Dancing for a Cause
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Brea Fitness held a Zumba Pink Party to bring awareness to the disease. The exercise was led by Anna Agustin, a Brea Fitness instructor and breast cancer survivor, and her fellow Zumba instructors, Pamela and Elena. The event brought together over 60 participants to raise awareness, honor breast cancer survivors and enjoy an energetic dance session. Raffles and giveaways kept the excitement going and the participants were able to raise over $1,000.
Career Fair at BOHS
Last month, the Community Development Department participated in the Brea Olinda High School College and Career Fair, where they engaged with students about the diverse career pathways in local government. Staff from the Building & Safety, Economic Development and Planning Divisions shared insight on their current role, offered advice and encouraged students to get involved in local affairs. This event was a great success for staff and the Community Development Department is grateful for the opportunity to connect with the next generation of leaders.
Business Spotlight
The City of Brea continues to welcome businesses to the community to help with the economic development and future of Brea.
OMOMO Tea Shoppe, located in the Brea Imperial Center, is a renowned boba tea shop in Orange County. Sourced from esteemed farmers in Japan, China, Taiwan, and Thailand, OMOMO’s tea leaves are brewed with care to produce high-quality beverages. Dedicated to preserving the integrity of the tea leaves, OMOMO’s menu features a diverse selection of unique flavor pairings, including fruit tea mixed with Yakult, milk tea and more. Guests can also customize the sweetness level of their drink without compromising quality or taste, making OMOMO a standout destination for boba tea enthusiasts.
Annual Fire Promotional Ceremony
Earlier this month, the Brea Fire Department hosted its annual Promotional Ceremony. The department’s newest members were welcomed and those that were promoted throughout the year were recognized and celebrated. I know how hard these individuals worked to get to where they are. I am so proud to know we have the best of the best representing our Fire Department and serving the community.
Best Buddies Annual Halloween Event
This Halloween, we welcomed 130 students from the Brea Olinda Unified School District Best Buddies Program for trick-or-treating at the Brea Civic and Cultural Center. Each year our City staff, the school district and the Brea Chamber of Commerce participate in passing out treats. Students also enjoyed visiting the O.C. Public Library to pick a pumpkin in their pumpkin patch.
The Annual Best Buddies Halloween event is a collaborative partnership with the Brea Olinda Unified School District designed to promote socialization and community engagement for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This event would not be possible without the generous support of our local partners and sponsors, Southern California Gas Company, Emergency Ambulance Services, Popcorn Jim, Trader Joes, and Vice-Chairman/4th District Supervisor Doug Chaffee.
Brea Gallery 99 Voices in Pastel and Fresh{AIR}
Earlier this month, visitors to the Brea Gallery were greeted by pastel artist Rachel Joob for the Artist-in-Residence program, Fresh{AIR}. Rachel walked guests through her creative process, sharing both her technical and intuitive techniques. Exploring themes of transformation while implementing organic shapes and repetitive lines, reminiscent of the natural world, Rachel Joob creates artwork that is captivatingly familiar, yet otherworldly.
In celebration of 99 Voices in Pastel, the Brea Gallery will be hosting a closing reception on December 6 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. With over 600 visitors to this exhibition, I hope you’ll join the Brea Art Gallery in celebrating 99 Voices in Pastel with light refreshments and music. This reception is free and open to the public.
The Gallery will be closed from December 7 through February 1, 2025 in preparation for the newest exhibition. However, the online Gift Shop will remain open during this time for holiday shopping.
Nutcracker Craft Boutique
The Special Events Division hosted the 30th annual City of Brea Nutcracker Craft Boutique on Friday, November 15 and Saturday, November 16 at the Brea Community Center. This year there were over 250 vendors offering a variety of holiday items from local small businesses. The Nutcracker Craft Boutique is a festive way to kick off the holiday season by providing the community an opportunity to shop from unique local vendors. Great job to our Community Services team for delivering such an impactful event.
This event is also when we debut the annual Brea ornament which is available for purchase at our City facilities for $5. Purchase yours today; supplies are limited.
Veterans Day Ceremony
The Brea community and local veterans gathered for the annual Veterans Day Ceremony held on Monday, November 11, at the Brea Veterans Memorial, located at the Brea Civic & Cultural Center. This year there was a focus on celebrating City of Brea employee veterans and we had the honor of welcoming the keynote speaker, City of Brea Information Technology Manager Randy Hornsby. He shared about his time in the United States Army and how his experience shaped who he is today. We also got to hear from Casey King, the son of Vern King, who was a long-time Brea Senior Center employee and United States Army veteran who passed away earlier this year.
Each year, this heartfelt event honors and celebrates military families and remembers Breans who paid the ultimate price for their country. Students from Falcon Academy of Science and Technology created special cards and banners to present to veterans thanking them for their service. I look forward to this special event every year.
Letters to Santa
Write a letter to Santa Claus this holiday season and wait for a personalized reply. There is a special red mailbox located outside of the main entrance of the Brea Community Center and letters can be dropped off through December 16. Make sure to enclose a self-addressed and stamped envelope. For more information, please contact the City of Brea Special Events Division.
City Manager Bill Gallardo Announces Retirement
After 34 years of service to the Brea community, I have decided to retire. I have served as City Manager for the City of Brea for the past nine years. I started my career in Brea in 1990 as an Administrative Assistant. I was promoted to Finance Manager, then to the Finance Director in 2004. In 2010, as part of a reorganization plan to streamline City operations, an Administrative Services Department was created, and I was able to serve as the Administrative Services Director. In 2014, I took on the assignment of Assistant City Manager/Administrative Services Director before becoming City Manager on July 4, 2015.
Under my leadership, I was able to maintain Brea balanced budgets, established a PARS account to save money for uncertain pension liabilities, and led the organization through the COVID pandemic. I was also active in several professional groups, such as the North Orange County Cities Coalition, the Orange County City Manager Association, and the International City Managers Association. Most recently, I was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Brea Chamber of Commerce. This award recognized my leadership in fostering relationships with businesses to maintain a healthy economy. It was such an honor.
To oversee my duties, City Council has selected Administrative Services Director/Deputy City Manager Kristin Griffith to serve as Interim City Manager and Community Development Director/Deputy City Manager Jason Killebrew to serve as Interim Assistant City Manager.
It has been a privilege to serve the City of Brea and lead the organization as City Manager. I will miss the Brea community and the people I have worked with.
Credits:
Liz Pharis, Communications & Marketing Manager/PIO Aimée Matsumoto, Management Analyst