League of California Cities Inland Empire Division James S. Thalman Award Recipients

2003 Sam Racadio: Highland City Manager
2004 Diane Williams: Rancho Cucamonga Council Member
2005 Greg Devereaux: Ontario City Manager
2006 Curt Hagman: Chino Hills Council Member
2007 Lee McDougal: Montclair City Manager
2008 Janice Rutherford Lim Fontana Council Member

The 2009 and seventh recipient of the James S. Thalman Memorial Public Service Award is Kelly Chastain, Colton City Mayor

Mayor Chastain has been active in the Inland Empire Division of the League of CA Cities since 1996. She served as Division Vice President in 2004-05 and President in 2005-06. During her tenure, she was intimately involved in the efforts to keep tax dollars in local coffers rather than be subsumed by the state. Kelly continues to be a force in raising funds for the protection of local government services and revenues.

She has also been involved in other regional bodies, making improved transportation a high priority. She has been a board member of San Bernardino Associated Governments since 2002 and served as its President in 2004. She has represented SANBAG on the Alameda Corridor Project Committee since 2002 and been the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (MetroLink) Alternative Board Member since 2002. She is a Board Member of Southern California Association of Governments, the Inland Valley Development Agencies, San Bernardino International Airport Authorities and Omnitrans.

She was elected to the City Council in 1996 and re-elected in 2000 and 2004. She was elected to her first term as Mayor in 2006. As an elected official she has pursued the revitalization of the city's aging infrastructure, economic development and public safety.

A lifelong resident of Colton, a graduate of Colton High School and San Bernardino Valley College, Mayor Chastain has distinguished herself as a leader. She is an active member of Colton's Four Square Church and a Board Member for the Colton Police Activities League. She is also a team mom for the Angels Cheerleading Squad, for which she spearheads fundraising.

She has received the Compass Blue Print Award for Visionary Planning for Mobility from SCAG.

Kelly has been married for 25 years to Marlon. They have two children, Justin, 17, and Jenna, 10.