A longtime former mayor of Camarillo has died in a car crash that also severely injured his wife, the city announced.
Mike Morgan, who served for 38 years as a member of the City Council and six times as mayor, died on Tuesday, Mayor Tony Trembley announced on the city’s social media accounts. His wife, Donna, also suffered “severe” injuries.
Morgan was first elected in 1980 and lost his reelection bid in 2018, though he remained active in city life after that time through his service on area nonprofits and civic organizations.
After Morgan’s departure from the council, former Councilman and City Manager Bill Little praised his contributions to the city.
“The city we have today was largely built when Mike was on the City Council. . . . Mike had a big hand in how the city was developed,” Little told the Camarillo Acorn.
Morgan told the Acorn that his decades of service were driven by a desire to make Camarillo an ideal place for his family and others.
“I live here too. My family lives here. We want to make this the best place to live,” Morgan said. “Over the years, that’s why I ran, to see if I could help improve and make this the best place to live.”
Like Little, Trembley hailed the impact Morgan made during his tenure, noting his “significant contribution to our City through his leadership and devotion to Camarillo.”
“On behalf of the City Council and the entire City staff, please keep Mike and Donna Morgan and their family in your thoughts and prayers,” he wrote.