Travis Miller, left, stands next to his dad, Steve Miller, outside Mesa Verde High School. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip–
Community service has always been a part of family life for Citrus Heights Councilman Steve Miller and his son Travis, who serves as an athletic director at Mesa Verde High School.
Serving in the community is something that runs in the family, the elder Miller said in an interview on Wednesday, crediting the influence of his mother by saying “it’s something through osmosis you just learn to do.”
As the youngest in a large family, Steve Miller said his father died when he was in his 20s.
“When I was appointed to the council, when I won election, I wanted my dad to be proud,” he said. “If I have a regret it’s that he wasn’t here to see that, because it would have made him very proud.”
The Miller’s moved to Citrus Heights in the 1980s, when Travis Miller was just three years old. The family added a daughter a year-and-a-half later, and Steve Miller soon started volunteering with little league.
Some of his son’s best memories as a boy are playing catch with his father in the backyard.
“We spent hours every single day (playing catch),” recalled Travis Miller. “That’s one of the beauties of growing up back then. There’s no tablets, no video games.”
Steve Miller’s involvement with little league soon led to more service opportunities, eventually preparing him to become a councilman.
“I tell people, that’s where I learned my politics… in youth sports, because there’s sure a lot of politics with the parents,” Miller said. “If you can handle that, I think you can handle regular politics.”
After his time with little league, Miller served with Lion’s Club where he recalls learning how to run a meeting and end it on time. That soon led to an interest in local government, and with a background in construction Miller decided to apply to serve on the Planning Commission.
“When they had an opening, I thought I’ll go down and interview and at least they’ll get to know who I am,” Miller said. “Fortunately, or unfortunately, I got appointed that day.”
Miller took his young son to many of these meetings, something the 37-year-old Travis Miller says gave him an appreciation for community service.
“Just being tangentially around meetings and service groups and seeing it work,” Travis Miller said, describing some of the groups his father was involved with. “It was never a question. I wasn’t forced into it; you go and you serve on community groups. It’s what you do, especially for Citrus Heights.”
Travis Miller, now a father to a six-year-old son and twin four-year-old daughters, says he also tried his hand with local community organizations before becoming a teacher. After taking a summer school job, the principal encouraged him to get his teaching credential.
“That was 14 years ago, and here I am,” he said. “I’m glad that happened, I’m really glad, because I view it as service.”
Travis Miller is a graduate of Mesa Verde High School, and the irony is not lost on his father: “It cracks me up that he’s working with some of his former teachers,” Steve Miller said, with a sense of humor that’s passed on to his son.
“I don’t know when to not make a joke,” Travis Miller said, speaking of his dad’s influence on his humor. “Everything’s fair game, everything’s funny. There’s humor in every day life.”
Inspiring others
Steve Miller says he sees people starting to come together more, but that there is still a lack of participation in local government and community groups.
“I’m hopeful we get more interest,” he said. “It’s time; I’m not going to be on the council forever.”
His son echoed the same idea, encouraging residents to “just go to a meeting, just show up. Do something.”
Participating in local government is important for Steve Miller, who says it’s the best way to directly meet peoples’ needs.
“That’s why I enjoy doing what I’m doing,” Steve Miller said. “It’s where the rubber meets the pavement and you can see the results of what you’re doing.”
His son likewise is committed to improving his community in his capacity as athletic director and educator at Mesa Verde High School.
“I am extremely proud of Citrus Heights and I love this place. I want to see it be as great as possible, whatever that takes.”
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