When Jere Kersnar rolled into Ojai for the first time 15 months ago, the veteran city manager was struck by the valley’s natural beauty as it opened to the towering Topa Topa Mountains beyond.
In the weeks that followed, Ojai’s new top administrator would also be surprised by two central facts of this village’s municipal life: No one could tell him whether its budget was balanced or what the city’s plans were for the future.
“One of my first questions to the finance director was: ‘Where are we financially?’ And she said, ‘I don’t know for sure.’ “
Kersnar had been assured the city was on its way back after a frightening financial free fall that had cut reserves from $4 million to $9,000 in just a few years. But it took another month to be certain that slashing six city jobs, and higher sales at a larger, remodeled Ojai Valley Inn & Spa had put the battered budget in better shape.
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2 comments:
Would like to see community efforts
and talents put to work on this
because the status quo has not
shown wise and sound decision making,
but continued mistakes using unsound
methodology from past. If I were
to lose substantial amounts of revenue in my home budget, I probably
could not appeal to float a bond
to make up for losses.
The recent citizen SLAPP suit, and
the city of Ojai's plan to continue litigation and run up legal expense to tune of $500K deserves closer look. Monte Widder's pattern of futile litigation at city's
general fund expense and to his benefit goes beyond reason. Question begs for his departure and start recall effort for council members supporting and voting for
this continued wasteful woeful and willful sham. This game they are running for much too long.
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