 | | | Craig Jorgens | | | | | | In keeping with the 2016 general election trend of a private citizen beating a well-known public official, retired business executive Craig Jorgens defeated Orinda Mayor Victoria Smith for the Division 5 director seat on the Moraga-Orinda Fire District governing board.
"Voters liked my engineering and financial background," said Jorgens, during a break from taking down his campaign signs the day after the election. "We knocked on a lot of doors and met a lot of new people."
Jorgens structured his campaign around his ability to manage the fire district's $65 million unfunded pension and health care liability, mapping hot spots for more efficient fire and medical deployment and using data to improve MOFD response times in the Sleepy Hollow and El Toyonal neighborhoods of north Orinda.
"I learned a lot more about the fire district and I connected with more people. Casual friends became better friends, and I made a lot of new friends," Jorgens said. "I look forward to working with the other board members."
Smith came up 117 votes short despite her strong name recognition thanks to 12 years of public service on the Orinda City Council. "Sure I'm sad," she said of the results, but she harbors no regrets about leaving her council post. "I've accomplished all I can there and it was time to move on."
For now, Smith will continue to serve on the board of the Strive for Change Foundation, an East Bay nonprofit that helps the working poor achieve economic self-sufficiency.
"I'll keep my eyes open," Smith said of future civic opportunities.
Jorgens replaces Alex Evans, who opted to not run for reelection to his north Orinda board seat.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA