1 City of San Clemente, CA: COMMUNITY SAFETY AND WELFARE COMMITTEE APPLICATION A new entry to a form/survey has been submitted.
Form Name:
Date & Time:
Response #:
Submitter ID:
Service Application - Community Safety and Welfare Committee 11/06/2025 6:44 AM
16 36993
Time to complete: 20 min. , 4 sec.
Survey Details
1. Name
Angela Watts
2. How long have you lived in San Clemente?
9 years
3. What is your occupation?
Business Owner & Account Director
4. Please explain why you would like to serve on the Community Safety and Welfare Committee.
I would like to serve on the Community Safety and Welfare Committee because I’m deeply invested in the wellbeing of San Clemente. As a mother of two young children and a property owner in the district with some of our city’s highest crime rates, I see these issues firsthand. My children attend school here, and our family experiences the community’s challenges and successes every day.
Because I’m on the ground, engaged, and part of this community fabric, I bring a practical and personal perspective that often gets overlooked. I’m not just observing the problems — I’m living them alongside my neighbors. My motivation is simple: I care about this town, and I want to be part of building a safer, stronger San Clemente for our families as our kids grow up here.
5. Please explain your background and experience in the public safety field.
As for my experience in the public safety field, I currently serve as the leader of the Las Palmas Safety Committee — a group I founded when my daughter was in kindergarten. I launched the committee after noticing significant and overlooked safety concerns on campus that needed immediate attention.
Through this initiative, I’ve worked collaboratively with city officials, the school board, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to drive meaningful, tangible improvements in school safety. These efforts have resulted in important upgrades 2 such as higher perimeter fencing, improved lighting, and the installation of additional security cameras.
Beyond those projects, I continue to actively assess safety conditions at Las Palmas alongside the principal and staff.
Together, we review emergency preparedness protocols, ensure emergency supplies are adequately stocked, and evaluate evolving safety needs on an ongoing basis.
My hands-on leadership in this capacity has given me a deep understanding of both the operational and human elements of public safety — from planning and prevention to coordination and follow-through. I take pride in translating community concerns into practical, lasting solutions that make a real difference.
6. What is your educational background?
High School/Colleges Attended Major/Field of Study Degree? 1 Plymouth State University Physical Education / Health Education Bachelors of Science 2 Not answered Not answered Not answered
3 Not answered Not answered Not answered
7. Please explain any experience that you have in community, governmental, charitable or educational affairs.
I have extensive experience in community, governmental, charitable, and educational affairs that reflects a lifelong commitment to public service and advocacy. Early in my career, I served with AmeriCorps as a teacher in Oakland, California, working with underserved and low-income communities. That experience instilled in me a deep understanding of how civic engagement and education intersect to create lasting change.
Locally, I volunteer with the Boys & Girls Club as a youth coach, helping to foster teamwork, confidence, and leadership among young people. I am also actively involved in school and city governance — regularly attending school board and city council meetings to stay informed and contribute to community discussions that directly impact families.
As the Advocacy Representative for the Las Palmas PTA, I’ve traveled to Sacramento to meet with legislators and advocate for policies that strengthen public education and enhance student safety. On a broader scale, I’ve worked with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Advocacy Team, traveling to Washington, D.C., to represent the interests of small business owners and engage in dialogue with policymakers on economic development and entrepreneurship.
These experiences have given me a well-rounded perspective that bridges education, community advocacy, and government relations — all rooted in a genuine desire to create safer, more equitable, and more connected communities.
8. Please describe your understanding of the principal roles and responsibilities of the Community Safety and Welfare Committee.
In my view, the CSWC holds an important role of “community translator” and “policy connector” — translating the lived experience of residents (especially families, homeowners, children in schools) into actionable guidance for the City, and ensuring that the City’s policy-makers can see what's happening on the ground. For example: what school safety looks like, what neighborhood lighting or fencing improvements matter, where trafficking or crime risk is concentrated, how residents perceive welfare or safety threats.
Because the Committee is advisory and not the primary implementer, the role also requires strong communication, listening skills, and willingness to coordinate — with City departments, public safety agencies, schools, nonprofits and residents.
If I were serving, I would focus on bringing that “on the ground” perspective (as a resident, parent, property owner and community volunteer) into the Committee’s work — ensuring that the Committee not only recommends high-level policies but also backs them with real community insights: how children move to and from school, where lighting is inadequate, how older neighborhoods experience safety, how families engage in prevention and resilience.
9. The Community Safety and Welfare Committee meets bimonthly on the fourth Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. Please explain any challenges, if any, you may have in meeting this commitment. n/a - no issues.
3 10. Please use the space below to explain any other factors about yourself that you would like for the Councilmembers to consider as they review your application.
Thank you for considering my application. I’m deeply committed to the San Clemente community and would be honored to contribute my experience, perspective, and energy to the Committee’s work. I care deeply about the safety and wellbeing of our residents — especially our children — and I’m eager to help the City continue building a safe, proactive, and connected community.
11. Applying for:
Community Safety and Welfare Committee
12. CONFIDENTIAL The following information will only be used by Staff unless you authorize it to be released to the public.
13. The information provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Digital Signature:
First Name Angela Last Name: Watts Date: 11/6/25
Thank you,
City of San Clemente, CA
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