06 Jan Meet Some of the People Hoping to Land on Pittsburg City Council

(Image courtesy of the city of Pittsburg via Bay City News)

By Samantha Kennedy

Twenty-three Pittsburg City Council hopefuls are vying to take over Shanelle Scales-Preston’s vacant seat after she departed for the Board of Supervisors this month. 

Council members say they’ll have big shoes to fill. 

Pittsburg opted to save an estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars by choosing to appoint a resident to the vacancy rather than hold a special election. Candidates are required to be a Pittsburg resident, 18 years or older and a registered voter. 

The candidates will be interviewed during a special meeting Monday at 7 p.m. before council members are expected to make an appointment at the Jan. 13 meeting. 

Among the applicants are a former council member vowing not to run for reelection, almost half of the city’s planning commission, the Chamber of Commerce’s CEO and a former owner of an independent baseball team. 

Robert “Bob” Lewis

Lewis, a two-time mayor of Pittsburg who served on the council for 13 years, believes his appointment would put the council “in a unique position” by filling the vacancy with someone who is knowledgeable about the role. 

Lewis wouldn’t run for reelection in 2026 should he be appointed, according to his application. 

During his time on the council from 1989 to 2002, Lewis said that he helped establish the Pittsburg Power Company, oversaw the construction of the Civic Center and “was instrumental” in the relocation and construction of three fire stations. 

Wolfgang Croskey

Croskey, CEO of the city’s Chamber of Commerce and former planning commissioner, lost a 2022 bid for a seat on the council after finishing fourth in the race with 17% of the vote. He said economic growth, affordable housing, public safety, environmental sustainability and infrastructure appeal are some of the most important issues in Pittsburg. 

“Pittsburg has been my home and my heart,” Croskey, a resident of 42 years, wrote in his application, “and I am deeply committed to its growth, vibrancy, and the well-being of every resident.” 

Croskey also has a local property management company, served as president of the Pittsburg Rotary Club and served as a co-owner and manager for the Pittsburg Diamonds, an independent professional baseball team. 

Nicole Arrington

Arrington, a cancer survivor who has lived in Pittsburg for 17 years, considers herself an advocate for “what is right and fair.” She said housing, including alternatives for unhoused residents, equitable education and reckless driving are some of the most important issues in Pittsburg. 

“I want to see Pittsburg continue to move in the positive direction it is moving in,” she wrote in her application. “This great city needs people who have a love for it.” 

Arrington worked in the medical field until 2019 and has recently worked to allow youth to vote in school board elections. 

Iztaccuauhtli Hector Gonzalez

Gonzalez, a candidate in the 2024 council race who fell short by more than 4,800 votes, is an insurance agent who is focusing on housing, public safety, economic development and literacy.

“I will champion innovative programs to make Pittsburg more economically vibrant and beautiful,” he said in his application. 

Gonzalez was previously a teacher in the Pittsburg and West Contra Costa unified school districts.

Arlene Kobata

Kobata, a member of the Community Advisory Commission and chair of the Planning Commission, is a 36-year resident who loves “to contribute to the growth of Pittsburg.”

Kobata’s biggest priorities for the city are economic growth, especially keeping residents as customers and participants in their city, youth and providing parents with resources. 

During her time on the Planning Commission, Kobata was one of the commissioners who voted not to recommend the Seeno Hillside Project, a 1,500-home development in the southwest part of the city, citing concerns about the impact on wildlife.

Ivelina Popova

Popova, a commissioner on the planning commission since 2021, is a senior project manager for Sutter Health’s Center for Health Systems Research. 

Popova said the biggest issues facing the city are related to access to services, including grocery stores and recreational activities, and infrastructure.

“My commitment to our city’s growth and prosperity is not just professional,” Popova said in her application, “but deeply personal as well.” 

Sonja Shephard 

Shephard is a member of BART’s Police Civilian Review Board, which recommends changes to police policies and receives citizen complaints of police misconduct. Retaining businesses and focusing on public safety, homelessness and sustainability are some of Shephard’s most important issues for Pittsburg. 

A retired senior litigation paralegal, Shephard said her professional and volunteer experience gives her the necessary background to succeed on the council. 

Shephard is also the nominations chair for the East Contra Costa County NAACP and vice president of the Pittsburg Fifty Plus Club, which offers senior programs. She received 50 write-in votes on the November ballot in the council race.

Donna Smith

Smith, a planning commissioner and member of the city Community Advisory Commission, is a Contra Costa College instructor of 25 years. 

The council is a body that serves the public and is “not above them, but of them,” Smith writes, “and I hope to be able to serve in that capacity and offer my history and knowledge

Her priorities for Pittsburg include public safety, traffic calming enhancements and communication with residents. 

Khurram Shah

Shah, owner of the Pittsburg Diamonds until their hiatus in 2019 and now a development manager at an auto auction, believes he would bring a “well-rounded view” to the dais, especially for youth and economic development. 

The biggest issues facing the city, he writes in his application, are bringing in more jobs, business development, and enhancing youth and sports programs. 

Shah is also the director of Bay Point’s Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Keller Canyon Grant Review Committee. 

Other applicants are: Romero Wesson and Shaniea Rodgers, who self-reported as not being registered to vote; Lailani Souza, Johanni Benitez and Erik Alexander Perez, college students who would be the youngest elected to the Pittsburg City Council; Matthew Muegge, Dana Mims, Marcus McFarland, Lisa Mapheators, Alvin Jackson, LeJon Payne, Jamal Harris, Joanna Hernandez and Andy Nguyen.