Former County Supervisor Bill Santucci dead at 79

Bill Santucci, one of Placer County's most identifiable and influential leaders who left his mark on the area through more than 20 years of public service, has died. He was 79.Santucci died Wednesday morning due to complications related to a heart attack, said his wife, Norma.A third-generation and lifelong Roseville resident, Santucci served multiple terms on the Roseville City Council and Placer County Board of Supervisors, in addition to numerous other boards and commissions — everything from the Placer County Planning Commission to Roseville Personnel Board. The posts earned him a reputation as one of the region's hardest-working public officials."He's kind of the Energizer Bunny," Norma, his wife of 57 years, said. "He had lots of energy and pushed himself real hard."On Wednesday, friends and colleagues remembered Santucci as a man who was motivated by a deep love for the region and a desire to see it developed responsibly.His storied career in local politics began in 1986, when Santucci was appointed to the Roseville City Council. Ironically, a lengthy tenure wasn't something Santucci had in mind at the outset."When he was appointed for a year, he had no intention of ever running for anything," Norma said. "But when the year was up, he was really fascinated by it."He easily won re-election, garnering enough votes to become the mayor — a post he would hold twice. He was re-elected to a second four-year term in 1991.Al Johnson, former Roseville city manager, said Santucci was instrumental in guiding the city's growth, including the implementation of its specific plan process, which was designed to effectively implement development goals."He was there when Roseville really made gigantic strides from being what most people viewed as a commuter town … to make Roseville a retail center, job base and a regional hub," Johnson said.His strength, Johnson said, lay in an affable and open personality that encouraged the building of diverse relationships. It came in handy during a visit to Tokyo, Japan, when Roseville city leaders were lobbying for an expansion of the NEC Electronics chip fabrication plant."He actually met with mayor of Tokyo and as a result of all those meetings we ended up with the expansion in Roseville," Johnson said. "In Japan, relationships are everything and Bill excelled at that."Former Roseville Mayor Claudia Gamar-Heinlein served for several years on the council with Santucci, coming in when he was already a seasoned veteran. "He was calm and kind and very knowledgeable, and he was willing to share his knowledge and help a new councilperson," she said. "He was there for the overall good of the city."In 1995, Santucci was elected to represent District 1 on the Placer County Board of Supervisors.There, he worked to increase cooperation between the county and local governments, said District 2 Supervisor Robert Weygandt, a friend of Santucci's who often accompanied him on hunting and fishing trips. He was also a strong advocate of strengthening the county's standards for development."With the development community, Bill was really willing to draw some lines and be firm with certain standards," Weygandt said.Santucci retired in 2006, but remained active in civic life, serving on the Roseville Cemetery District and Placer County Planning Commission.His reputation as a public-safety advocate was honored in 2007 when the county named the Bill Santucci Justice Center, currently under construction, in his honor. The designation of the center, which will house the majority of the county's court operations, followed the 2005 dedication of Bill Santucci Park in Roseville.The honor was "more than what I ever imagined," Santucci said after the justice center naming."He was a very humble man and always thought he got more than he deserved," Norma said.Santucci's diverse public service record was matched by a wide-ranging career in the private sector. A 1946 graduate of Roseville High School, Santucci attended Placer Junior College before taking a job at PG&E in Roseville. A 20-year-long career at Aerojet General Liquid Rocket Company in Sacramento came next. Later, he and brother-in-law Bob Mahan went into business running a liquor store.He and his wife also raised one son, David.And somehow, he still found time for his favorite hobby: playing outdoors. Friends described him as an enthusiastic golfer, hunter and fisherman."He loved to be out of doors," Weygandt said. "When he was fishing he was pretty intense, but when caught one it was like a 10-year-old kid who'd never caught one of these before."Santucci's heart attack was unexpected, his family said, and he had no prior history of heart problems, though he suffered a small stroke several years ago. Information on services was not available.