Martinez is governed by a five-member City Council that serve four-year terms on an overlapping basis. The Mayor is elected at large, while the four remaining members of the City Council are elected by district.

It is the responsibility of the Council to "ensure the welfare of the people of Martinez." To that end, they are empowered to pass ordinances and resolutions, approve the spending of money, and set general policy for the City.

Community feedback is an important factor in helping the Council decide a course of action. Martinez residents are encouraged to contact members of the Council and attend Council and Commission meetings.

Vision Statement

Martinez is an inclusive, family oriented, safe community, with small town waterfront character, diverse neighborhoods, complemented by plentiful parks and open spaces. Martinez has a historic downtown, with a legacy of culture and the arts, fostering a vibrant and sustainable economy, striving for well maintained infrastructure, and a responsive high performing government.

Mission Statement

The City of Martinez will provide efficient and sustainable, responsive, high performing public services, and well maintained public facilities, that enhance the safety and livability of the community, and support fiscal stability and a healthy local economy through business development.

• City Council Policies and Procedures

City Council Districts

View the interactive Council Districts map where you can enter your address to find which Council district you reside in.

• Interactive Map  
• Interactive Map - printable PDF

Council Norms and Goals

The establishment of Council norms are a tool to help the City Council operate effectively as a policy team in coordination with the City Manager. The Council desires to conduct itself consistent with these norms during City Council meetings, at public events, on social media, and in other public venues. The City Council has identified four City Goals that will shape the development of the Biennial Budget for fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25 and focus the City’s resources and attention over the next fiscal cycle.

• Resolution - Ratification of Council Norms
• Resolution - Ratification of Council Goals

Brianne Zorn, Mayor

Elected November 2022
Term Expires December 2026
Councilmember November 2020 - December 2022
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Brianne was elected to the Martinez City Council as Councilmember for District 3 in November 2020, and as Mayor in November 2022. She grew up in the Seattle area and earned a BS in Botany, a BA in Anthropology, and a minor in Japanese from the University of Washington. She has worked in the non-profit sector and environmental consulting for 16 years. She is a professional wetland scientist, and her work experience includes botanical garden management, permitting and regulatory support, biological compliance monitoring, evaluation of environmental liability, sediment remediation, and wetland delineation and surveys. She is a mother and stepmother of three kids and is proud to call Martinez her home since 2015.

Jay Howard, Councilmember

District 1
Elected November 2022
Term Expires November 2026
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Jay was elected Councilmember in November 2022. He is the third generation of his family to be born and raised in the Alhambra Valley. Since 2014, Jay has been the Superintendent for G Swanson Construction. He is very active in the community where he serves as a board member for the Nor Cal Carpenters Regional Council, Union Local 152, Loaves and Fishes, the Historical Society, and serves as a delegate to the Carpenter's Regional Council (spanning 46 counties). Jay lives in Martinez with his lovely wife and two children. When he has some downtime, he is an avid hiker and enjoys extreme skiing.

Mark Ross, Councilmember

District 2
Elected November 1996
Term Expires November 2024
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Mark Ross has served on the Martinez City Council since 1996. He has also served as a Director on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) since 2001. His business is the Ross Company Realtors. Ross Company Realtors manages real estate investments and conducts real property management. He is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley in English Literature.

Satinder S. Malhi, Councilmember

District 3
Appointed January 2023
Term Expires November 2024
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Satinder and his family have lived in Martinez for more than four decades where he attended both Martinez Junior High and Alhambra High School.  He received his Bachelor's Degree in Politics/Legal Studies from the UC Santa Cruz and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from CSU East Bay.  He currently serves as the Director of Communications and Community Relations for the Contra Costa Community College District.  He is also a seasoned government and community relations professional with nearly twenty years of experience in the public sector, having served as an advisor to two University Presidents and four state legislators. He is the first Sikh-American and Asian-Pacific Islander member to serve on the Martinez City Council. 

Debbie McKillop, Vice Mayor

District 4
Elected November 2014 - Present
Term Expires November 2026
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As a 4th generation Martinez resident, working professional and a mother of twins, Debbie is proud to call Martinez her home. She also works in the City of Martinez, bringing nearly 30 years of forensic science experience to her position as the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Forensic Crime Lab Manager. Her daughters attend Martinez schools and are active in the local 4-H Club. Debbie's academic achievements include a Master's of Public Administration from Golden Gate University, Bachelor Degree in Chemistry and Environmental Studies from University of California Santa Barbara, and a Certificate in Forensic Science laboratory Management from U.C. Davis.

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