fire Department are critically understaffed making it extremely hard for them to address our growing crime rates and to deploy the proper lifesaving resources needed throughout our city. I will address this by both increasing economic activity and by assessing our city’s current assets for potential value to increase our general fund.

Economic Development – As a city neighboring the Disneyland resort area and consisting of large residential population of consumers, we need to take advantage of these resources to both draw in new dollars and to keep our dollars local. I will support responsible economic development in the resort area to increase tax revenue and local jobs, while being mindful of our residential neighborhoods in the area. I will address our city’s lack of retail, entertainment and restaurant options, which results in our residents leaving our city for these options, by making our city more attractive to various commercial partners. I will also continue to promote current programs such as Buy In Garden Grove (BIGG), and work with local business owners on ways to promote their businesses both locally and regionally.

Community Engagement – Many of our neighborhoods are dealing with the effects of reduced economic opportunities, population density and cultural diversity. This has resulted in a fragmented community where many never leave their homes to engage their neighbors. I see our cultural diversity and population density as assets towards making our neighborhoods some of the most vibrant and active I thank you for your time and humbly ask for your vote. I will engage residents in their neighborhoods on a continuous basis with meetings addressing community issues and needs. I will create and support community events among our streets based around the sharing of our cultures. I believe we have the power within our neighborhoods to make them clean, safe, and vibrant places to call home for future generations.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I am available by phone at (714) 390-5179 or by email at rickkmontoyagg@gmail.com. I also suggest you check out my website www.voterickk.org or follow me at http://www.facebook.com/officialrickk or on twitter @rickkmontoya.