LAKEPORT — Stacey Mattina thinks she would represent another group of voters if she”s elected to the Lakeport City Council.
“I think the council would benefit from a fresh perspective,” Mattina said. “Someone who is running a business and raising a family in the city.”
Mattina, 41, moved to Lake County with her family in 2001. She has been a realtor for 13 years and owns Konocti Realty with her husband, Matt. Mattina got a bachelor”s degree from Sacramento State in organizational communications with a minor in economics. She”s a member of Beta Sigma Phi, a women”s organization that raises money for scholarships and Christmas Adopt-A-Family programs.
Mattina served on the Measure J Committee to help the City Council decide where Measure I money should go. She said she has no other government or elected office experience.
“I”m a political newcomer,” she said.
Annette Hopkins served on the Measure J Committee with Mattina and said she supports her in her bid for City Council.
Hopkins said Mattina took her job on the committee seriously and was well-prepared. Mattina wasn”t distracted by problems she wasn”t set to solve, Hopkins said.
“She zeroes in on the issues,” Hopkins said.
Hopkins said she supports Mattina, in part, because she doesn”t have an agenda to change certain things that would benefit her while on the council.
Mattina said she wants to make reasonable policy decisions for the overall good of the city if elected. She plans to be accessible to listen to the citizens and wants to find new ways to keep them informed, she said.
“If people don”t attend the meeting and there”s not an article in the paper, they don”t know what”s going on,” Mattina said.
She also wants to maintain a balanced budget while being forward thinking, she said.
Jennifer Hanson has known Mattina through children”s activities, including the swim team and Girl Scouts as well as the Measure J Committee.
“She”s one of the more involved parents I”ve ever worked with,” Hanson said.
Hanson thinks Mattina would consider what”s good for families when making decisions on the council, she said.
“I”m thrilled to see her run for council,” Hanson said. “She”s articulate and thoughtful. And she can see two sides of the coin.”
Scott Knickmeyer works with Mattina through the Lake County Association of Realtors and said he supports her, though he lives north of the city limits.
“Her knowledge of real estate would be a benefit because it”s a major market within Lake County,” he said.
He said he thinks Mattina”s age would help her on the council.
“When you have youth on your side, you can present a perspective that”s not bogged down by the way it was or the way it is,” Knickmeyer said.
Mattina said people should vote for her because she”s personable, energized, honest and listens to what people want.
“Because I”m not doing this for me,” she said. “I”m doing this for my citizens to represent what they want.”
People can contact Mattina at mattinaforcitycouncil@gmail.com.
“I love this city. It”s a great place to raise kids,” Mattina said. “This would be a great way to give back.”
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
