Meet Concord City Council Candidate Douglas Lezameta

CONCORD, CA — Patch reached out to all the candidates for Concord City Council.

Four candidates are running for Concord City Council District 3.

We sent out questionnaires and reprinted their answers verbatim. Below, read the responses of Douglas Lezameta, a candidate for a seat representing District 3 on the Concord City Council.

Douglas Lezameta, 52, is running for a seat representing District 3 on the Concord City Council. In the questionnaire, Lezameta identified public safety, affordability, and roads and infrastructure as priorities.

What is your educational background?

I studied mass communications in Lima, Peru, and Customer Service at ESAN in Lima. After moving to the United States, I continued my education and earned a Certificate in Business from John F. Kennedy University. My education, combined with years of real-world business and community leadership experience, has shaped the way I approach problems and work with people.

What is your professional background?

I am a small business owner and founder and CEO of Empower Minds ABA, a local healthcare company. Before becoming an entrepreneur, I spent many years in the restaurant industry, working my way from server to management and operations leadership. I also serve on the Contra Costa County Workforce Development Board and as President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Contra Costa County.

Have you ever held public office, whether appointive or elective?

I have not held elected office. I currently serve as an appointed member of the Contra Costa County Workforce Development Board, where I also co-chair the Business and Economic Development Committee. My public service has focused on connecting businesses, workforce opportunities, and the needs of our community.

What are the top three issues facing your district right now?

The three issues I hear most about are public safety, affordability, and the condition of our roads and infrastructure.

Public safety is important because people want to feel safe in their neighborhoods and know that their city is working well with police, fire, and other agencies responsible for emergency services.

Affordability is another concern. Housing costs continue to affect families, seniors, and young people. I believe the City needs to look carefully at housing and development decisions and how they affect the people who already live here.

Roads and infrastructure are something residents see every day. Road maintenance was identified as the top priority in Concord’s community survey, and the City reports an annual infrastructure funding gap of about $25 million.

These are not problems that one councilmember can solve alone. My approach is to listen, understand what we can realistically afford, work with the rest of the Council and our community, and make responsible decisions with the resources we have.

What is one specific policy you would implement in your first 100 days?

In my first 100 days, I would propose a Concord Small Business and Economic Growth Initiative focused on making it easier to open, expand, and keep businesses in Concord.

As a small business owner, I understand that time and unnecessary delays cost businesses money. I would ask the City to review the permitting and business approval process, identify unnecessary delays and duplication, and establish measurable service standards so applicants know what is required, who is responsible, and how long each step should take.

I would also strengthen partnerships with our chambers of commerce, workforce-development organizations, labor, educational institutions, and major employers to attract businesses that create quality local jobs.

This is also a fiscal strategy. Concord is currently projecting ongoing General Fund deficits. We should control costs, but we also need to expand our economic base by attracting investment, filling vacant commercial spaces, supporting existing businesses, and creating jobs. Concord’s Economic Development Strategic Plan already identifies business attraction, entrepreneurship, job creation, and diversification of the tax base as city objectives.

What is your plan to enact this plan and how would you measure success after one year?

I would start by listening to our local businesses and understanding where they are having problems with the City process. Then I would work with my Council colleagues and City staff to see what can realistically be improved using the resources we already have. After one year, I would look at simple things: Are businesses having a better experience working with the City? Are permits and approvals easier to understand? Are we keeping our local businesses and attracting new ones? I don’t think we always need to create another program. Sometimes we need to make what we already have work better. Concord already has an Economic Development Strategic Plan focused in part on improving the business environment and government services

What is one specific change you would make to improve livability in your district?

For me, livability starts with the things people deal with every day: safe neighborhoods, roads, parks, traffic, and clean public spaces.

I would pay particular attention to roads and infrastructure because this is something I hear from residents and something the City itself has identified as a major issue. Road maintenance was the top priority in Concord’s recent community survey.

I am not going to promise that every street will be fixed or that we can spend money we don’t have. I would work with the rest of the Council to look at the priorities, understand where the greatest needs are, and make responsible decisions with the resources available

How would you improve transparency or accountability in your local government?

For me, transparency starts with communication. Residents should not have to be experts in government to understand what the City is doing, what decisions are being made, and how their money is being used.

A lot of this information already exists. Concord publishes budgets, financial reports, agendas, and minutes and broadcasts Council meetings. I would focus on making that information easier for residents to understand and making myself accessible to the people I represent.

I also believe in being straightforward. If the city can do something, explain how. If we can’t afford something, say that too. And if something is outside the city's authority, be clear about that instead of making promises we cannot keep.

What makes you a better choice than your opponents?

I think voters should decide who is the better choice. What I can tell them is what I bring to the table.

I have lived in Concord for about 20 years and raised my family here. I am a small business owner, I serve on the Contra Costa County Workforce Development Board, and I am President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Contra Costa County. I understand what it is like to manage a budget, make payroll, create jobs, work with different people, and make difficult decisions.

I am not running because I think I have all the answers. I am running because I care about Concord, I am invested in this community, and I believe my business and community experience can bring a practical perspective to the Council.