Mayor's Message - Martha A. Flores

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Serving in local government is a community leadership role that comes with great                       Martha A. Flores
commitment  and responsibility.Martha Flores 2022 The duties of a City Council Member go well beyond attending Council meetings and local community events and ribbon cuttings. As a local elected official, one must be ready and willing to serve the entire community, not just the district or area they represent. To assist the community in gaining a better understanding of some of the day-to-day duties of a City Council Member, I am sharing some of the responsibilities and why they are important to the community.

I was first elected to the Porterville City Council on November 8, 2016, which the decision to run for Council I did not take lightly. I attended Council meetings and served on various local boards and committees for thirteen (13) years before deciding to run. After being elected, I realized not only how much time and effort went into public service, but also that the commitment of time and effort created a resounding positive impact on the community. Serving on various committees is one of the most important and time consuming responsibilities of a Council Member, and is a requirement of elected officials. I currently serve on eleven (11) different standing committees which play an integral role in representing not only Porterville, but for Tulare County as well. The committees I serve on currently include: the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) Board of Governors, Tulare County Water Commission, San Joaquin Valley Regional Housing Planning Committee, TCAG Tule River Tribe Active Transportation (ATP) Plan Committee, TCAG Sustainable Corridors Committee, Tulare County Council of Cities, Tulare County City Selection Committee, Internal City Audit Committee, Tulare County Economic Development Corporation, South San Joaquin Valley Division League of Cities Transportation Committee, and the Public Works Policy Committee. Each committee is integral for the determination and establishment of policies to support the city of Porterville and the broader Tulare County region, which having an elected official serve and participate in each ensures that Porterville will be represented.  There’s a saying that “if you’re not at the table, then you are on the menu”.

Serving on City Council requires dedicated time and availability to ensure the interests of the community are being met and that decisions on policies are properly researched, reviewed and implemented. The City Council meets regularly the first and third Tuesday evenings of each month, which per the City’s Charter, the Mayor receives $25 for facilitating the meeting and Council Members receive $20 for attending.  The Council Members do not receive any compensation for attending the many other committee meetings or community events.  I typically spend on average 35 to 40 hours each week on Council-related issues, ranging from attending committee meetings to responding to emails and phone calls from constituents.  It’s a commitment to the community that is seven days per week and requires dedicated and effective time management, which I am dedicated to the continued growth and resiliency of the wonderful city of Porterville and broader community!

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