OCEANSIDE — The Oceanside City Council wished a warm farewell on Dec. 18 to longtime City Attorney John Mullen, who has retired after working 19 years for the city.
Mullen, who joined the city in March 2006, leaves a legacy of accomplishments, including establishing an in-house municipal law office that eliminated most outside counsel expenses while retaining a highly experienced legal team.
According to city records, Mullen missed just one council meeting during his tenure.
The council officially declared Dec. 18 John Mullen Day in Oceanside to honor his contributions.
“One of the reasons I’m ready to go right now is because I know our team is ready, trained and capable of handling all the various problems that are going to emerge over the next 20 years or so,” Mullen said during the meeting, crediting his staff for the office’s many accomplishments.
Mullen also thanked his wife for her patience throughout his career and the council for supporting his office.
“You funded our office such that we’ve been able to handle all of our legal work in house,” he said. “Without that support, we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish it.”
Mayor Esther Sanchez praised Mullen’s leadership and professionalism.
“In the past 19 years, John has really done such a phenomenal job for the city,” Sanchez said. “I thank you, John, for everything that you’ve done for us.”
Councilmember Eric Joyce highlighted Mullen’s role in fostering public trust.
“Our number one charge is to make sure that the public trusts us, and I think you’ve done a phenomenal job of making sure that’s part of the mission and have stayed central to it,” Joyce said.
Before joining Oceanside, Mullen worked as a deputy city attorney for San Diego from 1992 to 2004, focusing on land use litigation. His cases included defending redevelopment efforts at the former Naval Training Center and protecting the San Dieguito River Valley as open space.
He then spent two years with the Chula Vista city attorney’s office, helping finalize significant plans such as the city’s General Plan Update and Bayfront Master Plan.
In Oceanside, Mullen’s work included negotiating the development of the Seabird and Mission Pacific Resort Hotels, preserving millions in bond financing after the dissolution of the redevelopment agency, drafting ballot measures such as Measure X and council term limits, and guiding the transition from at-large to district elections.
His office also contributed to affordable housing initiatives, including projects at La Mission and Mission Cove, and ensured the city’s compliance with state housing laws.
Sanchez noted Mullen’s commitment to addressing city issues “in a non-partisan fashion behind the scenes, minimizing the city’s exposure to litigation and ensuring everyone at city hall receives the proper training to ensure a safe, harassment-free and diverse workplace.”
The city has yet to name Mullen’s successor, with discussions about the selection process scheduled for the Jan. 8 council meeting.
