Citizen of the Year recognizes a private citizen who participates and demonstrates leadership in public involvement activities for transportation, land use planning and air quality. The 2007 SACOG Salutes! Citizen of the Year is Mr. Brooks Truitt.

For many years, Brooks Truitt has worked extensively in the community, and regularly attends public hearings and planning commission meetings. Mr. Truitt created Sustain Sacramento, an email newsletter of current information on public meetings and opportunities for civic engagement on the growth of Sacramento.

He can be seen at most city of Sacramento public hearings (Planning Commission meetings, City Council meetings, public outreach community meetings), sitting in the back. The back seat position should not lead anyone to believe he is not involved. He is very well known by Mayor Fargo, other city executives, and other regional leaders with whom he confers frequently. Working behind the scenes, he pushes the agenda of public involvement with land use processes, sustainable development and historic preservation.

He has been a strong advocate for citizen learning. Mr. Truitt was instrumental in the creation of the city of Sacramento’s Planning Academy, the annual educational program that takes willing city of Sacramento residents through a multi-week series of classes and teaches them to become more informed about and involved with the city planning process. Many Planning Academy graduates go on to become members of city Commissions.

Mr. Truitt is not only active in Sacramento. Throughout the region, he is a fixture at meetings on smart growth and regional multi-modal transportation, always promoting regional cooperation for transportation and air quality solutions.

Mr. Truitt believes citizen education is the key to involvement.