New Concord mayor reflects on passion to serve

CONCORD, CA (Jan. 21, 2022) — I am honored to serve as your City Council member and new mayor.

I am so proud to have been raised in Concord, and I would like to share a bit about my background. I grew up off Cowell Road and attended St. Agnes Elementary School and De La Salle High School.

As a kid, I enjoyed playing sports in the street with the neighborhood kids and riding our bikes through the creeks, trails and parks. I also played soccer for Concord leagues.

My family’s favorite restaurant was Barney’s Hickory Pit – a Concord institution– and you could often find us at King’s Donuts before school.

I have fond memories of seeing movies at the Brenden Theatres with my sisters. Back in the ’90s, the two cool places to have birthday parties were Q-ZAR downtown and the Jungle in the Willows Shopping Center.

College life

I attended Diablo Valley College, which gave me the time and ability to figure out what I wanted to study while also saving me money. I ultimately transferred to Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash., and graduated with my bachelor’s degree in political science. Then I returned home to Concord because I wanted to live in my hometown and be close to my family.

I started working odd jobs and eventually got my first job working on a political campaign. That’s when I began to get more involved with the Concord community.

I have always had a passion for service and helping others. One of the first organizations I worked with was Support4Recovery. I saw how few services were available for people battling addiction, and it really drove me to help.

As a youth, I was always encouraged to volunteer at local organizations, and I spent a lot of time helping out at Monument Crisis Center. Later, I was honored to serve on their board of directors.

In 2016, I was appointed to the Concord Planning Commission, which develops and maintains the city’s General Plan. Discussing land use is actually fun for me, so I enjoyed the opportunity to work on planning and development for Concord.

In 2018, the city’s redistricting efforts created an opportunity for me to run for City Council. I decided to run for one simple reason: service to others. I am a firm believer in serving others, something I received from my Catholic upbringing and my family.

Hard work

I grew up in a simple, blue-collar, working-class house. I appreciate how hard my parents worked to provide for my sisters and me. It made me want to serve other families like ours, especially when times get tough. While I can’t fix every issue, I hope I can make some kind of positive difference.

I am grateful that my colleagues chose me to serve as mayor this year. But you don’t have to call me “Mayor,” you can just call me Dominic. Politicians are public servants – people, just like everyone else.

I am thankful for this opportunity to serve this community, and I look forward to the year ahead.

Email questions and comments to the mayor at Dominic.Aliano@cityofconcord.org