City Council Biographies

Javier “John” Dutrey

Javier “John” Dutrey is a life-long resident of the Inland Valley, whose parents immigrated to the United States from the Basque region of France and Spain. He was born in Pomona and lived with his family in Chino and Ontario before settling in Montclair in 1976. John graduated from Montclair High School in 1983 and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration—both degrees earned from California State University at San Bernardino. He worked for cities and the private sector focusing in real estate, urban planning, economic development, and affordable housing. John and his wife, Anne, have two children.  His wife previously and son currently serves in the Army.

John was first elected to the Montclair City Council in 1996, and served as Mayor Pro Tem from 2000 through 2010. He was elected Mayor in 2018. Before his election to the City Council, John served on the Montclair Planning Commission. He has also served as a Board Member for the Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services. John currently is involved with the Knights of Columbus and is a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes Church.

John's service on the City Council includes appointments to the Real Estate, Legislative/ Intergovernmental, and Tri-City Gold Line Committees. He represents Montclair on the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (“SBCTA”) and Omnitrans governing boards, and on the Inland Empire Utilities Agency's Regional Sewerage Program Policy Committee; and he represents SBCTA on the Metrolink Board of Directors (as an alternate member), on the Southern California Association of Government’s Transportation Committee, and on the Foothill Gold Line Joint Powers Authority Board.  John is passionate about the community’s welfare, and has focused the City Council’s attention on a number of vital public issues, including:

• Revitalizing residential neighborhoods;
• Attracting and retaining quality businesses;
• Ensuring the City’s fiscal integrity by promoting fiscally responsible budgets;
• Transforming Montclair Place (formerly Montclair Plaza);
• Developing a transit-oriented area for north Montclair that includes the Gold Line commuter train; and
• Improving the City’s streets and parks.

Tenice Johnson

Carolyn "Tenice" Johnson was appointed to the City Council on February 6, 2019 to fill a vacancy, and was first elected to the seat at the November 2020 election. She began serving as Mayor Pro Tem in December 2022.

Tenice was born in Detroit, but her family lived in many locations throughout the United States (mostly on the west coast) due to her father’s career as a design engineer at Boeing. She married her husband, Warren, in 1981 and in 1991 the family settled in Montclair, where they raised their children. Professionally, Tenice was a Health Operations Manager, a career from which she has retired. She now volunteers her time assisting the Montclair Chamber of Commerce with business-related promotional events and activities, including joint ventures with the City.

Tenice has been an active member of the Montclair community throughout her residence. Most recently, she served on the Montclair Planning Commission from 1999 through January of 2019 and currently serves as a City Council liaison to the Commission. She also served as the San Bernardino County Citizen Appointee to the Montclair Successor Agency Oversight Board during its existence from 2012 to 2018, as a Montclair Community Activities Commissioner from 1993 to 1999, and as Vice Chair of the Neighborhood Partnership of Montclair from 1996 to 2002.

Tenice currently serves on the Personnel, Public Works, and Code Enforcement/Public Safety Council Committees.  She is the City's representative to the Inland Empire Division of the League of California Cities, and serves as Montclair's alternate representative on the Gold Line Phase 2 Joint Powers Authority, Omnitrans, and San Bernardino County Transportation Authority Boards.

Bill Ruh

William "Bill" Ruh was elected to the City Council in November 1998. Bill also serves on several City Council Committees including the Education, Human Services, Legislative/Intergovernmental, Personnel, and Tri-City Gold Line Committees, as well as the Community Activities Commission Interview Panel. In addition, he is the Council liaison to the Montclair Chamber of Commerce and the Community Activities Commission. He served as Mayor Pro Tem from 2012 through 2014, and again from 2020 through 2022. Bill was appointed by the City to the Oversight Board for the Successor Agency to the City of Montclair Redevelopment Agency and was Chair of the Board during its existence from 2012 through 2018.

Prior to his election to the City Council, Bill was a member of the Planning Commission for 10 years, from 1988 to 1998. In 1991, Bill was the youngest member to be elected to the Monte Vista Water District (MVWD) in its then 70-year history. He served as MVWD Board Auditor from 1996 until his resignation in November 1998. He currently serves as Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, Santa Ana Region.

Bill has served on boards and committees for numerous philanthropic and charitable organizations, including the following: OPARC; Red Cross Inland Empire Chapter; Ontario-Montclair YMCA; Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County; Chaffey College Foundation; and Assistance League of the Foothill Communities.

Bill received a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of La Verne, and has pursued a professional career in Legislative/Government Affairs and Public Policy. He has worked for the California State Assembly and Senate, as well as the U. S. House of Representatives. At present, he coordinates Public Policy and Governmental Affairs for the Real Estate Industry. Bill is a lifetime resident of Montclair.

Corysa Martinez

Corysa Martinez has served on the City Council since November 2019.  In 2020, she was elected to her seat uncontested to complete the term through 2022, and she was re-elected to serve a full term in November 2022.

Corysa grew up in the City of Montclair and attended local schools. She was raised with a strong ethic for civic duty, leadership, and volunteerism. Prior to serving on the City Council, she participated in several community volunteer projects such as preparing holiday baskets for the City's Holiday Food & Toy Drive program, walking precincts on behalf of candidates during Montclair elections, and helping clean up at the Montclair Community Garden and Fruit Park.

As a member of the City Council, Corysa serves on the Public Works, Real Estate, and Human Services Committees, and represents Montclair as an alternate member of the IEUA Regional Sewerage Program Policy Committee. She is a City Council Liaison to the Montclair Chamber of Commerce and Community Activities Commission, and serves on the board of the Women’s Club of Montclair.

Corysa studied Accounting at Mt. San Antonio College, acquired a Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology from the University of Southern California in 2012, a Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree from the University of La Verne College of Law in 2015, and in 2019 completed her Master of Tax Law (LL.M.) Degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. She has been a practicing attorney since 2015.

Corysa and her husband, Nick Cisneros, welcomed their first child, Roman, in March of 2019.  She looks forward to raising her son in Montclair and instilling in him the same sense of civic duty and volunteerism that she was raised with.

As a member of City Council, Corysa hopes to serve as a voice for the community and inspire more young residents to actively participate. She is excited to contribute to Montclair's focus on public safety, education, diversity and inclusion, and economic growth and development.

Benjamin “Ben” Lopez

Benjamin "Ben" Lopez was first elected to the City Council at the November 2020 election.

Biography coming soon