John Von Holle wants to make one thing clear: If he's elected to the Huntington Beach City Council, he won't be a stranger at City Hall.
In fact, he won't be a stranger at city halls, period.
The 18-year resident grew up amid politics in Cheviot, Ohio, where his father and grandfather served as treasurer and two of his uncles were mayor and fire chief. But Von Holle particularly knows the ins and outs of Surf City, where he held a job in the Public Works Department for more than three decades and spent two terms as president of the city's Municipal Employees Assn.
"I come from a very unique perspective, because I actually know how the city works," said Von Holle, who retired from his job last November to devote time to his council campaign.
In a council race that includes city commissioners, small business owners, school board trustees and a recent high school graduate, Von Holle has positioned himself as an insider. On his campaign website, he claims that he has "walked over virtually every square foot of Huntington Beach" in the course of designing infrastructure plans, drafting city ordinances and more.