Name: Michael M. Vargas

Position: City Member, Chair

Email: mvargas@cityofperris.org

Bio: Michael was born and raised in Los Angeles. He is married to Julie Vargas, and they have four daughters and six grandchildren. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and attended Pasadena Community College.

Michael is a retired Police Sergeant from the Los Angeles School Police Department. During his 30 years of service, his assignments included but were not limited to: Campus Officer, Patrol Officer, Watch Officer, Field Training Officer, Field Sergeant, and Watch Commander. He spent time working in the emergency operations center, as well as the department’s technology unit. He actively participated in reviewing school safety plans, served on the dignitary protection detail, and acted as a liaison between school administration and law enforcement officials.

Michael continued his public servant duties and locally served as a Public Safety Commissioner for the City of Perris from 2007-2011. On November 2, 2010 Michael was elected into office as a Governing Board Member for the Val Verde Unified School District Board of Education. Michael was a great asset to the Board and so well liked by the community that he was re-elected for a second term on November 4, 2014. By great demands from Michael’s constituents he ran for Mayor for the City of Perris and was elected into office on November 8, 2016.

In addition to his Mayoral duties, Michael sits on the Riverside County Transportation Committee, March Joint Powers Authority Committee, Riverside County Habitat Conservation Agency, and Exceed Board of Directors. Michael was appointed to the Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission as the Regular City Member in January, 2019.

Michael’s memberships include the following organizations: National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, League of California Cities, International Council of Shopping Centers, League of United Latin American Citizens Riverside Council 3190, President of the Perris Valley Democratic Club, Riverside County Democratic Party Immigration Reform Committee. Perris Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

As a parent, grandparent, community member, and tax payer Michael has a vested interest in ensuring that the City of Perris is safe, provides good jobs, affordable housing, and supports the growth of the youth so that they can continue to succeed in life. He supports labor organizations, and looks forward to continue working together to better the community.

Name: Stephen J. Tomanelli

Position: Public Member, Vice-Chair

Email: care@hughes.net

Bio: Stephen Tomanelli is the Owner-Operator of Computer Care which was established in 1986. Computer Care is a Sole Proprietorship Company specializing in computer sales and service. He served in the United States Navy from 1969-1973.

His public service includes:
Director, High Valleys Water District
1994-2003
Served as Treasurer, Vice-President and President
Developed to serve the residents of the Twin Pines and Poppet Flats community, High Valleys Water District is a Special Government Water District that receives its funding from its customers, as well as, County Assessments. Having no natural water resource, High Valleys Water District pumps the water purchased from the City of Banning, 8 miles up the mountain through 3 separate booster stations, into 3 storage tanks and 40 miles of pipe, to deliver this resource to its approximately 225 customers.

Commissioner, Public Member
Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)
2005 – Present
Vice-Chair 2010, Chair 2011-2012

California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions (CALAFCO) Elected to the Board in 2012 and served until 2015 holding the positions of Treasurer, Secretary and Vice-Chair.

Treasurer, Board Member Renu Hope Foundation Renu Hope Foundation was founded 14 years ago by first acquiring a small preschool program of 17 children at one location and now has grown to serve children at ten locations throughout Riverside County. Renu Hope Foundation is a 501(c) (3), nonprofit entity governed by the Board of Directors who represent local, state and national government and businesses who share a common interest in providing much needed child care and education services in the communities of Riverside County. Renu Hope Foundation provides child care and education services to children ages 6 weeks to 12 years of age whose families meet the eligibility criteria.

Name: Kevin Jeffries

Position: County Member

Email: District1@rivco.org

Bio: Kevin Jeffries was elected in November 2012 to represent the residents of the 1st Supervisorial District, which includes about two-thirds of the City of Riverside, as well as Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, and Canyon Lake, and unincorporated communities such as Temescal Valley, Mead Valley, Lake Mathews, Good Hope, Lakeland Village, DeLuz, LaCresta, and Tenaja.

A resident of Riverside County since 1971, Kevin is a successful local small business owner and served 29 years as a volunteer firefighter and six years in the State Assembly.

Kevin and his wife Christina have two adult children, and reside in Lakeland Village near Lake Elsinore.

Name: Yxstian Gutierrez

Position: County Member

Email: district5@rivco.org

Bio: Dr. Yxstian Gutierrez (Pronounced IX-tian similar to Chris-tian) is Riverside County’s 5th District Supervisor, a former local mayor, teacher, and community leader who is serving to improve and protect the things that make Riverside County such a special place to live. Riverside County is the 10th largest County in the United States with over 2.5 million residents – larger than the population of 13 states.

Yxstian has served County Supervisor since 12/05/2022 and 7 years as a local Mayor. He is the first directly elected Mayor in the city’s history. He also served as a professor at National University and a current professor with California State University San Bernardino. He previously served on Moreno Valley’s City Council, owned and operated the Berrybean Cafe, taught in the Moreno Valley Unified School District, and worked as a reading instructor at Moreno Valley College.

Yxstian sits as a Board Member of the Inland Empire Health Plan (largest Medicaid plan in the US), Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG), Riverside Transit Agency, Riverside County Transportation Commission, Riverside County University Medical System, Flood Control, and several other regional boards. He was appointed to the Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission as the Regular County Member in January 2023. He also serves on the board for the Renu Hope Foundation, as a local board member for the U.S. Selective Service, and as a 1st Lieutenant (CA) with the 163rd Support Group stationed at March Air Reserve Base.

Yxstian grew up in Moreno Valley and learned the value of public education while attending Armada Elementary School, Landmark Middle School, and Valley View High School. He went on to earn an associate degree from Moreno Valley College, a bachelor’s degree from California Baptist University, a master’s degree in Education from American InterContinental University, and a doctoral degree in Special Education from Northcentral University.

Yxstian is also an alumnus of USC’s Executive Education in Public Policy program and USC’s Executive Education program in Strategic Analysis in Achieving Competitive Advantage. He also recently graduated from the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership program.

Name: Steve Sanchez

Position: City Member

Email: ssanchez@laquintaca.gov

Bio: At the age of 19, Steve enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantryman. He served 8 years (1996-2004) with deployments in Asia and a combat tour during the ground invasion in Iraq (2003). His time with the Marines taught him about team-work, detailed planning and looking at the big picture to achieve the goal. And as they say, “Once a Marine, always a Marine.” He’s a patriot, loves his country, and his community; service above self is something he truly believes in.

Currently, Steve is a businessman. His post military career has taken him from the telecommunication industry; a district director for a state legislator; a salesperson for a radio station group and a billboard company. He is now as a successful commercial real estate agent focusing on apartment buildings and income properties.

Steve is a current and past board member for many local non-profits. After overcoming different adversities in his life, and through the help of his family and friends, He spends a majority of his time reaching out and helping others. He is the Past-Chairman for the Indio Chamber of Commerce, a past-board member for the La Quinta Chamber of Commerce, a former Big Brother with the Big Brother and Big Sisters of the Desert, as well as a current board member for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Desert, Leadership Coachella Valley, Young Scholars Association, and a volunteer for numerous local charities. Steve was appointed to the Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission as the Regular City Member in May, 2018.

Steve is passionate about fitness and living a healthy lifestyle. If you’re up at 4am in La Quinta, you can usually see Steve out running to start his day. He travels to compete in half marathons around the country. La Quinta offers a variety of terrains for him to train on any day of the week. He is also an animal lover and being a parent to several dogs has taught him many things about love and compassion.

Steve is fascinated by the history of Ancient Rome, Greece, England, and the American Revolution; while also having a soft spot for mathematics. He has a love for spoken word, and has tried to learn as many languages as possible. In his youth, he studied French and Arabic and is currently learning Russian. Steve believes language is a fascinating thing to study, and it has taught him a lot about focusing, attention to detail and the ability to communicate the right words at the right time.

Name: Stephen Corona

Position: Special District Member

Email:

Bio: Steve Corona grew up in Cucamonga, CA and attended Alta Loma High School, graduating in 1975. He then attended Pepperdine University, graduating in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

After working for Wells Fargo Bank, Steve returned to the family farm in 1981. Steve is currently President of Corona Ranch, diversified farming operation in Temecula, CA growing grapefruit, avocados, onions, sod, and hay. The Corona family also operates the Big Horse Feed Store and puts on their famous Corn Maze that benefits local and military non-profit organizations.

In 2001 Steve was elected to the Board of the Rancho California Water District, a position he held for 16 years and was its President 3 times. Corona has also participated in other boards and committees including the Riverside County Farm Bureau, Riverside County General Plan Advisory Committee, Citrus, Vineyard SWAP Committee 1989, Elsinore, Murrieta, Anza Resource Conservation District, President –Temecula Valley National Little League and is on the Board of the Upper Santa Margarita Irrigated Lands Group. Steve was elected to the Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission as a Special District Member in March 2023. Steve also participated as a coach for Temecula Valley National Little League, Murrieta National Little League, and Temecula Youth Basketball League.

Name: Castulo Estrada

Position: Special District Member

Email: cestrada@cvwd.org

Bio: Cástulo Estrada was elected to the Coachella Valley Water District in 2014, he was re-elected in 2018 and appointed without opposition in 2022 to his current term, which ends in 2026. During his tenure at CVWD, he has led the formation of the Coachella Valley Disadvantaged Communities Infrastructure Task Force which collaborates with stakeholders to develop and implement master plans and pursue funding to develop clean drinking water and sanitation services for residents of the Eastern Coachella Valley. Last year, CVWD secured over $75 million to fund DAC drinking water and sewer projects with two high-priority projects underway. He is the Utilities Manager at the City of Coachella. He is a native of the Eastern Coachella Valley, a graduate of Coachella Valley High School, and has a civil engineering degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He has served on the Salton Sea Authority Board of Directors since 2014, including serving as President of the Board in 2019/2020. Cástulo was also appointed by the State of California in 2019 and was reappointed through 2024 as a member of the State Water Resources Control Board's Statewide and Regional Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) Advisory Group. He was elected to the Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission as a Special District Member in March 2023. He lives in the City of Coachella with his wife, Cindy, and two children.

Name: Steven Pastor

Position: Alternate Special District Member

Email: sapastor3@yahoo.com

Bio: During his working career, Steve was involved in production agriculture and agricultural related businesses.

He began his career working on the family herb farm in San Jacinto. Later he became the farm manager for Spice Islands as well as the Industrial Spice Product Manger for the Spice Islands Industrial Spice Division. After leaving Spice Islands, Steve became the Executive Director for both the Imperial County Farm Bureau and the Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers Association. In 2003 he returned to Riverside County and became the Executive Director of the Riverside County Farm Bureau.

Steve earned a B.A. degree in history from San Diego State University in 1972. After graduation, he went on active duty with the U.S. Army and served with the 8th Army Expeditionary Force in South Korea. He is also a graduate fellow of the California Agricultural Leadership Program (Class 27) and a Certified Agricultural Health and Safety Manager.

During his farming career, Steve served on several committees and boards including the Water Master’s Technical Advisory Committee and the Riverside County Water Task Force board. He also has served on the California Farm Bureau Federation’s Board of Directors and the Riverside County Farm Bureau’s board as the first vice-president. He is a past president of the California Historic Citrus Park’s Non-Profit Management Corporation.

Currently, Steve serves as vice-president of the Lake Hemet Municipal Water District board and represents the water district on the Water Master board. Steve was appointed to the Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission as the Alternate Special District Member in November, 2020.

Name: V. Manuel Perez

Position: Alternate County Member

Email: District4@rivco.org

Bio: Victor Manuel Perez was appointed by Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. on May 9, 2017 to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, representing the County’s Fourth District, and was subsequently elected to a four-year term in June 2018. The Fourth Supervisorial District covers the eastern two-thirds of Riverside County, stretching from Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs, south to the Salton Sea and east to Blythe and the Colorado River.

Manuel is grateful for the opportunity to serve in this important position, and looks forward to contributing his experience in local and state government to work on behalf of families and every community in the Fourth District.

In January 2019, Manuel was appointed to the Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) as the Alternate County Member. He previously served on the Commission in 2017.

Born and raised in the Coachella Valley, the son of immigrant farmworkers, Manuel attended local public schools and graduated from the University of California, Riverside. He taught at a local middle school, and went on to earn a Master of Education degree in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University.

He worked as a youth advocate and director of community health and advocacy for Santa Rosa Del Valle- Borrego Health, at Centro Medico Coachella and Centro Medico Oasis. From 2004 to 2008, he served on the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees, where he led the passage of a $250 million bond to construct and renovate schools in the eastern Coachella Valley.

In 2008, Manuel was elected to the California State Assembly, representing eastern Riverside County and Imperial County. Entering office during the great recession, he worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the Governor’s Office to bring forth fiscal accountability, health care reform, renewable energy growth and job creation legislation.

A champion for eastern Riverside County, Manuel had more than 60 pieces of legislation signed into law to help create jobs, jumpstart the local renewable energy industry and make neighborhoods safer. His legislation focused on jobs, economic development, small business, education, health care access, infrastructure, renewable energy, transportation, air quality, environment, public safety, parks, technology, agriculture, water and the Salton Sea.

In the Assembly, Manuel became majority leader and worked closely with the Assembly Speaker on the day-to-day functions of the statehouse. He served as the chairman of the Jobs and Economic Development Committee, founding Vice Chair of the Select Committee for the Status of Boys and Men of Color as well as Chair of Stimulus, Economic Recovery and Jobs (SERJ).

After serving three terms in the State Assembly, Manuel continued his public service with election to the Coachella City Council. Prior to his appointment to county supervisor, he was Chief Government and Public Affairs Officer for Borrego Health, a federally qualified health center serving the under-served in San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

Manuel resides in his native city of Coachella with Gladis, his wife of 21 years. They have two sons, Ruben, who graduated from UC Davis and Alejandro, who attends UC Santa Barbara.

Name: Jim Love

Position: Alternate Public Member

Email: jimhlove@gmail.com

Bio: Jim Love, Vice President, Beaumont Electric Inc.
Electrical Industry – 38 years
Beaumont Electric – 23 years
Procuring Contracts, Estimating, Project Management

Jim Love has been a managing officer of Beaumont Electric Inc. (BEI) since its inception. Jim is the founder and visionary for BEI and has always been on the forefront of securing future projects for the company. His knowledge of the electrical trade has been the driving force for the company’s growth in various fields of electrical construction, including cellular phone sites, wastewater treatment plants, large school sites, sports and street lighting and hospitals. He authored and continues to consult the City of Beaumont’s outdoor lighting ordinance. Jim’s knowledge of electrical systems and value engineering continues to propel the company forward. Jim has served as Alternate Public Member on the Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission since 2009.

Name: Greg Newton

Position: Alternate City Member

Email: gnewton@ci.norco.ca.us

Bio: