On April 9, the Chula Vista City Council filled all its seats after the swearing in of District 4 Council member Rachel Morineau and incoming City Attorney Marco Verdugo.
In the special election for city attorney, Verdugo beat his opponent Bart Miesfeld with 58.51% of the vote.
After Verdugo’s swearing in, he took his seat on the dais, replacing acting City Attorney Jill Maland who has filled in since the resignation of former city attorney Glenn Googins, who remained in office after the death of Simon Silva, who won the November 2022 elections after his death on Sept. 3, 2022.
Verdugo said it was the shared commitment of collaboration and mutual respect that drives positive results in Chula Vista, and that the completion of filling City Council was part of that.
“I am here to serve you,” he said. “To uphold our laws with integrity, and to ensure that justice and integrity reaches every corner of Chula Vista.”
Verdugo said he has lived all over Chula Vista, and many people like him believe that Chula Vista is “that hidden gem where working families can get their slice of the American dream.”
Verdugo said he started his legal career 15 years ago with the city of Chula Vista.
“Right here in my hometown where I developed a passion for municipal law,” he said.
“Today, as I sit here before you, ready to begin my duties as Chula Vista’s city attorney, I look back on the history of this city and this office. It fills me with a deep sense of duty and humility to be assuming this position of great responsibility.”
Morineau had a ceremonious swearing in, as she was appointed as council member for District 4 at the special City Council meeting on April 4, vacated by the resignation of former council member Andrea Cardenas. The decision to appoint Morineau came after nearly six hours of public comment, interviews with the eight candidates, and deliberation between council members. The eight candidates included Christine Brady, Sharmane Estolano, Megan Moore, Morineau, Guadalupe Ruiz, Nicholas Segura Jr, John Volland, and Daniel Zavala-Soto.
Morineau was selected in a unanimous vote and sworn in to office immediately.
Morineau is a 27-year Chula Vista resident and currently works with the South Bay Community Services as its Community Engagement director. She also sits on the San Diego County Social Services Advisory Board as a County District 1 representative since 2021.
Morineau said she was thankful to everyone and that this is an “amazing opportunity” for her.
“On the real, I am what you get,” she said at the April 4 council meeting. “All you get from me is a hard worker, committed, and an open-door policy. Depend on me. Your encouragement was a big piece of this…Let’s get to work.”
In her application, Morineau said as a long-term community leader in the community, she has the long experience of working with community resident leaders, Chula Vista city staff, council members, current and former mayors, as well as state and federal representatives in strategic planning and community building.
Morineau said she wants to embrace the Chula Vista community and everything they have done to support her.
“From the bottom of my heart I am committed to everything that we have done together and everything that we will do moving forward. I recognize all the work we have done, and I have always been very thankful for that. But not like the passion and support, and the overwhelming response you had with me sitting up here, because I believe this means hope,” she said.
Morineau will hold this temporary position until after the November general elections, where Cesar Fernandez and Rudy Ramirez will face off for a full term of service.
