New Solana Beach Councilwoman Marshall ready to serve

With just a couple of weeks on the Solana Beach City Council and only one meeting under her belt, Councilwoman Ginger Marshall has already proven she has her own voice, voting against the majority twice.

“I’m bringing my own ideas,” said Marshall in an interview before being sworn into office Dec. 10. “I really just want to see the city just focus on city issues.”

Not just a fresh face, Marshall said she hopes to bring needed skills to the dais. With Thomas Campbell’s recent retirement, the city is losing his financial expertise on the council. (Campbell is a longtime certified public accountant.)

A Realtor with Allison James Estates & Homes, Marshall also has a background in finance. That, she said, “will help me when I’m reviewing budgets and balance sheets, and making sure the city’s well-funded.”

A native San Diegan, Marshall’s father was a Navy pilot stationed at Miramar and her mother was a schoolteacher. After graduating from La Jolla High School, Marshall attended the University of Colorado, where she earned a business degree with an emphasis in real estate and started a career in mortgage banking in the mid-1980s.

While living in Vail in the late ’90s, Marshall realized the county had no low-cost housing or down-payment assistance programs. Working with county officials, she created a program that earned her an “Award for Housing Excellence” in 2000.

Marshall returned to San Diego in 2000, purchasing a Solana Beach home three years later. Since then, she has transitioned full-time into real estate and married former pro golfer Jim Robyn. Now she’s looking to serve her community.

“I’m excited to jump into it,” Marshall said. “I’m already meeting a lot of people. A lot of my constituents are contacting me. They want to learn about me and who I am, because I really haven’t sat on any boards or been in the public eye, even though I’ve been in Solana Beach 10 years.”

With an interest in politics and the encouragement of a friend, Marshall decided to run in the November 2014 election. Although she expected competition, only two candidates ran for two open seats. The council canceled the election and appointed incumbent Mike Nichols to his third term and Marshall to her first.

“Even though I was only appointed and not elected, it’s an honor,” she said. “I’m looking forward to meeting new people, serving them and really getting involved in the community.”

Looking ahead, Marshall said she is excited to work on the development of the train station property, the affordable housing mandate, sand replenishment, and sewage water treatment, among other projects.

“I don’t really have a specific agenda other than just keep it to the business of Solana Beach,” Marshall said. “Let’s get back to the basics of running a city.”