El Centro Councilmember Cheryl Viegas-Walker Elected League of California Cities President

The California JPIA congratulates El Centro Councilmember Cheryl Viegas-Walker, elected to a one-year term as president of the statewide League of California Cities Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall supervision, control, and direction of the League.

“The City of El Centro and cities throughout Imperial County are proud of Councilmember Viegas-Walker’s election as the 2020-2021 League President,” said El Centro City Manager Marcela Piedra. “Her knowledge and experience are commendable. Her concern for the needs of local government is admirable. She serves with integrity and passion. Our city is extremely proud of her and we are confident she will be a strong advocate for our cities.”

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Councilmember Viegas-Walker, who is past president of both the League’s Women’s Caucus and the Southern California Association of Governments, has served on the El Centro City Council since 1997, including five terms as mayor. She has represented the Imperial County Division on the League’s Board of Directors since 2015. Regionally, Viegas-Walker represents El Centro on the Imperial County Transportation Commission, Imperial County Local Transportation Authority, and the Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies. She also serves as a member of the El Centro Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees.

Councilmember Viegas-Walker contributes to El Centro’s culture of risk management, Piedra said, by encouraging staff to constantly evaluate practices, policies, and procedures to minimize exposure and, when claims occur, to assess the incidents and apply lessons learned to improve future actions.

“As local government officials, whether elected or appointed, we have a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of our personnel and the public we serve,” said Piedra. “We thank the California JPIA for providing many valuable resources to us. The staff is great, and the training is invaluable.”

“City of El Centro officials and staff have a good understanding of how following best risk management practices can protect valuable agency resources,” said Senior Risk Manager Alex Mellor. “I am excited that Councilmember Viegas-Walker will bring this knowledge to her role as League of California Cities President and congratulate her on the election.”

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