Clair William Harmony, 70 and retired, has always been an activist and advocate. He was named one of the Most Influential People in the Inland Valley in 2000. The award was given by the Los Angeles Times for his part in the creation of the City of Diamond Bar, California. He was the Chief Petitioner for Incorporation and community organizer. He was also recognized for championing the legal defeat of a $400,000,000 Dollar tax funded Redevelopment Agency.

Clair served variously as an elected City Councilman, Planning Commissioner, City Manager, Public Information Officer, Vietnam Army War Correspondent, manager of a major homeowners estate (The Country), owned a financial leasing business and contracted with municipalities, in the area of public information.

Mr. Harmony volunteered to serve in the United States Army during the Vietnam War (66 to 67), and was given the task of being his infantry Battalion’s Public Information Officer (He rose to the rank of Buck Sergeant/E5). His stories and photographs were published world-wide. He was awarded the Bronze Star, Army Commendation and other medals. Clair serve under Gen. Alexander Haig (former Secretary of State), Gen. Paul Gorman (Command of America’s Southern Armies) both of whom were Colonels in 1967) He also worked with a Captain George Joulwan, later to become Supreme Allied Commander of NATO.

Clair was at the major Battle of Ap Gu on (March 31 and April 1, 1967) when thirteen hundred hardened North Vietnamese regulars assaulted 350 soldiers from the 1st & 26th Infantry Battalion under the Command of Col. Alexander Haig Jr. This was the largest (609 enemy KIA) single engagement of the war for the First Infantry Division, (Operation Junction City) and was recognized with a Presidential Citation. Harmony’s written account of the battle was published by Stars & Stripes and several other newspapers and media services.

His college majors included Political Science, American History, and Speech at Long Beach State College where he earned a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree. Later aided by the Vietnam GI Bill, he earned a Master’s of Science Degree in Public Administration, emphasis Management and Finance. In the aftermath of the McCarthy era, Clair boldly championed a student underground newspaper called the “Black Flag,” in mock imagery of the School symbol, the Hornet. Later, at Long Beach State, he crusaded for a campus debate with a Communist, and invited a spokesman with the Black Muslims to speak. “We have to get to know these groups, and not be afraid of open discussions,” according to Harmony.  His own political persuasion was moderate.

After returning from the War, he went to work in a training program as a reporter for Copley Newspapers where he worked for its News Bureau at the Los Angeles Civic Center and covered the Citys of Arcadia, Burbank, Monrovia, and Alhambra. It was in Arcadia, as he was interviewing its City Manager, that he realized he could do that job.

Soon after Clair went to work for the City of Commerce, at first as a Public Information Officer. Later he took over the reins of the nation’s first and only fare-free bus system, and implemented one of Southern California’s first medical dial-a-rides programs. He rose to Assistant Administrator, in charge of several departments. A historical book published by the City of Commerce takes notice of his contributions, as well as an official Mayor’s Commendation. Clair was an early pioneer in publishing newspapers and other public information services from movies to brochures, plus attracting national television, radio and newspapers to promote the city’s industrial base. Many of these services are common place today, but were rare for communities at the time. Recently, Clair was honored by California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) for his role in founding the organization. The group has since grown to over 300 participating public agencies.

The City of Kodiak, AK was in trouble when Clair ventured north with his family and took over management of the City – Russia’s first settlement in the Americas. The island of Kodiak is the largest island in America, and hosts its biggest commercial fishing port. Three days before Clair’s arrival to take over the position of City Manager, a city dam suddenly gave way and went out to sea. The loss represented two-thirds of the city’s water supply, an essential resource for a thriving cannery industry.

The USGS had just declared a RED FLAG warning on the City of Kodiak, because of a dangerous landslide potential which over hung the city and its port. They estimated that 5 to 10 million cubic feet could slip/slide into the bay, which lay 1,200 ft below, and cause a ten foot wall of water to inundate the downtown and dozens of canneries, plus the fishing fleet. The community had suffered a similar fate during the 1964 Anchorage earthquake. Nearby Kodiak, in geological terms to Anchorage – 250 miles away -- sank five feet during that cataclysmic event, and after the bay emptied out, was slammed by a ten foot wall of water.

The Red Flag had an immediate impact on the city. All State and Federal government agencies stopped their grant programs. As a result, Clair had to persuade the Governor to reimburse the city’s out-of-pocket expenses in repairing the dam that had just collapsed. For slow/methodical government, Clair turned the clock around and within two months brought in world-class engineers, redesigned a new dam, had it built and state funded.

With the help of the USGS, backed by Senator Ted Stevens, Clair saw the Red Flag lowered through mitigations that eased the hydrostatic pressures on the mountain side. At each step through the process, Clair notified the state’s hierarchy of the progress, thereby affecting an understanding, which resulted in the increase of state and federal funding.

More than $40 million in grants and bond measures for critical infrastructure needs were obtained through Harmony’s efforts. Those projects included a deep-water boat harbor at Dog Bay, and a high suspension bridge to Near Island.

Most recently, Clair Harmony is serving on the joint City of Grants Pass and Josephine County Regional Boundary Commission. He is also working on an action political novel about advanced US tracking of terrorist and criminal funds. Through computer wizardry the funds are drained from the bad guys and paid out to people and organizations in need.

Contact:  clair@clairharmony.com