City Council recognizes Daniels for service to Citrus Heights

By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council, city staff, and members of the public recognized Mayor Bret Daniels for his service to the city during his last meeting as a council member on Aug. 28.

During the Wednesday-night meeting, Vice Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa read a proclamation by the City of Citrus Heights, recognizing the mayor for his 14 years of service on the council and highlighting various programs and initiatives Daniels championed throughout the years.

Following the proclamation, fellow council members also praised the mayor for his transparency, candid advice, and leadership over the years. Karpinski-Costa called Daniels “the best council member we’ve ever had,” and added that he doesn’t waver from his principals.

Homeless advocate Alfred Sanchez thanked Daniels for “having an open dialogue” with the public. Executive Director of the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District Alberto Ayala praised Daniels for his engagement on the board and for his willingness to stand up for Citrus Heights.

Citrus Heights City Manager Ash Feeney praised Daniels for his commitment to “quality of life improvements” in Citrus Heights.

An emotional Daniels thanked numerous city staff members by name, including Feeney, Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte, and City Clerk Amy Van, as well as fellow council members and members of his family, two of whom were present at the council meeting. Daniels ended with thanking the residents of Citrus Heights for “trusting me” and electing him to office.

On short notice, Daniels announced on Tuesday, just prior to the council meeting, that he would be resigning, effective Aug. 31. Prior to announcing his resignation, Daniels and his family relocated to Kentucky. In past reports, Daniels expressed his desire to remain in Citrus Heights through the end of his current City Council term, but said he was unable to secure housing in District 1 and therefore had to resign.

In a prior statement in June, Daniels criticized California’s culture and said he was moving to Kentucky in order to raise his daughter in a different environment.

“My wife and I want to raise our daughter in a more Christian-based culture that respects our rights as parents, and we are tired of an overbearing government system that is primarily focused on the redistribution of wealth and coddles criminals,” Daniels said in June. More recently, Daniels told CBS Sacramento that California has an “evilness” in the legislature. He has also been critical of Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Daniels was most recently elected to the City Council in 2020. He was previously elected in 1999, 2002, and 2016, served as Vice Mayor in 2004 and 2023, and as Mayor in 2005 and in 2024.

After resigning for personal reasons in 2005, Daniels returned the council in 2016, after running a campaign criticizing the city’s $21 million new City Hall purchase and promising to fight tax increases. Initially, he was often a lone “no” vote on fiscal-related matters and was censured by his fellow council members in 2018 over stalking allegations that he called “without merit,” but in more recent years he has enjoyed more support from newer faces on the council.

Prior to serving on the City Council, Daniels served in the Air Force, and worked for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and Laramie County Sheriff’s Office in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Daniels was also a founding member and president of Toys for the Troops’ Kids, a non-profit charitable organization that provides toys to the kids military service members during Christmas.