Koblin, Tom recognized for years of volunteer service to city
On Tuesday La Cañada Flintridge City Council members recognized Allen Koblin and Kevin Tom for their years of volunteer service for the city as members of the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Investment and Finance Committee, respectively.
Both recently announced they’d be ending their service after having moved to other cities.
Koblin leaves after 24 years of volunteerism with the city to make his home in the city of Beaumont in Riverside County. He said he’d rented a property in town for two months to maintain his local residency while he finished out his term, which ended May 31.
In addition to serving eight years on the Parks and Recreation Commission, Koblin spent eight years on the city’s Public Works and Traffic Commission and 10 years as president of the La Cañada Youth Sports Coalition.
Representing the La Cañada Baseball Softball Assn., President George Chumo and Walter Calmette, a city liaison, presented Koblin with their own award recognizing his ability to build bridges between organizations with sometimes competing interests.
“He sought common ground among the groups and, more often than not, would negotiate in the background to make sure we all got what we thought was a fair deal,” Calmette said. “We’re going to miss you, Al. You’re a real treasure to this community.”
“We appreciate [your service],” Mayor Terry Walker told Koblin. “I hope in your new city you get busy.”
Walker also recognized Tom for his eight years of service on the Investment and Finance Committee, which provides advice on matters related to the management of the city’s investment portfolio.
Tom recently moved to the city of Redondo Beach, which Walker acknowledged was pretty different from La Cañada Flintridge.
“There’s no place like it,” Tom said of La Cañada.
Twitter: @SaraCardine
