By Daryl Kelley
With election officials in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties down to their final 120 uncounted votes, two tantalizingly close races on the local Nov. 4 election ballot finally appeared to be decided late Wednesday afternoon.
By the Ojai Valley News' deadline, Republican Tony Strickland maintained an apparently insurmountable lead of about 800 votes over Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson in the $10-million 19th state Senate race, despite late gains by Jackson in both Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
Only about 100 votes remain to be counted in Ventura County and just 20 in Santa Barbara County, officials said. About 65,000 votes remained to be counted in Los Angeles County overall, but that county encompasses only a small sliver of the 19th District and it had gone solidly for Strickland.
"Strickland still has a sizeable lead," Ventura County elections chief Philip Schmit said. "So (catching him) doesn't seem possible."
After more than 415,000 votes had been counted, Strickland led Jackson by less than one-third of a percentage point in the most expensive race in Ventura County history and the most costly legislative race in California this year.
Tracy Saucedo, assistant Ventura County registrar, said only about 100 votes remained to be processed late Wednesday, and some of those would not be eligible votes. The full vote count should be complete by Friday, after a Thanksgiving holiday.
The county must report final results to the California secretary of state's office by next Tuesday, Dec. 2.
In another compelling race, challenger George Galgas apparently won a directorship on the Ojai Valley Sanitary District after he broke a tie with incumbent Bill Stone late Tuesday, pulling ahead by 10 votes. Then on Wednesday, Galgas widened that margin to 14 votes.
For the latest results go to recorder.countyofventura.org/elections.htm.
Stone, 50, and Galgas, 75, were tied with 682 votes each late Monday, but Tuesday's count gave Galgas 21 more votes while Stone got only 11, election officials said. Then Wednesday afternoon Galgas received four more votes and Stone none as provisional ballots were tabluated.
"It's pretty wild, isn't it," said Stone, a 14-year incumbent who is a plant manager for a communications company in Ventura, before the outcome was known.
"It's been very exciting to say the least," said Galgas, a semi-retired masonry inspector from Oak View, after he'd staked his Tuesday lead. "It's been back and forth. I was ahead by five on election night, and then I was ahead by four, and then he was ahead. So being ahead by 10 is really encouraging."
Now, with a 14-vote lead, the race seems to be over.
Galgas will assume one of seven seats on a special district that operates sewer facilities from the Avenue area of Ventura through the city of Ojai, serving about 23,000 people.
The directors, who oversee 19 employees and a budget of $7.5 million, hold one regular meeting a month and sit on at least one committee. They receive a stipend of $150 for every regular or special meeting and $75 for each committee meeting.
They receive no other financial benefit, said district general manager John Correa, except $150 a day plus expenses when they attend one of four conferences directors may attend each year.
Correa said he'd never seen a local race like this one, and that his staff has marveled over how remarkably close it has been.
Schmit said he was not certain what would have happened if Stone and Galgas had ended their race in a tie.
On Wednesday morning, Schmit said his office still had to count about 500 provisional and 1,500 ballots that had to be duplicated and reprocessed for a variety of reasons. But Saucedo said by mid-afternoon that all but about 100 had been counted.
"We hope to have it all done by Friday," Schmit said. "And if we don't we'll work Saturday to finish it."
Meanwhile, in other updates through Wednesday morning, Betsy Clapp and Sue Horgan held insurmountable leads for the Ojai City Council, despite some closing by former Mayor Suza Francina on second-place Horgan, the council incumbent.
Horgan still held a 92-vote lead over Francina, while Clapp, the leader in the five-person race, led Horgan by 280 votes.
The near-final count for City Council was: Clapp, 1,694, or 27.18 percent; Horgan, 1,414, 22.69 percent; Francina, 1,322, 21.21 percent; incumbent Rae Hanstad, 1,054, 16.91 percent; Mike Lenehan, 723, 11.6 percent.
A total of 6,233 votes had been cast in the council race, with each voter allowed to vote twice.
Also by Wednesday morning, the Ojai Unified School District parcel tax initiative had gained a little ground and stood at only 65.9 percent approval, but a two-thirds super majority is required for passage. And the near-final count on Wednesday showed that it had failed with 65.94 percent of the vote.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
ACLU denied hearing in city lawsuit
By Nao Braverman
Ojai resident Jeff Furchtenicht and the American Civil Liberties Union were struck down several times, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they have given up yet.
The ACLU's petition for rehearing of the lawsuit between city attorney Monte Widders and Furchtenicht in the State Court of Appeal was denied Nov. 18.
An appeal to the California Supreme Court may be filed next.
"We think there were a number of mistakes and misstatements in the court's opinion," said Peter Eliasberg, the ACLU attorney who defended Furchtenicht in the case.
The petition for rehearing was received by the court Nov. 4, shortly after the State Court of Appeal reversed the demurrer granted to Furchtenicht in 2006 and affirmed denial of his anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) motion against the city of Ojai.
If an appeal is filed by Furchtenicht and the ACLU, the case would go the California Supreme Court, which only takes cases considered to be of statewide significance.
Should an appeal be filed, and if the Supreme Court were to decide to take the case, a number of statewide organizations like the League of California Cities and the County Supervisors Association of California would likely get involved, said city manager Jere Kersnar.
Mayor Sue Horgan and incoming Councilwoman Betsy Clapp both said at a candidate forum in October that they would not vote to spend any more money on the case, if it were appealed to the Supreme Court. Neither answered phone calls or returned messages to state whether their statements still stand. Councilwoman Carol Smith and Councilman Joe DeVito both said they could not take any stance on the issue at this time. Councilman Steve Olsen did not return phone calls in time for press. Councilwoman Rae Hanstad, although her last meeting will be on Dec. 2, said that she feels the city should focus instead on other legal priorities such as supporting the efforts of the Stop the Trucks Coalition.
The case has cost the city $93,810, according to Kersnar. Widders, his partner, attorney Roger Myers, and associate Nancy Hartzler, of the firm Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones & Schneider, L.L.P. were each paid the standard $150 for their work on the case.
The two-year-long battle between the city attorney and Furchtenicht began when Furchtenicht proposed two citizen's initiatives to the city regarding chain stores and affordable housing in August 2006.
Widders declined to prepare the ballot title and summary for the initiatives, claiming that they were not submitted in the proper format, and asked Furchtenicht to withdraw them, rewrite them and resubmit them.
When Furchtenicht suggested that the initiatives be placed on a future City Council agenda, but did not withdraw the initiatives, Widders took him to court, stating that he needed the opinion of a judge.
In response Furchtenicht filed a demurrer and an anti-SLAPP motion, declaring that the lawsuit was intended to obstruct his right to propose initiatives.
At the end of November 2006, Furchtenicht was granted the demurrer but his anti-SLAPP complaint was denied.
Both parties left the courtroom believing that the decision had been made in their favor.
Furchtenicht was not pleased with the judge's dismissal of his anti-SLAPP motion, and appealed that portion of the decision in early 2007 defended by the ACLU. In response the city asked for the entire decision to be appealed.
A three-judge panel decided in favor of Widders on Oct. 20, reversed the demurrer and denied the anti-SLAPP motion.
The petition for rehearing filed 10 days after by the ACLU, was denied, leaving the case to be appealed to the Supreme Court if ACLU and Furchtenicht so choose.
Ojai resident Jeff Furchtenicht and the American Civil Liberties Union were struck down several times, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they have given up yet.
The ACLU's petition for rehearing of the lawsuit between city attorney Monte Widders and Furchtenicht in the State Court of Appeal was denied Nov. 18.
An appeal to the California Supreme Court may be filed next.
"We think there were a number of mistakes and misstatements in the court's opinion," said Peter Eliasberg, the ACLU attorney who defended Furchtenicht in the case.
The petition for rehearing was received by the court Nov. 4, shortly after the State Court of Appeal reversed the demurrer granted to Furchtenicht in 2006 and affirmed denial of his anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) motion against the city of Ojai.
If an appeal is filed by Furchtenicht and the ACLU, the case would go the California Supreme Court, which only takes cases considered to be of statewide significance.
Should an appeal be filed, and if the Supreme Court were to decide to take the case, a number of statewide organizations like the League of California Cities and the County Supervisors Association of California would likely get involved, said city manager Jere Kersnar.
Mayor Sue Horgan and incoming Councilwoman Betsy Clapp both said at a candidate forum in October that they would not vote to spend any more money on the case, if it were appealed to the Supreme Court. Neither answered phone calls or returned messages to state whether their statements still stand. Councilwoman Carol Smith and Councilman Joe DeVito both said they could not take any stance on the issue at this time. Councilman Steve Olsen did not return phone calls in time for press. Councilwoman Rae Hanstad, although her last meeting will be on Dec. 2, said that she feels the city should focus instead on other legal priorities such as supporting the efforts of the Stop the Trucks Coalition.
The case has cost the city $93,810, according to Kersnar. Widders, his partner, attorney Roger Myers, and associate Nancy Hartzler, of the firm Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones & Schneider, L.L.P. were each paid the standard $150 for their work on the case.
The two-year-long battle between the city attorney and Furchtenicht began when Furchtenicht proposed two citizen's initiatives to the city regarding chain stores and affordable housing in August 2006.
Widders declined to prepare the ballot title and summary for the initiatives, claiming that they were not submitted in the proper format, and asked Furchtenicht to withdraw them, rewrite them and resubmit them.
When Furchtenicht suggested that the initiatives be placed on a future City Council agenda, but did not withdraw the initiatives, Widders took him to court, stating that he needed the opinion of a judge.
In response Furchtenicht filed a demurrer and an anti-SLAPP motion, declaring that the lawsuit was intended to obstruct his right to propose initiatives.
At the end of November 2006, Furchtenicht was granted the demurrer but his anti-SLAPP complaint was denied.
Both parties left the courtroom believing that the decision had been made in their favor.
Furchtenicht was not pleased with the judge's dismissal of his anti-SLAPP motion, and appealed that portion of the decision in early 2007 defended by the ACLU. In response the city asked for the entire decision to be appealed.
A three-judge panel decided in favor of Widders on Oct. 20, reversed the demurrer and denied the anti-SLAPP motion.
The petition for rehearing filed 10 days after by the ACLU, was denied, leaving the case to be appealed to the Supreme Court if ACLU and Furchtenicht so choose.
Ojai generous to politicians
By Nao Braverman
Ojai may be small, but locals continue to contribute to politics in healthy proportions.
Ojai Valley residents spent a total of $288,162 in donations to political candidates and organizations in 2008, about six times the average ZIP code, according to opensecrets.org, a web site that tracks political donations. That doesn't count the $8,127 in donations from people living within the 93024 ZIP code area.
The figures beats $142,776 total political contributions from the 93023 ZIP code in 2004, which was only four times the average ZIP code for that year, and the $90,241 the year before that.
President-elect Barack Obama got more money from Ojai and Ventura area residents than Republican candidates this year. But contributions to Republican candidates and organizations across the board still got more votes than Democratic candidates across the board and Democratic organizations in Ojai and Ventura area.
The web site indicates Obama as receiving the largest total donations from Ojai and the Ventura area with $87,119 from Ojai and $669,172 in the entire Ventura area, including Ojai.
John McCain trailed behind with only $23,723 from Ojai residents and $508,642 in the entire Ventura area, including Ojai.
Mitt Romney was the presidential candidate with $15,750, the third largest contribution from Ojai residents.
Oak View residents, less generous toward political campaigns, gave only $13,528 this year, still more than the $11,275 reported in 2004. Obama still came out as the top recipient from Oak View contributors with $3,550 in contributions from the area.
McCain followed closely behind with $3,140 from Oak View residents. Ron Paul was the presidential candidate with the third highest funds raised from Oak View residents receiving $850, according to Open Secrets.
Ojai may be small, but locals continue to contribute to politics in healthy proportions.
Ojai Valley residents spent a total of $288,162 in donations to political candidates and organizations in 2008, about six times the average ZIP code, according to opensecrets.org, a web site that tracks political donations. That doesn't count the $8,127 in donations from people living within the 93024 ZIP code area.
The figures beats $142,776 total political contributions from the 93023 ZIP code in 2004, which was only four times the average ZIP code for that year, and the $90,241 the year before that.
President-elect Barack Obama got more money from Ojai and Ventura area residents than Republican candidates this year. But contributions to Republican candidates and organizations across the board still got more votes than Democratic candidates across the board and Democratic organizations in Ojai and Ventura area.
The web site indicates Obama as receiving the largest total donations from Ojai and the Ventura area with $87,119 from Ojai and $669,172 in the entire Ventura area, including Ojai.
John McCain trailed behind with only $23,723 from Ojai residents and $508,642 in the entire Ventura area, including Ojai.
Mitt Romney was the presidential candidate with $15,750, the third largest contribution from Ojai residents.
Oak View residents, less generous toward political campaigns, gave only $13,528 this year, still more than the $11,275 reported in 2004. Obama still came out as the top recipient from Oak View contributors with $3,550 in contributions from the area.
McCain followed closely behind with $3,140 from Oak View residents. Ron Paul was the presidential candidate with the third highest funds raised from Oak View residents receiving $850, according to Open Secrets.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Ojai landmark to get face-lift
Cottages Among the Flowers owner seeks more time, as fire concerns at nearby Mallory Way project heat up
By Nao Braverman
Richard Colla, owner of Cottages Among the Flowers, one of Ojai’s cherished historic properties, returned to the Planning Commission on Nov. 19 to request more time to renovate and expanded his antiquated structures.
About a year after this property had been discussed by planning commissioners, Colla asked to break up the project into four phases, with a year and a half between each. This would be a major extension of the project timeline, according to city staff, as the municipal code standard is generally 180 days for a construction phase.
“Adding all this up, it looks like this could take about six years,” said Commissioner John Mirk. “We have had experience with people abandoning projects midway.”
But Colla insisted that he had purchased the property because he fancied their historic charm, and because he cared for the cottages.
“I am not going to abandon them,” he said.
The seven structures were built as winter cottages by John Burnham, who developed Country Club Drive in the late 1920s, according to local historian David Mason.
“They were quite popular during the time that Ojai was known as a winter resort,” he said.
Colla wants to renovate the seven structures that house eight rental units, and build two more, then sell the whole batch as condominiums. He needs all the time he can get to do a decent job on the project, he said.
“I work in the film industry and there’s saying: ‘You can do it quick, you can do it cheap, and you can do it well, now pick two of those.’ I would like to finish them well,” he said.
Marc Whitman, architect for the project, added that the property owners wanted to allow tenants to stay in the cottages as long as they could, as city staff had indicated they wanted to keep the much-needed affordable rental units in the community as long as possible. Colla was requesting an elongated timeline so that he wouldn’t have to install all the underground utilities at once, which would probably result in ousting tenants.
One neighboring tenant, Vickie Peters, who lives in a cottage owned by a different owner, said that she was concerned that Colla employees were dumping branches from landscape maintenance in the nearby creek bed. Peters said she is concerned that the Collas are not being responsible about maintaining the property for the tenants that live there now.
“I had to pick branches out of the creek bottom that are a fire hazard and flood hazard,” she said.
The commission approved the timeline extension for turning Cottages Among the Flowers into condominiums, and asked for the project to be reviewed once more before the final phase, as it would be years away.
In other planning news, commissioners approved modifications to their proposal to renovate and construct new units on 1314 and 1326 E. Ojai Ave. Part of the property to be developed and improved is to be sold to The Day Spa of Ojai. To properly accommodate it, owners asked for a 6-foot-high privacy wall around the spa garden.
Though commissioners were sympathetic to the privacy of spa clients in their bathrobes, they did not like the idea of a wall in pedestrian view.
Very few pedestrians are currently seen along East Ojai Avenue, but commissioners hope that the new construction will help change that. A high wall facing the street detracts from a friendly pedestrian atmosphere, said commissioner Susan Weaver. The modifications were approved, with a condition that the front wall be redesigned to incorporate an attractive pedestrian entrance.
Later at the meeting commissioners mulled over the definition of a vending machine. When commissioners and councilman passed the ordinance restricting formula retail businesses in Ojai, they expected some unintended consequences. Apparently prohibiting vending machines was one of them. City attorney Monte Widders had indicated that vending machines that sell food would fall under the category of formula fast food, according to the ordinance, and would consequently be prohibited entirely.
That could mean that all the Glacier water machines would have to go, a consequence that could be grave, planning commissioners agreed.
But the definition of a vending machine could veer far from formula retail to include an ATM machine, a gas pump, a newspaper rack, or an ice machine. It could also mean a chain restaurant, as technologically advanced Japan has entire meals that are dispensed from vending machines, said Commission Chair Paul Crabtree.
Commissioners said that they want to keep the water machines, if possible, but have other vending machines come before them for approval. They asked staff to look into whether they could exempt vending from the formula fast food ordinance, so that they would not be prohibited entirely. They would not want vending machines exempt from the formula business code, however, so that they would still need to obtain a permit, and be reviewed before they are placed on city streets.
By Nao Braverman
Richard Colla, owner of Cottages Among the Flowers, one of Ojai’s cherished historic properties, returned to the Planning Commission on Nov. 19 to request more time to renovate and expanded his antiquated structures.
About a year after this property had been discussed by planning commissioners, Colla asked to break up the project into four phases, with a year and a half between each. This would be a major extension of the project timeline, according to city staff, as the municipal code standard is generally 180 days for a construction phase.
“Adding all this up, it looks like this could take about six years,” said Commissioner John Mirk. “We have had experience with people abandoning projects midway.”
But Colla insisted that he had purchased the property because he fancied their historic charm, and because he cared for the cottages.
“I am not going to abandon them,” he said.
The seven structures were built as winter cottages by John Burnham, who developed Country Club Drive in the late 1920s, according to local historian David Mason.
“They were quite popular during the time that Ojai was known as a winter resort,” he said.
Colla wants to renovate the seven structures that house eight rental units, and build two more, then sell the whole batch as condominiums. He needs all the time he can get to do a decent job on the project, he said.
“I work in the film industry and there’s saying: ‘You can do it quick, you can do it cheap, and you can do it well, now pick two of those.’ I would like to finish them well,” he said.
Marc Whitman, architect for the project, added that the property owners wanted to allow tenants to stay in the cottages as long as they could, as city staff had indicated they wanted to keep the much-needed affordable rental units in the community as long as possible. Colla was requesting an elongated timeline so that he wouldn’t have to install all the underground utilities at once, which would probably result in ousting tenants.
One neighboring tenant, Vickie Peters, who lives in a cottage owned by a different owner, said that she was concerned that Colla employees were dumping branches from landscape maintenance in the nearby creek bed. Peters said she is concerned that the Collas are not being responsible about maintaining the property for the tenants that live there now.
“I had to pick branches out of the creek bottom that are a fire hazard and flood hazard,” she said.
The commission approved the timeline extension for turning Cottages Among the Flowers into condominiums, and asked for the project to be reviewed once more before the final phase, as it would be years away.
In other planning news, commissioners approved modifications to their proposal to renovate and construct new units on 1314 and 1326 E. Ojai Ave. Part of the property to be developed and improved is to be sold to The Day Spa of Ojai. To properly accommodate it, owners asked for a 6-foot-high privacy wall around the spa garden.
Though commissioners were sympathetic to the privacy of spa clients in their bathrobes, they did not like the idea of a wall in pedestrian view.
Very few pedestrians are currently seen along East Ojai Avenue, but commissioners hope that the new construction will help change that. A high wall facing the street detracts from a friendly pedestrian atmosphere, said commissioner Susan Weaver. The modifications were approved, with a condition that the front wall be redesigned to incorporate an attractive pedestrian entrance.
Later at the meeting commissioners mulled over the definition of a vending machine. When commissioners and councilman passed the ordinance restricting formula retail businesses in Ojai, they expected some unintended consequences. Apparently prohibiting vending machines was one of them. City attorney Monte Widders had indicated that vending machines that sell food would fall under the category of formula fast food, according to the ordinance, and would consequently be prohibited entirely.
That could mean that all the Glacier water machines would have to go, a consequence that could be grave, planning commissioners agreed.
But the definition of a vending machine could veer far from formula retail to include an ATM machine, a gas pump, a newspaper rack, or an ice machine. It could also mean a chain restaurant, as technologically advanced Japan has entire meals that are dispensed from vending machines, said Commission Chair Paul Crabtree.
Commissioners said that they want to keep the water machines, if possible, but have other vending machines come before them for approval. They asked staff to look into whether they could exempt vending from the formula fast food ordinance, so that they would not be prohibited entirely. They would not want vending machines exempt from the formula business code, however, so that they would still need to obtain a permit, and be reviewed before they are placed on city streets.
Ojai seen for Main Street program
Chamber hosts meeting with city, business owners
By Nao Braverman
What business owners want for a city does not always correspond with the interests of local residents. But in Ojai’s case, there is a great deal of consistency, said Scott Eicher, chief executive officer of the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Following a meeting of local business and property owners about how to revitalize the local economy on Nov. 11, the Chamber of Commerce subcommittee held another meeting Nov. 19, this time inviting local residents.
About 55 people showed up at Chaparral Auditorium for the discussion.
While residents generally may be more fearful of attracting tourists than local hoteliers, all agree that much of Ojai’s charm lies in its small-town character, and no one likes the sight of commercial vacancies.
Mayor Sue Horgan opened the meeting raising some questions for consideration.
“How can we make Ojai’s businesses more attractive, and how can we do that without annoying the residents?” she asked.
This more diverse group raised some concerns that were brushed upon by the business and property owners at the previous meeting.
“Some people have this notion that our hometown has an image that we are a hometown for visitors, but we are not really a hometown for people living in Ojai,” said Stacie Jones, owner of the Ojai Coffee Roasting Co., a coffee shop frequented by locals. She mentioned some complaints regarding the high price for everyday goods such as toilet paper.
But when facilitators of the meeting perused the overall response from residents, regarding what they considered to be Ojai’s assets, and ways they thought it could improve, the comments were surprisingly similar to the responses from business and property owners, said Eicher.
That was fortunate, he added, because in order to make any improvements, the city needs to have the cooperation of local residents and business owners alike.
Dave Brubaker, chief operating officer of the Ojai Community Bank, proposed a Clean Up Ojai Day, as an initial combined volunteer effort of local businesses and residents to make Ojai better.
Residents heard the presentation by Rob Edwards, director of the Downtown Ventura Organization, which offered the Main Street program as a possible road map for improving Ojai’s economy. The program is known to have helped revive some of the most deserted city centers in Baltimore, Md., Cripple Creek, Colo., and downtown Los Angeles. It may not have the most positive image, perceived by many as a program that is sought out by some of the most deserted and dilapidated downtown corridors. But its principles — maintaining historical architecture, supporting local business and training shopkeepers to be more personable — do coincide with the efforts of many Ojai residents and policy members. The Main Street program would at least provide a road map to help the city improve and coordinate such efforts, said Martha Groszewski, coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce subcommittee at a previous meeting.
Eicher said he was not yet sure if the city should follow the Main Street program or not. The Chamber of Commerce subcommittee is still evaluating the dialogue at recent meetings and considering the next step, he said.
Clean Up Ojai Day efforts, coordinated by Brubaker, will meet Dec. 13 at the Park & Ride at 9 a.m. and will continue until noon.
By Nao Braverman
What business owners want for a city does not always correspond with the interests of local residents. But in Ojai’s case, there is a great deal of consistency, said Scott Eicher, chief executive officer of the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Following a meeting of local business and property owners about how to revitalize the local economy on Nov. 11, the Chamber of Commerce subcommittee held another meeting Nov. 19, this time inviting local residents.
About 55 people showed up at Chaparral Auditorium for the discussion.
While residents generally may be more fearful of attracting tourists than local hoteliers, all agree that much of Ojai’s charm lies in its small-town character, and no one likes the sight of commercial vacancies.
Mayor Sue Horgan opened the meeting raising some questions for consideration.
“How can we make Ojai’s businesses more attractive, and how can we do that without annoying the residents?” she asked.
This more diverse group raised some concerns that were brushed upon by the business and property owners at the previous meeting.
“Some people have this notion that our hometown has an image that we are a hometown for visitors, but we are not really a hometown for people living in Ojai,” said Stacie Jones, owner of the Ojai Coffee Roasting Co., a coffee shop frequented by locals. She mentioned some complaints regarding the high price for everyday goods such as toilet paper.
But when facilitators of the meeting perused the overall response from residents, regarding what they considered to be Ojai’s assets, and ways they thought it could improve, the comments were surprisingly similar to the responses from business and property owners, said Eicher.
That was fortunate, he added, because in order to make any improvements, the city needs to have the cooperation of local residents and business owners alike.
Dave Brubaker, chief operating officer of the Ojai Community Bank, proposed a Clean Up Ojai Day, as an initial combined volunteer effort of local businesses and residents to make Ojai better.
Residents heard the presentation by Rob Edwards, director of the Downtown Ventura Organization, which offered the Main Street program as a possible road map for improving Ojai’s economy. The program is known to have helped revive some of the most deserted city centers in Baltimore, Md., Cripple Creek, Colo., and downtown Los Angeles. It may not have the most positive image, perceived by many as a program that is sought out by some of the most deserted and dilapidated downtown corridors. But its principles — maintaining historical architecture, supporting local business and training shopkeepers to be more personable — do coincide with the efforts of many Ojai residents and policy members. The Main Street program would at least provide a road map to help the city improve and coordinate such efforts, said Martha Groszewski, coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce subcommittee at a previous meeting.
Eicher said he was not yet sure if the city should follow the Main Street program or not. The Chamber of Commerce subcommittee is still evaluating the dialogue at recent meetings and considering the next step, he said.
Clean Up Ojai Day efforts, coordinated by Brubaker, will meet Dec. 13 at the Park & Ride at 9 a.m. and will continue until noon.
Bounty of Ojai
Farmers’ Market bustling with community as holidays begin
By Linda Harmon
The social chatter and shouted greetings took on an even more spirited tone this holiday week at Ojai Farmers’ Market, which is held each Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot between Matilija and Aliso streets behind the Arcade.
Shoppers filled their baskets, cloth bags, wagons and even strollers with farm-grown produce and artisan-made products, as scattered musicians played everything from classical violin to country and bluegrass.
According to market manager Cynthia Korman, the market, which began in December of 1991, brings more than 45 vendors and their wares to participate in Sunday’s market, bringing character and flavor to holiday tables.
Freckled 7-year-old Copper Clark is standing next to one longtime merchant, Vickie Cohen, at her popular stop offering handmade lavender soaps. Clark is quick to state that this isn’t her first market.
“I work here,” said Clark, looking at Cohen. “My mom’s really close with her. I come down all the time.”
Cohen can’t help but grin.
“She gives me a helping hand and earns a little spending money,” said Cohen, whose lap is filled with 2-1/2-year-old Biggs, who is visiting his grandfather from up north for Thanksgiving. “Copper comes in 8:30 or 9:00 and leaves just before the markets ends.”
Across the aisle is Les Bles D’or, a local bakery stall staffed by Beth Sichel, another familiar Ojai resident. She’s lived here since 1969.
“We’ve been doing the Farmers’ Market here for about nine or 10 years,” said Sichel during a pause in the action. “I’ve been doing it for about two years. It’s fun, I love it. We do eight markets altogether.”
As we finish our conversation Mitch Cornelius comes up to join the conversation and make his purchase.
“Actually this is my third or fourth time at the market,” said Cornelius, an Oak View shopper stopping off to peruse the handmade breads and cinnamon rolls.
Not every vendor is from Ojai. Take Marcie Jimenez, of Marcie’s Pies. Jimenez sells homemade pies, preserves, pickled vegetables and her home-grown produce from Santa Ynez.
“I’ve been doing this market for three years now,” said Jimenez, who makes the drive each week. “Stephanie comes with me, and Matt, who lives in Ojai, joins me here. They are a great help. We do 14 markets. Sometimes we do five markets a day.”
This is Jimenez’s second career. She started farming seven years ago after selling a business she and her father founded, Matsukas Food Company and its Santa Barbara Bay brand.
“You may have seen the label at Costco,” said Jimenez, “Those are all my family recipes. We grew it big so we were able to sell. My father wanted to retire.”
Next, there’s the Chows who come from Carpinteria with their vegetable and flower stand.
“I’ve lost track of how many years we’ve been coming. I think we’ve been around for at least six or seven years, at least that. We have lots of friends here,” said Rodney Chow, standing next to his wife of 54 years, Joy. The couple brings in loads of apples, plums and peaches, as well as colorful plants like the hot pink azaleas they are selling today. “We’ve been farming eight or 10 years. We started out just as an orchard and then, to fill out the season, we started growing flowers between our trees. We do three markets. Everyone asks us for our apples but we’re out now. We don’t store. That’s why our apples have such flavor. They’re picked right from the tree.”
A little farther along the aisle is the Perez family, Damian, Carlos, Olga and Jennifer, who travel to 17 markets for their cousin’s Cortez Farms in Santa Maria. They have been coming to Ojai for several years, and members of their family have been farming and selling through markets for more than 20 years.
“My aunt started when she was pregnant with my cousin who is five years younger than me,” said Perez.
The market’s customers get to know and treasure their favorites and notice a change in the regular cast of characters. Take the cheese vendor.
“I’m filling in while Bill gets his cheese head wedge made up. He has to get an overhaul once a year,” said Mark Lauren, referring to the regular “cheese dude” from Spring Hill Dairy, who sports a cheese hat. “The dairy has been selling at the market for a little over four years. We make about 32 types of cheese. We have a couple of raw cheeses, but everything else is pasteurized. Primarily we make the Jersey milk cheeses because we have over 400 Jersey cows, all grass fed, organic. We have goat cheese from our neighboring farm, their goat milk and our cheese processing. We’re out of Petaluma and have a refrigeration unit down in Ventura and service all the Southern California markets.”
Down the row is another regular character who makes the trip from out of the area.
“They call me Papa Bono,” said 89-year-old Bono,” you know like Sonny Bono. I’m been doing this market for about 10 years now. I got to know the people in the area real well. California has become a big part of my life. I do the Pasadena, Torrance, Channel Islands markets and a couple markets during the week.”
Bono is cracking his biggest seller, macadamia nuts, with his patented nutcracker he sells at markets and home shows. He has 1,200 trees down in Fallbrook. His son, Michael, is keeping him company today, visiting for the holiday from Maui.
“I’m thinking about moving here,” said the younger Bono. “I’m more into a country atmosphere and it’s getting pretty crowded over there. I like already like it here and the people are friendly.”
There are not many places that can rival Hawaii, but I guess on a November morning with the leaves turning and the bounty flowing Ojai could go to anyone’s head.
By Linda Harmon
The social chatter and shouted greetings took on an even more spirited tone this holiday week at Ojai Farmers’ Market, which is held each Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot between Matilija and Aliso streets behind the Arcade.
Shoppers filled their baskets, cloth bags, wagons and even strollers with farm-grown produce and artisan-made products, as scattered musicians played everything from classical violin to country and bluegrass.
According to market manager Cynthia Korman, the market, which began in December of 1991, brings more than 45 vendors and their wares to participate in Sunday’s market, bringing character and flavor to holiday tables.
Freckled 7-year-old Copper Clark is standing next to one longtime merchant, Vickie Cohen, at her popular stop offering handmade lavender soaps. Clark is quick to state that this isn’t her first market.
“I work here,” said Clark, looking at Cohen. “My mom’s really close with her. I come down all the time.”
Cohen can’t help but grin.
“She gives me a helping hand and earns a little spending money,” said Cohen, whose lap is filled with 2-1/2-year-old Biggs, who is visiting his grandfather from up north for Thanksgiving. “Copper comes in 8:30 or 9:00 and leaves just before the markets ends.”
Across the aisle is Les Bles D’or, a local bakery stall staffed by Beth Sichel, another familiar Ojai resident. She’s lived here since 1969.
“We’ve been doing the Farmers’ Market here for about nine or 10 years,” said Sichel during a pause in the action. “I’ve been doing it for about two years. It’s fun, I love it. We do eight markets altogether.”
As we finish our conversation Mitch Cornelius comes up to join the conversation and make his purchase.
“Actually this is my third or fourth time at the market,” said Cornelius, an Oak View shopper stopping off to peruse the handmade breads and cinnamon rolls.
Not every vendor is from Ojai. Take Marcie Jimenez, of Marcie’s Pies. Jimenez sells homemade pies, preserves, pickled vegetables and her home-grown produce from Santa Ynez.
“I’ve been doing this market for three years now,” said Jimenez, who makes the drive each week. “Stephanie comes with me, and Matt, who lives in Ojai, joins me here. They are a great help. We do 14 markets. Sometimes we do five markets a day.”
This is Jimenez’s second career. She started farming seven years ago after selling a business she and her father founded, Matsukas Food Company and its Santa Barbara Bay brand.
“You may have seen the label at Costco,” said Jimenez, “Those are all my family recipes. We grew it big so we were able to sell. My father wanted to retire.”
Next, there’s the Chows who come from Carpinteria with their vegetable and flower stand.
“I’ve lost track of how many years we’ve been coming. I think we’ve been around for at least six or seven years, at least that. We have lots of friends here,” said Rodney Chow, standing next to his wife of 54 years, Joy. The couple brings in loads of apples, plums and peaches, as well as colorful plants like the hot pink azaleas they are selling today. “We’ve been farming eight or 10 years. We started out just as an orchard and then, to fill out the season, we started growing flowers between our trees. We do three markets. Everyone asks us for our apples but we’re out now. We don’t store. That’s why our apples have such flavor. They’re picked right from the tree.”
A little farther along the aisle is the Perez family, Damian, Carlos, Olga and Jennifer, who travel to 17 markets for their cousin’s Cortez Farms in Santa Maria. They have been coming to Ojai for several years, and members of their family have been farming and selling through markets for more than 20 years.
“My aunt started when she was pregnant with my cousin who is five years younger than me,” said Perez.
The market’s customers get to know and treasure their favorites and notice a change in the regular cast of characters. Take the cheese vendor.
“I’m filling in while Bill gets his cheese head wedge made up. He has to get an overhaul once a year,” said Mark Lauren, referring to the regular “cheese dude” from Spring Hill Dairy, who sports a cheese hat. “The dairy has been selling at the market for a little over four years. We make about 32 types of cheese. We have a couple of raw cheeses, but everything else is pasteurized. Primarily we make the Jersey milk cheeses because we have over 400 Jersey cows, all grass fed, organic. We have goat cheese from our neighboring farm, their goat milk and our cheese processing. We’re out of Petaluma and have a refrigeration unit down in Ventura and service all the Southern California markets.”
Down the row is another regular character who makes the trip from out of the area.
“They call me Papa Bono,” said 89-year-old Bono,” you know like Sonny Bono. I’m been doing this market for about 10 years now. I got to know the people in the area real well. California has become a big part of my life. I do the Pasadena, Torrance, Channel Islands markets and a couple markets during the week.”
Bono is cracking his biggest seller, macadamia nuts, with his patented nutcracker he sells at markets and home shows. He has 1,200 trees down in Fallbrook. His son, Michael, is keeping him company today, visiting for the holiday from Maui.
“I’m thinking about moving here,” said the younger Bono. “I’m more into a country atmosphere and it’s getting pretty crowded over there. I like already like it here and the people are friendly.”
There are not many places that can rival Hawaii, but I guess on a November morning with the leaves turning and the bounty flowing Ojai could go to anyone’s head.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Local election in dead heat
Wild tie in sewer seat, other races no longer too close to call
By Daryl Kelley
With scarce few votes left to count, two races on the local Nov. 4 election ballot remained too close to call late Monday.
In the most expensive race in Ventura County history, the $10-million 19th state Senate District contest was within about 1,700 votes, with Republican Tony Strickland edging Democrat Hannah Beth Jackson.
But Jackson of Santa Barbara may have great difficulty making up that margin, since nearly all votes have been counted in her stronghold, Santa Barbara County, while perhaps 16,000 remain to be counted in Ventura County, where Strickland holds a sizeable lead.
But the most compelling local contest may still be the intriguing run between incumbent Bill Stone and challenger George Galgas for a seat on the obscure Ojai Valley Sanitary District board.
Stone, 50, and Galgas, 75, were tied with with 682 votes each late Monday, election officials said. Stone lost his one vote lead from last week, as he received six new votes to Galgas' seven during the count of provisional ballots.
“It's pretty wild, isn't it,” said Stone, a 14-year incumbent who is a plant manager for a communications company in Ventura.
“It's been very exciting to say the least,” said Galgas, a semi-retired masonry inspector from Oak View.
The winner will assume one of seven seats on a special district that operates sewer facilities from the Avenue area of Ventura through the city of Ojai, serving 23,000 people.
The directors, who oversee 19 employees and a budget of $7.5 million, hold one regular meeting a month and sit on at least one committee. They receive a stipend of $150 for every regular or special meeting and $75 for each committee meeting.
They receive no other financial benefit, said district general manager John Correa, except $150 a day plus expenses when they attend one of four conferences directors may attend each year.
Correa said he'd never seen a local race like this one, and that he's marveled over how it could be so remarkably close.
Phil Schmit, county elections chief, said he's not certain what would happen if Stone and Galgas end in a tie.
“Let's just hope they don't,” he said.
Either could ask for a recount, but would have to pay the cost themselves.
Schmit said his office still has about 9,000 provisional ballots to count, and perhaps 5,000 to 6,000 other ballots that had to be hand duplicated because of damage or other problems.
“We hope to have it all done Friday,” he said. “And if we don't we'll work Saturday to finish it.”
The county must submit final returns to the California Secretary of State by next Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Meanwhile, in other updates through Monday, Betsy Clapp and Sue Horgan still held strong leads for the Ojai City Council, despite a bit of closing by former Mayor Suza Francina on second-place Horgan, the council incumbent. Horgan still held a 106-vote lead over Francina, while Clapp, the leader in the five-person race, led Horgan by 256 votes.
The Ojai Unified School District parcel tax initiative lost a little ground and stood at only 65.55 percent approval, while a two-thirds supermajority is required for passage.
By Daryl Kelley
With scarce few votes left to count, two races on the local Nov. 4 election ballot remained too close to call late Monday.
In the most expensive race in Ventura County history, the $10-million 19th state Senate District contest was within about 1,700 votes, with Republican Tony Strickland edging Democrat Hannah Beth Jackson.
But Jackson of Santa Barbara may have great difficulty making up that margin, since nearly all votes have been counted in her stronghold, Santa Barbara County, while perhaps 16,000 remain to be counted in Ventura County, where Strickland holds a sizeable lead.
But the most compelling local contest may still be the intriguing run between incumbent Bill Stone and challenger George Galgas for a seat on the obscure Ojai Valley Sanitary District board.
Stone, 50, and Galgas, 75, were tied with with 682 votes each late Monday, election officials said. Stone lost his one vote lead from last week, as he received six new votes to Galgas' seven during the count of provisional ballots.
“It's pretty wild, isn't it,” said Stone, a 14-year incumbent who is a plant manager for a communications company in Ventura.
“It's been very exciting to say the least,” said Galgas, a semi-retired masonry inspector from Oak View.
The winner will assume one of seven seats on a special district that operates sewer facilities from the Avenue area of Ventura through the city of Ojai, serving 23,000 people.
The directors, who oversee 19 employees and a budget of $7.5 million, hold one regular meeting a month and sit on at least one committee. They receive a stipend of $150 for every regular or special meeting and $75 for each committee meeting.
They receive no other financial benefit, said district general manager John Correa, except $150 a day plus expenses when they attend one of four conferences directors may attend each year.
Correa said he'd never seen a local race like this one, and that he's marveled over how it could be so remarkably close.
Phil Schmit, county elections chief, said he's not certain what would happen if Stone and Galgas end in a tie.
“Let's just hope they don't,” he said.
Either could ask for a recount, but would have to pay the cost themselves.
Schmit said his office still has about 9,000 provisional ballots to count, and perhaps 5,000 to 6,000 other ballots that had to be hand duplicated because of damage or other problems.
“We hope to have it all done Friday,” he said. “And if we don't we'll work Saturday to finish it.”
The county must submit final returns to the California Secretary of State by next Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Meanwhile, in other updates through Monday, Betsy Clapp and Sue Horgan still held strong leads for the Ojai City Council, despite a bit of closing by former Mayor Suza Francina on second-place Horgan, the council incumbent. Horgan still held a 106-vote lead over Francina, while Clapp, the leader in the five-person race, led Horgan by 256 votes.
The Ojai Unified School District parcel tax initiative lost a little ground and stood at only 65.55 percent approval, while a two-thirds supermajority is required for passage.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Citations Issued To Alleged Vandals
Eight teens arrested for Villanova incident
By Sondra Murphy
Update Nov. 21:
According to Ojai Det. Steve Michalec, Gregory Martin Kiddie, 18, turned himself in to the Ojai Police Department today. He was cited and released on suspicion of violating PC 594.3(a), vandalism of religious property, and PC 594(b)(1), vandalism over $400.
Nov. 20 post:
Ojai Police Department issued citations to seven juveniles and one adult yesterday in connection with the Oct. 3 vandalism to Villanova Preparatory School. Paint, manure and salt were used at several locations on the private school’s campus in the early morning before Villanova was to play Nordhoff High School in a varsity football contest.
The eight teenagers were arrested on suspicion of violating PC 594.3(a), vandalism of religious property, and PC 594(b)(1), vandalism over $400. Damage was estimated at $5,100.
Ryan John Drury, 18, is the lone adult cited on Thursday. The identity of the other adult will not be released until he is cited. He is expected to turn himself in to the Police Department today. The names of the juveniles were not released.
Ojai Police Department Administrative Sgt. Mo Hookstra said that all those involved have been very cooperative. “It took so long because we had to follow all leads and conduct a fair and balanced investigation,” said Hookstra. “The investigation has determined this is not a hate crime. We did not find that this investigation was motivated by hate.”
***************************
OJAI POLICE DEPARTMENT MEDIA RELEASE 11/21
Nature of Incident: Felony Vandalism of Religious Property
Location: Villanova Preparatory School, 12096 North Ventura Avenue, Ojai
Date & Time: October 3, 2008, 5:30 hrs
Unit Responsible: Ojai Police Department
(S)uspects
(S) Ryan John Drury,18
(S) Gregory Kiddie, 18
(S) Six (6) Male Juveniles, 17
(S) One (1) Male Juvenile, 16
Narrative:
On November 20, 2008 Ojai Police Department detectives arrested two adults and seven male juveniles in connection with the October 3, 2008, vandalism at Villanova Preparatory School. During the investigation, detectives determined two separate groups were responsible for the vandalism. One group vandalized an antique marble statue of Saint Thomas of Villanova and other graffiti nearby. The second group poured manure and salt in the swimming pool and on the football field. Damage was estimated in excess of $5,000.00. The incident took place the night before a rival football game between Nordhoff High School and Villanova Preparatory School. This was the first game between the schools in 33 years. Although some of the damage was done to religious symbols, there is no evidence to suggest this was a hate-motivated crime.
Officer Preparing Release: Sergeant Maureen Hookstra
Date of Release: November 21, 2008
Approved By: Captain Chris Dunn / Ojai Police Department
By Sondra Murphy
Update Nov. 21:
According to Ojai Det. Steve Michalec, Gregory Martin Kiddie, 18, turned himself in to the Ojai Police Department today. He was cited and released on suspicion of violating PC 594.3(a), vandalism of religious property, and PC 594(b)(1), vandalism over $400.
Nov. 20 post:
Ojai Police Department issued citations to seven juveniles and one adult yesterday in connection with the Oct. 3 vandalism to Villanova Preparatory School. Paint, manure and salt were used at several locations on the private school’s campus in the early morning before Villanova was to play Nordhoff High School in a varsity football contest.
The eight teenagers were arrested on suspicion of violating PC 594.3(a), vandalism of religious property, and PC 594(b)(1), vandalism over $400. Damage was estimated at $5,100.
Ryan John Drury, 18, is the lone adult cited on Thursday. The identity of the other adult will not be released until he is cited. He is expected to turn himself in to the Police Department today. The names of the juveniles were not released.
Ojai Police Department Administrative Sgt. Mo Hookstra said that all those involved have been very cooperative. “It took so long because we had to follow all leads and conduct a fair and balanced investigation,” said Hookstra. “The investigation has determined this is not a hate crime. We did not find that this investigation was motivated by hate.”
***************************
OJAI POLICE DEPARTMENT MEDIA RELEASE 11/21
Nature of Incident: Felony Vandalism of Religious Property
Location: Villanova Preparatory School, 12096 North Ventura Avenue, Ojai
Date & Time: October 3, 2008, 5:30 hrs
Unit Responsible: Ojai Police Department
(S)uspects
(S) Ryan John Drury,18
(S) Gregory Kiddie, 18
(S) Six (6) Male Juveniles, 17
(S) One (1) Male Juvenile, 16
Narrative:
On November 20, 2008 Ojai Police Department detectives arrested two adults and seven male juveniles in connection with the October 3, 2008, vandalism at Villanova Preparatory School. During the investigation, detectives determined two separate groups were responsible for the vandalism. One group vandalized an antique marble statue of Saint Thomas of Villanova and other graffiti nearby. The second group poured manure and salt in the swimming pool and on the football field. Damage was estimated in excess of $5,000.00. The incident took place the night before a rival football game between Nordhoff High School and Villanova Preparatory School. This was the first game between the schools in 33 years. Although some of the damage was done to religious symbols, there is no evidence to suggest this was a hate-motivated crime.
Officer Preparing Release: Sergeant Maureen Hookstra
Date of Release: November 21, 2008
Approved By: Captain Chris Dunn / Ojai Police Department
City budget under watch as numbers slip
While this year’s figures slow up, higher-than-expected surplus from the past year designated for maintenance projects
By Nao Braverman
Ojai seems to be staying financially afloat, at least for now, despite harsh economic times nationwide.
City Council members approved $167,000 in net surplus from the 2007-2008 fiscal year to go toward maintenance projects that have been waiting on the back burner, at Tuesday night’s council meeting.
Revenue budgeted for this year is $8.84 million in revenues with $8.3 million in expected expenses, for a net surplus of $540,000.
However, for the first quarter of this fiscal year, which ended in September, the city has collected $64,000 less than expected, said Jere Kersnar, city manager.
“Listening to my colleagues at neighboring cities, I’m hearing that this is a tough economic year for all of them,” said Kersnar.
While Ojai is currently on track financially, he cautioned decision makers, urging them to stay on their toes.
The shortfall was due to a $66,000 under collection in property tax, he said. However, first quarter property taxes are a very small amount, and not a good predictor for the rest of the year, he assured the council. More solid predictions should be made after property tax collections in December, he said.
“Times are very fluid and very uncertain,” said Kersnar.
But if surrounding cities are cutting back and downsizing their staff, Ojai has been comparatively fortunate.
While city staff had predicted a surplus of about $950,000 at the end of the 2007-2008 fiscal year, which would have been $217,000 more than initially budgeted, they actually ended up with $167,000 in excess of the predicted amount.
Since there would already be $217,000 more than budgeted going into reserves, Kersnar suggested setting aside the additional $167,000 in the capital projects fund, for much-needed maintenance.
The money would go toward repairing the damaged stucco and wood at the Boyd Center Gym and replacing some of the gym’s water-damaged floor, he said.
Kersnar concedes that the $167,000 in excess from the 2007-2008 fiscal year was timely considering that there may be even less money to spare in the near future. If those repairs get left any longer, costs could increase astronomically.
But as the tides have been turning for cities nationwide, city staff needs to keep a close eye on funds, should conditions change for the worst, he said.
Furthermore, there has been some concern that hotel reservations may not be as high as they generally are this month, said Kersnar. Though it is too early to make a solid statement regarding the hotel tax, which has been steady to date, council members considered having city staff meet with local hoteliers to brainstorm ways to keep hotel business in good standing. A primary revenue source for the city, the steady business of local hotels is important for Ojai, especially in these economic times, explained Mayor Sue Horgan.
Councilwoman Carol Smith agreed, denouncing illegitimate local inns that avoid registering with the city in order to doge the bed tax.
Councilman Steve Olsen proposed budgeting $10,000 for Youth Employment Services, which could be an asset to the community in these times. City staff agreed to place the budget recommendation on a future agenda for further discussion.
In other council news, Public Works director Mike Culver confirmed that the Libbey Bowl renovation project would require an environmental impact report because of its historic significance. The environmental report will likely delay the project, though Culver wasn’t sure by how much.
Slated to begin construction in January 2009, the project timeline is now up in the air, but Culver assured that staff would make sure it doesn’t interfere with the Ojai Music Festival. The festival has already raised about $930,000 mostly in pledges, for the project, said Music Festival executive director Jeff Haydon.
Also at the meeting, council members all said they wanted to become a Tree City U.S.A. The program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation and the U.S Department of Agriculture would require the city to establish a tree commission and adopt a tree ordinance, which city staff warned would be too costly and time consuming to make up for the benefits.
Olsen, who thought the Tree City status particularly suited to Ojai, suggested having the Planning Commission serve as a tree commission, as well, to save costs.
Kersnar agreed to consider it, and bring the issue back to council after researching it further.
The meeting was adjourned in the memory of Marian Greenfield.
By Nao Braverman
Ojai seems to be staying financially afloat, at least for now, despite harsh economic times nationwide.
City Council members approved $167,000 in net surplus from the 2007-2008 fiscal year to go toward maintenance projects that have been waiting on the back burner, at Tuesday night’s council meeting.
Revenue budgeted for this year is $8.84 million in revenues with $8.3 million in expected expenses, for a net surplus of $540,000.
However, for the first quarter of this fiscal year, which ended in September, the city has collected $64,000 less than expected, said Jere Kersnar, city manager.
“Listening to my colleagues at neighboring cities, I’m hearing that this is a tough economic year for all of them,” said Kersnar.
While Ojai is currently on track financially, he cautioned decision makers, urging them to stay on their toes.
The shortfall was due to a $66,000 under collection in property tax, he said. However, first quarter property taxes are a very small amount, and not a good predictor for the rest of the year, he assured the council. More solid predictions should be made after property tax collections in December, he said.
“Times are very fluid and very uncertain,” said Kersnar.
But if surrounding cities are cutting back and downsizing their staff, Ojai has been comparatively fortunate.
While city staff had predicted a surplus of about $950,000 at the end of the 2007-2008 fiscal year, which would have been $217,000 more than initially budgeted, they actually ended up with $167,000 in excess of the predicted amount.
Since there would already be $217,000 more than budgeted going into reserves, Kersnar suggested setting aside the additional $167,000 in the capital projects fund, for much-needed maintenance.
The money would go toward repairing the damaged stucco and wood at the Boyd Center Gym and replacing some of the gym’s water-damaged floor, he said.
Kersnar concedes that the $167,000 in excess from the 2007-2008 fiscal year was timely considering that there may be even less money to spare in the near future. If those repairs get left any longer, costs could increase astronomically.
But as the tides have been turning for cities nationwide, city staff needs to keep a close eye on funds, should conditions change for the worst, he said.
Furthermore, there has been some concern that hotel reservations may not be as high as they generally are this month, said Kersnar. Though it is too early to make a solid statement regarding the hotel tax, which has been steady to date, council members considered having city staff meet with local hoteliers to brainstorm ways to keep hotel business in good standing. A primary revenue source for the city, the steady business of local hotels is important for Ojai, especially in these economic times, explained Mayor Sue Horgan.
Councilwoman Carol Smith agreed, denouncing illegitimate local inns that avoid registering with the city in order to doge the bed tax.
Councilman Steve Olsen proposed budgeting $10,000 for Youth Employment Services, which could be an asset to the community in these times. City staff agreed to place the budget recommendation on a future agenda for further discussion.
In other council news, Public Works director Mike Culver confirmed that the Libbey Bowl renovation project would require an environmental impact report because of its historic significance. The environmental report will likely delay the project, though Culver wasn’t sure by how much.
Slated to begin construction in January 2009, the project timeline is now up in the air, but Culver assured that staff would make sure it doesn’t interfere with the Ojai Music Festival. The festival has already raised about $930,000 mostly in pledges, for the project, said Music Festival executive director Jeff Haydon.
Also at the meeting, council members all said they wanted to become a Tree City U.S.A. The program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation and the U.S Department of Agriculture would require the city to establish a tree commission and adopt a tree ordinance, which city staff warned would be too costly and time consuming to make up for the benefits.
Olsen, who thought the Tree City status particularly suited to Ojai, suggested having the Planning Commission serve as a tree commission, as well, to save costs.
Kersnar agreed to consider it, and bring the issue back to council after researching it further.
The meeting was adjourned in the memory of Marian Greenfield.
How we voted
Obama receives nearly two-thirds of Ojai votes, while Prop. 8 opposed by nearly same margin
By Daryl Kelley
As election officials moved toward completion next week of the count of ballots cast Nov. 4, an analysis of Ojai voting patterns showed that this bastion of liberal politics again revealed its left-leaning ways on Election Day.
While voter registration in Ojai gives Democrats a 17-percentage-point edge over Republicans, Democratic candidates generally built much greater margins here this time, an early breakdown of Ojai votes shows.
President-elect Barack Obama, for example, received nearly two-thirds of Ojai’s vote, a much greater margin than in Ventura County, the state or the nation as a whole. Republican John McCain got just 31.5 percent of Ojai’s vote.
And in two tight ballot propositions, Ojai voters made a much clearer choice than the nearly even split by the county and the state overall, overwhelmingly rejecting a ban on gay marriage and a requirement that parents be notified and a waiting period imposed before a minor could have an abortion.
Sixty-two percent of Ojai voters opposed the same-sex marriage ban, while the parent notification measure was defeated here by the same margin. Statewide, the vote was split 52-48 for the ban and 48-52 against notification.
Ojai voters were also much more insistent that farm animals be treated humanely when confined than those in the county or the state overall. Nearly three-quarters of Ojai voters favored the animal protection ballot measure.
“In Ojai, there seems to be a real understanding that the need for social justice be considered along with the environment,” said Sue Broidy of the Ojai Valley Democratic Club.
Broidy, president of the club for years and now its secretary, said she thinks Obama and other Democrats did so well in Ojai partly because of the strength and coordination of the historic presidential campaign.
“We’d like to take credit, but there were other forces at work,” she said. “I’m elated after so many campaigns for people who lost … This was a wonderful vindication of a lot of hard work.”
Broidy said she thinks Democrats polled so strongly in Ojai not just because of party registration, but because of the presence of an Obama headquarters in town.
“That made an enormous difference,” she said. “It was a tangible thing for people to visit … and to see we were willing to pay rent and staff our office. And for me as a political activist, it was a very exciting for once to get our campaign out of my living room,” said Broidy, a field representative for Hannah-Beth Jackson when she was an assemblywoman.
Meanwhile, in election updates through Thursday, Democrat Jackson still trailed Republican Tony Strickland for the state Senate by more than 1,700 votes, despite whittling his advantage with new returns from Santa Barbara County. In Ojai, about 63 percent of voters favored Jackson, while she was receiving only about 47 percent of the vote throughout Ventura County, the largest part of the three-county senate district.
And in a tantalizingly close race for a seat on the Ojai Valley Sanitary District board, director William Stone held a one-vote lead on Thursday, after new tallies wiped out challenger George Galgas’ four-vote lead.
In the race for Ojai City Council, Betsy Clapp and Sue Horgan still held strong leads, despite a bit of closing by former Mayor Suza Francina on second-place Horgan, the council incumbent. Horgan still held a 115-vote lead over Francina on Thursday, while Clapp, the leader in the five-person race, was ahead of Horgan by 257 votes.
The Ojai Unified School District parcel tax initiative gained a little ground, but still stood at only 65.6 percent approval, while a two-thirds super majority is required for passage.
Election officials said they thought the counting of the final 20,000 or so late absentee and provisional ballots may be completed by the end of next week, with the next update of results expected Monday afternoon.
Some 6,000 to 8,000 absentee ballots had to be duplicated for processing because of voter mismarks, said Assistant Registrar-Recorder Jim Becker. Another 14,000 provisional ballots still had to be checked for veracity and counted, and the count of about 500 ballots from military employees and residents living overseas had not yet occurred.
Of votes analyzed from earlier counts, about 75 percent of Ojai’s total, not only did Obama and Jackson soar locally, but so did Democratic Assembly candidate Ferial Masry. Despite losing in a close race to incumbent Audra Strickland, Masry easily defeated Strickland in Ojai with about 63 percent of the vote.
In fact, the only Democrat in a legislative or congressional race not to win in a landslide in Ojai was Marta Jorgenson of Solvang. Jorgenson’s margin over Republican Rep. Elton Gallegly was nearly 14 percentage points, here, but that was only about half the margin enjoyed by Obama, Jackson and Masry.
“Marta was not a good candidate,” said Broidy. “She was just as surprised as the rest of us when she won the primary. And she raised only about $2,600 (for the general election campaign).”
By Daryl Kelley
As election officials moved toward completion next week of the count of ballots cast Nov. 4, an analysis of Ojai voting patterns showed that this bastion of liberal politics again revealed its left-leaning ways on Election Day.
While voter registration in Ojai gives Democrats a 17-percentage-point edge over Republicans, Democratic candidates generally built much greater margins here this time, an early breakdown of Ojai votes shows.
President-elect Barack Obama, for example, received nearly two-thirds of Ojai’s vote, a much greater margin than in Ventura County, the state or the nation as a whole. Republican John McCain got just 31.5 percent of Ojai’s vote.
And in two tight ballot propositions, Ojai voters made a much clearer choice than the nearly even split by the county and the state overall, overwhelmingly rejecting a ban on gay marriage and a requirement that parents be notified and a waiting period imposed before a minor could have an abortion.
Sixty-two percent of Ojai voters opposed the same-sex marriage ban, while the parent notification measure was defeated here by the same margin. Statewide, the vote was split 52-48 for the ban and 48-52 against notification.
Ojai voters were also much more insistent that farm animals be treated humanely when confined than those in the county or the state overall. Nearly three-quarters of Ojai voters favored the animal protection ballot measure.
“In Ojai, there seems to be a real understanding that the need for social justice be considered along with the environment,” said Sue Broidy of the Ojai Valley Democratic Club.
Broidy, president of the club for years and now its secretary, said she thinks Obama and other Democrats did so well in Ojai partly because of the strength and coordination of the historic presidential campaign.
“We’d like to take credit, but there were other forces at work,” she said. “I’m elated after so many campaigns for people who lost … This was a wonderful vindication of a lot of hard work.”
Broidy said she thinks Democrats polled so strongly in Ojai not just because of party registration, but because of the presence of an Obama headquarters in town.
“That made an enormous difference,” she said. “It was a tangible thing for people to visit … and to see we were willing to pay rent and staff our office. And for me as a political activist, it was a very exciting for once to get our campaign out of my living room,” said Broidy, a field representative for Hannah-Beth Jackson when she was an assemblywoman.
Meanwhile, in election updates through Thursday, Democrat Jackson still trailed Republican Tony Strickland for the state Senate by more than 1,700 votes, despite whittling his advantage with new returns from Santa Barbara County. In Ojai, about 63 percent of voters favored Jackson, while she was receiving only about 47 percent of the vote throughout Ventura County, the largest part of the three-county senate district.
And in a tantalizingly close race for a seat on the Ojai Valley Sanitary District board, director William Stone held a one-vote lead on Thursday, after new tallies wiped out challenger George Galgas’ four-vote lead.
In the race for Ojai City Council, Betsy Clapp and Sue Horgan still held strong leads, despite a bit of closing by former Mayor Suza Francina on second-place Horgan, the council incumbent. Horgan still held a 115-vote lead over Francina on Thursday, while Clapp, the leader in the five-person race, was ahead of Horgan by 257 votes.
The Ojai Unified School District parcel tax initiative gained a little ground, but still stood at only 65.6 percent approval, while a two-thirds super majority is required for passage.
Election officials said they thought the counting of the final 20,000 or so late absentee and provisional ballots may be completed by the end of next week, with the next update of results expected Monday afternoon.
Some 6,000 to 8,000 absentee ballots had to be duplicated for processing because of voter mismarks, said Assistant Registrar-Recorder Jim Becker. Another 14,000 provisional ballots still had to be checked for veracity and counted, and the count of about 500 ballots from military employees and residents living overseas had not yet occurred.
Of votes analyzed from earlier counts, about 75 percent of Ojai’s total, not only did Obama and Jackson soar locally, but so did Democratic Assembly candidate Ferial Masry. Despite losing in a close race to incumbent Audra Strickland, Masry easily defeated Strickland in Ojai with about 63 percent of the vote.
In fact, the only Democrat in a legislative or congressional race not to win in a landslide in Ojai was Marta Jorgenson of Solvang. Jorgenson’s margin over Republican Rep. Elton Gallegly was nearly 14 percentage points, here, but that was only about half the margin enjoyed by Obama, Jackson and Masry.
“Marta was not a good candidate,” said Broidy. “She was just as surprised as the rest of us when she won the primary. And she raised only about $2,600 (for the general election campaign).”
Residents, business owners discuss revitalizing Ojai
By Nao Braverman
What business owners want for a city does not always correspond with the interests of local residents. But in Ojai's case, there is a great deal of consistency, said Scott Eicher, chief executive officer of the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Following a meeting of local business and property owners about how to revitalize the local economy on Nov. 11, the Chamber of Commerce subcommittee held another meeting Nov. 19, this time inviting local residents.
About 55 people showed up at Chaparral Auditorium for the discussion.
While residents generally may be more fearful of attracting tourists than local hoteliers, all agree that much of Ojai's charm lies in its small-town character, and no one likes the sight of commercial vacancies.
Mayor Sue Horgan opened the meeting raising some questions for consideration.
"How can we make Ojai's businesses more attractive, and how can we do that without annoying the residents?" she asked.
This more diverse group raised some concerns that were brushed upon by the business and property owners at the previous meeting.
"Some people have this notion that our hometown has an image that we are a hometown for visitors but we are not really a hometown for people living in Ojai," said Stacie Jones, owner of the Ojai Coffee Roasting Co., a coffee shop frequented by locals. She mentioned some complaints regarding the high price for everyday goods such as toilet paper.
But when facilitators of the meeting perused the overall response from residents, regarding what they considered to be Ojai's assets, and ways they thought it could improve, the comments were surprisingly similar to the responses from business and property owners, said Eicher.
That was fortunate, he added, because in order to make any improvements, the city needs to have the cooperation of local residents and business owners alike.
Dave Brubaker, chief operating officer of the Ojai Community Bank, proposed a Clean Up Ojai Day, as an initial combined volunteer effort of local businesses and residents to make Ojai better.
Residents heard the presentation by Rob Edwards, director of the Downtown Ventura Organization, which offered the Main Street program as a possible road map for improving Ojai's economy. The program is known to have helped revive some of the most deserted city centers in Baltimore, Md., Cripple Creek, Colo., and downtown Los Angeles. It may not have the most palatable image, perceived by many as a program that is sought out by some of the most deserted and dilapidated downtown corridors. But its principals, maintaining historical architecture, supporting local business and keeping shopkeepers personable, do coincide with the efforts of many Ojai residents and policy members. The Main Street program would at least provide a road map to help the city improve and coordinate such efforts, said Martha Groszewski, coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce subcommittee at a previous meeting.
Eicher said he was not yet sure if the city should follow the Main Street program or not. The Chamber of Commerce subcommittee is still evaluating the dialogue at recent meetings and considering the next step, he said.
Clean Up Ojai Day efforts, coordinated by Brubaker, will meet Dec. 13 at the Park & Ride at 9 a.m. and will continue until noon.
What business owners want for a city does not always correspond with the interests of local residents. But in Ojai's case, there is a great deal of consistency, said Scott Eicher, chief executive officer of the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Following a meeting of local business and property owners about how to revitalize the local economy on Nov. 11, the Chamber of Commerce subcommittee held another meeting Nov. 19, this time inviting local residents.
About 55 people showed up at Chaparral Auditorium for the discussion.
While residents generally may be more fearful of attracting tourists than local hoteliers, all agree that much of Ojai's charm lies in its small-town character, and no one likes the sight of commercial vacancies.
Mayor Sue Horgan opened the meeting raising some questions for consideration.
"How can we make Ojai's businesses more attractive, and how can we do that without annoying the residents?" she asked.
This more diverse group raised some concerns that were brushed upon by the business and property owners at the previous meeting.
"Some people have this notion that our hometown has an image that we are a hometown for visitors but we are not really a hometown for people living in Ojai," said Stacie Jones, owner of the Ojai Coffee Roasting Co., a coffee shop frequented by locals. She mentioned some complaints regarding the high price for everyday goods such as toilet paper.
But when facilitators of the meeting perused the overall response from residents, regarding what they considered to be Ojai's assets, and ways they thought it could improve, the comments were surprisingly similar to the responses from business and property owners, said Eicher.
That was fortunate, he added, because in order to make any improvements, the city needs to have the cooperation of local residents and business owners alike.
Dave Brubaker, chief operating officer of the Ojai Community Bank, proposed a Clean Up Ojai Day, as an initial combined volunteer effort of local businesses and residents to make Ojai better.
Residents heard the presentation by Rob Edwards, director of the Downtown Ventura Organization, which offered the Main Street program as a possible road map for improving Ojai's economy. The program is known to have helped revive some of the most deserted city centers in Baltimore, Md., Cripple Creek, Colo., and downtown Los Angeles. It may not have the most palatable image, perceived by many as a program that is sought out by some of the most deserted and dilapidated downtown corridors. But its principals, maintaining historical architecture, supporting local business and keeping shopkeepers personable, do coincide with the efforts of many Ojai residents and policy members. The Main Street program would at least provide a road map to help the city improve and coordinate such efforts, said Martha Groszewski, coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce subcommittee at a previous meeting.
Eicher said he was not yet sure if the city should follow the Main Street program or not. The Chamber of Commerce subcommittee is still evaluating the dialogue at recent meetings and considering the next step, he said.
Clean Up Ojai Day efforts, coordinated by Brubaker, will meet Dec. 13 at the Park & Ride at 9 a.m. and will continue until noon.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Election tallies change as final count nears
Sanitation District seat seesaws, as Kaplan apparent MAC-seat winner
By Daryl Kelley
As election officials moved toward a final count for the Nov. 4 election, results solidified this week: A school parcel tax has apparently lost, Betsy Clapp and Sue Horgan strengthened their hold on Ojai City Council seats, and Republican Tony Strickland inched farther ahead of Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson for the state Senate.
Yet, in two lower ticket races, a bit of intrigue remained.
Ojai Valley Sanitary District director William Stone saw last week’s 13-vote lead over challenger George Galgas evaporate as late-arriving absentee ballots were counted Monday. Stone now trails by just four votes, according to new tallies from the county Elections Division.
And in the race for a seat on the Ojai Valley Municipal Advisory Committee — an obscure panel that meets once a month and whose members receive no pay — the county registrar of voters said he thinks he will certify the election of challenger Gerald Kaplan over incumbent Alan Saltzman even though residents of the city of Ojai were improperly allowed to vote because of “human error.”
“My thinking is that I’ll certify the election as it was done,” said elections chief Philip Schmit.
But county lawyers told Schmit late Monday that he could also choose to void the election or certify it with an added explanation that the votes from Ojai did not alter the election. He said he thinks he will add the Ojai vote for informational purposes.
The MAC race results include more than 1,700 votes from Ojai residents that should not have been counted, since the city of Ojai is not within the unincorporated areas of the Ojai Valley.
Schmit said it’s not so simple to back the Ojai vote out of the MAC tally because some city precincts overlap into unincorporated county territory. But he said Kaplan’s lead is so great that city voters did not change the result of the election.
Kaplan led by more than 1,000 votes — 4,901 to 3,828 — through Monday.
“Mathematically, there’s a chance,” said Schmit. “Logically, there’s no chance. The end result would be no change, except maybe in Chicago.”
An Ojai Valley News analysis of early tallies in the MAC race show that even if the Ojai votes were backed out, Kaplan would still win handily. That’s because Kaplan gained fewer than 200 of his 1,073-vote advantage from city voters. Ojai voters favored Kaplan 960 to 777, county data showed three days after the election.
Schmit said the MAC error resulted from elections workers using a MAC boundary map that showed Ojai within the district. But in 1996 the county changed that boundary to exclude the city, because the City Council gives representation to city residents on local issues. The MAC gives a similar voice to county residents.
The MAC, formed in 1974, advises the county Planning Department and the Board of Supervisors on planning, development and other issues.
Schmit said the voting error occurred because Steve Offerman, an aide to county Supervisor Steve Bennett and executive director of the valley MAC, approved the map for the vote. There had been no MAC election for at least 14 years, so elections officials wanted to double-check the boundaries with Offerman.
“It was human error,” Schmit said, “but not by this office.”
Offerman said last week that the mistake was a “human error” by the Elections Division.
Kaplan, a semi-retired business consultant, has said he thinks the tainted vote can be remedied without a new election, perhaps even with a good-natured flip of a coin. Saltzman, a retired attorney, was traveling and unavailable for comment. Any challenge for the certified result would be up to him, Schmit said.
About 3,000 late absentee and 14,000 provisional ballots were still uncounted in Ventura County on Tuesday. The count should be complete this week, election officials said, except for the Strickland-Jackson race, in which a 10 percent hand count was completed Monday because it is so close. In the hand count of about 20,000 ballots, no difference was found from the computer count, Schmit said.
The $10-million Jackson-Strickland race was the most expensive legislative contest in the state.
In several updated tallies, the two former Assembly members, who are ideological bookends, have swapped places. But in recent updates, Strickland has consistently moved ahead, and now leads by about 2,200 votes.
Jackson, a Santa Barbara resident, has held a 10-percentage-point lead in Santa Barbara County, but Strickland, a Moorpark resident, has led by seven points in the larger Ventura County part of the district. The tiny segment in Los Angeles County has also sharply favored Strickland.
Observers think Jackson could close that margin in the provisional count because provisional ballots are often cast by newly registered voters, such as college students. And Democrats, led by President-elect Barack Obama, fared very well with young voters nationwide.
In other Ojai-related races, small business owner Clapp maintained her lead in the five-person City Council race. She’d received 1,538 votes by Monday. That’s a 234-vote lead over incumbent Sue Horgan, who slightly increased her lead over Suza Francina for second place and the second open seat on the council.
Francina trailed Horgan by 145 votes.
Meanwhile, the Ojai Unified School District parcel tax initiative lost a little ground and stood at 65.3 percent approval; a two-thirds super majority is required for passage.
By Daryl Kelley
As election officials moved toward a final count for the Nov. 4 election, results solidified this week: A school parcel tax has apparently lost, Betsy Clapp and Sue Horgan strengthened their hold on Ojai City Council seats, and Republican Tony Strickland inched farther ahead of Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson for the state Senate.
Yet, in two lower ticket races, a bit of intrigue remained.
Ojai Valley Sanitary District director William Stone saw last week’s 13-vote lead over challenger George Galgas evaporate as late-arriving absentee ballots were counted Monday. Stone now trails by just four votes, according to new tallies from the county Elections Division.
And in the race for a seat on the Ojai Valley Municipal Advisory Committee — an obscure panel that meets once a month and whose members receive no pay — the county registrar of voters said he thinks he will certify the election of challenger Gerald Kaplan over incumbent Alan Saltzman even though residents of the city of Ojai were improperly allowed to vote because of “human error.”
“My thinking is that I’ll certify the election as it was done,” said elections chief Philip Schmit.
But county lawyers told Schmit late Monday that he could also choose to void the election or certify it with an added explanation that the votes from Ojai did not alter the election. He said he thinks he will add the Ojai vote for informational purposes.
The MAC race results include more than 1,700 votes from Ojai residents that should not have been counted, since the city of Ojai is not within the unincorporated areas of the Ojai Valley.
Schmit said it’s not so simple to back the Ojai vote out of the MAC tally because some city precincts overlap into unincorporated county territory. But he said Kaplan’s lead is so great that city voters did not change the result of the election.
Kaplan led by more than 1,000 votes — 4,901 to 3,828 — through Monday.
“Mathematically, there’s a chance,” said Schmit. “Logically, there’s no chance. The end result would be no change, except maybe in Chicago.”
An Ojai Valley News analysis of early tallies in the MAC race show that even if the Ojai votes were backed out, Kaplan would still win handily. That’s because Kaplan gained fewer than 200 of his 1,073-vote advantage from city voters. Ojai voters favored Kaplan 960 to 777, county data showed three days after the election.
Schmit said the MAC error resulted from elections workers using a MAC boundary map that showed Ojai within the district. But in 1996 the county changed that boundary to exclude the city, because the City Council gives representation to city residents on local issues. The MAC gives a similar voice to county residents.
The MAC, formed in 1974, advises the county Planning Department and the Board of Supervisors on planning, development and other issues.
Schmit said the voting error occurred because Steve Offerman, an aide to county Supervisor Steve Bennett and executive director of the valley MAC, approved the map for the vote. There had been no MAC election for at least 14 years, so elections officials wanted to double-check the boundaries with Offerman.
“It was human error,” Schmit said, “but not by this office.”
Offerman said last week that the mistake was a “human error” by the Elections Division.
Kaplan, a semi-retired business consultant, has said he thinks the tainted vote can be remedied without a new election, perhaps even with a good-natured flip of a coin. Saltzman, a retired attorney, was traveling and unavailable for comment. Any challenge for the certified result would be up to him, Schmit said.
About 3,000 late absentee and 14,000 provisional ballots were still uncounted in Ventura County on Tuesday. The count should be complete this week, election officials said, except for the Strickland-Jackson race, in which a 10 percent hand count was completed Monday because it is so close. In the hand count of about 20,000 ballots, no difference was found from the computer count, Schmit said.
The $10-million Jackson-Strickland race was the most expensive legislative contest in the state.
In several updated tallies, the two former Assembly members, who are ideological bookends, have swapped places. But in recent updates, Strickland has consistently moved ahead, and now leads by about 2,200 votes.
Jackson, a Santa Barbara resident, has held a 10-percentage-point lead in Santa Barbara County, but Strickland, a Moorpark resident, has led by seven points in the larger Ventura County part of the district. The tiny segment in Los Angeles County has also sharply favored Strickland.
Observers think Jackson could close that margin in the provisional count because provisional ballots are often cast by newly registered voters, such as college students. And Democrats, led by President-elect Barack Obama, fared very well with young voters nationwide.
In other Ojai-related races, small business owner Clapp maintained her lead in the five-person City Council race. She’d received 1,538 votes by Monday. That’s a 234-vote lead over incumbent Sue Horgan, who slightly increased her lead over Suza Francina for second place and the second open seat on the council.
Francina trailed Horgan by 145 votes.
Meanwhile, the Ojai Unified School District parcel tax initiative lost a little ground and stood at 65.3 percent approval; a two-thirds super majority is required for passage.
Council to be Bowled over with stage plans
$3 million project goes before Ojai City Council
By Nao Braverman
Despite nationwide economic woes, Ojai residents are scrambling to raise enough money to renovate Ojai’s historic main stage.
The $3 million Libbey Bowl renovation project was scheduled for discussion at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
A conceptual design process is moving along according to schedule so far, said local architect and former Mayor David Bury, who is working on drafting a design for the much-needed make-over.
In March, the Ojai City Council approved to allocate $100,000 toward reviving the dilapidating structure, with $30,000 to pay for immediate repairs and $70,000 to get designs for the overall remodel in motion.
Short-term repairs are complete and have stayed within the $30,000 budget, said Public Works director Mike Culver.
To keep the stage afloat for another couple of years, Public Works made some minor roof repairs, fumigated the facility to get rid of termites, replaced unstable beams, built a roof on the adjacent Green Room, repaired the dressing room floor, improved the drainage system and repaved the seating area, said Culver.
Bury recently met with city staff to discuss a initial conceptual design which will be presented to the Planning Commission, the Parks and Recreation Commission and Historic Preservation Commission in late December or January, he said.
Renovation of the historic bowl, built in 1957 within a park, is a rare project that will require input from three of Ojai’s commissions, and is expected to be presented to the City Council shortly after.
On Nov. 6, the Ojai Music Festival presented the initial conceptual design to all of Libbey Bowl’s users, who liked it, said Jeff Haydon, the festival’s executive director.
The Ojai Music Festival has already raised close to $1 million for the project.
“We are very hopeful, especially since people have been so generous already given these harsh economic times,” said Haydon. He added that almost all of the donations so far have come from within Ojai.
Ojai Music Festival representatives recently met with city staff to draft a memorandum of understanding detailing the roles and responsibilities of the two parties as fundraising efforts continue. City staff has agreed to work with the Music Festival to procure separate cost estimate and construction management services. They have decided that the money raised will have to meet a certain benchmark before construction begins, although an exact amount for the benchmark was still undecided at the Music Festival’s meeting with city staff, said Haydon.
Culver said that he is still not sure whether the project will require an environmental impact report because of the 51-year-old stage’s historic significance. If needed, an environmental report could delay the process, he said.
However, if all goes as scheduled, construction could begin as soon as July 2009 and be completed in May 2010.
Construction plans are expected to work around the 2009 Ojai Music Festival, which is still slated to take place at Libbey Bowl. Hopefully, the project will be completed in time for a grand re-opening at the music festival in 2010, said Haydon.
City staff is still accepting applications for the events at the bowl although any events after July 4, 2009 will be tentative until the construction schedule is in place, said Culver.
By Nao Braverman
Despite nationwide economic woes, Ojai residents are scrambling to raise enough money to renovate Ojai’s historic main stage.
The $3 million Libbey Bowl renovation project was scheduled for discussion at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
A conceptual design process is moving along according to schedule so far, said local architect and former Mayor David Bury, who is working on drafting a design for the much-needed make-over.
In March, the Ojai City Council approved to allocate $100,000 toward reviving the dilapidating structure, with $30,000 to pay for immediate repairs and $70,000 to get designs for the overall remodel in motion.
Short-term repairs are complete and have stayed within the $30,000 budget, said Public Works director Mike Culver.
To keep the stage afloat for another couple of years, Public Works made some minor roof repairs, fumigated the facility to get rid of termites, replaced unstable beams, built a roof on the adjacent Green Room, repaired the dressing room floor, improved the drainage system and repaved the seating area, said Culver.
Bury recently met with city staff to discuss a initial conceptual design which will be presented to the Planning Commission, the Parks and Recreation Commission and Historic Preservation Commission in late December or January, he said.
Renovation of the historic bowl, built in 1957 within a park, is a rare project that will require input from three of Ojai’s commissions, and is expected to be presented to the City Council shortly after.
On Nov. 6, the Ojai Music Festival presented the initial conceptual design to all of Libbey Bowl’s users, who liked it, said Jeff Haydon, the festival’s executive director.
The Ojai Music Festival has already raised close to $1 million for the project.
“We are very hopeful, especially since people have been so generous already given these harsh economic times,” said Haydon. He added that almost all of the donations so far have come from within Ojai.
Ojai Music Festival representatives recently met with city staff to draft a memorandum of understanding detailing the roles and responsibilities of the two parties as fundraising efforts continue. City staff has agreed to work with the Music Festival to procure separate cost estimate and construction management services. They have decided that the money raised will have to meet a certain benchmark before construction begins, although an exact amount for the benchmark was still undecided at the Music Festival’s meeting with city staff, said Haydon.
Culver said that he is still not sure whether the project will require an environmental impact report because of the 51-year-old stage’s historic significance. If needed, an environmental report could delay the process, he said.
However, if all goes as scheduled, construction could begin as soon as July 2009 and be completed in May 2010.
Construction plans are expected to work around the 2009 Ojai Music Festival, which is still slated to take place at Libbey Bowl. Hopefully, the project will be completed in time for a grand re-opening at the music festival in 2010, said Haydon.
City staff is still accepting applications for the events at the bowl although any events after July 4, 2009 will be tentative until the construction schedule is in place, said Culver.
Parking Littles in MO
'No Parking' zone plan draws criticism at MAC
By Sondra Murphy
People drive too fast in Meiners Oaks and there is not adequate parking. That was the consensus of comments made at Monday’s Ojai Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting.
A review of a recent traffic study that proposed establishing three “No Parking” zones along El Roblar Drive at Poli and Alvarado avenues inspired many of those who would be impacted by the zones to attend the meeting and speak up.
“The Department of Public Works did a site line study and found a number of obstructions, like palm trees and such, which have been removed, but they are recommending three ‘No Parking’ zones,” said Steve Offerman of Supervisor Steve Bennett’s office.
Business owners near the proposed “No Parking” areas voiced concerns about losing customer parking along a road with too few spaces to begin with. All voiced support for improving pedestrian and traffic safety along the main street of the unincorporated community and proposed alternative remedies before eliminating spaces. Lot line and setback violations in the neighborhood were also mentioned.
The issue of public parking was brought up as a need for the businesses that are often in the midst of residential areas. “I feel that all of our parking is at such a premium and someone had the good idea of putting in some stop signs,” said Foxy Lady’s Judy Whittington. Crossing or navigating a left turn at any of the streets along El Roblar Drive was said to be difficult, and not just at Poli or Alvarado.
Meiners Oaks residents Jeff Lennon and Carl Rimpa called attention to the asphalt piles at some of the corners along El Roblar and suggested repairs would increase safety, as well. The idea of more sidewalks was broached by several speakers in an almost-too-great-to-hope-for tone.
“The impact we would feel on a regular basis is that people will park in our lot,” said Susan Decordova, president of the Jewish Community of the Oaks. The temple is located near one of the proposed “No Parking” zones. “Also, I just don’t think visibility is going to be improved by this proposal.”
“On behalf of the Department of Transportation who recommended this, they did pick these sites because there are a lot of accidents,” said Meiners Oaks resident Pat Baggerly. Council member Russ Baggerly concurred, saying that the traffic study was initiated by his request due to the number of accidents at those streets.
“I like the idea of a four-way stop,” said council member Lanie Springer. “I know from experience that a stop sign can make a big difference.” She added she had little hope of convincing the county to give the community public parking, however.
“I don’t like the idea as proposed,” said council member Terry Wright. He added that red zones at the corners might improve visibility, as well as limiting the size of vehicles allowed to park on El Roblar Drive.
“I really heard a lot of good things tonight and I think we can agree there is a safety concern,” said Baggerly. “Why don’t we bring this back to the next meeting and discuss it and think of things that can fix all the problems? The way they crowned those drainages is a crime, as far as I’m concerned.”
The council agreed to address the issue more thoroughly at the next meeting. “Let’s see what we can get from the Transportation Division, if we can put stop signs in on El Roblar Drive and if there is a possibility that the county, in all its graciousness, could provide us with public parking.”
The next OVMAC meeting is scheduled for Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road.
By Sondra Murphy
People drive too fast in Meiners Oaks and there is not adequate parking. That was the consensus of comments made at Monday’s Ojai Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting.
A review of a recent traffic study that proposed establishing three “No Parking” zones along El Roblar Drive at Poli and Alvarado avenues inspired many of those who would be impacted by the zones to attend the meeting and speak up.
“The Department of Public Works did a site line study and found a number of obstructions, like palm trees and such, which have been removed, but they are recommending three ‘No Parking’ zones,” said Steve Offerman of Supervisor Steve Bennett’s office.
Business owners near the proposed “No Parking” areas voiced concerns about losing customer parking along a road with too few spaces to begin with. All voiced support for improving pedestrian and traffic safety along the main street of the unincorporated community and proposed alternative remedies before eliminating spaces. Lot line and setback violations in the neighborhood were also mentioned.
The issue of public parking was brought up as a need for the businesses that are often in the midst of residential areas. “I feel that all of our parking is at such a premium and someone had the good idea of putting in some stop signs,” said Foxy Lady’s Judy Whittington. Crossing or navigating a left turn at any of the streets along El Roblar Drive was said to be difficult, and not just at Poli or Alvarado.
Meiners Oaks residents Jeff Lennon and Carl Rimpa called attention to the asphalt piles at some of the corners along El Roblar and suggested repairs would increase safety, as well. The idea of more sidewalks was broached by several speakers in an almost-too-great-to-hope-for tone.
“The impact we would feel on a regular basis is that people will park in our lot,” said Susan Decordova, president of the Jewish Community of the Oaks. The temple is located near one of the proposed “No Parking” zones. “Also, I just don’t think visibility is going to be improved by this proposal.”
“On behalf of the Department of Transportation who recommended this, they did pick these sites because there are a lot of accidents,” said Meiners Oaks resident Pat Baggerly. Council member Russ Baggerly concurred, saying that the traffic study was initiated by his request due to the number of accidents at those streets.
“I like the idea of a four-way stop,” said council member Lanie Springer. “I know from experience that a stop sign can make a big difference.” She added she had little hope of convincing the county to give the community public parking, however.
“I don’t like the idea as proposed,” said council member Terry Wright. He added that red zones at the corners might improve visibility, as well as limiting the size of vehicles allowed to park on El Roblar Drive.
“I really heard a lot of good things tonight and I think we can agree there is a safety concern,” said Baggerly. “Why don’t we bring this back to the next meeting and discuss it and think of things that can fix all the problems? The way they crowned those drainages is a crime, as far as I’m concerned.”
The council agreed to address the issue more thoroughly at the next meeting. “Let’s see what we can get from the Transportation Division, if we can put stop signs in on El Roblar Drive and if there is a possibility that the county, in all its graciousness, could provide us with public parking.”
The next OVMAC meeting is scheduled for Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Ballot error calls race into question
City votes cast in county election for MAC seats
By Daryl Kelley
As the counting of absentee ballots from the Nov. 4 election inched forward with no surprises this week, questions were raised about the veracity of the results in one obscure Ojai Valley race.
With several hundred Ojai ballots apparently left to count, Betsy Clapp and Sue Horgan solidified their positions for two seats on the City Council, a school parcel tax appeared to have lost and, in the state’s most expensive legislative race, Republican Tony Strickland widened his lead over Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson to 1,560 votes in a back-and-forth tally for the state Senate.
About 41,000 absentee and provisional ballots were still uncounted in Ventura County on Thursday. The count should be complete in a week or so, election officials said. The Strickland-Jackson race overlaps three counties, so results will trickle in from each as well.
In a new election-related development, challenger Gerald Kaplan’s decisive victory over incumbent Alan Saltzman for the Ojai area seat on Ojai Valley Municipal Advisory Committee was called into question.
MAC board member Russ Baggerly said he had asked county Registrar of Voters Philip Schmit to review the outcome of the race because residents of the city of Ojai were improperly allowed to cast ballots in the race. Only voters living in unincorporated areas should have been allowed to vote, Baggerly said.
“I talked with (Schmit) today and asked why this was allowed to happen,” said Baggerly late Wednesday. “He said he didn’t know, but he’d look into it.”
Schmit could not be reached for comment Thursday morning.
Founded in 1974 to give voice to valley residents who live outside the city of Ojai, the seven-member MAC meets once a month to advise the county Planning Department and the county Board of Supervisors on planning, development and other community matters. Its recommendations are not binding, its members receive no pay or benefits, and its races are almost never contested during elections.
So, there is some question about whether a costly new election would serve the public interest.
“It’s not a small thing if they have to hold a new election, because that’s costly,” Baggerly said. “But there’s no doubt that those people who voted within the incorporated area (in the city of Ojai) skewed the election. And Phil said there’s no way to pull those votes out from the final count.”
But Steve Offerman, an aide to county Supervisor Steve Bennett and executive director of the valley MAC, said he thought the results could be properly tabulated by subtracting ballots cast by voters in precincts within the city of Ojai from the final tally.
“I believe it can be simply remedied,” Offerman said. “It seems like a simple solution. That’s what I would be pushing (Schmit) to do.”
Kaplan, a semi-retired business consultant, said Thursday that he is bemused by the tainted vote but thinks it can be remedied without a new election.
“This is Ojai. Somehow this is how we do things,” he laughed. “But I’m kind of smiling about it. And I’m sure it will work its way out.”
Kaplan said he doubted that his nearly 1,000 vote lead would evaporate if the city of Ojai vote is backed out of the total.
“But if it comes down to it, maybe we could end up flipping a coin,” he said.
Kaplan said he’d called the county Elections Division and Offerman after sample ballots came out several weeks ago to ask about why Ojai residents had his MAC seat on their ballots. But nothing came of his call.
Saltzman, a retired attorney, was traveling and also could not be reached.
As of Thursday, Kaplan had received 4,010, or 55.62 percent of the vote, while Saltzman had gotten 3,072 votes, or 42.61 percent.
In other Ojai-related races, small business owner Clapp maintained her lead in the five-person City Council race. She’d received 1,500 votes by Thursday, with the next update of results set for today. That’s a 229-vote lead over incumbent Sue Horgan, who slightly increased her lead over Suza Francina for second place and the second open seat on the council.
Francina trailed Horgan by 142 votes.
Meanwhile, the Ojai Unified School District parcel tax initiative remained stalled at 65.44 percent approval, while a two-thirds super majority is required for passage.
In another tight local race, Ojai Valley Sanitary District director William Stone was leading challenger George Galgas by just 13 votes, 575 to 562.
The $10-million Jackson-Strickland race remains the election’s most tantalizing, even as late absentee and provisional ballots are being counted.
In several updated tallies, the two former Assembly members, who are ideological bookends, have swapped places. As results have rolled in from three different counties, Jackson, a Santa Barbara resident, has held a 10-percentage-point lead in Santa Barbara County, but Strickland, a Moorpark resident, has led by seven points in the larger Ventura County part of the district. The tiny segment in Los Angeles County has also sharply favored Strickland.
But now Strickland has widened a precarious lead to more than 1,500 votes. Observers think Jackson could close that margin in the provisional count because provisional ballots are often cast by newly registered voters, such as college students. And Democrats, led by President-elect Barack Obama, fared very well with young voters nationwide.
By Daryl Kelley
As the counting of absentee ballots from the Nov. 4 election inched forward with no surprises this week, questions were raised about the veracity of the results in one obscure Ojai Valley race.
With several hundred Ojai ballots apparently left to count, Betsy Clapp and Sue Horgan solidified their positions for two seats on the City Council, a school parcel tax appeared to have lost and, in the state’s most expensive legislative race, Republican Tony Strickland widened his lead over Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson to 1,560 votes in a back-and-forth tally for the state Senate.
About 41,000 absentee and provisional ballots were still uncounted in Ventura County on Thursday. The count should be complete in a week or so, election officials said. The Strickland-Jackson race overlaps three counties, so results will trickle in from each as well.
In a new election-related development, challenger Gerald Kaplan’s decisive victory over incumbent Alan Saltzman for the Ojai area seat on Ojai Valley Municipal Advisory Committee was called into question.
MAC board member Russ Baggerly said he had asked county Registrar of Voters Philip Schmit to review the outcome of the race because residents of the city of Ojai were improperly allowed to cast ballots in the race. Only voters living in unincorporated areas should have been allowed to vote, Baggerly said.
“I talked with (Schmit) today and asked why this was allowed to happen,” said Baggerly late Wednesday. “He said he didn’t know, but he’d look into it.”
Schmit could not be reached for comment Thursday morning.
Founded in 1974 to give voice to valley residents who live outside the city of Ojai, the seven-member MAC meets once a month to advise the county Planning Department and the county Board of Supervisors on planning, development and other community matters. Its recommendations are not binding, its members receive no pay or benefits, and its races are almost never contested during elections.
So, there is some question about whether a costly new election would serve the public interest.
“It’s not a small thing if they have to hold a new election, because that’s costly,” Baggerly said. “But there’s no doubt that those people who voted within the incorporated area (in the city of Ojai) skewed the election. And Phil said there’s no way to pull those votes out from the final count.”
But Steve Offerman, an aide to county Supervisor Steve Bennett and executive director of the valley MAC, said he thought the results could be properly tabulated by subtracting ballots cast by voters in precincts within the city of Ojai from the final tally.
“I believe it can be simply remedied,” Offerman said. “It seems like a simple solution. That’s what I would be pushing (Schmit) to do.”
Kaplan, a semi-retired business consultant, said Thursday that he is bemused by the tainted vote but thinks it can be remedied without a new election.
“This is Ojai. Somehow this is how we do things,” he laughed. “But I’m kind of smiling about it. And I’m sure it will work its way out.”
Kaplan said he doubted that his nearly 1,000 vote lead would evaporate if the city of Ojai vote is backed out of the total.
“But if it comes down to it, maybe we could end up flipping a coin,” he said.
Kaplan said he’d called the county Elections Division and Offerman after sample ballots came out several weeks ago to ask about why Ojai residents had his MAC seat on their ballots. But nothing came of his call.
Saltzman, a retired attorney, was traveling and also could not be reached.
As of Thursday, Kaplan had received 4,010, or 55.62 percent of the vote, while Saltzman had gotten 3,072 votes, or 42.61 percent.
In other Ojai-related races, small business owner Clapp maintained her lead in the five-person City Council race. She’d received 1,500 votes by Thursday, with the next update of results set for today. That’s a 229-vote lead over incumbent Sue Horgan, who slightly increased her lead over Suza Francina for second place and the second open seat on the council.
Francina trailed Horgan by 142 votes.
Meanwhile, the Ojai Unified School District parcel tax initiative remained stalled at 65.44 percent approval, while a two-thirds super majority is required for passage.
In another tight local race, Ojai Valley Sanitary District director William Stone was leading challenger George Galgas by just 13 votes, 575 to 562.
The $10-million Jackson-Strickland race remains the election’s most tantalizing, even as late absentee and provisional ballots are being counted.
In several updated tallies, the two former Assembly members, who are ideological bookends, have swapped places. As results have rolled in from three different counties, Jackson, a Santa Barbara resident, has held a 10-percentage-point lead in Santa Barbara County, but Strickland, a Moorpark resident, has led by seven points in the larger Ventura County part of the district. The tiny segment in Los Angeles County has also sharply favored Strickland.
But now Strickland has widened a precarious lead to more than 1,500 votes. Observers think Jackson could close that margin in the provisional count because provisional ballots are often cast by newly registered voters, such as college students. And Democrats, led by President-elect Barack Obama, fared very well with young voters nationwide.
How to sell Ojai
Chamber’s marketing plan seeks to identify, attract tourists through collaboration, targeting
By Nao Braverman
A souring nationwide economy may have helped put some local merchants out of business. But the high turnover rate for businesses downtown and the occasional empty storefronts are not entirely new to Ojai.
About 92 local business and property owners met with city officials, and members of the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce at the Ojai Valley Woman’s Club, Tuesday evening, to discuss how to make Ojai more attractive to visitors, without destroying its charm and character.
“Tonight is about unveiling some concepts,” said Mayor Sue Horgan. “We hope, particularly in these economic times, that we can come up with something that is useful to you.”
For about a year now, Horgan, fellow Councilwoman Rae Hanstad, and city manager Jere Kersnar, have been meeting with a Chamber of Commerce subcommittee to brainstorm ways to revitalize the local economy. Some of the results were presented to the business community Tuesday.
Among them was a tourism marketing study for the city of Ojai, prepared by two Claremont graduate students earlier this year as a class project.
Their research confirmed that Ojai relies on overnight tourists for more than 50 percent of its annual revenues, said Jeff Haydon, president of the Chamber of Commerce and director of the Music Festival, who presented highlights of the study to the group of business and property owners.
Most tourists come to Ojai in the summer, spring and fall, while very few come to the city in winter, according to the study. The students found that while the majority of visitors come to Ojai from other parts of California, the 14 percent who come from out of state and the measly 3 percent who come from other countries, tend to spend disproportionately more money than those from within the state.
The students also found that people living in Ojai seem to have conflicting views of what the community’s character is, and should be. While some perceive Ojai to be a tourist town, other think it is and should stay a sleepy town. Still others see it as, above all, an artist haven or a or spiritual community.
In conclusion, the students predicted that the coming year would bring more competition to Southern California tourist hubs, due to the softening economy. However, international travelers, who spend more dollars, are expected to increase.
Tourists are predicted to be from younger and older segments of the population rather than in the middle. They will be overall more educated and have less time, according to the study.
While Ojai’s strengths lie in its beauty and historic charm, the study found that it was lacking a cohesive identity, that visitors sometimes had difficulty finding where to go upon arrival, and that there was not a lot of collaboration among local businesses and merchants.
With that information, members of the chamber group subcommittee decided it was necessary to build a more organized plan to enrich the local economy, and address the issues that discourage tourists, said Haydon. To begin by identifying possible goals for a marketing plan, Haydon suggested that the business community strive to attract quality visitors, increase tourism, and realize increased tax revenue. They should also come up with a method of setting benchmarks and measuring their success, he said.
Rob Edwards, director of the Downtown Ventura Organization, presented one format that has been used as a road map to revitalize the center of a number of towns and cities nationwide: the National Trust’s Main Street approach.
Edwards, who directs the revitalization of downtown Ventura using the Main Street philosophy said that its concepts had been used in downtown Los Angeles, New York, Paso Robles, Washington, D.C., and Cripple Creek, Colo., among others.
The Main Street approach, which advocates historic architecture, pedestrian friendliness, authenticity and locally owned shops, can be tailored to suit Ojai’s needs, he said.
The approach advocates an organization governed by a board of directors and four standing committees. An organization committee would oversee the finances and the fundraising, and coordinate volunteers. A promotion committee would promote the district’s image and market it to tourists. A design committee would improve the look of the area by landscaping and cleaning up the streetscape, adding benches, etc. Finally, an economic restructuring committee would recruit new businesses to the district, encourage new local entrepreneurial ventures and help convert vacant underutilized commercial spaces into something positive and aesthetically pleasing. The committees would ideally be volunteer based. Generally the Main Street philosophy advocates a grass-roots community-led effort. While the city of Ventura did hire a director to coordinate their program, the payment was a start-up cost which could be sustained by merchants and local donors in the future, said Edwards.
Following the presentation, local merchants and property owners divided into groups and discussed what they wanted for Ojai, and how to begin to realize their desires for the local tourist economy.
The turnout was overwhelmingly positive and local business owners have said they want to continue to generate more discussion about this, said Scott Eicher, chief executive officer of the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce.
One dissenting local business owner said he thought the Main Street program was unnecessary and wondered if it would require local business owners to pay a consultant to tell them what they already know.
Local residents, as well as business and property owners, will be invited to the next meeting about revitalizing Ojai’s commercial district on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at Chaparral Auditorium from 6 to 8 p.m.
By Nao Braverman
A souring nationwide economy may have helped put some local merchants out of business. But the high turnover rate for businesses downtown and the occasional empty storefronts are not entirely new to Ojai.
About 92 local business and property owners met with city officials, and members of the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce at the Ojai Valley Woman’s Club, Tuesday evening, to discuss how to make Ojai more attractive to visitors, without destroying its charm and character.
“Tonight is about unveiling some concepts,” said Mayor Sue Horgan. “We hope, particularly in these economic times, that we can come up with something that is useful to you.”
For about a year now, Horgan, fellow Councilwoman Rae Hanstad, and city manager Jere Kersnar, have been meeting with a Chamber of Commerce subcommittee to brainstorm ways to revitalize the local economy. Some of the results were presented to the business community Tuesday.
Among them was a tourism marketing study for the city of Ojai, prepared by two Claremont graduate students earlier this year as a class project.
Their research confirmed that Ojai relies on overnight tourists for more than 50 percent of its annual revenues, said Jeff Haydon, president of the Chamber of Commerce and director of the Music Festival, who presented highlights of the study to the group of business and property owners.
Most tourists come to Ojai in the summer, spring and fall, while very few come to the city in winter, according to the study. The students found that while the majority of visitors come to Ojai from other parts of California, the 14 percent who come from out of state and the measly 3 percent who come from other countries, tend to spend disproportionately more money than those from within the state.
The students also found that people living in Ojai seem to have conflicting views of what the community’s character is, and should be. While some perceive Ojai to be a tourist town, other think it is and should stay a sleepy town. Still others see it as, above all, an artist haven or a or spiritual community.
In conclusion, the students predicted that the coming year would bring more competition to Southern California tourist hubs, due to the softening economy. However, international travelers, who spend more dollars, are expected to increase.
Tourists are predicted to be from younger and older segments of the population rather than in the middle. They will be overall more educated and have less time, according to the study.
While Ojai’s strengths lie in its beauty and historic charm, the study found that it was lacking a cohesive identity, that visitors sometimes had difficulty finding where to go upon arrival, and that there was not a lot of collaboration among local businesses and merchants.
With that information, members of the chamber group subcommittee decided it was necessary to build a more organized plan to enrich the local economy, and address the issues that discourage tourists, said Haydon. To begin by identifying possible goals for a marketing plan, Haydon suggested that the business community strive to attract quality visitors, increase tourism, and realize increased tax revenue. They should also come up with a method of setting benchmarks and measuring their success, he said.
Rob Edwards, director of the Downtown Ventura Organization, presented one format that has been used as a road map to revitalize the center of a number of towns and cities nationwide: the National Trust’s Main Street approach.
Edwards, who directs the revitalization of downtown Ventura using the Main Street philosophy said that its concepts had been used in downtown Los Angeles, New York, Paso Robles, Washington, D.C., and Cripple Creek, Colo., among others.
The Main Street approach, which advocates historic architecture, pedestrian friendliness, authenticity and locally owned shops, can be tailored to suit Ojai’s needs, he said.
The approach advocates an organization governed by a board of directors and four standing committees. An organization committee would oversee the finances and the fundraising, and coordinate volunteers. A promotion committee would promote the district’s image and market it to tourists. A design committee would improve the look of the area by landscaping and cleaning up the streetscape, adding benches, etc. Finally, an economic restructuring committee would recruit new businesses to the district, encourage new local entrepreneurial ventures and help convert vacant underutilized commercial spaces into something positive and aesthetically pleasing. The committees would ideally be volunteer based. Generally the Main Street philosophy advocates a grass-roots community-led effort. While the city of Ventura did hire a director to coordinate their program, the payment was a start-up cost which could be sustained by merchants and local donors in the future, said Edwards.
Following the presentation, local merchants and property owners divided into groups and discussed what they wanted for Ojai, and how to begin to realize their desires for the local tourist economy.
The turnout was overwhelmingly positive and local business owners have said they want to continue to generate more discussion about this, said Scott Eicher, chief executive officer of the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce.
One dissenting local business owner said he thought the Main Street program was unnecessary and wondered if it would require local business owners to pay a consultant to tell them what they already know.
Local residents, as well as business and property owners, will be invited to the next meeting about revitalizing Ojai’s commercial district on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at Chaparral Auditorium from 6 to 8 p.m.
Sci guy aims high
Expanded science program pays off with higher test scores
By Sondra Murphy
Ojai Unified School District is small and shrinking by the year, but state test scores in science in the elementary schools has risen 25 percent in the past two years.
Administrators are quick to attribute that counterintuitive trend to the dedication of teachers like Matilija Junior High’s Jim Bailey.
Bailey grew up in Southern California and his mother was a school secretary for 20 years. “I don’t think she could be any prouder of my choice of profession even if I were a doctor or lawyer,” said Bailey.
“My dad taught me to surf when I was 10. We still take surf trips to this day. We’ve been to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Hawaii. I teach surf lessons in the summer through Ventura Surf Shop. I have been a contest judge for the C Street Longboard Classic for the last three years. I’ve surfed all around the coast of California.”
He has two daughters, age 13 and 11, who live in Minnesota. “They always come out and spend a month with me in the summer. They like Ojai, especially the water holes and Ojai Pizza.” Besides surfing, Bailey likes cooking, astronomy and playing the ukulele. Before teaching, he was a retail clerk and manager, cattle hand and Sun Valley, Idaho ski lift operator one season. “I house-sit quite a bit in the valley and am great with pets and plants.”
Bailey joined OUSD in 2001 and was welcomed by his colleagues into Matilija’s science department. Through the support of the Ojai Education Foundation, Bailey has also been teaching science to elementary students for three years.
“I’ve always been interested in science and used to read about astronomy as a junior high student myself,” said Bailey. “Matilija has a respected history of providing excellent science education to its students. As the new kid, I really looked up to mentor science teachers like Dan Harding, Rick Metheny — whose retirement allowed me to come to Ojai — and Brenda Farrant. There was already a thriving culture for science education on campus I just had to step into the stream and add my particular experience to the whole.”
Bailey got his teaching credential from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he said the environment was perfect for learning to teach science. “One of the best parts of teaching science is that we get ‘do’ and ‘make.’ Cal Poly really puts an emphasis on a learn-by-doing approach, and nurturing that philosophy has served me well in the classroom,” said Bailey. “Some of my favorite lessons include learning about Newton’s laws of motion on skateboards, studying pressure in fluids and Pascal’s Principle by making Cartesian divers, and learning about simple chemical reactions by decomposing the sucrose molecule — that’s sugar for you non-science types — over a candle flame.” Last year, chef Claude Mann assisted Bailey in making ice cream using liquid nitrogen. “The extremely low temperature of the liquid nitrogen doesn’t allow time for the ice crystals to grow, leading to the creamiest ice cream you’ll ever have,” said Bailey.
Other favorite lessons Bailey gives are making mousetrap-powered vehicles, performing science poetry in a beat poet tradition and making paint stick boomerangs, which he thanked Harding for helping with. He has also found success in having students write science songs to the tunes of pop hits to aid in memorization of key science standards.
“Of course, teaching in this community is far more than I could have ever imagined. The students are curious and well prepared, the families really care about education, and the support in the community is always there. OEF, Rotary, Food For Thought, and even individual families have supported our science programs very generously over the years. It is making a profound difference in our ability to deliver exciting and relevant lessons, as well as helping with student interest and motivation towards the sciences.”
OUSD has seen a recent boost to its science scores in standardized test performance by students since fostering collaboration between elementary teachers, Bailey, OEF and the Rotary Club of Ojai.
“Each day after teaching three classes in the morning at Matilija, I travel to a different elementary school,” Bailey said. “At each site I teach a hands-on lesson or lab directly related to the fifth-grade science standards. The teachers cover the reading of the material in the text and, in some cases, expand on my lesson with activities of their own.” This collaboration has proved beneficial in many ways.
“Science labs can take more time than other lessons both for setup and cleanup. Often they require equipment the teacher may not have easy access to. I have access to equipment from all the elementary schools and can provide the experience and expertise to deliver an effective lab for students,” said Bailey. “I gather the equipment and materials I need on Friday, and carry it with me in my car from school to school the following week. Between surfboards and science equipment there is usually not much room for passengers in my car.” Besides increasing test scores and interest in the sciences, Bailey said fifth-graders have responded enthusiastically to his graduated cylinders, microscopes, propane torches and ukulele. “I love working with the elementary students. They just give their attention and interest away for free. Junior high students make you work for it a little more, but the elementary students are jumping to learn the minute you walk in the door.”
Bailey said his favorite achievements are improved student attitudes about the enjoyment of learning science. “Parents seem fond of telling me that science has become their child’s favorite subject. That’s always nice. A rise in state test scores has been nice as well,” he said. “The elementary program has seen a 25 percent rise in state science test scores in two years: 10 percent the first year and 15 percent last year. Many of my eighth-graders have reported near-perfect scores on the science section of their standards test.”
Students aren’t the only ones enjoying science and Bailey has found that teaching has helped continue his love for the subject in ways he can also share with his peers. “Last year, at the National Science Teachers Association conference in Boston, I facilitated a workshop on creating and using science songs in the classroom. That was a huge moment for me. Playing a ukulele and singing funny science songs in a classroom of 10- or 13-year-olds is a lot easier than in a roomful of 30 adults. But it went swimmingly, and everybody left having created and shared part of a song of their own.”
The science teacher enjoys the challenge of finding better lessons, increasing efficiency in the classroom and inspiring more students to love their interactions with science. “I hope that I can achieve lasting supportive relationships with students who need a mentor or role model to look to. I view my real job as going far beyond the science standards and into the realm of helping to produce happy and healthy young adults,” said Bailey. “I play a small part in my students’ lives, but it had better be nurturing, and affirming, as well as ‘sciencetastic.’ If not, I am missing out on a powerful opportunity.”
As complex as teaching science is, Bailey boils down much of his success to basic elements. “Students will always respond well to good lessons and teachers who care. I am blessed to have some really good relationships with students and families around the valley. It is a sacred responsibility to be entrusted with the education of the next generation. A responsibility that extends beyond just my subject and beyond the classroom walls,” Bailey said. “I believe that, in a community like Ojai, the value of a teacher can be more fully realized because there are so many positive points of contact for adults and youth.”
Bailey’s commitment to the local community is fueled by his enthusiasm for teaching and he recently presented science labs at the Rotary Club of Ojai’s Youth Fest 2008, as well as at Ojai Day. “I am a mentor and facilitator of a youth leadership program run by the Ojai Valley Youth Foundation. In all of these activities there is the opportunity to affirm our youth, reiterate concepts from class, and just generally pass on the components of civilization that will continue our American values and work ethic,” said Bailey. “Ojai just presents a ton of opportunities to support youth and families. Teaching is sure a lot more fun when you care about kids.”
Like everyone else in Ojai connected with public education, Bailey has concerns about the budget. “We as taxpayers provide just around $6,000 per student per year to the school districts and something like $29,000 per prisoner per year to the prison system. There is something fundamentally wrong with our values as a nation when this disparity is so great,” Bailey said. “When good teachers are having to be let go because of the budget, that is a loss for our community. As for me, if all I had was a stick and a dirt floor, I’d still be teaching science.”
By Sondra Murphy
Ojai Unified School District is small and shrinking by the year, but state test scores in science in the elementary schools has risen 25 percent in the past two years.
Administrators are quick to attribute that counterintuitive trend to the dedication of teachers like Matilija Junior High’s Jim Bailey.
Bailey grew up in Southern California and his mother was a school secretary for 20 years. “I don’t think she could be any prouder of my choice of profession even if I were a doctor or lawyer,” said Bailey.
“My dad taught me to surf when I was 10. We still take surf trips to this day. We’ve been to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Hawaii. I teach surf lessons in the summer through Ventura Surf Shop. I have been a contest judge for the C Street Longboard Classic for the last three years. I’ve surfed all around the coast of California.”
He has two daughters, age 13 and 11, who live in Minnesota. “They always come out and spend a month with me in the summer. They like Ojai, especially the water holes and Ojai Pizza.” Besides surfing, Bailey likes cooking, astronomy and playing the ukulele. Before teaching, he was a retail clerk and manager, cattle hand and Sun Valley, Idaho ski lift operator one season. “I house-sit quite a bit in the valley and am great with pets and plants.”
Bailey joined OUSD in 2001 and was welcomed by his colleagues into Matilija’s science department. Through the support of the Ojai Education Foundation, Bailey has also been teaching science to elementary students for three years.
“I’ve always been interested in science and used to read about astronomy as a junior high student myself,” said Bailey. “Matilija has a respected history of providing excellent science education to its students. As the new kid, I really looked up to mentor science teachers like Dan Harding, Rick Metheny — whose retirement allowed me to come to Ojai — and Brenda Farrant. There was already a thriving culture for science education on campus I just had to step into the stream and add my particular experience to the whole.”
Bailey got his teaching credential from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he said the environment was perfect for learning to teach science. “One of the best parts of teaching science is that we get ‘do’ and ‘make.’ Cal Poly really puts an emphasis on a learn-by-doing approach, and nurturing that philosophy has served me well in the classroom,” said Bailey. “Some of my favorite lessons include learning about Newton’s laws of motion on skateboards, studying pressure in fluids and Pascal’s Principle by making Cartesian divers, and learning about simple chemical reactions by decomposing the sucrose molecule — that’s sugar for you non-science types — over a candle flame.” Last year, chef Claude Mann assisted Bailey in making ice cream using liquid nitrogen. “The extremely low temperature of the liquid nitrogen doesn’t allow time for the ice crystals to grow, leading to the creamiest ice cream you’ll ever have,” said Bailey.
Other favorite lessons Bailey gives are making mousetrap-powered vehicles, performing science poetry in a beat poet tradition and making paint stick boomerangs, which he thanked Harding for helping with. He has also found success in having students write science songs to the tunes of pop hits to aid in memorization of key science standards.
“Of course, teaching in this community is far more than I could have ever imagined. The students are curious and well prepared, the families really care about education, and the support in the community is always there. OEF, Rotary, Food For Thought, and even individual families have supported our science programs very generously over the years. It is making a profound difference in our ability to deliver exciting and relevant lessons, as well as helping with student interest and motivation towards the sciences.”
OUSD has seen a recent boost to its science scores in standardized test performance by students since fostering collaboration between elementary teachers, Bailey, OEF and the Rotary Club of Ojai.
“Each day after teaching three classes in the morning at Matilija, I travel to a different elementary school,” Bailey said. “At each site I teach a hands-on lesson or lab directly related to the fifth-grade science standards. The teachers cover the reading of the material in the text and, in some cases, expand on my lesson with activities of their own.” This collaboration has proved beneficial in many ways.
“Science labs can take more time than other lessons both for setup and cleanup. Often they require equipment the teacher may not have easy access to. I have access to equipment from all the elementary schools and can provide the experience and expertise to deliver an effective lab for students,” said Bailey. “I gather the equipment and materials I need on Friday, and carry it with me in my car from school to school the following week. Between surfboards and science equipment there is usually not much room for passengers in my car.” Besides increasing test scores and interest in the sciences, Bailey said fifth-graders have responded enthusiastically to his graduated cylinders, microscopes, propane torches and ukulele. “I love working with the elementary students. They just give their attention and interest away for free. Junior high students make you work for it a little more, but the elementary students are jumping to learn the minute you walk in the door.”
Bailey said his favorite achievements are improved student attitudes about the enjoyment of learning science. “Parents seem fond of telling me that science has become their child’s favorite subject. That’s always nice. A rise in state test scores has been nice as well,” he said. “The elementary program has seen a 25 percent rise in state science test scores in two years: 10 percent the first year and 15 percent last year. Many of my eighth-graders have reported near-perfect scores on the science section of their standards test.”
Students aren’t the only ones enjoying science and Bailey has found that teaching has helped continue his love for the subject in ways he can also share with his peers. “Last year, at the National Science Teachers Association conference in Boston, I facilitated a workshop on creating and using science songs in the classroom. That was a huge moment for me. Playing a ukulele and singing funny science songs in a classroom of 10- or 13-year-olds is a lot easier than in a roomful of 30 adults. But it went swimmingly, and everybody left having created and shared part of a song of their own.”
The science teacher enjoys the challenge of finding better lessons, increasing efficiency in the classroom and inspiring more students to love their interactions with science. “I hope that I can achieve lasting supportive relationships with students who need a mentor or role model to look to. I view my real job as going far beyond the science standards and into the realm of helping to produce happy and healthy young adults,” said Bailey. “I play a small part in my students’ lives, but it had better be nurturing, and affirming, as well as ‘sciencetastic.’ If not, I am missing out on a powerful opportunity.”
As complex as teaching science is, Bailey boils down much of his success to basic elements. “Students will always respond well to good lessons and teachers who care. I am blessed to have some really good relationships with students and families around the valley. It is a sacred responsibility to be entrusted with the education of the next generation. A responsibility that extends beyond just my subject and beyond the classroom walls,” Bailey said. “I believe that, in a community like Ojai, the value of a teacher can be more fully realized because there are so many positive points of contact for adults and youth.”
Bailey’s commitment to the local community is fueled by his enthusiasm for teaching and he recently presented science labs at the Rotary Club of Ojai’s Youth Fest 2008, as well as at Ojai Day. “I am a mentor and facilitator of a youth leadership program run by the Ojai Valley Youth Foundation. In all of these activities there is the opportunity to affirm our youth, reiterate concepts from class, and just generally pass on the components of civilization that will continue our American values and work ethic,” said Bailey. “Ojai just presents a ton of opportunities to support youth and families. Teaching is sure a lot more fun when you care about kids.”
Like everyone else in Ojai connected with public education, Bailey has concerns about the budget. “We as taxpayers provide just around $6,000 per student per year to the school districts and something like $29,000 per prisoner per year to the prison system. There is something fundamentally wrong with our values as a nation when this disparity is so great,” Bailey said. “When good teachers are having to be let go because of the budget, that is a loss for our community. As for me, if all I had was a stick and a dirt floor, I’d still be teaching science.”
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Slowing the velocity of atrocity
Darfur activist coming to Ojai to raise awareness of genocide
By Nao Braverman
The Thacher School will receive a visit this evening from the president and founder of the Darfur People’s Association of New York.
Sudanese activist Bushara Dosa grew up in Darfur. The son of an agricultural researcher, he traveled around Sudan, from Darfur’s most rural areas, to villages that border Chad.
A survivor from a region which has seen systematic murder, rape, abduction, displacement and continual abuse of human rights, Dosa is on a mission to work toward putting a stop to the atrocities that are occurring in his home country.
In February of 2003, Dosa united with other refugee families from Darfur in New York to form the Darfur People’s Association.
“The people who are here in the United States don’t want to see their family members in Darfur die,” said Dosa. “Their purpose is to work to stop this genocide.”
Dosa himself has many family members in Darfur, and is perpetually worried about their safety. Just recently his grandmother had to leave her home but was not able to go to a refugee camp in Chad, he said. While he does travel frequently to Sudan and speaks with family over the telephone, Dosa knows that they are always in danger.
He hopes that spreading awareness of the issues at hand will result in pressure by the Unites States government to facilitate peace negotiations in the war-torn region.
“People can’t help unless they understand the issues,” said Dosa.
While drought and overpopulation in Sudan, causing groups of people to relocate and mingle with other ethnic and tribal groups within the country, have been cited as part of the cause of conflict, the Sudanese government is also involved, said Dosa.
The Sudanese military has sided with the Janjaweed militia group, on one side of the conflict, and is accused of providing money and assistance to the militia group, which, Dosa says, has exacerbated the conflict.
While the U.S. government has described the conflict as genocide, little has been done by the United States and the United Nations to really work toward bringing peace to Darfur, said Dosa.
Dosa has been traveling around the United States, spreading awareness of the conflict in Darfur. He spoke at universities in Washington, D.C., Denver, and New York before coming to Ojai.
The talk was organized by The Thacher School staff through Amnesty International, the student-led division of the Genocide Intervention Network, and the Darfur People’s Association of New York.
Dosa will speak about the conflict and answer questions at The Thacher School Humanities Building, Room 14, at 6:30 p.m. at 5025 Thacher Road.
By Nao Braverman
The Thacher School will receive a visit this evening from the president and founder of the Darfur People’s Association of New York.
Sudanese activist Bushara Dosa grew up in Darfur. The son of an agricultural researcher, he traveled around Sudan, from Darfur’s most rural areas, to villages that border Chad.
A survivor from a region which has seen systematic murder, rape, abduction, displacement and continual abuse of human rights, Dosa is on a mission to work toward putting a stop to the atrocities that are occurring in his home country.
In February of 2003, Dosa united with other refugee families from Darfur in New York to form the Darfur People’s Association.
“The people who are here in the United States don’t want to see their family members in Darfur die,” said Dosa. “Their purpose is to work to stop this genocide.”
Dosa himself has many family members in Darfur, and is perpetually worried about their safety. Just recently his grandmother had to leave her home but was not able to go to a refugee camp in Chad, he said. While he does travel frequently to Sudan and speaks with family over the telephone, Dosa knows that they are always in danger.
He hopes that spreading awareness of the issues at hand will result in pressure by the Unites States government to facilitate peace negotiations in the war-torn region.
“People can’t help unless they understand the issues,” said Dosa.
While drought and overpopulation in Sudan, causing groups of people to relocate and mingle with other ethnic and tribal groups within the country, have been cited as part of the cause of conflict, the Sudanese government is also involved, said Dosa.
The Sudanese military has sided with the Janjaweed militia group, on one side of the conflict, and is accused of providing money and assistance to the militia group, which, Dosa says, has exacerbated the conflict.
While the U.S. government has described the conflict as genocide, little has been done by the United States and the United Nations to really work toward bringing peace to Darfur, said Dosa.
Dosa has been traveling around the United States, spreading awareness of the conflict in Darfur. He spoke at universities in Washington, D.C., Denver, and New York before coming to Ojai.
The talk was organized by The Thacher School staff through Amnesty International, the student-led division of the Genocide Intervention Network, and the Darfur People’s Association of New York.
Dosa will speak about the conflict and answer questions at The Thacher School Humanities Building, Room 14, at 6:30 p.m. at 5025 Thacher Road.
Measure P lags in late vote count
Francina also falls farther behind in race for council seat, official results expected Dec. 2
By Nao Braverman
With updated election results, the Ojai Unified School District’s parcel tax measure appeared even less likely to pass Tuesday than it did Thursday, Nov. 7.
Measure P, which requires a two-thirds majority vote to be enacted, was just 92 votes short of passing the evening of Thursday, Nov. 7. Yesterday morning the votes were 110 votes short of passing, with 5,635 ballots, 65.39 percent in favor of the measure, of the 8,617 ballots cast. There were still roughly 1,890 ballots remaining to be counted within the Ojai Unified School District as of Tuesday morning. If the trend remains consistent, the votes will fall just short of the number required to pass the parcel tax, which would have enacted a $89 per parcel tax for seven years to raise operating money for the school district.
Countywide there were 54,939 ballots left to be counted Tuesday, according to assistant registrar of voters Tracy Saucedo.
Betsy Clapp was still in the lead of the Ojai City Council race Tuesday, with 1,395 votes, 27.4 percent of the ballots counted.
The gap between votes cast for returning Mayor Sue Horgan and former Mayor Suza Francina was widened, giving Horgan a more solid place ahead of Francina with 1,175 votes, 23.08 percent of of the ballots counted.
Francina had received 1,051 votes, 20.64 percent of ballots counted as of Tuesday. Incumbent Councilwoman Rae Hanstad remained in fourth place with 871 votes, 17.11 percent of ballots cast, and Mike Lenehan trailed behind with 579 votes, 11.37 percent of the ballots counted. But no results are yet official, according to Phil Schmit Ventura County clerk and recorder.
Schmit said that the Elections Division was going to take the full 28 days after the elections to count ballots and certify results. Official results will be confirmed Tuesday, Dec. 2, he said.
The elections web site is expected to be updated this afternoon.
By Nao Braverman
With updated election results, the Ojai Unified School District’s parcel tax measure appeared even less likely to pass Tuesday than it did Thursday, Nov. 7.
Measure P, which requires a two-thirds majority vote to be enacted, was just 92 votes short of passing the evening of Thursday, Nov. 7. Yesterday morning the votes were 110 votes short of passing, with 5,635 ballots, 65.39 percent in favor of the measure, of the 8,617 ballots cast. There were still roughly 1,890 ballots remaining to be counted within the Ojai Unified School District as of Tuesday morning. If the trend remains consistent, the votes will fall just short of the number required to pass the parcel tax, which would have enacted a $89 per parcel tax for seven years to raise operating money for the school district.
Countywide there were 54,939 ballots left to be counted Tuesday, according to assistant registrar of voters Tracy Saucedo.
Betsy Clapp was still in the lead of the Ojai City Council race Tuesday, with 1,395 votes, 27.4 percent of the ballots counted.
The gap between votes cast for returning Mayor Sue Horgan and former Mayor Suza Francina was widened, giving Horgan a more solid place ahead of Francina with 1,175 votes, 23.08 percent of of the ballots counted.
Francina had received 1,051 votes, 20.64 percent of ballots counted as of Tuesday. Incumbent Councilwoman Rae Hanstad remained in fourth place with 871 votes, 17.11 percent of ballots cast, and Mike Lenehan trailed behind with 579 votes, 11.37 percent of the ballots counted. But no results are yet official, according to Phil Schmit Ventura County clerk and recorder.
Schmit said that the Elections Division was going to take the full 28 days after the elections to count ballots and certify results. Official results will be confirmed Tuesday, Dec. 2, he said.
The elections web site is expected to be updated this afternoon.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Golden State Water Company seeks new rate hike
By Daryl Kelley
The monthly water bill of the typical Ojai customer of the Golden State Water Company would be hiked 4.38 percent on top of a 35 percent increase granted earlier this year under a new proposal by the San Dimas-based water firm.
Ojai customers were notified of the proposed increased this week. They may file protests with the California Public Utilities Commission's Public Advisor's Office. The address is 320 W. Fourth St., Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 930013 or e-mail, public.advisor.la@cpuc.ca.gov.
The new increase is couched as a means to promote water conservation, not as a way to increase revenues, because it would reduce the basic monthly service fee by about $5 while charging customers who use little water lower rates than those who use more.
The net effect, however, would be to increase the typical monthly bill of an Ojai resident by $4.83, the water company reported. That would mean the monthly bill of a typical resident with a five-eighths- or three-fourths-inch meter would rise from $110.25 to $115.08 unless that customer cut water use.
"The proposed rate design will result in monthly bill reductions for low usage customers and monthly bill increases for those customers who do not conserve," Golden State said in its notification letter to customers.
"The proposed conservation rate design is intended to support and encourage water conservation and will not increase net revenues to (Golden State)."
Golden State said its proposed rate changes are intended to meet the state utilities commission's objectives for water conservation.
But to reap the financial rewards of water savings, an Ojai customer's use would need to be extremely frugal, according to Ojai Valley News calculations based on rate information provided by Golden State.
For example, not only would the typical Ojai customer see a nearly $5 monthly increase, a customer who uses only two-thirds of the water of the typical customer would also see an increase of about $1 a month. The lower user's monthly bill would be $81.58 compared with $80.49 under current rates, despite a reduction in service charge from $30.45 to $25.25.
City manager Jere Kersnar said he had not yet reviewed the proposed rate increase in detail, but that he knew the proposal was presented as a way to save water.
"I do know the PUC has been encouraging utilities to have more of a tiered system of rates to encourage conservation," he said. "But the devil is always in the details."
Ojai water customers already operate under a three-tier system, and the new proposal would increase water rates at every level of use. And even with a reduction in the service charge, water bills would drop only with a sharp reduction in usage.
The city of Ojai has no control over water rates, but it filed a protest letter during the review of Golden State's previous request for a rate increase. And state officials, as part of its ruling, directed Golden State to provide the city with a detailed analysis of water quality and service reliability in Ojai.
"We still haven't seen that report," Kersnar said. "We've talked about it with them, but we still haven't seen it."
The proposed new rates would augment a steep rate hike approved early this year for Golden State's 2,860 customers in and near Ojai.
The Utilities Commission in February ratified an administrative law judge's decision that a 35 percent increase was justified for 2008 alone and that additional increases should be granted to cover hikes in the cost of living in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
That could mean that Golden State could get all of the 43 percent three-year increase it requested in 2007, prompting a firestorm of protest. Angry customers showed up at a public hearing in Ojai. At least 100 attended and more than 20 spoke. A petition signed by more than 500 upset customers was presented.
But the water company prevailed.
Last December, state Administrative Law Judge Regina DeAngelis adopted the 35 percent rate increase for Ojai residents. And the PUC adopted her ruling almost exactly.
Under the ruling, Ojai residents' water bills have increased on a sliding scale, depending on use and size of meter.
For example, the monthly bill for a resident with a five-eighths-inch line using 1,500 cubic feet of water a month, a modest amount, increased from about $50 to about $68. A customer using 3,000 cubic feet, typical for Ojai, increased from about $84 to $110.
The base service charge also increased about $11, to more than $30 a month.
Even before the rate increase this year, Golden State's rates were much higher than other local water agencies.
With this year's hike alone, Golden State's rate increases in Ojai over the last two decades total 107 percent.
Golden State, the subsidiary of a large corporation traded on the New York Stock Exchange, operates in Ojai under a long-standing, open-ended contract with the city. Its service cannot be discontinued since it owns the pumps and water lines that serve the community, unless local water users buy the waterworks — -valued by owners at about $12 million.
Company officials have said Golden State's rates are higher than those at nonprofit publicly run water companies because it has no taxpayer subsidies, has to pay taxes and must return a reasonable profit to investors.
The return on base water rates under DeAngelis' ruling was 8.87 percent a year, lower than the 9.41 percent requested by Golden State but higher than the 8.80 percent requested by the Ratepayer Advocates Office.
Under the ruling, the return on company equity was 10.2 percent, compared with a Golden State request for 11.25 percent and the Ratepayer Advocates' recommendation of 10.09 percent.
U.S. Supreme Court rulings have upheld a private company's right to a "reasonable" return on investment when operating a utility for the public, the judge noted.
At the hearings last year, Ojai residents and city officials asked DeAngelis to grant no rate increase until Golden State improved its service and water quality.
But the PUC found compelling DeAngelis' argument that the steep increase was needed to upgrade the Ojai water delivery system and water quality.
A Golden State spokesman said then that the judge's approval of a 35 percent rate increase "is very good for the community of Ojai," because it will allow the company to do much-needed repair to the city's water pipes, pumps, valves and other infrastructure. And it pays for additional workers to better serve the public.
The monthly water bill of the typical Ojai customer of the Golden State Water Company would be hiked 4.38 percent on top of a 35 percent increase granted earlier this year under a new proposal by the San Dimas-based water firm.
Ojai customers were notified of the proposed increased this week. They may file protests with the California Public Utilities Commission's Public Advisor's Office. The address is 320 W. Fourth St., Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 930013 or e-mail, public.advisor.la@cpuc.ca.gov.
The new increase is couched as a means to promote water conservation, not as a way to increase revenues, because it would reduce the basic monthly service fee by about $5 while charging customers who use little water lower rates than those who use more.
The net effect, however, would be to increase the typical monthly bill of an Ojai resident by $4.83, the water company reported. That would mean the monthly bill of a typical resident with a five-eighths- or three-fourths-inch meter would rise from $110.25 to $115.08 unless that customer cut water use.
"The proposed rate design will result in monthly bill reductions for low usage customers and monthly bill increases for those customers who do not conserve," Golden State said in its notification letter to customers.
"The proposed conservation rate design is intended to support and encourage water conservation and will not increase net revenues to (Golden State)."
Golden State said its proposed rate changes are intended to meet the state utilities commission's objectives for water conservation.
But to reap the financial rewards of water savings, an Ojai customer's use would need to be extremely frugal, according to Ojai Valley News calculations based on rate information provided by Golden State.
For example, not only would the typical Ojai customer see a nearly $5 monthly increase, a customer who uses only two-thirds of the water of the typical customer would also see an increase of about $1 a month. The lower user's monthly bill would be $81.58 compared with $80.49 under current rates, despite a reduction in service charge from $30.45 to $25.25.
City manager Jere Kersnar said he had not yet reviewed the proposed rate increase in detail, but that he knew the proposal was presented as a way to save water.
"I do know the PUC has been encouraging utilities to have more of a tiered system of rates to encourage conservation," he said. "But the devil is always in the details."
Ojai water customers already operate under a three-tier system, and the new proposal would increase water rates at every level of use. And even with a reduction in the service charge, water bills would drop only with a sharp reduction in usage.
The city of Ojai has no control over water rates, but it filed a protest letter during the review of Golden State's previous request for a rate increase. And state officials, as part of its ruling, directed Golden State to provide the city with a detailed analysis of water quality and service reliability in Ojai.
"We still haven't seen that report," Kersnar said. "We've talked about it with them, but we still haven't seen it."
The proposed new rates would augment a steep rate hike approved early this year for Golden State's 2,860 customers in and near Ojai.
The Utilities Commission in February ratified an administrative law judge's decision that a 35 percent increase was justified for 2008 alone and that additional increases should be granted to cover hikes in the cost of living in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
That could mean that Golden State could get all of the 43 percent three-year increase it requested in 2007, prompting a firestorm of protest. Angry customers showed up at a public hearing in Ojai. At least 100 attended and more than 20 spoke. A petition signed by more than 500 upset customers was presented.
But the water company prevailed.
Last December, state Administrative Law Judge Regina DeAngelis adopted the 35 percent rate increase for Ojai residents. And the PUC adopted her ruling almost exactly.
Under the ruling, Ojai residents' water bills have increased on a sliding scale, depending on use and size of meter.
For example, the monthly bill for a resident with a five-eighths-inch line using 1,500 cubic feet of water a month, a modest amount, increased from about $50 to about $68. A customer using 3,000 cubic feet, typical for Ojai, increased from about $84 to $110.
The base service charge also increased about $11, to more than $30 a month.
Even before the rate increase this year, Golden State's rates were much higher than other local water agencies.
With this year's hike alone, Golden State's rate increases in Ojai over the last two decades total 107 percent.
Golden State, the subsidiary of a large corporation traded on the New York Stock Exchange, operates in Ojai under a long-standing, open-ended contract with the city. Its service cannot be discontinued since it owns the pumps and water lines that serve the community, unless local water users buy the waterworks — -valued by owners at about $12 million.
Company officials have said Golden State's rates are higher than those at nonprofit publicly run water companies because it has no taxpayer subsidies, has to pay taxes and must return a reasonable profit to investors.
The return on base water rates under DeAngelis' ruling was 8.87 percent a year, lower than the 9.41 percent requested by Golden State but higher than the 8.80 percent requested by the Ratepayer Advocates Office.
Under the ruling, the return on company equity was 10.2 percent, compared with a Golden State request for 11.25 percent and the Ratepayer Advocates' recommendation of 10.09 percent.
U.S. Supreme Court rulings have upheld a private company's right to a "reasonable" return on investment when operating a utility for the public, the judge noted.
At the hearings last year, Ojai residents and city officials asked DeAngelis to grant no rate increase until Golden State improved its service and water quality.
But the PUC found compelling DeAngelis' argument that the steep increase was needed to upgrade the Ojai water delivery system and water quality.
A Golden State spokesman said then that the judge's approval of a 35 percent rate increase "is very good for the community of Ojai," because it will allow the company to do much-needed repair to the city's water pipes, pumps, valves and other infrastructure. And it pays for additional workers to better serve the public.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Outcome of local races still uncertain
Measure P, 19th Senatorial District, 37th Assembly District hinge on abesentee ballots
By Daryl Kelley
Ojai voters split their vote Tuesday in the race for two seats on the City Council, apparently giving challenger Betsy Clapp a spot on the council and probably returning Mayor Sue Horgan for a third full term on the council.
But those results are preliminary, and perhaps one-third of the Ojai vote had not been counted by Thursday morning, because so many votes were cast as absentee ballots on Election Day, officials said.
Meanwhile, the fate of a school parcel tax also still rides on absentee ballots, while two incumbents were returned to the board of the Ojai Valley's largest water district.
Two state legislative races remained close Thursday, with Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson leading Republican Tony Strickland by about 100 votes for a state Senate seat and Republican Assemblywoman Audra Strickland ahead of civics teacher Ferial Masry, the Democratic challenger, by a few thousand votes.
Initial results also showed that Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, easily won a 12th term in Congress, despite a strong Democratic vote nationwide. He defeated Marta Jorgensen, a former nurse and teacher from Solvang.
Countywide, at least 86,000 late absentee and provisional ballots were still to be counted Thursday morning, election officials said.
And, in Ojai, City Clerk Carlon Strobel said she wouldn't be comfortable predicting any close race because so many voters made their choices on absentee ballots on Election Day or mailed them late in the process.
She said she had expected at least a 72 percent turnout of the city's 5,089 registered voters, but votes from only about 46 percent had been counted by Thursday morning. That means that perhaps 2,700 votes for council had not been counted, while 4,648 had been counted, Strobel said.
"People are holding onto their ballots and casting them on Election Day or a couple of days before," she said. "You can see a trend based on the votes so far, but I can't project winners based on 46 percent (of registered voters)."
About 64 percent of Ojai's registered voters turned out in fall 2006 for congressional elections, and Strobel said she thinks that increased to at least 72 percent in this presidential election.
For the Ojai council, Clapp, who ran on a platform of change, had received 1,275 votes, or 27.43 percent, to head the five-person field. Horgan, who stressed the accomplishments of the current council, had pulled 1,057 votes, 22.74 percent, to place second. Former Mayor Suza Francina, was third with 969 votes, 20.85 percent, while incumbent Councilperson Rae Hanstad had placed fourth with 790 votes, or 17 percent of ballots cast. Recreation Commissioner Mike Lenehan had 536 votes, 11.53 percent.
Election officials had to report to the state by 5 p.m. Thursday how many votes were cast in Ventura County and how many were yet to be counted. While updated counting of absentee and provisional ballots will be posted on the county registrar of voters' web site promptly, semi-final results will not be known for a couple of weeks and final results don't have to be delivered to the state for 28 days after the Nov. 4 election.
Two years ago, it took nearly a month for City Council results to be finalized, and a 76-vote margin decided one council seat. That margin, however, remained about the same from Election Day until the final tally was released, so there was no surprise.
On Tuesday, the separation between council candidates was greater, although Francina trailed Horgan by just 88 votes for the second available council seat.
Indeed, Horgan, first appointed to the council in 1999, was cautious about saying too much Wednesday morning.
"I'm honored to be able to serve another term," she said. "I'm just trying to digest it all."
She said she'd have more to say about her goals in the new term once the results are final.
Francina said she still hopes to win the second council seat: "I'm delighted that Betsy Clapp is in the lead and I'm hoping to catch up. Sue is 88 votes ahead of me, (so) anything is possible. It's in the hands of fate! … If the outcome is still the same, I sincerely congratulate both Sue and Betsy."
Clapp, a small business owner who ran with backing from environmentalists and a Chamber of Commerce endorsement, said she feels she's been handed a mandate for change, but needs the cooperation of the rest of the council to accomplish her goals.
"My feeling now is that I have a responsibility to bring the change people said they wanted and need," she said the morning after her victory. "That is to make Ojai an economically strong and environmentally sustainable community. But I'm only one vote, and I hope the City Council will join me to move forward as quickly as possible. It takes three votes to make these changes."
Among Clapp's primary goals, she said, is to create citizen committees to oversee budget, police and water issues, and also to form a valleywide recreation district.
She said she also wants the council to work harder to "market" Ojai as a tourist destination, "to keep ourselves strong in frightening economic times."
Clapp said a key issue in the months to come is what is to happen to property owned by the Ojai Unified School District at its district headquarters on Ojai Avenue at Montgomery Street.
Hanstad, a consultant on drug issues and a council member since 2000, said she was disappointed not to receive a third term.
"My heartfelt congratulations to Sue and Betsy," Hanstad said. "Clearly, there was a lot of interest in Betsy's message for change."
Hanstad, a longtime community volunteer before she won a council seat, said she will now "take a sabbatical" from public life.
In other local election results Tuesday, Ojai school officials were digesting a razor-thin, 87-vote loss of the ballot measure to establish a small parcel tax to support the school district. In unofficial results, Measure P received 65.42 percent of 7,418 ballots cast, but a two-thirds super majority was required to enact the new property tax.
On the Casitas Municipal Water board, directors Jim Word and Pete Kaiser were re-elected, with Ventura-based Word getting nearly 82 percent of the vote to defeat salesperson David Norrdin. Kaiser won in the division representing Oak View and Mira Monte by defeating perennial candidate Jeff Ketelsen by an almost 2-1 margin.
Kaiser also was returned to the board of the Ojai Valley Sanitary District, easily defeating Ketelsen and a third candidate, Frank McNerney.
Incumbent William Stone was apparently defeated by state licensed contractor George Galgas for a second sanitary board seat. But Galgas led Stone by only five votes, 470 to 465, in the initial count.
On the Ojai Valley MAC, challenger Gerald Kaplan defeated incumbent Alan Saltzman, with Kaplan getting nearly 56 percent of the vote.
For the Meiners Oaks Water board, incumbents James Barrett was re-elected with about 38 percent of ballots. But a second incumbent, Karol Ballantine, was knocked off by retired business owner Norm Davis. Davis got about 36 percent of ballots, while Ballantine got 25 percent.
By Daryl Kelley
Ojai voters split their vote Tuesday in the race for two seats on the City Council, apparently giving challenger Betsy Clapp a spot on the council and probably returning Mayor Sue Horgan for a third full term on the council.
But those results are preliminary, and perhaps one-third of the Ojai vote had not been counted by Thursday morning, because so many votes were cast as absentee ballots on Election Day, officials said.
Meanwhile, the fate of a school parcel tax also still rides on absentee ballots, while two incumbents were returned to the board of the Ojai Valley's largest water district.
Two state legislative races remained close Thursday, with Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson leading Republican Tony Strickland by about 100 votes for a state Senate seat and Republican Assemblywoman Audra Strickland ahead of civics teacher Ferial Masry, the Democratic challenger, by a few thousand votes.
Initial results also showed that Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, easily won a 12th term in Congress, despite a strong Democratic vote nationwide. He defeated Marta Jorgensen, a former nurse and teacher from Solvang.
Countywide, at least 86,000 late absentee and provisional ballots were still to be counted Thursday morning, election officials said.
And, in Ojai, City Clerk Carlon Strobel said she wouldn't be comfortable predicting any close race because so many voters made their choices on absentee ballots on Election Day or mailed them late in the process.
She said she had expected at least a 72 percent turnout of the city's 5,089 registered voters, but votes from only about 46 percent had been counted by Thursday morning. That means that perhaps 2,700 votes for council had not been counted, while 4,648 had been counted, Strobel said.
"People are holding onto their ballots and casting them on Election Day or a couple of days before," she said. "You can see a trend based on the votes so far, but I can't project winners based on 46 percent (of registered voters)."
About 64 percent of Ojai's registered voters turned out in fall 2006 for congressional elections, and Strobel said she thinks that increased to at least 72 percent in this presidential election.
For the Ojai council, Clapp, who ran on a platform of change, had received 1,275 votes, or 27.43 percent, to head the five-person field. Horgan, who stressed the accomplishments of the current council, had pulled 1,057 votes, 22.74 percent, to place second. Former Mayor Suza Francina, was third with 969 votes, 20.85 percent, while incumbent Councilperson Rae Hanstad had placed fourth with 790 votes, or 17 percent of ballots cast. Recreation Commissioner Mike Lenehan had 536 votes, 11.53 percent.
Election officials had to report to the state by 5 p.m. Thursday how many votes were cast in Ventura County and how many were yet to be counted. While updated counting of absentee and provisional ballots will be posted on the county registrar of voters' web site promptly, semi-final results will not be known for a couple of weeks and final results don't have to be delivered to the state for 28 days after the Nov. 4 election.
Two years ago, it took nearly a month for City Council results to be finalized, and a 76-vote margin decided one council seat. That margin, however, remained about the same from Election Day until the final tally was released, so there was no surprise.
On Tuesday, the separation between council candidates was greater, although Francina trailed Horgan by just 88 votes for the second available council seat.
Indeed, Horgan, first appointed to the council in 1999, was cautious about saying too much Wednesday morning.
"I'm honored to be able to serve another term," she said. "I'm just trying to digest it all."
She said she'd have more to say about her goals in the new term once the results are final.
Francina said she still hopes to win the second council seat: "I'm delighted that Betsy Clapp is in the lead and I'm hoping to catch up. Sue is 88 votes ahead of me, (so) anything is possible. It's in the hands of fate! … If the outcome is still the same, I sincerely congratulate both Sue and Betsy."
Clapp, a small business owner who ran with backing from environmentalists and a Chamber of Commerce endorsement, said she feels she's been handed a mandate for change, but needs the cooperation of the rest of the council to accomplish her goals.
"My feeling now is that I have a responsibility to bring the change people said they wanted and need," she said the morning after her victory. "That is to make Ojai an economically strong and environmentally sustainable community. But I'm only one vote, and I hope the City Council will join me to move forward as quickly as possible. It takes three votes to make these changes."
Among Clapp's primary goals, she said, is to create citizen committees to oversee budget, police and water issues, and also to form a valleywide recreation district.
She said she also wants the council to work harder to "market" Ojai as a tourist destination, "to keep ourselves strong in frightening economic times."
Clapp said a key issue in the months to come is what is to happen to property owned by the Ojai Unified School District at its district headquarters on Ojai Avenue at Montgomery Street.
Hanstad, a consultant on drug issues and a council member since 2000, said she was disappointed not to receive a third term.
"My heartfelt congratulations to Sue and Betsy," Hanstad said. "Clearly, there was a lot of interest in Betsy's message for change."
Hanstad, a longtime community volunteer before she won a council seat, said she will now "take a sabbatical" from public life.
In other local election results Tuesday, Ojai school officials were digesting a razor-thin, 87-vote loss of the ballot measure to establish a small parcel tax to support the school district. In unofficial results, Measure P received 65.42 percent of 7,418 ballots cast, but a two-thirds super majority was required to enact the new property tax.
On the Casitas Municipal Water board, directors Jim Word and Pete Kaiser were re-elected, with Ventura-based Word getting nearly 82 percent of the vote to defeat salesperson David Norrdin. Kaiser won in the division representing Oak View and Mira Monte by defeating perennial candidate Jeff Ketelsen by an almost 2-1 margin.
Kaiser also was returned to the board of the Ojai Valley Sanitary District, easily defeating Ketelsen and a third candidate, Frank McNerney.
Incumbent William Stone was apparently defeated by state licensed contractor George Galgas for a second sanitary board seat. But Galgas led Stone by only five votes, 470 to 465, in the initial count.
On the Ojai Valley MAC, challenger Gerald Kaplan defeated incumbent Alan Saltzman, with Kaplan getting nearly 56 percent of the vote.
For the Meiners Oaks Water board, incumbents James Barrett was re-elected with about 38 percent of ballots. But a second incumbent, Karol Ballantine, was knocked off by retired business owner Norm Davis. Davis got about 36 percent of ballots, while Ballantine got 25 percent.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Local election results
The Ventura County Elections Office should have results for Ojai voting posted around 11 p.m. Tuesday evening.
For up-to-the-minute election results, click these links. If the links aren't live, cut and paste into the browser of your choice. The second link should take you right to the Ojai City Council race.
The left-side window of the county elections frame will take right to the race you seek, from Obama-McCain for President, to Kaplan-Saltzman for Municipal Advisory Council.
http://recorder.countyofventura.org/Election%20Result.htm
http://recorder.countyofventura.org/Election%20Result.htm
OVN reporter Daryl Kelley will have a full report on local results and reaction about noon Wednesday. It will be posted as soon as its available.
For up-to-the-minute election results, click these links. If the links aren't live, cut and paste into the browser of your choice. The second link should take you right to the Ojai City Council race.
The left-side window of the county elections frame will take right to the race you seek, from Obama-McCain for President, to Kaplan-Saltzman for Municipal Advisory Council.
http://recorder.countyofventura.org/Election%20Result.htm
http://recorder.countyofventura.org/Election%20Result.htm
OVN reporter Daryl Kelley will have a full report on local results and reaction about noon Wednesday. It will be posted as soon as its available.
Ojai Film Festival set to tee off with golf tourney
Local talent includes many on the screen, and behind the scenes
By Sondra Murphy
Continuing its tradition of "enriching the human spirit through film," the ninth annual Ojai Film Festival opens tomorrow at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa golf course with its inaugural Celebrity Golf Classic benefit.
With programs illustrated by Sergio Aragonés circulating the area, locals are ready for the influx of thousands of movie-goers expected to attend the event that grows in prestige each year. In the short history of the Ojai Film Festival, more than a dozen films first shown here have gone on to be honored at other venues, including Academy Awards nominations.
The Celebrity Golf Classic is scheduled to begin tomorrow at 10 a.m. with Malcolm McDowell serving as honorary chairman of the event to benefit OFF and the Breast Cancer Resource Center at Community Memorial Hospital. Participating golfers will enjoy the company of at least six celebrity golfers gracing the green this year, a list that includes Mickey Dolenz, Robert Hays, Bobby Herbeck, Tim Matheson, Bruce McGill, Joanna Pakula and John Bennett Perry. A putting contest precedes the shamble format tournament.
Festival-goers will again view comedy, tragedy, animation, documentaries, narratives, shorts and feature-length films. Screenings begin tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the Ojai Center for the Arts and Ojai Theatre and the opening night party is slated to start at 4 p.m. at OVIS. The traditional free community screening will take place at 7 p.m. at the OVIS recreational field and features Charlie Chaplin's 1931 film, "City Lights," paired with a new digitally recorded soundtrack performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra that festival organizers expect to be well received. People attending the screening should know that they are not allowed to bring in food or beverages to the field, but refreshments will be sold on site.
Film screenings continue at OVIS and the Art Center, as well as at Matilija Auditorium, Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. A filmmakers' party will take place Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Art Center.
On Saturday, director of photography Billy Fraker will be featured during a noon seminar at the Art Center and special screenings are scheduled as part of the Lifetime Achievement Awards given this year to Ray Bradbury, Richard Donner and Lauren Shuler Donner. At Matilija, the Donners' film "Ladyhawke" will be screened at 12:30 p.m., followed by "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit," adapted from a Bradbury story, at 3 p.m. At 6 p.m., Bradbury will sign books in the lobby of the OVIS Hacienda Ballroom, then the awards ceremony honoring the Donners and Bradbury will take place at 7 p.m. inside the ballroom.
Many in the film industry will appear to pay tribute to the honorees, with others sending in video tributes for the event. Ojai's John Langley will present the award to the Donners, while Diane Ladd will present Bradbury his.
A total of 57 films are part of this year's Ojai Film Festival. The film "Tru Loved" features the Ojai Laurel Springs School graduate, Najarra Townsend, in this tale of a high school student who educates her peers by forming her school's first gay-straight alliance. Townsend has had a busy year, working in eight feature films, most of which will be released in 2009. "I feel extremely lucky to have booked this role," said Townsend. "I loved the script. 'Tru Loved' kind of opened my eyes on how one person can make such a difference. It made me stronger in my beliefs and inspired me to stand up for what I believe in." She plans to attend the festival this year and attend the Sunday screening. "Tru Loved" plays Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Art Center and Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Ojai Theatre.
"Torn from the Flag" is another film to be screened this year with Ojai connections. The documentary recalls the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and its impact on the fall of communism. Ojai resident Arpad Ecsedy is a Hungarian freedom fighter who narrowly survived an assault by Soviet tanks. The story is by Klaudia Kovács and features footage by Oscar-winning cinematographer László Kovács, who died shortly after the film was completed. Ecsedy and wife, Yudit, will host an open house Saturday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 210 Descanso Ave., where Klaudia Kovács and Arpad Ecsedy will answer questions and relate experiences.
"I saw this film in Los Angeles recently and Klaudia did an excellent job," said Arpad Ecsedy. "It surprised me because she is a young one and, mostly, young ones are not interested in history. She had a very hard job to put it together because she didn't have a bunch of money, so had to be thrifty to do everything."
The couple has welcomed the filmmaker to their home before. "I met Klaudia at a party in Los Angeles about a year ago," said Yudit Ecsedy. "She has been working on this film for about nine years and I realized she's up to something very big. Her intention is to show that what happened in a little town influenced history. It's a really well-made film and László used his own personal footage. Klaudia hopes to have a new generation see what went on, and my prayer is that people will get that this is not just a historical moment, it's a spirit that needs to be honored today of freedom, self-expression and responsiveness and be in people's consciousness. And it is now an Oscar contender."
Academy Award winner Vilmos Zsigmond also acted as executive producer of the film. "Torn from the Flag" will be screened Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Ojai Theatre and is not considered appropriate for people under 16.
Advance purchase of a variety of golf or ticket packages and passes may be made by calling the OFF office at 640-1947 or by logging onto the web site at ojaifilmfestival.com. A full schedule of the many film screenings, events and locations is also detailed on the web site.
By Sondra Murphy
Continuing its tradition of "enriching the human spirit through film," the ninth annual Ojai Film Festival opens tomorrow at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa golf course with its inaugural Celebrity Golf Classic benefit.
With programs illustrated by Sergio Aragonés circulating the area, locals are ready for the influx of thousands of movie-goers expected to attend the event that grows in prestige each year. In the short history of the Ojai Film Festival, more than a dozen films first shown here have gone on to be honored at other venues, including Academy Awards nominations.
The Celebrity Golf Classic is scheduled to begin tomorrow at 10 a.m. with Malcolm McDowell serving as honorary chairman of the event to benefit OFF and the Breast Cancer Resource Center at Community Memorial Hospital. Participating golfers will enjoy the company of at least six celebrity golfers gracing the green this year, a list that includes Mickey Dolenz, Robert Hays, Bobby Herbeck, Tim Matheson, Bruce McGill, Joanna Pakula and John Bennett Perry. A putting contest precedes the shamble format tournament.
Festival-goers will again view comedy, tragedy, animation, documentaries, narratives, shorts and feature-length films. Screenings begin tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the Ojai Center for the Arts and Ojai Theatre and the opening night party is slated to start at 4 p.m. at OVIS. The traditional free community screening will take place at 7 p.m. at the OVIS recreational field and features Charlie Chaplin's 1931 film, "City Lights," paired with a new digitally recorded soundtrack performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra that festival organizers expect to be well received. People attending the screening should know that they are not allowed to bring in food or beverages to the field, but refreshments will be sold on site.
Film screenings continue at OVIS and the Art Center, as well as at Matilija Auditorium, Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. A filmmakers' party will take place Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Art Center.
On Saturday, director of photography Billy Fraker will be featured during a noon seminar at the Art Center and special screenings are scheduled as part of the Lifetime Achievement Awards given this year to Ray Bradbury, Richard Donner and Lauren Shuler Donner. At Matilija, the Donners' film "Ladyhawke" will be screened at 12:30 p.m., followed by "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit," adapted from a Bradbury story, at 3 p.m. At 6 p.m., Bradbury will sign books in the lobby of the OVIS Hacienda Ballroom, then the awards ceremony honoring the Donners and Bradbury will take place at 7 p.m. inside the ballroom.
Many in the film industry will appear to pay tribute to the honorees, with others sending in video tributes for the event. Ojai's John Langley will present the award to the Donners, while Diane Ladd will present Bradbury his.
A total of 57 films are part of this year's Ojai Film Festival. The film "Tru Loved" features the Ojai Laurel Springs School graduate, Najarra Townsend, in this tale of a high school student who educates her peers by forming her school's first gay-straight alliance. Townsend has had a busy year, working in eight feature films, most of which will be released in 2009. "I feel extremely lucky to have booked this role," said Townsend. "I loved the script. 'Tru Loved' kind of opened my eyes on how one person can make such a difference. It made me stronger in my beliefs and inspired me to stand up for what I believe in." She plans to attend the festival this year and attend the Sunday screening. "Tru Loved" plays Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Art Center and Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Ojai Theatre.
"Torn from the Flag" is another film to be screened this year with Ojai connections. The documentary recalls the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and its impact on the fall of communism. Ojai resident Arpad Ecsedy is a Hungarian freedom fighter who narrowly survived an assault by Soviet tanks. The story is by Klaudia Kovács and features footage by Oscar-winning cinematographer László Kovács, who died shortly after the film was completed. Ecsedy and wife, Yudit, will host an open house Saturday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 210 Descanso Ave., where Klaudia Kovács and Arpad Ecsedy will answer questions and relate experiences.
"I saw this film in Los Angeles recently and Klaudia did an excellent job," said Arpad Ecsedy. "It surprised me because she is a young one and, mostly, young ones are not interested in history. She had a very hard job to put it together because she didn't have a bunch of money, so had to be thrifty to do everything."
The couple has welcomed the filmmaker to their home before. "I met Klaudia at a party in Los Angeles about a year ago," said Yudit Ecsedy. "She has been working on this film for about nine years and I realized she's up to something very big. Her intention is to show that what happened in a little town influenced history. It's a really well-made film and László used his own personal footage. Klaudia hopes to have a new generation see what went on, and my prayer is that people will get that this is not just a historical moment, it's a spirit that needs to be honored today of freedom, self-expression and responsiveness and be in people's consciousness. And it is now an Oscar contender."
Academy Award winner Vilmos Zsigmond also acted as executive producer of the film. "Torn from the Flag" will be screened Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Ojai Theatre and is not considered appropriate for people under 16.
Advance purchase of a variety of golf or ticket packages and passes may be made by calling the OFF office at 640-1947 or by logging onto the web site at ojaifilmfestival.com. A full schedule of the many film screenings, events and locations is also detailed on the web site.
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