Politics & Government
Council Candidate Gary Vineyard Opens Up About Campaign and Family
Gary Vineyard says "the citizens of Poway could benefit from a different point of view."
City Council candidate Gary Vineyard likes to laugh when he talks about raising a teenage daughter—especially when it comes to Facebook posts.
“She wrote, ‘You know, my dad’s a dork, but he’s got the money,’” said Vineyard of his student.
But she just might have a point.
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Working on his third bid to win a seat on the Poway City Council, Vineyard says he’s putting his all into this campaign—and that includes a lot of common sense and—you guessed it—money.
“This time I decided to run seriously,” said Vineyard, who recalls only spending $400 during his failed 1998 campaign attempt. “... I intend to win.”
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Vineyard says “the citizens of Poway could benefit from a different point of view.” If elected, he says he’ll research what he calls a “shortfall in redevelopment” and address its financial impact on the city, as well as the tiered rate system used by the city of Poway to bill its water and sewer service customers.
“I’m not sure that I’m comfortable with the way the city is handling that for most of Poway,” Vineyard said. “Common sense says everyone should pay the same thing.”
A former police officer, Vineyard currently owns Vinny’s Pool Service and Vineyard’s BBQ & Catering Co. He’s served in a host of leadership positions with Poway’s Kiwanis Club and Elk Lodge, the Chamber of Commerce and the Poway Governmental Affairs Committee.
He recalls having an interest in community service since high school and thinks the people of Poway deserve “a fair shake.”
“They say that you can’t fight City Hall,” said Vineyard, who also plans to promote “Let Kids Have a Ball”—a program he spearheaded that donates playground balls to schools and local leagues. “I say why should you have to?”
Vineyard says his campaign slogan sums it up: “Red, White and Blue, Vineyard’s Working for You.”
But when he’s not working, he’s cooking up some mean BBQ with his family—wife Chris, daughter Sydney and son Digger, who recently joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Trained under the illustrious John Willingham, Vineyard once competed in the Memphis in May World Champion Barbecue Competition where his team took home the highest honor—the Grand Champion.
“The thing I love about BBQ is that it’s All-American,” Vineyard said. “It’s get down, get with your friends and have a party.”
