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Mayor & City Council
The Mayor and City Council serve as the governing body over city administration providing direction to City staff on policies that aim to ensure for responsiveness, effective and high quality service delivery to our residents. For 12 months of the year (with only two small breaks in the summer and winter), the Mayor and City Council manage the City's legislative agenda, ultimately setting City Council local municipal policies, passing local ordinances, voting on funding appropriations and developing an overall vision for the City. In Union City, the city council is elected at large, meaning that they represent the entire community, rather than just representing the districts where they live.
Watch City Council meetings live here.
The City Council adopted Council Norms in January 2021 as a commitment to operate effectively as a policy team under a common set of norms.
Meet Your Mayor & City Council
- Mayor Dutra-Vernaci
- Councilmember Duncan
- Councilmember Patino
- Councilmember Gacoscos
- Councilmember Singh
Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci
Carol Dutra-Vernaci is in her third term as Union City Mayor. She made history on December 11, 2012 when she was sworn in as the first woman mayor of Union City. Being elected mayor capped more than two decades of volunteering and public service.
She is a third generation Union City resident; growing up in Decoto and now living in Alvarado. She is a graduate of James Logan High School, Class of 1972, and alumna of California State University Hayward with a degree in Psychology and Taxation education.
Mayor Carol continues to serve as a member and Past-President of several local nonprofits in the fields of education, health care, youth activities, animal welfare, and the Lions Club of Union City, as well as the Chamber of Commerce.
Mayor Carol’s city service started in 1988 and includes: member of the original Redevelopment Advisory Committee representing businesses, Planning Commissioner, then in 1997 was elected to the city council where she served for thirteen years.
Carol brings more than thirty years of business experience to the role of mayor. As an Enrolled Agent, she has owned and operated her income tax business in Union City since 1986.
As councilmember, she served on the county Housing Authority and the League of California Cities Policy Committees and is a Past-President of the Leagues East Bay Division. Carol went through C.E.R.T. (Community Emergency Response Training) and advocated for residents to prepare for earthquakes. She was the city C.E.R.T. Coordinator for two years before being elected mayor. As mayor, Carol heads the city Disaster Council.
As councilmember, Carol was a member of the Union City team that won the “All-America City” title by the National Civic League. As Mayor, she had the slogan used for the competition; “Many Hands, One Heart” put up in the City Hall lobby.
As mayor, she has and continues to represent Union City and the region on local, county, state, and national organizations in the areas of Economic Development, Communications, Energy, Housing and Transportation.. Carol is known region wide as a major advocate for improvements in the Dumbarton Corridor and specifically for Dumbarton Rail. She has developed strong relationships on all levels. As a “connector” she has always maintained a focus on strengthening the local community and using her relationships on all levels for the betterment of Union City.
As a participant in the Mayors Institute on City Design, she engaged with leading design and development experts to work on critical planning and design challenges facing Union City. Carol is one of 40 Mayors selected from around the country participating in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative’s U.S. Cities Recovery Leadership Program. She and the other Mayors are exploring approaches and actions to emerging challenges created by the COVID-19 crisis including crisis budgeting and fiscal recovery and working towards a recovery that is socially, racially, and economically equitable.
Councilmember Emily Duncan
Councilmember Emily Duncan was first elected to the City of Union City Council in 2010. She has been a resident of Union City for over 30 years and cares deeply about its well-being and future success. Prior to joining the Council, Emily was an executive at a major technology company in Silicon Valley.
Councilmember Duncan was reelected to her second term November 2014 which she is currently serving. She represents Union City on the following Commissions and Committees:
- Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alt)
- Association of Bay Area Governments, Delegate
- Union City Economic Development Advisory Team, Co-Chair
- Union City General Plan Advisory Committee
- Union City Municipal Code Update Committee
- Union City Youth Violence Prevention Advisory Committee
- Union City Chamber of commerce (Alt)
- New Haven Unified School District Joint Sub-Committee
Councilmember Duncan’s priorities are economic development, public safety, youth violence prevention and effective fiscal management.
She continues to be honored to serve the residents of Union City.
Councilmember Jaime Patino
Jaime is a lifetime resident of Union City. He grew up in the Decoto District and is raising his 15 year old daughter there as a single parent.
He attended schools in the New Haven Unified School District his whole life and graduated from James Logan High School in 1989. Jaime was a member of the first Forensics Team at Logan, coached by Mr. Tommie Lindsey.
Jaime graduated from Chabot College with Associates Degrees in Business Administration and Administration of Justice. He later received his BA in Political Science from CSU Hayward and received an MBA from CSU East Bay.
Jaime was on the Union City Human Relations Commission from 2012-2018 and served as Chair from 2013-2016. While on the Human Relations Commission, he is proud to have co-authored the City's Compassionate City Resolution. He also served on the Itliong/Vera Cruz Renaming Committee, the Union City Police Department Strategic Plan Steering Committee and the General Plan Advisory Committee.
Jaime has been a member of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) for Union City since 2014. Most recently serving at the SCU Lightning Complex Fire Base Camp at the Alameda County Fairgrounds.
Jaime was also on the Board of Directors for Centro de Servicios from 2016-2018. They are the oldest community service organization in Southern Alameda County. He still frequently volunteers there. Centro de Servicios gives emergency food aid and other services to those in need in our area.
Jaime has been on the Board of Directors for the Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center (TVHC) since 2014, currently serving as its Treasurer. TVHC has a $40 Million annual budget and 260 employees. TVHC provides quality healthcare to those in need regardless of immigration status or ability to pay.
Jaime is currently employed as a Finance Manager for a national healthcare corporation, handling multi-million dollar contracts daily and ensuring access to quality care for its members. Jaime has also negotiated Housing Navigation Center contracts for members that have Medi-Cal as their primary insurance.
Jaime has been on the City Council since 2018. He represents the City on the League of California Cities and is a member of the Latino Caucus. He also represents Union City on the Board of Directors of East Bay Community Energy. He is also a member of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.
During the Shelter in Place, Jaime teamed up with other community members to give out lunches and produce to families in need in Union City. What started out as a food drive helping about forty families has grown to a drive that now helps about 250 families.
Jaime attends local, state and federal COVID-19 briefings as his schedule allows to get the latest news and breakthroughs regarding the pandemic and to hear about new funding opportunities for our City.
Councilmember Gacoscos
Pat D. Gacoscos was first elected to the Union City Council in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. She was Vice Mayor in 2012 and 2017. Previously, she held two elective positions: a Trustee for the New Haven Unified School District; and a Director for the Union Sanitary District.
She is Union City representative to Alameda County Housing and Library commissions; liaison to City/School Partnership Committee and Union City Chamber of Commerce. She chairs the Union City Sister Cities committee.
Councilmember Gary Singh
Gary Singh is currently serving his second term as Councilmember, for District 1 in Union City. He was first elected to the Union City Council in 2016. Previously, he was a member of the Union City Planning Commission, from 2006 to 2014. Gary is a small business owner and has been a member of the community for over 25 years.
Gary has been an active Board Member of the Union City Friends of Sister Cities, 2010-Present. He was also a member of the Union City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, 2009-2011. Gary is also active in many other charitable organizations, including the Union City Youth and Family Services (UCYFS) and Alameda County At Risk Youth Program.