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Promoting Participation in the Moraga Community
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About MCN
What We Do
- Send out a bi-monthly email called The MCN Link that announces Town Council and Planning Commission meetings and agendas, special events, requests for citizen participation, and a community calendar.
- Assist the Town Council and/or Town staff in notifying Moraga residents of important public town meetings.
- Plan and host a Candidates' Night for Town Council elections.
- Solicit email addresses every chance we get, in order to keep more citizens informed about issues, important town meetings, and local events.
Who We Are
The Moraga Citizens Network is an all-volunteer organization. Here are the members of the MCN Board:
Ellen Beans has lived in Moraga since 1981. Trained to teach elementary school, she has spent most of her life in public service and education. In 2006, she helped launch the first Moraga Community Faire, and has been its coordinator ever since. Ellen also sits on the Board of the Moraga Chamber of Commerce. Since helping to found Moraga Citizens Network in 2005, she has promoted transparency in town government and assisted in getting out information on public meetings to residents. She writes the bi-monthly MCN Link to keep residents informed about Council agenda items, issues, and local events.
Larry Beans has been an active member of MCN since its inception. He is a retired elementary school teacher and a retired team leader for Global Volunteers. He is active in SIRS, especially the stamp group, the Chamber of Commerce, and currently works weekly with Habitat for Humanity in Bay Point. He is building the Moraga Community Builds house, a house fully paid for by Moraga donors. Larry also started the Beans Travel Service.
Mike Bernhardt moved to Moraga in 1993 when he married his wife, Yvonne. Their son Jeremy attends Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School. He works as a Senior Network Engineer for BART, but he is not responsible when the trains are late! Mike recently served on the Moraga School District's Technology Committee. When he is not practicing Caribbean Steel Drums, Mike is also the Moraga Citizens Network's webmaster.
Tory Courtney and her family have lived in Moraga and loved the community for 34 years. She is a Speech/Language Therapist, an Educational Consultant, and a Professor in the School of Education at Saint Mary's College of California. Active in the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Tory has held numerous leadership positions and received the Distinguished Woman Award for community service. She is also involved in the Moraga Garden Club, Saint Mary's College Guild, and she volunteers for the Moraga Park Foundation and the Moraga Citizen's Network. Tory says, "Over the past many years, our family has benefited in so many wonderful ways from living in Moraga. Now, as I transition into retirement, I look forward to giving back to the community."
Denise Duff has lived in Moraga for 12 years. She has been an active member in the Moraga Junior Women's Club since 2005 and served on the board for four years, the last two as President. She also coordinated the first ever Moraga Treeline Triathlon Vendor Fair in 2011. Denise and her husband Michael have two children, Max (9) and Katie (7) who attend Camino Pablo Elementary School, where she volunteers her time in various capacities. Prior to her stay-at-home mom career, Denise was a marketing and advertising executive in the technology sector.
George Fisher has lived in Moraga since 1966 and has been involved with a number of organizations. He has served as President of the Moraga Park & Recreation Authority which purchased the Hacienda de las Flores and the property now known as Rancho Laguna Park, President of the Moraga Park & Recreation Foundation, Chairman of the Lafayette-Moraga Trail Committee, Chairman of the Moraga Bandshell "Buy a Board" Committee, and President of the Moraga Movers. He was honored as a Co-Citizen of the Year with his wife, Julie, in 2006. With his wife Julie, he currently serves on a task force whose goal is to establish a "Lamorinda Village" to help folks in our tri-community to "age in place."
Julie Fisher has been a Moraga resident for 44 years. She was a Founding Member and President of the Moraga Service League which spearheaded the drive for paramedic service in Moraga. Julie also served for four years on the Park and Recreation Commission in the early 1980's and on other committees too numerous to mention. She was named Co-Citizen of the Year with her husband, George, in 2006. In 2009 she was awarded a citation from the Culture to Culture organization for her participation in the Lamorinda Transportation Program. With her husband George, she currently serves on a task force whose goal is to establish a "Lamorinda Village" to help folks in our tri-community to "age in place."
Janet Forman has lived in Moraga for 45 years. She is psychotherapist and maintains a private practice in Walnut Creek. She taught at J.F.K. University for eleven years. Janet has been the membership chairman of MCN since its inception in 2005. This is her first service to Moraga since the late 1960s and early 1970s, when she served on the board of the Moraga Parents' Club.
John Haffner has lived in Moraga since 1979. His professional career was balanced between two careers, one as a pharmacy consultant and the other as a Naval Officer where he served for over 30 years. He has degrees from Cal State Sacramento (BS) and Golden Gate (MBA.) He is very active in local Town activities: currently a Park & Recreation Commissioner, and member of many civic groups, including Kiwanis, where he will be the President of the local club in 2010-11. John was a candidate for Town Council in 2006; he was Moraga's Citizen of the Year in 2009.
Peggy Hall has lived in Moraga almost 24 years. She is self-employed as an Enrolled Agent (EAs are the only federally licensed tax practitioners who specialize in taxation and also have unlimited rights to represent taxpayers before the IRS) with a tax practice of about 400 clients. Hall of Taxes' only employee is her husband! Peggy has been involved in the Moraga community for 2 decades, starting with volunteering in the schools, and more recently in the Moraga Chamber of Commerce, the Community Faire, and in Moraga Citizens Network. Inner City Outings takes Peggy out of town to take inner city kids on hikes and backpack trips, as well as camping. Peggy is involved with her professional society, East Bay Association of Enrolled Agents, in many capacities.
Tom Marnane moved to Moraga with his wife, Charlotte, in 1987. He is retired from the US Navy and from Matson Navigation Company. He is a naval architect, ocean engineer, and ocean transportation manager. He is currently the coordinator for the Moraga Community Chorus and recently served as Chairman of the Bay Planning Coalition in San Francisco and the Festival Opera in Walnut Creek.
Left to right: Councilmen Roger Wykle, Mike Metcalf, Mayor Dave Trotter, Vice Mayor Ken Chew, Councilman Phil Arth. Each council member is elected for a 4 year term, elections occurring in the even numbered years. Council meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month, starting at 7 p.m. in the JM Auditorium. The public is welcome.
A group of about 25 residents gathered in January of 2005 at the Moraga Library to discuss its dreams and concerns about Moraga. It soon became clear that what was needed was a public that was more informed and involved in the affairs of Moraga. The outcome was Moraga Citizens Network, with a vision to "promote participatory democracy in Moraga".
Town Manager Jill Keimach, Town Clerk Marty McInturff, Town Engineer Edric Kwan and Public Works staff of 8, Park & Recreation Director Jay Ingram & staff of 2, Police Chief Bob Priebe and 11 officers, Planning Department Director Shawna Brekke-Read and staff of 3, and Administrative Service Director Stephanie Hom and staff of 2.