RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Nearly 100 people tuned in to hear Rancho Cordova’s new mayor, Garrett Gatewood, speak at the first 2021 Cordova Community Luncheon on Zoom. The event, sponsored by the Rancho Chamber and Cordova Community Council, invited attendees to support local business by buying take-out to eat as they watched.

The theme for this year is Let’s Dream Big Together. “The road ahead will not be easy,” Gatewood said. “With the economic downturn because of COVID restrictions, the business community and citizens must come together to support each other and find creative ways to stay open and grow, while seeking new opportunities to flourish.”

The long-anticipated Cordova Community Pool is slated for completion this year. “This summer will mean we have a brand new 10-lane pool,” Gatewood said with a smile. “I’ll be happy to race anyone in the lap pool that wants to race.”

Married with two sons, Gatewood was born in Citrus Heights and attended San Juan High School, where he was active in football, basketball, track and wrestling. His parents were both teachers in the San Juan School District. He earned a computer science degree from Chico State and is now an owner of Business Computer Systems of Sacramento, which does IT work for mid-sized businesses.

Gatewood was appointed to complete the city council term of Dan Skoglund when Skoglund passed away in 2017. Gatewood then successfully stood for election for city council in 2018. Rancho Cordova has a rotating mayoralty, each mayor holding the position for a year.

Gatewood’s top focuses for 2021 are first, business recovery, with grant programs, working with restaurants and other small businesses to help them overcome their challenges, also to encourage buying locally. Second is public safety, such as police department programs for crime prevention and community partnerships, and the Navigator program for the homeless. “Our officers put their lives on the line every day,” Gatewood said. “You remember the tragedy that we had because that great Officer Mark Stasyuk got in front of a gun to protect our citizens.” Gatewood announced a peace memorial to Mark Stasyuk to be installed in front of the Rancho Cordova Police Department.

Third focus will be public works, investment in new infrastructure. With the passage of Measure R and the help of the Community Enhancement Fund, there are plans to repave sidewalks, gutters and curbs in the neighborhood of Cordova Lane and Cordova Vineyard, as well as other projects.

A new Technology Council is one of Gatewood’s plans for the near future, which will go live in a few weeks, and with which he hopes to bring more jobs to Rancho Cordova.

Upcoming developments include the Mills Civic Center, still in the planning stages, with Griffin Swinerton/Related Housing as a private partner to develop a 10-acre parcel located on Folsom Boulevard adjacent to Folsom Lake College-Rancho Cordova Center and across the street from the Mills Station Arts & Culture Center. On January 20, 2020, the City of Rancho Cordova and Center of Praise Ministries dedicated a site as a Youth Center, with an anticipated grand opening in May 2022.

Former mayor David Sander said about returning to being a regular council member, “It is always a little sad and a little bit of a relief . . . I had plans for (2020) and for things we were going to work on, and the entire agenda has been shoved off to the side.”  Gatewood said that Sander, being a virologist was, “The right mayor at the right time,” and was justly focused on being that go-to person.

But 2020 was not lacking in accomplishment. In 2020, the Folsom Corridor was completed, with new pavement, new sidewalks, and new landscaping, a whole new look, as well as the Sunrise Boulevard phase from Folsom to White Rock. The City, along with the Chamber and Cordova Community Council, did what it could to ease the burdens of the year. Two new hotels are under construction. Infrastructure projects continue, and planning is underway for four significant housing projects. “Rio Del Oro will be the largest project we’ve ever done in our City,” Gatewood said, “and when it’s complete, we will be the largest City in the region.” 

Gatewood encouraged everyone to stay connected. “Get on our e-mail, our newsletter, our website, let us hear from you,” Gatewood said. “We have to dream big . . . let’s dream big together and create an even better City.”