On Tuesday, the Concord City Council selected Laura Nakamura as its new mayor and Dominic Aliano as vice mayor. They were selected in 5-0 votes.
Prior to the appointment of the next mayor, Carlyn Obringer thanked the voters of District 2 for re-electing her so she could be mayor and appreciated all the hard work of city staff – noting they do policy, staff goes and puts things into practice. She also acknowledged her family who are always behind her supporting her.
Obringer thanked the voters of District 2 for re-electing her so she could be mayor and appreciated all the hard work of city staff – noting they do policy, staff goes and puts things into practice. She also acknowledged her family who are always behind her supporting her.
She acknowledged concerns with roadwork in the city, but stated that was a “promise kept” citing Measure V going back to 2020, the vision was set, they were going to fix their roads, they currently are in process and will continue to do so—noting Treat looks beautiful while this year they are working on Concord Blvd and Willow Pass Road, Monument, and Clayton Road with others to come.
“When I accepted the gavel last year, it had been weighing heavily on my mind about the Don Pacheco Adobe and how it continues to fall into disrepair, I really appreciate that everyone on the council supported the inaugural Don Fernando Pacheco Adobe bowling fundraiser and the Historical Society was a fantastic fiscal partner in setting up a fund. We did raise $23,000 between the mayors cup, the golf tournament and bowling fundraiser, but I am quite grateful to our assemblymember who managed to pull down with support with Councilmember Aliano $2 million in funds… I am really thrilled we are on our way to put that back into use as a community asset.”
She added this past year there was the grand opening of the Rick Judd Commons and people are now moving into affordable housing—243 new units are available for people to live with 13 units that were set aside for formally unsheltered folks.
She called public safety a top priority and thankful for the Concord Police Department nearly at full staffing — with by the spring there will be 6 traffic officers on duty.
She also shared over the past year, they planed over 200 trees while holding a coffee/beer with the mayor each month—thanking the establishments for hosting. She called it important to find out what was on the minds of residents and businesses in Concord.
Upon being appointed in the 5-0 vote, Nakamura offered the following comments:
“I am truly grateful for the opportunity given to me here tonight by my colleagues and I thank you for the opportunity to serve, to serve on this council, and to serve the city on a new level. We have a lot of work to do. I am going to be thinking forward,” said Nakamura. “I am going to share what we have looking forward for us.”
She shared some strong goals which include:
- The Concord Naval Weapons Station
- Implement strategies to continue helping those who are unhoused
- Begin the search for a new city manager
- Address the housing crisis
- Moving forward with Economic Development Strategic Plan
- Continue to recover from pandemic and address shifts in revenue
- Strongly focusing on city finances – noting even with reduced staffing levels of 20%, streamlining operations the city is still operating in a structural deficit.
Nakamura shared in the upcoming budget they are using $2.5 million in reserves for the coming year as well as $2.8 million for FY 2026-27 just to stay balanced stating ongoing revenues are not keeping pace with ongoing costs. She called continued use of reserves “not sustainable” and they need to work to boost revenue to maintain threshold of reserves.
She also shared the city has a significant funding deficit for infrastructure noting roads, parks, medians and buildings needs $24 million more annually – more every year than it has available. She called the need for something bigger than short-term fixes, including $6.4 million in budget cuts and re-allocations calling upcoming budgets “tight”. But hoped the new economic development plan will help the city moving forward.
Here is the press release by the City of Concord:
Nakamura Selected as Concord’s New Mayor, Aliano Named Vice Mayor
Concord, Calif. – At the Dec. 9 Concord City Council meeting, outgoing Mayor Carlyn Obringer passed the gavel to Vice Mayor Laura Nakamura after the Council selected Nakamura to serve as the City’s mayor for 2026. This will be Mayor Nakamura’s first term in the role. Councilmember Dominic Aliano was selected to serve as vice mayor.
Before the transition, then-Vice Mayor Nakamura thanked and honored outgoing Mayor Obringer for her year of service, highlighting her efforts to beautify Concord and enhance its green spaces by bringing the community together to plant more than 200 trees across several City parks.
In addition, Mayor Obringer presented the Mayor’s 2025 Community Service Award to Walter Eichinger, Vice President of the Brendan Theater Corporation and the President of the Todos Santos Business Association, in recognition of his ongoing advocacy and his contributions to improving Downtown Concord through cleanliness and security initiatives.
Background
Laura Nakamura
Laura Nakamura was elected to the Concord City Council in November 2022 and represents District 5. She served as Vice Mayor in 2025. She has served on several regional boards during her tenure, including the Contra Costa Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), Marin Clean Energy Board of Directors, and Growing Healthy Kids Board of Directors.
Raised in Pleasant Hill, Laura attended College Park High School; went on to earn a BA in Public Relations from San Jose State University; and then continued her education at City College of San Francisco in the field of Echocardiography. Laura settled in Concord in 1988, where she raised her two children. She has been a dedicated healthcare worker in pediatric and adult cardiac sonography for more than 30 years, including serving as steward of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW). Laura’s dedication to equity and community well-being is shaped by her faith tradition and a lifelong commitment to fairness and compassion, along with a deep belief in upholding the dignity of all people and stewarding a sustainable, resilient future.
Dominic Aliano
Dominic Aliano was elected to the City Council in November 2018, and he served as Mayor in 2022. He was reelected to the Council in 2022.
Aliano previously served on the Board of Directors for three local non-profits: the Monument Crisis Center, Support4Recovery, and the Todos Santos Business Association. Aliano also served on the Concord Planning Commission from 2016 to 2018 and served as the chair in 2018.
Aliano was born, raised, and educated in the City of Concord and is proud to be a native of Concord. He attended St. Agnes and De La Salle High School and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science at Whitworth University.
Mayor’s Community Service Award
Each year, the outgoing mayor honors an individual who has gone above and beyond for the Concord community. At the Dec. 9 meeting, Mayor Obringer recognized Walter Eichinger, Vice President of the Brendan Theater Corporation and President of the Todos Santos Business Association.
Through his work with the association, Eichinger championed the pilot day-porter program and the addition of a downtown security guard at Todos Santos Plaza—initiatives that significantly improved conditions in the downtown area following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eichinger has been a steadfast advocate for downtown Concord, actively participating in community events, supporting local organizations, and assisting fellow downtown businesses. Mayor Obringer expressed her appreciation for his years of dedication, noting, “he really just cares about our downtown.” She added, “Thank you for all that you’ve done, what you’re continuing to do, and what you will do for downtown Concord.”
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