Temecula City Councilmember Curtis Brown Resigns Amid Service On Maui

TEMECULA, CA – Temecula Councilmember Curtis Brown will resign from the dais effective Jan. 1, due to his ongoing service on Maui following the deadly Lahaina fire.

The news was relayed via a city of Temecula press release late Thursday afternoon.

"It is with a heavy heart that I submit my resignation from the Temecula City Council effective January 1, 2024 due to work away from the City that requires my full attention and energy," according to Brown's released statement.

A retired firefighter and current FEMA coordinating officer, Brown's presence in Temecula was significantly altered following the Aug. 8 blaze that killed at least 100 people and charred thousands of homes, businesses and facilities. Brown was deployed to Lahaina on Aug. 10 following a disaster declaration by President Biden. He remains deployed, helping the town to recover, and he has traveled back and forth to Temecula, but his work has caused him to miss several City Council meetings.

During the most recent Dec. 12 City Council meeting, Brown attended remotely from a hotel in Maui. His resignation was not publicly addressed during this week's meeting. No other City Council meetings are scheduled between now and Jan. 1.

In his released statement Thursday, Brown continued, "I extend my appreciation to my fellow Temecula residents, Mayor/Council colleagues, City Manager, and staff at the City of Temecula, and I am confident the City is in excellent hands and optimistic about Temecula's bright future. As a 16-year resident and public servant at heart, my commitment to Temecula extends beyond my time in office and I will continue to support Temecula and contribute to its progress in any way I can as a private citizen.”

Temecula Mayor Zak Schwank thanked Brown for his service to the community.

"Council Member Curtis Brown has worked diligently, and has represented Temecula residents and businesses with experienced leadership decisions that support the City's excellent quality of life," Schwank said in a released statement. "His commitment to a lifetime of public service and public safety is highly respected, and he has served our City very well. Curtis will be sincerely missed in his role as a Council Member, but we are fortunate he is rooted in our community and will remain engaged."

Brown represents Temecula's District 1. Voters in his district elected him to the post in November 2022. His term was to expire at the end of 2026.

With Brown's Jan. 1 resignation, City Council must make an appointment or call for a special election by March 1, 2024. If the council decides to make an appointment, the candidate must reside in District 1 (see a map here). The matter is expected to be publicly discussed during the first City Council meeting of 2024.