La Quinta Councilman Stanley Sniff dies after 25 years of service

Veteran La Quinta Councilman Stanley Sniff has died. He was 85 years old. Sniff spent 25 consecutive years on the City Council and was a founding father of La Quinta.

When Sniff won his first term as councilman, the newly incorporated city listed about 7,000 inhabitants. Over the next quarter-century, the one-time Coachella Valley date farmer helped guide La Quinta through years of steady growth and the city has ballooned to a population of nearly 40,000.

Sniff lived in the Coachella Valley since 1928, and was first elected to the La Quinta City Council in 1986 —making him the longest-serving council member in the city's history. He served as mayor pro tem six times and also held seats on the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission and the La Quinta Redevelopment Agency.

Prior to his years on the council, Sniff grew up in Carlsbad, Calif. and spent three years in the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant, serving in post-war Germany.

Sniff had never missed a Council meeting until last December. Since then, he had become visibly frail and more regularly absent.

Earlier this month, Sniff entered the hospital with an undisclosed illness, days before the city hosted a public tribute to honor his 25 years of service. That event included the unveiling of a brushed aluminum monument called “Stan's Vision” and proclamations from Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack and Indio Mayor Lupe Ramos Watson.

“Stanley Sniff’s years of dedicated and passionate service to our city cannot be truly expressed in words,” said Mayor Don Adolph before the November ceremony.

Sniff said he never thought to be honored for his service: “[It] is not sought, but deeply appreciated. It’s amazing what your friends can do for you."

Sniff’s son, Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff Jr., was present at the November ceremony and accepted the tributes on his father’s behalf.