Temecula City Council Member, Ron Roberts, is hanging up his hat after 22 years on the city council.
Roberts has announced his decision not to run for re-election, saying he had already accomplished all he set out to do when he first made a run for the council in 1992.
“Pretty much what I wanted to do has been done,” Roberts said, adding that his health has begun affecting his ability to carry out his duties. The 73-year-old Roberts suffers from spinal stenosis, which makes it difficult for him to travel or walk long distances.
Roberts’ first election to the council came just 3 years after the city’s incorporation. During his tenure, he has held leadership positions for numerous regional, state, and national boards and served as mayor 5 times. He is also a retired California Highway Patrol Sergeant.
Former city manager Shawn Nelson praised Roberts’ dedication, saying he had “put his heart and soul into the city.” Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone, who was elected to the Temecula City Council with Roberts in 1992, said he considered Roberts a member of his family. Though the two had differing opinions on some important issues, Stone commended Roberts for his hard work and his public safety experience in particular.
Roberts would have been running for his sixth term in November. Mayor Maryann Edwards and Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Comerchero are both up for re-election this fall.
Read more about Roberts’ retirement here.