____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting:
Disposition:
Agenda Item No: 2.b
Meeting Date: May 4, 2026
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: City Clerk
Prepared by: Lindsay Lara, City Clerk City Manager Approval: ______________ TOPIC: PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD 2026
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION TO KARLA VALDEZ, RECIPIENT OF THE RICHARD P. O’BRIEN AND MARY FERRARIO O’BRIEN PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD FOR 2026
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt Resolution of Appreciation to Karla Valdez, the recipient of the Richard P. O’Brien and Mary Ferrario O’Brien Public Service Award for 2026.
BACKGROUND: In March 2001, J. Michael Mahoney established an endowment in honor of former Planning Commissioner Richard O’Brien and his wife, Mary Ferrario O’Brien. The endowment funds an annual Public Service Award. The purpose of this award is to recognize an individual in the San Rafael community who has made exceptional contributions to the City, making it a better place to live or work. In addition to public recognition, the endowment provides a cash award to the recipient.
In September 2001, the City Council adopted procedures for the Public Service Award program and process. The procedures include the appointment of a Selection Committee to review nominations from the public and recommend an award recipient to the City Council. The Selection Committee includes two City Council members, two Planning Commissioners, a member of the O’Brien family, a representative from the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, and neighborhood community representatives (e.g., Federation of San Rafael Neighborhoods).
The Nomination Period moved to year-round, and we pushed for strong recruitment in the second half of 2025. Once the current year nominations have been submitted, they are reviewed along with the nominations submitted over the past three years (in this case, 2023, 2024, and 2025). Last year’s award recipient (John Chung – 2025) was eliminated from the pool of eligible candidates.
ANALYSIS: This year, a total of 19 candidates were considered. On April 15, 2026, the Selection Committee met to review and consider the nominations. The Committee selected Karla Valdez as the twenty-sixth recipient of the award.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
As summarized in the attached Resolution and nomination materials, Karla Valdez was selected as the recipient of the Public Service Award due to her sustained commitment to community advocacy and her deeply rooted connections within the San Rafael community. Karla is a dedicated civic participant, currently serving on the San Rafael Police Advisory and Accountability Committee, while also volunteering twice a week at the Marin Community Clinics food bank, where she has volunteered consistently for the past five years. In addition, she volunteered with the Raising a Reader program, where she supported early childhood literacy by reading to young children and creating engaging, educational activities that make learning both accessible and enjoyable from 2021 to 2025.
Karla’s advocacy began in 2009 through her involvement with Vecinos del Canal, a community group focused on improving conditions in the Canal neighborhood. Through this work, she played a key role in advocating for changes to the City’s street sweeping enforcement practices, helping to eliminate vehicle towing that disproportionately impacted low-income residents. In partnership with the community, Karla also helped organize monthly neighborhood cleanups, fostering both environmental stewardship and a shared sense of responsibility among residents.
She continues to engage in civic life through her involvement with the Marin Organizing Committee, supporting efforts to improve youth mental health services, and by participating in City housing workshops to better understand and share important information with her community.
Beyond her formal roles, Karla serves as a trusted connector within the community. Through her strong relationships and lived experience, she regularly guides residents to available resources and connects individuals and families with critical services. Her work at the Marin Community Clinics extends beyond food distribution, as she helps link community members to additional support programs and promotes City initiatives, including public safety events and neighborhood services. Her ability to build trust and maintain meaningful connections has made her an invaluable resource for many residents.
Karla’s journey reflects resilience, dedication, and a deep passion for service. She has navigated language barriers and unfamiliar systems to become a confident and effective advocate, all while balancing her responsibilities as a parent. Her commitment to service often includes her children, allowing them to witness and participate in community engagement firsthand. Through her leadership, compassion, and unwavering dedication, Karla Valdez has made a lasting and meaningful impact on the San Rafael community, making her a deserving recipient of the City of San Rafael’s 2026 Public Service Award.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH: The call for nominations for the Public Service Award was advertised in Snapshot (the City's e-newsletter), on the City website, on NextDoor, social media, and with neighborhood associations.
FISCAL IMPACT: As the Public Service Award program is privately funded, there is no financial impact to the City of San Rafael. However, the recipient of this award receives a check in the amount of $2,500 from the Richard P. O’Brien and Mary Ferrario O’Brien Citizen of the Year Fund, which is administered by the Marin Community Foundation.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
OPTIONS:
1. Adopt the Resolution of Appreciation presenting the 2026 Public Service Award to Karla Valdez.
2. Return the recommendation to the Selection Committee for reconsideration.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt the Resolution of Appreciation.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution of Appreciation
2. Nomination materials for Karla Valdez.
City of San Rafael
Richard P. O’Brien and Mary Ferrario O’Brien
Public Service Award for 2026
Presented to
Karla Valdez
WHEREAS, Karla Valdez is a dedicated community leader and active civic participant in San Rafael, currently serving as a member of the San Rafael Police Advisory and Accountability Committee and volunteering three times a week at the Marin Community Clinics food bank, where she has faithfully served for the past five years; and
WHEREAS, Karla also volunteered with the Raising a Reader program from 2021-2025, where she read to children under the age of five and created engaging activities that promoted early literacy and a lifelong love of learning; and WHEREAS, since 2009, Karla has been actively involved with Vecinos del Canal, a community group focused on improving conditions in the Canal neighborhood, where she helped successfully advocate for changes to the City’s street sweeping enforcement practices to end the disproportionate impacts of vehicle towing on economically burdened residents; and
WHEREAS, through her leadership, Karla and fellow community members organized monthly neighborhood cleanups, helping to maintain a clean and safe environment while fostering shared responsibility and pride in the community; and
WHEREAS, Karla continues her advocacy through her involvement with the Marin Organizing Committee, supporting efforts to improve youth mental health services, and by participating in City housing workshops to better understand and share important information about local housing policies; and WHEREAS, through her trusted relationships and deep community connections, Karla serves as a vital resource for residents, regularly connecting individuals and families to critical services, programs, and opportunities, including food assistance, holiday support, and City initiatives; and
WHEREAS, Karla’s work has resulted in meaningful and lasting impacts, from advancing equitable policy changes and strengthening community trust, to promoting early childhood education and improving access to essential resources for underserved populations; and
WHEREAS, Karla’s dedication, compassion, and resilience are evident in her lifelong commitment to service, including overcoming language and cultural barriers to become a strong and effective advocate, while also raising her children with the same values of civic engagement and community care; and WHEREAS, Karla Valdez’s tireless efforts, leadership, and unwavering commitment to uplifting her community exemplify the highest ideals of public service.
NOW, THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the San Rafael City Council expresses its appreciation to Karla Valdez on behalf of her community and hereby awards her the Richard O’Brien and the Mary Ferrario O’Brien Public Service Award for 2026 on Monday, May 4, 2026.
Kate Colin, Mayor
Outlook
New submission from Public Service Award
From [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of
Forms Admin <[email protected]>
Date Thu 2/5/2026 11:37 AM
To Lindsay Lara <[email protected]>
Nominee for Public Service Award
Karla Valdez
Nominee's Home Address
San Rafael 94901
Does this nominee live within San Rafael City Limits?
Yes
Nominee's Phone
Nominee's Email
Your Name
Walter Gonzalez
Your Address
San Rafael 94901
Your Phone
Your Email
What actions or initiatives has this person led or participated in to support our community? Karla is a dedicated community leader and active civic participant in San Rafael. She is currently a member of the SR PAAC and volunteers three times a week at the Marin Community Clinics food bank, where she has served 2/5/26, 12:00 PM Inbox - Lindsay Lara - Outlook
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAkALgAAAAAAHYQDEapmEc2byACqAC%2FEWg0AOJ8v9gzPFE6wSNu2pNW1awAJR1dETQAA 1/3 consistently for the past five years. In addition, Karla volunteers with the Raising a Reader program, reading to children under the age of five to encourage early literacy. Through this program, she also creates engaging activities that make learning fun and accessible for young children.
Karla’s commitment to community advocacy began in 2009 when she joined Vecinos del Canal, a community group led by Canal Alliance focused on improving conditions in the Canal neighborhood. Through her work with the group, Karla helped advocate for a change in the City’s street sweeping enforcement practices, successfully urging the City to stop towing vehicles. This policy change addressed the disproportionate impact towing had on economically burdened residents, many of whom were unable to afford towing fees and, as a result, lost their vehicles. In exchange, the group organized and participated in monthly community cleanups to help maintain a clean and safe neighborhood.
Karla continues to advocate for her community through active participation in civic life. She is a member of the Marin Organizing Committee, where she focused on supporting Marin County’s efforts to improve mental health services for youth. She has also participated in the City of San Rafael’s housing workshops, learning about local housing policies in order to share this information widely within her community.
Through her extensive connections and trusted relationships, Karla often serves as a point of contact for community members seeking support. She regularly guides individuals toward available resources and connects them with relevant programs whenever possible. Karla has worked tirelessly to build trust with her neighbors and remains a strong example of effective, compassionate community leadership.
What lasting impact or positive change has resulted from their efforts? Overall, Karla’s advocacy has led to meaningful and tangible changes in her community. From helping end vehicle towing practices that disproportionately impacted low-income residents, to encouraging early literacy among young children, to participating in city and county efforts aimed at improving service delivery, Karla’s work has had a lasting impact. Her willingness to help, share her lived experience, and consistently advocate for the needs of Latinx families has contributed to real improvements across multiple areas of community life.
Karla’s continued volunteer work with Marin Community Clinics impacts residents on a daily basis. Her role extends far beyond distributing food; through her trusted relationships and strong connections, Karla helps link food pantry participants to additional services and resources as needs arise. During the holidays, she plays an active role in the Clinic’s toy drive, ensuring families receive extra support during a critical time of year. She has also been instrumental in promoting city programs at the clinics, including bulky item pickup days, San Rafael Police Department–related meetings and events, and other important community initiatives.
In what ways have they shown dedication, creativity, and passion in serving the community? By consistently showing up, Karla demonstrates her deep commitment to supporting her community whenever there is a need. Her dedication is evident throughout her record of service; since moving to San Rafael, she has worked continuously to improve her community and remains actively engaged today.
One of Karla’s greatest strengths is her ability to connect with people. She has built strong relationships with her neighbors, earning their trust—a quality that is both rare and invaluable in community leadership. Karla’s wide range of interests and involvement reflects how she views the world and the holistic approach she takes to advocacy. Her participation in children’s reading programs, her work with the PAAC, her volunteer service at the food bank, and her involvement with the Marin Organizing Committee all demonstrate a deep and sustained commitment to social equity.
Karla is driven by a desire to ensure her community can succeed. She understands that strong educational opportunities, access to health resources, and inclusive, responsive governance are essential for communities to 2/5/26, 12:00 PM Inbox - Lindsay Lara - Outlook
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAkALgAAAAAAHYQDEapmEc2byACqAC%2FEWg0AOJ8v9gzPFE6wSNu2pNW1awAJR1dETQAA 2/3 thrive. Through her work, Karla helps create the conditions for both her neighbors and the broader community to grow and succeed together.
What obstacles did this person experience on their path to achieving this accomplishment, and how did they push through?
Karla has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth in her journey as a community advocate. She learned to speak English while also navigating complex U.S. systems in order to effectively advocate for and support her community. Coming from a place where government institutions were often viewed with distrust, Karla had to unlearn those perceptions and build the confidence to engage with civic systems as a tool for change.
At the same time, Karla has balanced her extensive volunteer and advocacy work with her responsibilities as a parent.
This balance often meant bringing her children with her to volunteer, allowing them to witness and participate in community service firsthand. Through this experience, Karla has helped instill in her children the same values of civic engagement, compassion, and responsibility that guide her own work.
Has this person been recognized for their efforts before? If so, how? Yes, but I am unsure of the awards.
2/5/26, 12:00 PM Inbox - Lindsay Lara - Outlook
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAkALgAAAAAAHYQDEapmEc2byACqAC%2FEWg0AOJ8v9gzPFE6wSNu2pNW1awAJR1dETQAA 3/3