Three candidates are vying for two seats on the Laguna Hills City Council.
These include incumbent Don Caskey, a retired architect; Neel Patel, director of Actuarial & Analytics; and Jared Mathis, CEO of the Moulton Company. All three candidates said they are especially focused on prioritizing public safety for their community.
Patel said his goal is to make the community “the best in Orange County.” He sees three solutions to getting there: public safety, beautification and new recreational facilities.
“With violent and property crime rates higher than every city bordering us, I propose investments in technology, code enforcement and our public safety officers to address this,” he said, in the Orange County Register’s Voter Guide, about what areas should be priorities.
While some areas of the city have improved median and landscaping, he sees areas in the older parts of town as neglected, including the post office.
“Investing in landscaping and public art will make Laguna Hills stand out,” he said. With the demolition of the Laguna Hills mall, Patel wants there to be more places where people can gather, such as a new library, building out the city’s last planned park, and creating a new lakeside amenity.
Mathis has deep roots in Laguna Hills. His great-grandparents, Lewis and Nellie Gail Moulton, made their home there in 1874.
While he runs the family’s business and manages real estate around the county, Mathis has also taken time to coach youth sports.
His ballot candidate statement said he wants the city to be safer and improve parks and local infrastructure.
“I want to create a greater sense of community pride and belonging within our city, our schools and our neighborhoods,” he said.
Caskey, who also served on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission and was the architect-in-charge for City Hall, was elected in 2022 to complete a two-year term on the council. He has lived in town for 40 years and has been involved locally in coaching youth sports.
“My first priorities are for the safety of our residents, economic development and renewal of our parks and community infrastructure,” he said in his candidate statement. “We have invested significantly to enhance public safety with new sheriff and security personnel. That commitment has seen very positive results.”
Read more of the candidates’ responses to the Voter Guide at ocregister.com/voter-guide.
