City of Monterey City Council Councilmember Alan Haffa

When he moved with his family to Monterey in 2003, former Eagle Scout Alan Haffa wanted to help out in the community. He joined the Kiwanis Club of Monterey first. In 2004, one of the school board members stepped down—so Haffa stepped up. In addition to his community service, Haffa has taught at Monterey Peninsula College and directed the Gentrain Program, an interdisciplinary, team-taught course in civilization.

Haffa says: "One of my natural skills is helping to bring a group to consensus. If you can find a solution that works for everyone, where everyone wins, that is a better solution than where one party wins and the other loses. But if a spirit of reason and compromise are not met half way, I will ask the tough questions and I will stand up for what is right."

First elected: November 2012

Alma maters: University of Wisconsin Madison

Notable quote: “Instead of pitting the interests of seniors against the interests of college students,” Haffa says, “I’d like to figure out how we can match the needs of seniors with the abilities of our youth.” (Source: Monterey County Weekly)