Danville Selects Mayor, Announces Community Service Award Winners

DANVILLE, CA — A long list of Danville VIPs were honored and a veteran councilmember was tapped as town mayor during Tuesday's 38th Annual Mayor’s Installation and Community Service Awards held at the Village Theatre and Art Gallery.

Councilmember Karen Stepper was unanimously appointed by the town council to serve as mayor of Danville.

Stepper was first elected to the council in 2002, and served as mayor in 2006, 2011 and 2016. During 2019, she served as vice mayor under mayor Robert Storer. Danville's mayoral rotation is a one-year term that begins the first Tuesday in December.

During her long tenure on the town council, Stepper has served on numerous local and regional committees, and as a community volunteer.

For over 30 years, Stepper has worked as a CPA. She and her husband Tony have lived in Danville since 1974. They have two grown children, both of whom are Monte Vista High School graduates.

In addition to Stepper's appointment, several people and organizations were honored during Tuesday's event. The full list follows:

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR:

Dick Heron - for work keeping San Ramon Creek clean and clear of invasive speciesGeoff Gillette; for leading over 650 hikers on local trails in the past five years in the Trail Mixers Program.

FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE:

Elaine Betts - Danville Poet Laureate

Beverly Kumar - Danville Arts Commission

16 YEARS OF SERVICE:

Kent Rezowalli - Parks Commissioner

20 YEARS OF SERVICE:

Randy Haberl - Planning Commissioner

AWARDS OF MERIT:

Robert McHale - for his leadership in local scouting, and for his musical contributions to Town events

Sharon Wilson - for expanding the senior walking programs and creating the Senior Walk and Talk.

Behring Global Education Foundation - for its work in providing wheelchairs to those in need around the world.

Lazarex Cancer Foundation - for making lifesaving connections that give hope to patients now, and opportunity for new treatments for patients in the future.

MICHAEL K SHIMANSKY COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD:

Emma Cochran - for her volunteerism, dedication, and commitment to giving back to the community.

THE DANVILLE AWARD:

Don and Joan Kurtz - for their years of service in creating and maintaining the Tassajara One Room School Living History Program.