Candidate for
City Council; City of Hermosa Beach

Jeff Duclos has lived in Hermosa Beach for 27 years. His wife, Christine Duclos, has taught at our schools for more than 20 years. His two children were raised in this community. A communications specialist by profession, he established his current home-based business in 1998. A first-time candidate for Hermosa Beach City Council in November, 2005, he was the highest vote getter in a field of 10 candidates not elected.

His first encounter with the inner workings of City government came in 1996, when he was hired by the City to generate a campaign to inspire community pride and support during the initial phase of the Pier Plaza development. This successful effort was know as the "Bear With Us" campaign. Among his current endorsements for the June 6, 2006 Special Election for City Council are the Hermosa Beach Firefighters Association and Hermosa Beach Police Officers Association. In addition, he recently received the endorsement of the Hermosa Beach Teachers Association, the first time this group has ever endored a candidate for City Council.

A former member of the Board of Directors of the Surfrider Foundation, he led the effort to get the city to institute a "Pesticide Free Zone" within the Green Belt. For his work in eliminating an unnecessary health risk in one of the City's most heavily used open space areas, he was named recipient of VOICE's (Volunteers and Organizations Improving the Communities Environment)1999 Environmental Hero Award. He is also the recipient of the Surfrider Foundation's 2006 Board of Directors Award for his many years of distinguished service in protecting our coastal environment.

In January, 2004, he spoke before the City Council in opposition to a staff recommendation to eliminate the posted 10 MPH speed limit on the Strand. He was successful in convincing the City Council to not only uphold the speed limit, but to reduce the posted speed to eight miles per hour. Jeff sees this as only a first small step in addressing an escalating safety issue in the City.

Born in Los Angeles and raised in San Diego, Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science degree from San Diego State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from UCLA. He currently teaches a communications course at California State University, Northridge and, for more than a decade, has taught at UCLA as part of the Journalism Division's Extension program. In addition, he was a member of the City's original Leadership Hermosa class.

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