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Kevin Bash
Mayor at City of NorcoKevin Bash, a Norco resident for more than 50 years, brings a diverse range of skills and perspectives to his leadership role on the Norco City Council. Mayor Bash, who was first elected to the City Council in 2009, previously served on the City’s Parks & Recreation Commission (1998-2008) and Historic Preservation Commission (2008-2009).
“My dad brought us to Norco because he wanted his sons to have a childhood in a rural setting,” reports Mayor Bash, a member of an entrepreneurial family. The Mayor operates two local businesses, Bash’s Stables and his family’s Town & Country Day School, which has educated several generations of Norco children. “We are a family of small businesspeople, and I firmly believe that the greatest preparation one can have for public office is the challenge of meeting a payroll week after week, good times and bad,” says the Mayor.
Mr. Bash holds a B.A. from the University of California, Riverside, and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego. He has worked as a professional actor for much of his life, appearing in stage productions throughout the world, hundreds of commercials and television series. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild/AFTRA and Actors Equity.
As a writer, Bash has penned five books about Norco history, as well as novels and screenplays, some inspired by life in Norco. He is regarded as the community’s ex officio City Historian, possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of local history and an extensive collection of historic artifacts. He has an enduring commitment to the future restoration of the Lake Norconian Club Hotel and other local landmarks.
Currently, Bash represents Norco on the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority (RCA) and Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG). He has served on the Economic Development Advisory Council (EDAC) and sits on the Senior Advisory Committee, Norco Schools Committee, Measure GG Oversight Committee, and United Norconians for Life Over Alcohol and Drugs (UNLOAD), as well as the George Ingalls Veterans Memorial Executive Committee. Bash is also a member of the Board of Directors of Corona Regional Medical Center.
A steadfast supporter of local veterans, Bash has spearheaded the community’s acclaimed Pearl Harbor Commemoration Day, and founded the Norco Film Festival to honor local history through film. He is a past board member of AYSO and Norco Girls Softball, and was a soccer, basketball and softball coach for many years.
The Mayor is a member of Norco Kiwanis Club and supports several Norco High School scholarships. An accomplished martial arts instructor, Bash is a Master Teacher of Aikido through Birankai International and a black belt-ranked instructor of Jiu-Jitsu, Kendo and Iaido.
“I began my journey because of an unfair zoning issue, which prompted involvement in City commissions and committees for more than a decade, ultimately leading to a seat on the City Council,” says Mayor Bash. “My priorities for Norco include attracting and fostering commerce, developing a consistent funding stream for City services without compromising our lifestyle, open space and animal keeping, and supporting programs for seniors and youth,” he says.
Bash, a three-time recipient of Man of the Year honors, is married to prominent photographer Brigitte Jouxtel. The couple has one grown daughter, Angelique, who has inherited her father’s passion for film.
Bill Higgins
Executive Director of California Association of Councils of Governments (CALCOG)Mr. Higgins is an enthusiastic regionalist and enjoys working on the day to day policy issues that improve the ability of regional governments to serve their member cities and counties. Mr. Higgins joined CALCOG as its executive director in 2011. Previously, he spent 11 years as a senior staff attorney, program manager, and legislative representative for the League of California Cities and its nonprofit affiliate, the Institute of Local Government. There, he focused his efforts on local and regional planning, housing, economic development, and land use policy. He has been an adjunct professor at Sonoma State University and teaches periodic classes through the UC Davis and UCLA Extension Programs. Mr. Higgins obtained a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture & Resource Economics from Oregon State University and a law degree from the University of Minnesota.
Rick Bishop
Executive Director of Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG)Rick Bishop is the Executive Director of the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG), a joint powers authority consisting of 18 cities, the County of Riverside, the Eastern and Western Municipal Water Districts, and the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools. Mr. Bishop is responsible for developing and implementing programs in diverse areas such as transportation, energy, environment, growth, and the economy. Among these is the multi-jurisdictional Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) Program, which will provide approximately $4 billion in roadway and transit improvements in the subregion. The Agency’s PACE Programs provide financing to property owners throughout California for retrofitting properties with energy efficient, renewable energy, and water conservation retrofits. The Program has provided more than $2 billion in financing for over 90,000 projects. WRCOG also administers the Riverside County Habitat Conservation Agency, managing more than 40,000 acres of ecosystem to protect the endangered Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat. Additionally, in 2020, WRCOG launched Western Community Energy, a community choice aggregation program that provides electricity to residents and businesses in participating jurisdictions, serving 110,000 customers. During its first year of operations, WCE is estimated to save customers over $6 million on their utility bills due to WCE’s lower electricity rates.
WRCOG has been honored for innovative programs from organizations such as the American Planning Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Building Industry Association, the Air Quality Management District, the Urban Land Institute, Orange County / inland Empire Chapter, California Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, the Governor of California, and the Southern California Association of Governments.
Contact Information:
Western Riverside Council of Governments
3390 University Avenue, Suite 200
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 405-6701
Email: rbishop@wrcog.us Agency
websites: www.wrcog.us | www.westerncommunityenergy.com |www.rchca.us
Chris Gray
Director, Transportation & Planning of Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG)Christopher Gray is the Director of Transportation & Planning for the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG), a joint powers authority consisting of 18 cities, the County of Riverside, the Eastern and Western Municipal Water Districts, and the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools. His current responsibilities include oversight of the regional Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) Program, the Active Transportation Program (ATP), the Fellowship Program, the Grant Writing Program, and other efforts related to transportation, planning, communications, and external relations. The TUMF Program is one of the largest traffic mitigation fee programs in California, which has been responsible for the construction of nearly 110 projects since its inception in 2009 Chris regularly speaks on topics such as sustainable transportation, new transportation technologies, and other topics of interest to transportation professionals and stakeholders.
Casey Dailey
Director of Energy & Environmental Programs at Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG)Casey Dailey serves as Director of Energy and Environmental Programs for the Western Riverside Council of Governments. In this capacity, he oversees a number of regional and statewide programs that serve the public sector, residential and business communities to reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gases and landfill waste, as well as to increase the use of alternative fueled vehicles and spark economic development through sustainable initiatives. Casey oversees a statewide Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program that provides competitive financing for energy efficient, renewable energy, water conservation and seismic improvements to businesses. Other programs that Casey is responsible for include: Western Riverside Energy Partnership, Regional Streetlights Program, Energy Resiliency, Solid Waste & Used Motor Oil Programs and the Clean Cities Coalition.
Casey has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from California State University, San Bernardino and enjoys traveling, live music, camping and golfing.
Princess Hester
Director of Riverside County Habitat Conservation AgencyPrincess Hester is the Director of Administration at the Riverside County Habitat Conservation Agency (RCHCA) in Riverside, California. RCHCA implements the Habitat Conservation Plan for the endangered Stephens Kangaroo Rat.
Princess grew up in Los Angeles California and always had a love of nature and doing anything outdoors. As an inner-city kid, she learned early in life that she felt her best self at summer camp in the mountains or at the ocean. Princess graduated from Pepperdine University with a B.S. in Business Management and began working in various careers until she found a deep passion for public service. She accepted a position with the County of Riverside where she held positions of an accounting nature in public social service. She earned a master’s degree in public administration with the intention of expanding her career.
This was the turning point and a pivotal moment. While appreciating the opportunities provided, Princess wanted to do more for her community. She accepted a position with the RCHCA and discovering that her love for the environment and all things in nature prepared her to make a greater impact. She engrossed herself in everything science. She realized that in order to fully execute the duties of her assignment, she had to know all she could about the science of this incredible mammal. She now directs a program that encompasses 11 jurisdictions and 2 counties. Princess manages administrative and policy functions and has a broad knowledge of natural resource management. Several accomplishments can be noted but one she is most proud of is the robust youth environmental education program focused on sharing the importance of preserving our natural resources. Programs are STEAM based, geared towards providing opportunities of inclusion for students in underserved communities. She understands the dynamics of groups and works to create a balance between conservation policy and politics. Princess continues to grow in the field of “Smile ology” and is working to facilitate opportunities for diversity.
Tyler Masters
Director of Western Community Energy (WCE)Tyler Masters is a Director at the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG), a joint powers authority consisting of 18 cities, the County of Riverside, the Eastern and Western Municipal Water Districts, and the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools. With over 10 years of experience leading energy programs at WRCOG, Tyler’s responsibilities have included the development of various WRCOG energy programs including: the Regional Streetlight Program, and Western Riverside Energy Partnership (WREP). Currently, Tyler leads the operations of Western Community Energy, the subregion’s neighborhood power authority, purchasing electricity on behalf 110,000 customers in the cities of Eastvale, Hemet, Jurupa Valley, Norco, Perris, and Wildomar. Tyler received a baccalaureate in Urban & Regional Planning from the California Polytechnic University, Pomona and a Master of Public Administration from California Baptist University.