Q & A

Former Buena Park City Councilman Don R. Griffin

Don R. Griffin, 66, was a Buena Park councilman for 22 years and 8 months, the longest-running public servant in the city. The architect and planner remodeled City Hall’s council chamber and designed the police and fire facilities and the park and recreation center. He retired earlier this month, after serving as mayor six times and sitting on many other civic boards. He talked with Times correspondent Lesley Wright about his civic career, which began in 1974.

Q: What was city government like when you were first elected?

A: It was a somewhat different atmosphere because it was pre-Prop. 13 and the council would establish its own tax rate each year. That way, you are accountable to the people. Unfortunately, the state Legislature wouldn’t put a cap on property taxes, which necessitated the referendum.

Q: What were some of your major accomplishments?

A: One thing I had hoped to accomplish, and we have, was to improve the appearance of Buena Park and to improve the growth patterns. . . . A Redevelopment Agency was established and today we need the agency for the revitalization we’ve done in recent years.

When I first got on the council, there were no on- and offramps from the I-5 freeway to Beach Boulevard. . . . We had to do a lot of lobbying in Sacramento and eventually we were successful in getting that access.

Q: What was most rewarding about your time in office?

A: I think the major thing for me was to see the things that could improve the quality of life in Buena Park. I took a great deal of pride in keeping the focus on improving things. . . . I feel real positive about where I’ve been. No regrets about the decisions I’ve made.

Q: Why did you retire?

A: I got to the point where I felt I needed to make a break. . . . The vote on term limits didn’t surprise me. It’s just the general attitude, but you really wonder, if a person’s a good representative, why shouldn’t they continue in office if the voters elect them? The key is going to the ballot and having electorate pick the right person for the job.

You want to spend more time having fun. . . . I’ve got a couple of hobbies. I raise orchids. I’ve got about 500 plants and I do like to go deep-sea fishing.

Q: What challenges does the city face? What can residents do to help?

A: Continued efforts for economic development. . . . Continued efforts to, through beautification, build community pride, so people have a sense that this is a good place to live. . . . I think those ingredients in today’s environment are a real challenge because of the types of crime we see in this region. I think we’re doing an excellent job in our law enforcement, but you can always do better.

There are a number of things residents can do. One I’ve encouraged when I was mayor was to shop and buy in Buena Park . . . participate and continue to be a vital part of volunteer activities. . . . There’s always tomorrow, and I focus on tomorrow.