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San Dimas honors longtime councilman Dennis Bertone with tributes
Summary
San Dimas officials and residents filled the council chamber April 28 to remember Dennis Bertone, a 34‑year councilmember and local mentor, praising his work to preserve open spaces and his steady mentorship of colleagues.
The San Dimas City Council opened its April 28 meeting with tributes to former councilman Dennis Bertone, who served the city for 34 years. Current and former officials and residents recalled his longtime advocacy for open space, mentorship of young leaders and dedication to community service.
Council members and past colleagues described Bertone as a steady, deliberate voice on land‑use and parks. A council member who spoke during the tribute said Bertone “spent his career sitting across from young people, helping them figure out who they were and where they were going,” and credited his prior 38‑year career as a high‑school counselor with shaping that approach.
Former mayor Kurt Morris, introduced by the mayor to speak first among former council members, praised Bertone’s careful preparation and civic discipline, saying he “chose his words carefully” and had been “the hardest working councilman that I knew.” Morris recounted Bertone’s regional work, including service on the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments and an appointment to the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy.
John Ebiner, who served on the council with Bertone, emphasized his activism on fair‑housing and park preservation and called him “a good person and good for the city.” Residents and business owners who knew the couple recounted small‑town memories — lemon bars at the holidays, dog walks with their pet Barney and a shared commitment to community events — that, they said, reflected Bertone’s personal warmth as well as his public record.
City staff and council members used the occasion to remind the public of ways to honor the family. The mayor read a note from one of Bertone’s close friends asking that cards be sent to his home for forwarding; the mayor also said those who wish to make donations might consider contributions to local animal charities, reflecting Bertone’s love of animals.
Members closed the meeting in Bertone’s memory. A council member suggested that those who knew him might go home and “have a glass of wine in his honor,” and the city adjourned the meeting with a moment in his memory.
The council did not take any policy action connected to the memorial; the tributes were part of the meeting’s opening recognitions and oral communications.
