Rex Martin, 59, is the former director of 911 emergency operations in San Francisco. He worked for 31 years in 911 communications, including a year working for Homeland Security in Washington, D.C., before he retired.
He served on the Birmingham, Mich., City Council for eight years as mayor and mayor pro tem.
Martin serves locally as the Arts Commission chair, an Oceanside Museum of Art founder member, Oceanside Cultural Arts Foundation member, Oceanside Charitable Foundation board member, Oceanside Rotary Club member, and president of Missions at Ivey Ranch Homeowners Association.
He said he sees the budget deficit as the biggest challenge ahead. Martin vows to work to reform pension plans with all city employees.
He said it’s an action that will save hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years.
Martin said the recent tentative agreement with the fire department for its employees to pay 4 percent of their PERS instead of the full 9 percent is not ideal, but is a good start. “If employee unions start to make concessions I’d like to see more yeses from the council,” Martin said. “We do have to negotiate in good faith.”
Another area Martin sees for improvement is the city becoming more business-friendly. “We made a lot of strides in that direction — but I still hear it’s difficult to do business in Oceanside,” Martin said.
He gives the city kudos for the new VA clinic and electric car company that have located in Oceanside, but sees that more work needs to be done. Martin said keeping the crime rate low is a means to encourage more businesses to locate in Oceanside. “We need to continue to make our city safe,” Martin said. “We can’t forget that that draws residents and businesses.”
Martin views himself as someone who can see both sides of an issue. He has negotiated form both sides of the table during his career in 911 emergency operations in which he started as a dispatcher and later rose to become the director of operations. “I bring some perspectives that I think are unique,” Martin said.
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