Dana Hobart, longtime Rancho Mirage councilmember, dies at 93
Jesus Reyes
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – Former Rancho Mirage councilmember Dana Hobart has died at the age of 93, city officials confirmed.
Hobart was a member of the Rancho Mirage City Council since 2002. He served as the city’s mayor five times in those 19 years (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2020).
Hobart has been a major influence in the city during his time on the city council. As the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce noted, in his first year on the city council, Hobart initiated the move to eliminate all overhead electrical power lines throughout Rancho Mirage.
Other notable projects that Hobart was behind included:
He led the efforts to defeat Riverside County’s plan to eventually extend the City’s borders by 4,000 acres north of I-10, adjacent to Thousand Palms.
He was instrumental in solidifying the agreement with the Agua Caliente Tribe to annex their Casino and Hotel into the city, resulting in about $400,000 per year flowing to the City.
He eliminated employee “pension spiking” practices and reforming other pension and related benefits which continues to save the City significant sums in pension and other costs;
He led the efforts to completely discharge the City’s unfunded pension liability, which cost the City in excess of $500,000 per year in avoidable interest;
Hobart initiated the Rancho Mirage Observatory project
Mayor Ted Weill called Hobart “a pillar of Rancho Mirage, a man of vision, integrity, and extraordinary devotion.”
“His decades of service left a lasting imprint on our city through thoughtful leadership and a genuine love for the people he served,” Weill wrote in a tribute to Hobart.
Read Mayor Weill’s Full Tribute to Dana Hobart Below:
Yesterday, our city lost not only a dedicated public servant, but also a cherished friend.
Dana Hobart was a pillar of Rancho Mirage, a man of vision, integrity, and extraordinary devotion. His decades of service left a lasting imprint on our city through thoughtful leadership and a genuine love for the people he served. From guiding the undergrounding of utility lines to strengthening our financial foundation, and from championing cultural landmarks like the Observatory and Amphitheater to supporting community spaces such as the Rancho Mirage Dog Park, Dana helped shape a future we are proud to call our own.
To me, however, Dana was more than a leader. He was a mentor and a friend.
Our friendship grew over many years, through countless conversations and a shared belief in public service. Dana recognized something in me long before I saw it in myself. With quiet persistence and sincerity, he encouraged me to serve. His faith and guidance were the spark that led me to run for City Council and, eventually, to serve alongside him.
Working with Dana was one of the greatest privileges of my life. His passion was contagious, his intellect unmatched, and his principles unshakable. Even when faced with difficult choices, he led with humility and the conviction that government must always serve its people.
Dana’s legacy is etched into the very fabric of Rancho Mirage, but it also lives on in the leaders he inspired, the friendships he built, and the example he set.
Dana, thank you for your guidance, your encouragement, your friendship, and your lifelong commitment to this city we both love. Rancho Mirage is better because of you, and I am better for having known you.
You will be deeply missed, my friend. Rest in peace.
— Mayor Ted Weill