Acting Mayor Karwin has the experience, personality for the job

Although his role as Acting Mayor of Menifee is only temporary, Bob Karwin’s influence on the community is long-lasting. Whether he’s correcting project applicants with his legal background or telling jokes from the podium at a city event, Karwin is projecting his unique personality upon the people.

Karwin has served as Mayor Pro Tem for the last year and will continue to do so for the next year. He will also continue to serve in the Mayor’s role for about three more months while Mayor Ricky Estrada is on military deployment.

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“We’re trying to keep the lights on and the boat moving forward,” he said.

Karwin’s path into Menifee city government started with an opening on the Planning Commission.

The seat became available after Planning Commissioner Matt Liesmeyer was elected to the City Council. Karwin interviewed with then-Councilman John Denver and was appointed, serving on the commission for five years. Later, when the District 1 council seat opened, he saw it as a natural progression.

Karwin’s legal background helps guide the way he tackles matters on the City Council.

“Reading and understanding the ordinances and the jargon and not being afraid of all the dense language, that helps,” he said. “From my background as a trial attorney, being able to pick out what’s important and ask the right questions to get to the gaps in the truth and make sure that we’re getting the right projects.”

Karwin’s roots in Menifee run deeper than his time in office. He and his family have lived here since 2002, and both of his children went through Menifee public schools, from elementary school to high school. He spent years coaching youth sports and he’s operated his business from the same office building for 19 years. Those ties to the community made him a familiar figure long before he held a place on city council.

Now serving as Acting Mayor, he’s noticed that the title alone changes how people interact with him. 

“What I am surprised about is the difference in people’s eyes of my position when I was a council member versus now that I’m Acting Mayor,” he said. “People act differently around that title, even though the power of the position is the same.”

One part of the job he enjoys is the ability to solve problems quickly for residents, especially when they feel they aren’t getting responses elsewhere. 

“I love the fact that if I see something, I can get it fixed,” he said. “When people have a frustration or a safety concern, they can come to me and the next day I can get an asphalt truck out there to fill a pothole or fix a sprinkler at the park or those things that make quality of life better for people. It’s also super rewarding looking into the future, knowing that the decisions we make are going to make life better for people in 10, 20, 30 years to come.”

Karwin is known for his friendly demeanor and sense of humor. Once, while entertaining the crowd at a Paloma Valley High School football game with his quips as the public address announcer, Karwin decided to promote the stadium’s snack bar.

“Our snack bar was once again voted No. 1 snack bar in the Inland Empire by High School Snack Bar Magazine,” he said, moments after announcing a crowd of a “record total 39,000.”

But when it comes time to get serious, Karwin sees how misunderstandings about city responsibilities can create tension. 

“The most challenging part is the gap between the public’s perception of what the city does and what we’re able to do,” he said. He compared city government to “the proverbial duck on the pond… calm on top, and underneath, the flippers are going like hell.” 

City staff have to juggle multiple moving parts and regulations to keep projects and services running smoothly.

To help residents understand that behind-the-scenes work, Karwin highlighted the city’s Citizens’ Academy, an eight-week program where residents rotate through each department to see how decisions are made and how day-to-day operations work. 

“Residents leave with a new understanding of what the city is able to do,” he said.

Beyond city work, music has long been an outlet for Karwin, and it’s played a surprising role in preparing him for public office. He has recorded nine albums and says performing taught him how to connect with people and communicate clearly. One of his favorite original songs is titled “I’m With the Band.” He said it was inspired by a moment at a U2 concert, when Bono turned the mic to the crowd to sing along during an acoustic set. 

“Even though you’re in the audience, you’re just as important to the experience as the people on stage,” he said. 

He applies that sense of shared involvement to Menifee, noting that residents’ engagement is crucial to how the city runs.

Karwin uses music to unwind and as an outlet to help maintain balance between his many roles.

“I go home, grab my guitar, and play a song or write a song, and that kind of helps me erase everything else that’s going on,” he said.

Despite being comfortable in front of crowds, Karwin considers himself more introverted than people would assume.

“I’m really good in situations where I have a reason to be there,” he said. “But, if I just walk into a room of strangers, I usually just kind of stand off in the corner. I usually only meet two or three people when it comes to that.”

Helping people is what keeps Karwin committed to both law and public service. One plan he wants to get moving is the Menifee Hills project, developing a local hill into public hiking and biking trails that are open and usable for everyone. In October, the City Council approved a study to determine how the hills west of Menifee Road and north of Aldergate Drive can be improved to increase recreational opportunities.

“When I come to my office every single day, I know that I’m working to improve somebody’s life,” he said. “Things like that help me sleep at night.” 

Bob Karwin addresses the crowd at the recent State of the City event. (File photo)

During his campaign for the District 1 City Council seat, Bob Karwin meets with predecessor Greg August. (File photo)

Bob Karwin (far left) sits with City Council members in 2021. (File photo)

Karwin sang and played guitar during the “Menifee’s Got Talent” show in July 2024. (Photo by Tiffany O’Malley)