Page 26 - Duarte Summer 2025

COMMUNITY NEWS
Duarte City Council Recognizes Pam Romero
for Her 40 Years of Service
At its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 11, the Duarte City Council recognized Pam Romero for her 40 years of public service. “Pam’s
tenure with Duarte speaks volumes about her character and loyalty,” said Mayor Cesar A. Garcia. “She has made an incredible impact
and touched the lives of so many Duarte residents. We are endlessly grateful for her dedication and commitment to our community.”
In 1969, Romero moved to the City of Duarte and has been a resident ever since. She joined the Duarte City staff in 1982 as a contract
employee teaching aerobics. In 1984, she transitioned into her current role as the Parks and Recreation Department’s administrative
secretary. Romero serves as the “face” of the department, greeting patrons at the front desk and working directly with the Parks and
Recreation Director to keep projects running smoothly.
“Paying homage to this incredible person is one of the most meaningful things I’ve had the honor of doing standing at this podium,”
said Parks and Recreation Director Manuel Enriquez. “There is nobody like her. It’s not every day that we get an employee serving with
a smile every single day, both internally and externally, for over 40 years. She has an incredible capability to erase any negative mindset
and put me back into what really matters. I’m inspired by her and forever in her debt for taking me under her wing and assisting the
department with accomplishing great things in Duarte.”
As the administrative secretary, Romero oversees facility rentals, website updates, and ActiveNet registrations. Day-to-day, she creates
agendas, gathers content for the quarterly newsletter, supports her team, and much more.
“Pam has always been an incredible help to me both with City Councilmember items and personal matters as a resident of the City,”
said Mayor Pro Tem Tera Martin Del Campo. “She’s been so welcoming and I always look forward to seeing her every time I walk into
the building. Knowing that any constituent looking for help at the Parks and Recreation Department will get it, no matter who they are,
is something to be admired. Nobody deserves this more than her, and I can’t wait to see her celebrated on all levels this year.”
Romero’s unwavering commitment, hard work, eagerness to learn, and passion have made a lasting impact on the community and set
a remarkable example for all City staff for the last four decades.
“There’s a lot of people that work 40 years in their lives but it’s very rare to spend 40 years in one location or one City,” said City Manager
Brian Villalobos. “Duarte is made up of a lot of special people, but Pam is at the top of that heap. I’ve known her for 25 years and I don’t
think I’ve ever seen her without a smile or a kind word to say to people. It’s a rarity to have someone with the City of Duarte for this
long, and I don’t think it’s something we’ll see again.”
Her incredible commitment to public service has not gone unnoticed. Romero was recognized as a 2025 Woman of the Year recipient
by Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio. This is yet another remarkable accolade that she has received during her time with the City.
“This small community is so special and has grown so much over the years,” said Romero. “I’ve loved helping the community and
working with my fellow employees whether they’re in my department or not. I wouldn’t have made it to 40 years without Manuel
because of his creativity and constant thread of ideas on how to make things better. I’ve never even thought about leaving. I’ve always
felt lucky, grateful, and appreciative of my job knowing that I can help the community I live in, and I’ll never take that for granted.”
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