City Council
The Council acts as the governing body, responsible for policy decisions, legislation, budget oversight, and community representation.
Members
Ramon Castro
Ramon Castro
Ramon Castro was born in and raised in Brawley, California. After graduating from Brawley Union High School, Ramon joined the United States Marine Corps. Ramon served two terms of enlistment and concluded his military career serving his final in Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ramon is a graduate of San Diego/Imperial County Electrical Institute where he completed a five-year electrical apprenticeship.
Mr. Castro has been a community activist in support of military veteran’s issues. His work earned him the Distinguished Recognition as Assembly District 56 Veteran of the Year in 2015. Ramon has also served on many community boards including the Brawley Planning Commission, San Diego Imperial County Electrical Institute Board of Directors, Imperial County Veterans Advisory Committee, Imperial County Air Resource Board and the Hidalgo Society. Mr. Castro currently serves as the President of the Veterans Honor Wall Committee, Executive Board Member of American Legion Post 60 and spearheads the annual Veterans Benefits Seminar.
Mr. Castro’s hobbies include practicing Carlson Gracie Jiu-jitsu and donating his time to improve the community.
Mr. Castro first became interested in serving on City Council because of his many years of work in organized labor and the construction industry. He strongly believes that a well-educated, well-trained and skilled populace is the most important aspect of a strong economy.
Donald L. Wharton
Donald L. Wharton
Donald “Donnie” L. Wharton was born in Lowell, Massachusetts and raised in the San Gabriel Valley community of San Dimas, California. He studied Organizational Management and Healthcare Administration, earning Bachelors and Masters degrees, in addition to a Masters in Business Administration from Ashford University. His hobbies include opportunities for outdoor adventure, travel and reading. Mr. Wharton has served as a member of the Imperial County Sheriff's Reserve Unit for nearly two decades, in addition to participation in the Brawley Rotary Club, Brawley Elks, Pioneers Memorial Healthcare Foundation, El Centro Regional Medical Center Foundation, and several Chambers of Commerce in Imperial Valley.
Mr. Wharton’s 2012 appointment to the Brawley City Council followed a vacancy created by the election of Ryan E. Kelley to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors. Mr. Wharton was drawn to the work of the City Council as a result of his own small business experience, seeing small business success as the cornerstone of the local economy. Mr. Wharton views economic development and job creation as paramount to Brawley’s future. As part of his City Council duties, he currently serves on the Brawley Airport Advisory Commission and Brawley Business Advisory Committee where he advocates for strategic planning, forward thinking, and responsible governance.
Mr. Wharton is currently employed by REACH Air Medical Services as the Director of Business Development. With a passion for flying that began in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, he also serves as the Chief Pilot for the Imperial County Narcotics Task Force. Mr. Wharton and his wife, Suzy, are the parents of two adult sons, Hunter and Donald.
Gil Rebollar
Gil Rebollar
Luke Hamby
Luke Hamby
Luke Hamby was born in a cabin in the woods of Northern Arizona and raised in Westmorland. He attended IVC and completed a B.A. in Music Education at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. He served on the Volunteer Fire Department in Westmorland for twenty years and has been a residential remodeling contractor since 2005.
Mr. Hamby is an accomplished musician in his spare time, performing for many events and ceremonies on violin and guitar.
He was elected to the Brawley City Council in 2017 after running on a platform dedicated to changing the business atmosphere in the City to that of a more business friendly environment; improving customer service and interactions between City Department Staff and current and prospective business owners as well as developers, contractors, and others; improving parks conditions; and working together with fellow Council Members to strengthen ordinances with an eye toward downtown improvements and blight reduction. Mr. Hamby is pleased to serve on the City Council and works diligently with his fellow Council Members to fulfill his duties and to make good on the goals and vision set during his campaign.
He has served on various nonprofit boards throughout Imperial Valley, including the North County Coalition for the Arts, the Imperial Valley Symphony Association, and Imperial Valley’s HOPE for Haiti. He has also served as the Liaison from City Council to the Brawley Public Library Board of Trustees, Parks and Recreation Commission, Chamber of Commerce Board and the Brawley Planning Commission.
Luke and his wife, Elizabeth, have been married since 2000 and have lived in Brawley since 2015. They have one son, Bennett, and have fostered or care-taken seven other children over the years.
George A. Nava
George A. Nava
George A. Nava was raised in the City of Brawley. Following his studies at Imperial Valley College, he earned his Bachelors degree from San Jose State University in Business Administration, in addition to his Masters in Business Administration from National University. Mr. Nava is an advocate for a healthy local business climate. Having been self-employed for over a decade, he appreciates the challenges of getting a business off of the ground. When Mr. Nava first ran for a seat on the City Council, his motivation was to see changes in the way the City administration worked with business owners and residents. Today, his focus continues to be championing positive change in the City of Brawley.
While serving on the Brawley City Council, Mr. Nava has spearheaded the formation of the Brawley Business Advisory Committee and the National Beef Ad Hoc Committee. He is a tireless advocate for downtown as a special events venue and has played a key role in the celebration of “Taking Back Main Street” once it was relinquished by Caltrans. As a Council Member, Mr. Nava is currently representing the City of Brawley on the Imperial County Transportation Commission, the Imperial County Film Commission and Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation. Mr. Nava is active in many community organizations and efforts including the Brawley Elks, Hidalgo Society and Main Street Committee.
Mr. Nava is a licensed real estate and mortgage broker. He and his wife, Adriana, have a son, George Anthony.
Meetings
The City Council meets at 6:00 PM every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at the City Council Chambers, located at 383 Main Street, Brawley, CA 92227.
Please provide 48 hours of advance notice if you require special accommodations to attend or participate in the meeting. Contact the Office of the City Clerk at 760-351-3048 for more information or to make arrangements.
| Meeting | Agenda | Minutes |
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Regular Meeting
August 20, 2024
6:00 PM
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Council Meeting
August 6, 2024
6:00 PM
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Special Meeting
July 30, 2024
12:00 PM
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City Council
July 16, 2024
6:00 PM
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Council Meeting
July 2, 2024
6:00 PM
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Council Meeting
June 18, 2024
6:00 PM
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City Council Agendas and Minutes are also available on our Documents Portal
Recorded Council Meetings are available on our new Video Platform
***Meetings recorded before 3/19/2024 can be accessed on the Public Spectrum***
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