The votes are in: Gamboa, Simmons win RSF Association board seats

The Rancho Santa Fe Association Board of Directors election has been called, with candidates David Gamboa and Jeff Simmons winning the two available seats.

During the June 13 meeting, election inspector Bruce Bishop and volunteers tallied 1,169 ballots: Gamboa was the top vote-getter with 758 votes, and Simmons followed behind with 687. Candidate Steve Dunn received 582 votes and Sahar Rutledge had 86.

Seven ballots were invalidated and 27 never opened due to challenges with other issues such as the signature, Bishop said.

The new directors Gamboa and Simmons are both longtime Rancho Santa Fe residents and community volunteers. Gamboa has served as a board member and chair on the Rancho Santa Fe School Education Foundation, the Horizon Prep School campus redevelopment committee, and the board of trustees at Francis Parker School. The vineyard owner is also a founding member of the Rancho Santa Fe Vintners and Growers Association, leading an effort to designate Rancho Santa Fe as an American Viticultural Area.

The newly elected Simmons sees the local trail system as one of the Covenant’s greatest assets—he has been a member of the Association’s trails committee for the last 10 years. He also brings experience serving on the Art Jury and the Forest Health and Preservation Committee.

At the meeting, RSF Association Manager Dominique Albrecht recognized the two outgoing board members Rick Sapp and Greg Gruzdowich, thanking them for the energy and expertise they brought to the board, and their genuine “care for where they live”.

Sapp finished a rare second term on the Association board—he was first elected in 2016. He has served as treasurer, board liaison to the finance committee and on the technology committee. As a member of the technology committee, Sapp helped lead the effort for the RSF Connect fiber-optic project— Albrecht said he was instrumental in getting it to the finish line.

Before being elected to the board in 2020, Gruzdowich served on the Association’s infrastructure, finance and water rates committees. On the infrastructure committee, Albrecht said Gruzdowich has helped move forward many successful projects including the village street sign toppers and the new sidewalks on La Granada and Avenida de Acacias, which improved safety for pedestrians and kids walking to school.

The new directors will join the board at the July meeting and will set the direction for the coming year at a board retreat in August.