Hanstad, Horgan Qualify For Re-election

Citing lack of other candidates, incumbents reverse earlier decisions

By Daryl Kelley
Rae Hanstad and Sue Horgan officially reversed field this week, filing for re-election to the Ojai City Council in the November election.
The two veteran council members filed for re-election on Monday. Three other potential candidates have also taken out nomination papers, but have not yet filed as candidates — Betsy Clapp, Michael Lenehan and Garrett Clifford. Also mentioned as potential candidates have been attorney Len Klaif and community activist Dennis Leary.
City Clerk Carlon Strobel and City Treasurer Alan Rains have also pulled nomination papers for re-election, but only Strobel has filed them as of press time.
Also on the fall ballot are two seats on the Ojai Unified School District board, seats on the Casitas and Meiners Oaks water boards and on the Ojai Valley Sanitary District and the valley’s Municipal Advisory Council.
The filing deadline is Aug. 8 for each board.
“Several members of the community asked me to reconsider, and I did,” said Hanstad, 57, who announced in April that she wanted to return to private life and that she had done what she’d hoped on the council.
“I think everything is in good shape,” she said Monday, after filing. “But continuity is always good.”
She also acknowledged that her decision was influenced by candidates stepping forward so far to replace her.
“I don’t know them,” she said of the three who’ve pulled nomination papers. “I think if strong established citizens had stepped forward, it may have affected my thinking. Citizens I spoke with felt that not only did I have a strong track record, but there were no logical replacements.”
Hanstad herself had mentioned recently retired county chief executive Johnny Johnston and Bob Roper, county fire chief, as potential candidates, but Johnston has said he’s not interested and Roper has yet to publicly declare if he’ll run.
“So I feel like I’ve been drafted again,” said Hanstad, coordinator of Ventura County’s new anti-methamphetamine task force.
Horgan, now serving as mayor, told the Ojai Valley News recently that she had reconsidered her retirement from public life.
“It has come to my attention that we are not quite as far along with some projects as I had hoped we would be,” she said. “I don’t want to make it sound like I think I can do them myself, I can’t, but I think I have an impact. And I want to make sure the city is moving in the direction we have set.”
She was referring to a state mandate to provide more affordable housing and a long-standing effort to build a new skate park on school district property, which has not yet been secured.
Horgan added Tuesday that her decision to run again was also influenced by the apparent lack of candidates for the council.
“I announced seven months ago that I would not seek re-election,” she said. “I spent a lot of time … trying to get people to step up. And in that time, no candidates emerged so I needed to make a decision.”
Hanstad said she also wants to focus hard on the skate park, the housing plan and a new master plan for development within the city.
“I’m not saying no one else can do this,” she said. “But my contract with the county is flexible, and I’m delighted to serve again. I’m really looking forward to the next four years.”
Hanstad and Horgan have both served two four-year terms.