On March 5th, San Dimas will elect two new city council members and one of them will make history as the second woman to be elected to the position. District 3’s longtime city council member John Ebiner has retired and left his position open for the first time in 33 years.  Rachel Bratakos and Julia Panasiti are the two candidates for District 3.

Rachel Bratakos was born and raised in San Dimas and has been dedicated to making change in her community throughout her entire life. Her dad was a city council member for over 20 years and her mom also volunteered, setting an example for their daughter. Bratakos attended Ekstrand, Lone Hill, and San Dimas High School where she “was the President of anything I was involved in. I just really loved to be involved and help.” She went on to pursue an education at Citrus College and then at Cal State Fullerton where she earned a degree in anthropology.   “I seriously thought I was going to be an archaeologist, travel the world, I was going to Indiana Jones it.  But I married my high school sweetheart, wanted a family, and was like well I can’t be Indiana Jones and have a family.”  Bratakos helped her then-husband open up personal training studios until her life took an unexpected turn.  “I found myself getting a divorce. I had two small children…I went back to working in restaurants where I had worked before when I was younger and I kind of fell into real estate — the best thing I could have ever done.”  She has now been working in real estate for nine years and has her own corporation with Coldwell Banker.

She feels that running for city council “has always been in me.”  When Councilmember Ebiner decided to retire, it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.  When asked what inspired her to run, Bratakos says her answer is simple.  “I feel like people want a very complicated answer like ‘because there’s this problem and this and this,’ but no, it’s actually simple. I love San Dimas and I just want to help.”

Julia Panasiti is a married mother of three daughters and is also an entrepreneur.  She is President of her and her husband’s property management company, JPI Management LLC, as well as plumbing company, H & C Plumbing Resources. She also is an executive member as treasurer of the San Dimas Youth Softball Association.

She was inspired to run for election by the changes coming San Dimas’ way, specifically the Gold Line Station. “I feel that our downtown isn’t quite ready for any foot traffic to come off and bring people to our downtown. It’s been the way it’s been ever since I’ve lived here in San Dimas. And it’s cute, it’s quaint, but we have the potential to bring in a lot of revenue for San Dimas and it’s just not there…”  Panasiti also seeks to protect the safety of the city that may be affected by the Gold Line with the increase of homeless it will bring.

The Gold Line and the state of San Dimas’ downtown are two of the most pressing issues concerning the city.  Bratakos also discusses her thoughts on the Gold Line. “I don’t want us to be afraid of this change that’s coming; some people fear change. Change can be very positive and I think we need to embrace it.” She met with the Captain of San Dimas’ Sheriffs Department where they “talked about how we can leverage technology to stay safe and how we can hold people who commit crimes accountable.  We essentially just want people who are riding the train to enjoy the positive aspects of San Dimas and we don’t want them to bring in the negative.  It could happen, we’re not gonna hide our heads in the sand. But let’s hold those people accountable and let them know that’s not ok to do here in San Dimas.”

The Gold Line also provides an opportunity to grow the businesses in the town and revitalize the downtown area. Bratakos served on the San Dimas Downtown Specific Plan Advisory Committee in which members made plans to make it easier and more appealing for new businesses to come into San Dimas.  Meanwhile, Panasiti shares her vision for the town.  “I want it to stay nice and cute and quaint like everyone else does,” says the candidate, “but I also want it to be very family friendly as well as being able to have a place where adults can go to have a date night.”  Panasiti comments that many attractions in the downtown close as early as 5 PM and she would like to see more for residents of all ages to enjoy.

What makes this election so significant is the female representation that it will bring to a city council that is currently all-male.  Bratakos recounted how when she was meeting with leaders and activists in the community to prepare for her campaign, she found herself meeting only with men.  “Women have run for city council before.  We had one woman in the past be a city councilwoman, it was back in the 80s,” states Bratakos.  “This will be only the second time and I think it’s wonderful that either way we will have a woman in the city council.”  Bratakos is also a part of the San Dimas-Laverne Soroptomists: a group of women who support women and girls locally and internationally.  “I’m very big on bringing women up and giving them the tools to succeed. I think the time is right and I think that a woman in the city is going to bring a different perspective that’s not there right now.”

Panasiti elaborates on the different perspectives that women bring to public service.  “You’re missing out on a whole different way of thinking.  Females tend to think very differently from men. We have a different process, we have a lot more empathy, we care a little bit more,” says Panasiti. “I think we’re missing that whole factor in it. So I would really like to see either one of us win.  We would bring a different kind of thought process to everything.”