PERSON: Jeanie Bruins

Citrus Heights, Calif.

Councilwoman

Council Member Jeannie Bruins was elected to the City Council in 2002, and re-elected in 2006 and 2010. She served as vice mayor in 2005 and 2010, and as mayor in 2006 and 2011. She represents the City on the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District and Sacramento Area Sewer District boards, which she chaired during 2005.

In 2006 and 2007, Jeannie held a board position on the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) and on SACOG's Transportation Committee. In 2004, she represented the City at the Mayor's Forum on Form Based Codes, and she is active with the Local Government Commission. She is a member of the California League of Cities. In 2000-02 she represented Assemblyman Roger Niello, then a Sacramento County Supervisor, on the Sacramento International Airport Expansion Community Advisory Committee.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, Jeannie was a leader for the incorporation of Citrus Heights, serving on the board of directors of the Citrus Heights Incorporation Project (CHIP). In 1996, along with local businessman William Van Duker, she co-chaired Yes on Measure R to a successful win, bringing cityhood to Citrus Heights. In 1992-93 she served on the Citrus Heights Community Planning Advisory Board.

From 1993-2005, Jeannie was the chief executive officer for the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce. As CEO, she furthered the interests of the Citrus Heights business community to the City and the Sacramento region. She considers one of her greatest achievements to be the creation of Leadership Citrus Heights in 2003, which continues to this day. Graduates of the classes serve in several leadership positions in Citrus Heights, including the Planning Commission and the City Council. Today, as the owner of Bruins Management Services, Jeannie manages several small nonprofit associations and maintains her commission as a Notary Public.

Jeannie has represented Citrus Heights to the education community, serving on the City's 2X2 education committee and participating on the interview panel for the last two San Juan Unified School District superintendents. She has guest taught classes at both Mesa Verde High School and San Juan High School on many occasions. Jeannie brought the concept of a community garden to the city and successfully sought funding for the start up operations. The community garden is overseen by a volunteer committee. Jeannie was instrumental in bringing the Sayonara Community Center to Citrus Heights to provide after school tutoring and support services to the children who live on and around Sayonara Drive. The program has been very successful and has doubled in size since it began in 2004. She continues to support the center with her involvement and she helped to plan the first Sayonara Saturday community event held in April 2009. This will become an annual volunteer event. She is also on the planning team for a major fundraiser for the Sayonara Community Center, called Savor Citrus Heights, being held at the new Citrus Heights Community Center. Jeannie serves as a board member of the Police Acitivity League (PAL), an outreach to the youth of Citrus Heights to build leadership skills and positive relationships with the police force.

Jeannie is a 26-year resident of Citrus Heights. She is a member of Valley Springs Presbyterian Church, where she served on the Board of Trustees for six years, teaches classes, volunteers in the nursery, and sings in a chorale. Jeannie loves to garden and spend time with her family. She has two grown sons and four grandchildren.

-- citrusheights.net