Gail Ortiz

So far, we've featured a council member, the city manager, and the person in charge of city planning. All are very different people with very different jobs, but they do have one thing, or, more specifically, one person, in common: Gail Ortiz, public information officer for the City of Santa Clarita. Since she's so good at explaining things to people, we'll leave the rest of the introduction in her capable hands.

Gail Ortiz
Years as a Santa Clarita resident: 10 in the City, then the last five in Acton
Years as Public Information Officer: 15 for the City; 23 years in public relations

What is a public information officer, anyway?

I am the official spokesperson for the City. I respond to the media as well as to our customers who include residents, business and community leaders. There is actually a state organization called CAPIO (California Public Information Officers) which meet regularly to share information and trade secrets. I also do a lot of community relations work for the City, helping our project managers get the word out about programs and projects and providing dialogue with the community.

Give us the 4-1-1 on you... married, kids, closet "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" watcher...

No Buffy for me. I'm a "Law and Order" fan. I'm also married to a wonderful guy, we have three children including a set of 8-year-old twin boys and a 15-year-old boy. We live on a small ranch in Acton, and yes, we've got chickens! I'm actually pretty darn boring. I read a lot, go to church, help out in the community and am very involved with my children. I'm a closet e-bayer and love antiques, especially early American.

Here's the dilemma. You need a license plate holder and Mayor Bob Kellar just purchased the last one that read, "Happiness is living in Santa Clarita." What do you do?

I already have a plate that says: "Working for a Better Santa Clarita," which is what I'm all about. But, if I really wanted that other plate, I'm sure the mayor would give it to me.

It's your job to make the city and its staff look good. Is "public information officer" sweet talk for "spin doctor?"

I leave the spinning at the gym and opt for good old-fashioned honesty about what is going on. I've been in public relations for 23 years now and am of the opinion that honesty really is the best policy. If we mess up, it's going to be me that steps up and says so, then I'll tell you what we're going to do to fix it. I am very fortunate to work for the City of Santa Clarita. My bosses are honest, good people who truly care about this community and work hard to make it better every day.

Hmm... "information officer." Where does the person who's supposed to have the information get their information? It's us, right? But really, where'd you get info before Inside SCV Magazine was around?

I report directly to the City manager and make sure that I'm in tune with what is going on, what the issues are, and what is important. If I don't know something, I pick up the phone and call and find out. It's important to me to get it right and provide timely information to the press. The City has a good reputation with the local media in providing solid, accurate information and responding to calls and inquiries in a timely fashion.

Here's your chance to promote anyone or anything in the city. You have 50 words. Use them wisely.

50 words, huh? I think the most exciting thing going on in our City right now is our capital improvement program. The City has allocated $91 million this fiscal year for capital projects and has a line up of projects that are very impressive. We're building a new $5 million community center in Newhall, the 8.5 mile Cross Valley Connector Road and flyover, the widening of the Bouquet Canyon Road bridge, the new 17-acre Valencia Heritage Park, we're putting in sewers in Placerita Canyon, we're building a state-of-the-art Transit Maintenance Facility, and undergrounding utilities in Canyon Country along Soledad Canyon Road. Those are just some of the big things. We're also rehabbing park facilities, planting trees, landscaping medians and more. It's a great time to live in Santa Clarita!

That was a 130-word response, but we'll let you slide if you give us some information that's on the down-low. A juicy City of Santa Clarita secret, or at least something that's in the works. We won't tell.

I don't do juicy, but in the works, we're replacing the Santa Clarita City Hall sign for the first time in 17 years (you heard it here first), and we're nearing completion of the first-ever Transit Maintenance Facility that will allow us to house, maintain, fuel and clean our transit fleet all in one location, saving the City over $1 million a year.

What's your angle on the "safest city" drama? Does Santa Clarita have a beef with the FBI because of the way the organization breaks down statistics?

No beef. We just feel that because the FBI ranks cities with a population of 100,000 or more, we get penalized for having a larger population than other cities in the FBI's top-10. How can you compare a crime rate between a city of 165,000 (Santa Clarita) and a city of 101,000? We just feel that they should look at cities of 150,000 or more in addition to cities with populations of 100,000. The bottom line, however, is that Santa Clarita is the only city in Los Angeles County to make the FBI's top-10 and we are still a safe city. We attribute this to a proactive approach to law enforcement and community policing among the City Council, the sheriffs and the community that keeps Santa Clarita in the top-10.

You see city council members come and go. Any fun memories you can share?

Funny memories, yes. Ones I can share, hmmm... probably not. Just kidding. I have had the pleasure to work with every City Council since cityhood. I can say, without exception, that every city councilmember in our young City's history has truly had the best interest of this community in mind and heart when serving on the council. They may not always agree on the best approach, but they always believed in this community. People may believe that being a councilmember is just about attending council meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month (live on channel 20 at 6 p.m. by the way), but it actually is a lot more. They work every day, including weekends, attend-out-of-the-area meetings, local functions and really represent the City 24-7.

You're privy to a lot of SCV insider info. What's coming up that's worth getting excited over?

I think this community is worth getting excited over! Santa Clarita is a premier city in California. We've got it all! I'm excited about the future of our City, the expansion of the Sports Complex, the addition of more parks, trails and open space, plans to improve traffic like re-striping San Fernando Road to State Rout 14 and widening Bouquet Canyon Road, plans to help connect residents and neighborhoods through community programs and all of the terrific, giving and caring people who live here. Their generosity and willingness to help never ceases to amaze me.