Welcome to the December City Manager's Report. I am sharing with you highlights of events and projects that staff has worked on this month. I sincerely appreciate everyone's continued hard work to benefit the Brea community.
Council Reorganization
On December 2, 2025, during the annual reorganization meeting, the City Council Members elected their colleague Cecilia Hupp as the new Mayor of Brea and Council Member Marty Simonoff as Mayor Pro Tem. Mayor Cecilia Hupp was elected to the Brea City Council in November 2014 and re-elected in 2018 and 2022. She previously served as Mayor in 2017, during Brea’s Centennial Year, and in 2022. During her service on the City Council, Mayor Hupp has championed housing and community development and advocates for affordable housing opportunities for senior citizens. Mayor Pro Tem Marty Simonoff is currently serving his eighth term on the Brea City Council. He was first elected in November 1996. We are looking forward to working with our Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem and progressing the City of Brea into the future.
Special Events Wrap
The annual Tree Lighting Ceremony was held on Thursday, December 4, at the Civic & Cultural Center. The community was treated to performances from local schools and community organizations. ‘Snow’ fell from the sky as patrons counted down to light the tree. After the ceremony, guests had the opportunity to visit craft vendors, take selfies with Santa, pet reindeer, and enjoy hot cocoa. The annual Brea Christmas tree ornament, along with City of Brea merchandise, were available for purchase. The Special Events Division ended the year with Movies Under the Stars on Friday, December 12, at City Hall Park. The community showed up for a chilly end-of-the-year movie and got to enjoy a showing of The Santa Clause. The Brea Student Advisory Board offered free face painting, and our event sponsor, Sheila Buonauro and Team, handed out popcorn and snacks. Over 100 letters to Santa Claus were dropped off to a special mailbox at the Brea Community Center and each letter received a specially personalized response back. This is such a fun and unique way to interact with younger community members. Thank you to the community for participating in the 2025 special events and we look forward to 2026.
Brea Talks...Shop & Dine Brea
The newest Brea Talks podcast episode focuses on shopping and dining in Brea. Communications and Marketing Management Analyst, Aimée Matsumoto sits down with Economic Development Manager Melissa Furio and Administrative Services Director Monica Lo to discuss the direct impacts shopping and dining local have on quality of life as well as the quality of a city's services and infrastructure. Hear from Melissa about what Economic Development is exactly, the history of these efforts in Brea, and what makes Brea’s business community unique. Then, learn from Monica about the fiscal impacts shopping and dining have on the City’s budget, the significance of sales tax regarding revenue, and the potential discrepancies between online and in-person shopping. Find all our Brea Talks episodes wherever you listen to your podcasts
2025 Brea Chamber of Commerce Recognition Award
Council Member Blair Stewart, who served as Mayor is 2025, was honored with the Brea Chamber of Commerce Chair’s Special Recognition Award for his exceptional dedication to community engagement and collaboration. Through his active involvement in “Good Morning Brea,” Council Member Stewart was an integral part in connecting business, civic, nonprofit, and educational leaders to foster partnerships and advance shared goals. We thank Council Member Stewart for his leadership and forward-thinking that strengthens Brea’s vibrant community.
A Closer Look at Brea’s Art in Public Places Program
Join the Brea Gallery as they take a closer look at Brea’s Art in Public Places. Through their new monthly blog series “On Location,” readers can explore the stories behind the sculptures found throughout the City. This series aims to bring new context to the artwork Brea residents pass on their everyday drives and dives deeper into the artists who have helped shape Brea’s landscape for the past 50 years. Each segment highlights three artists, offering insight into their creative process, artistic style, and lasting contribution to Brea’s public art collection.
Business Spotlight
We are always excited when a new business opens in Brea. Below are a couple new businesses that have opened or will be opening in Brea.
Prime Pizza, scheduled to open in early 2026, believes great pizza starts with integrity—no shortcuts, no compromises, just authentic New York-style pizza made for California. With nine neighborhood locations, Prime Pizza will serve classic round and square pies with fresh house-made dough, premium sauces and cheeses, and high-quality ingredients. A variety of salads, wings, and pasta, as well as both gluten-free and vegan pizzas, will also be on the menu
Ubatuba Acai is now open in the Brea Plaza Shopping Center. The name “Ubatuba” derives from a small beach town in the São Paulo region of Brazil, a nod to the shop’s coastal roots. Offering authentic Brazilian acai bowls, guests can create their own refreshing, healthy bowls with customizable bases, fresh toppings, and specialty syrups. Their menu also offers a variety of empanadas and fruit-based smoothies, true to their São Paulo roots.
Business Connect
The City of Brea is enhancing its Business Connect program to offer additional services and resources to help local businesses and property owners thrive. Through expanded support and streamlined communication, Business Connect underscores the City’s commitment to being a partner to the business community, which helps shape Brea’s economic vitality. Starting in January 2026, the Economic Development Division will be launching Business Connect Hours, where businesses, property owners, and entrepreneurs can drop-in to the Brea Civic & Cultural Center to obtain a variety of resources and one-on-one interaction with City staff, aimed to help navigate how to start, manage, and grow their businesses. Resources include, but are not limited to: · Retail Visitation/Foot-Traffic Analysis Reports · Site Selection Assistance · Tenant Identification/Void Analysis · Local Demographics · Permit/Entitlement Process Navigation · Business License Information · Resource Referrals The Business Connect Hours will take place every Wednesday from 4:00-5:00 p.m. No appointment is needed.
Welcome to the Team
I am excited to welcome and introduce a new member to the City of Brea team. Read along and get to know the new addition. The Community Development Department welcomes back Maribeth Tinio as its newest City Planner. Maribeth is a graduate from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and has worked in local government for 25 years. She has served in various cities which include Los Angeles, Lake Forest, Brea, Fullerton, Stanton, and Riverside. She spent most of her formative years in Brea. She says, “it feels like I’m coming home, but still very much feel like a new kid.” On her free time, Maribeth loves to travel (visiting Japan at least once a year), read, eat, and throw parties (she comes from a big family and celebrates everything together). Maribeth spends her days with her husband Michael, son James, and has three dogs – Samson, Waffles and Pepper. She is excited to help shape the community she lives in, working on projects like the General Plan Update or infill development, placemaking in the city she calls home.
NLC Milestone Award
The City of Brea was recognized as a recipient of the National League of Cities (NLC) Milestone Award, honoring municipalities that have maintained continuous membership with NLC for 50 years. This longstanding partnership reflects Brea’s commitment to advancing local government excellence and staying connected to national best practices. Over the years, NLC has provided invaluable support to Brea through federal advocacy, policy guidance, leadership training, and access to a nationwide network of municipal leaders. From shaping federal funding opportunities to offering resources on emerging issues impacting cities, NLC has been a trusted partner in supporting Brea navigate challenges, elevate local priorities, and strengthen the quality of life for the community.
Dine Brea Recap
The City of Brea’s Economic Development Division launched its first Dine Brea event in November. During this weeklong celebration of food and community, participating restaurants featured a variety of promotions, discounts, and prix-fixe menus. A total of 19 restaurants participated in this initiative – each one offering fantastic deals for our community. The goal of Dine Brea was for the City to celebrate its culinary landscape and promote local businesses to the community. Thank you to all our participating restaurants and our community for making Dine Brea successful!
Nutcracker Craft Boutique
In November, the Special Events Division hosted the annual Nutcracker Craft Boutique at the Brea Community Center. Despite the rain, over 2,500 guests attended the Nutcracker Craft Boutique to support the 250 vendors who offered a variety of holiday items from local small businesses. This event helped kick off the holiday season and also launched the debut of the annual Brea ornament which is available for purchase at the Civic & Cultural Center and Brea Community center for $5.
Feast Mode Brings Community Together for Fitness and Fun
Feast Mode had more than 100 participants joining a lively morning of movement and community spirit. Attendees took part in a variety of classes, including Zumba, BodyPump, TRX, barre, and cycle, creating an energetic start to Thanksgiving Day. Local vendors added to the experience by providing products and services that helped make the event feel special. Communitea Coffee, The Now Massage Boutique, Kathyana Fitness Apparel, and Third Space Jiu Jitsu each contributed their own touch and were welcomed by participants. The open volleyball session provided community members with an opportunity to connect and enjoy a friendly game ahead of the holiday weekend. It was inspiring to see so many people come together to support health, wellness and community.
Recycle Brea & RS Tree Lighting Attendance
The Recycle Brea team and Republic Services updated the solid waste disposal programs to comply with Senate Bill (SB) 1383 to ensure all residents, businesses, and multi-family properties are properly separating their waste and implementing sustainable practices for a cleaner community. To help residents establish new habits and make sorting easier, the Recycle Brea team offered promotional items for Brea residents to increase their recycling and organics recycling efforts while tabling at the Tree Lighting Ceremony. This included distributing six-gallon recycle baskets, which residents can place in a convenient space in their home to separate out recyclables (i.e., bottles, cans, etc.) and then dispose in their curbside recycle cart. The recycle baskets are useful for eliminating plastic bags, which is the most common contaminant, from the recycle stream. Republic Services was also in attendance and distributed 75 two-gallon kitchen pails to Brea residents. Kitchen pails are a great tool to have in your kitchen to help separate food scraps (fruit, bread, fish, meat, vegetables, dairy) and food soiled paper (napkins, paper towels, pizza boxes) for disposal in the curbside organics container. To contact Republic Services for scheduling a bulky item pickup, have container requests for exchanges/deliveries, or other general inquiries about your services, please email OCRecycles@republicservices.com or call (714) 238-2444.
Call-for-Art at the Brea Gallery
Submissions are now open for the 41st Annual Made in California Juried Exhibition. This celebrated art show highlights contemporary work from across the Golden State, showcasing the creative voices that keep Brea at the forefront of California’s art scene. California residents, ages 18 and older, are invited to submit artwork in any medium for a chance to be featured and to compete for cash prizes. Brea residents receive one FREE juried entry and are encouraged to submit ahead of the deadline. The submission deadline is February 6, 2026. Not an artist but want to support one? You have the opportunity to gift a submission to a creative friend or family member. The Made in California 2026 opening reception will be held on April 25, 2026, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Veterans Day Recap
Veterans and community members gathered for the annual Veterans Day Ceremony held on November 11, at the Brea Veterans Memorial. This year’s keynote speaker, Master Sergeant (retired) Hector Soto shared a powerful speech about his personal experiences as a combat medic, sacrifice and taking care of people. Each year, this 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 veterans thanking them for their service which was a special addition to the ceremony. Custom pavers for the Brea Veterans Memorial Walk of Honor are available to order throughout the year with installation taking place right before the ceremony. This year, there were four new pavers purchased and installed.
SCWMF Conference
To keep up with the latest solid waste legislation, Francesca Vivanti, Public Works Management Analyst, and Destiny Garcia, Public Works Recycling Coordinator, also known as the Recycle Brea team, attended the Southern California Waste Management Forum’s Annual Conference and Exhibit in November. The conference featured Keynote Speaker Zoe Heller, Director of CalRecycle, as well as an informative presentation from Ashlee Yee, Jurisdiction and Agency Compliance and Enforcement (JACE) Branch Chief. Other notable panel topics included Senate Bill (SB) 1383 implementation, SB 54 updates, landfill capacity planning, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) incorporation throughout solid waste processes. The Recycle Brea team gained valuable knowledge and insight on how other local agencies are navigating the ever-evolving solid waste industry and are looking forward to applying what they learned to Brea’s recycle program.