Rancho Cucamonga Mayor Pro Tem L. Dennis Michael was elected to the League of California Cities board of directors on Friday, Sept. 17 in San Diego.

The new officers were introduced at the closing general session of the League’s 112th Annual Conference & Expo in San Diego on Sept. 17. Michael was elected as an at-large member of the board of directors and will serve a two-year term.

Mayor Pro Tem Michael is the president of the League’s Inland Empire Division, comprised of 15 cities in San Bernardino County. He’s actively represented the region, serving on the Omnitrans Board of Directors and the Inland Empire Landscape Alliance Committee.

Michael comes from a long-standing background in public service and local government and has been a strong advocate for the protection of local funding for vital services. Out of the 28 years of service with the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District, Michael served as the fire chief for 19 of them before officially retiring in December 2003. A short time later he was elected to the city council in 2004 and appointed as Mayor Pro Tem in 2008.

“I am honored to be elected to the League of California Cities Board of Directors and look forward to working with my colleagues statewide to continue fighting for local control and protection of local revenue, strengthening infrastructure, fostering collaborative partnerships, and advancing the League and its member cities’ goals and priorities. My service on the Board comes at an especially critical time as California voters will be asked to vote this November to further protect local government revenue used for essential police and fire services, street improvements, and transit services. The passage of Proposition 22 is certainly my priority as a member of the League Board,” said Mayor Pro Tem Michael.

“It is an honor to work with Mayor Pro Tem Dennis Michael in the League board capacity. He was instrumental in collecting a record number of signatures to qualify Prop. 22 for the November statewide ballot. I am confident that his ambition and commitment to the League will further the importance of vital local government services within the state Legislature,” said League Executive Director Chris McKenzie.

In addition to his new leadership roles, Michael is also a member of the League’s Employee Relations Policy Committee, holding the chair position in 2008 and 2009 and vice chair position in 2006 and 2007. He’s held appointed and voluntary positions with a number of organizations including the State Board of Fire Services, the California Fire Chiefs Association, the San Bernardino County Fire Chiefs Association, the Rancho Cucamonga Family YMCA, the Boy Scouts, the Rancho Cucamonga Rotary Club and the Burn Institute – Inland Empire.