Former councilmembers chosen as Belvedere citizens of the year
January 3, 2024
by Naomi Friedland | The Ark
Belvedere officials have chosen former Mayor James Campbell and longtime community volunteer Steve Block as its 2023 Citizen of the Year and Citizen of the Year Emeritus, respectively.
In addition to his time on the council and Planning Commission, Campbell, who has lived in Belvedere for nearly two decades, is a master gardener who has also served on the city’s Parks and Open Space Committee. He also serves on the board of directors for the Belvedere Community Foundation and co-chairs the city’s annual California Coastal Cleanup Day with his husband, Adam Gavzer, who was named Citizen of the Year in 2022.
Block is also a long-time Belvedere resident, having lived in the city since 1998. He served on the City Council from November 2020 to March 2022 but resigned early after he was diagnosed with cancer, he said.
He’s a retired lawyer who has done pro-bono legal work for many Marin nonprofits, including 10,000 Degrees, the Canal Alliance and Marin Legal Aid. He also served on the Belvedere Community Foundation board and has been active with the city’s Block Captains program, a network of residents who mobilize to help their neighbors in an emergency.
