Sitivi Faiai, Lemon Grove councilmember, high school coach, dies

Sitivi Faiai. (Photo courtesy of city of Lemon Grove) Lemon Grove City Councilman Sitivi Faiai, elected to his first term last year, died Tuesday, the city announced. Faiai, who went by “Steve,” was a football coach at Helix High School in La Mesa and is survived by a wife and two sons. He also worked as a retail manager. “During his service on the City Council, Councilman Faiai brought with him a spirit of integrity, collaboration, and heartfelt commitment,” the city said in a statement . “He focused on improving public safety, addressing homelessness and further efforts to support youth and families. His priorities reflected a deep sense of community pride and building a cleaner, safer, and more united Lemon Grove.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by City of Lemon Grove, CA (@cityoflemongrove) The city also credited him with “leadership … secured not in politics, but in service to neighbors, families and the future of Lemon Grove.” His age was not released, but online records indicate he was 50. In Faiai’s candidate statement from the November election, he said, “I believe that supporting working families through strong leadership is critical for a community that is seeking to improve and repair itself after years of neglect.” He cited safety as a “top priority” and said he would “support all efforts to ensure residents have a cleaner city in which they feel comfortable living.” He concluded by saying, “I’ll listen to you, be a leader you can depend on and together we can build the community we deserve!”