Mayor Tells Engagement to President of Grossmont Healthcare District Board

Art Madrid has noted his engagement in public before—including at his swearing in to a sixth term as mayor in mid-December—but his frequent companion around town had a blushing presence Thursday morning when he was the featured speaker at a La Mesa Chamber of Commerce breakfast.

The mayor’s bride-to-be is Deborah McElravy, president of the Grossmont Healthcare District board of directors. He proposed in late November, she said.

They met at the 2003 groundbreaking of the Emergency and Critical Care Center at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, she said.

A wedding date hasn’t been set. McElravy, 60, manager of the La Mesa Costco pharmacy, said she’s waiting to recover from a recent six-hour surgery on her right foot, now in a heavy protective boot.

Because of residency law for La Mesa officeholders, McElravy will move in with Madrid at his Eastridge home, she said, leaving her San Carlos residence, where she lives with three small dogs—maltipoos.

Madrid was 76 last November when he was re-elected mayor. He hasn’t formally announced a bid for a seventh term at age 80, but told an audience of nearly 60 Thursday morning that “[it’s] premature to announce my campaign for 2014, but those of you who feel like running keep in mind that I’m really available for 2014.”

Madrid’s late wife, Sally Lee Madrid, died in December 2003. He has a son and two daughters. McElravy has three grown children—also a son and two daughters—and was married to Walter McElravy.