Saturday opening for fueling station, group seeks to prove need
By Linda Harmon
The energy crisis has given rise to a new type of fueling station in Ojai, biodiesel. The Ventura County Biodiesel Cooperative is having its grand opening July 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Help of Ojai’s West Campus, 370 Baldwin Road.
The solar-powered traveling fuel pump can hold over 1,000 gallons of fuel, which the group purchases and then retails. Interested customers normally will go online to become a purchasing member, but for the opening day only, the cooperative plans on offering a one-day membership to try their fuel.
“We are particularly proud of this batch because it comes from recycled vegetable oil,” said Tom Francis, who, along with other area residents Paul Jenkin, Kent Bullard, Christopher Blunt and Scott Wilson, is responsible for bringing the cooperative’s trailer to Ojai. “We have two missions in bringing it here. The first of which is to let people know that biodiesel is a carbon neutral fuel.”
According to Francis, the exhaust coming out of your tailpipe with this fuel will be absorbed by the plants that are now being grown to make future bio-fuel.
“In this situation you’re burning carbon,” said Francis, “but we’re also growing plants which will clean the air by pulling the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.”
The cooperative members hope to quantify the need and demonstrate the demand in the Ojai area for the plant-based fuels.
“We’re a nonprofit and we want to prove there’s a market,” said Francis. “Later we hope someone else will come to Ojai and put in a pump. Our goal is to be successful and be put out of business.”
The idea is for the cooperative to move the trailer to different locations to determine the market, moving on and expanding the neighborhoods served by others as it goes.
“How long it stays is up to Ojai,” said Francis. “It depends on how many people step up to the plate and use it. The trailer will go where the demand is.”
The co-op members also want to make clear that customers don’t have to convert their diesel car to burn biodiesel.
“Basically if you take a fuel cap off your diesel car to fill it, you can pump bio-fuel into it and then put the cap back on,” said Francis with a laugh. “The biodiesel is run through a process to take the glycerin out of it and the process produces a nice, clean, thin fuel that can burn in any diesel (engine).”
In response to objections raised by opponents of bio-fuels who say land should not be used to grow fuel but feed the hungry, Francis said, “That is a valid concern because people don’t want to think of people starving, but I think people should really look into changing their diet first.”
Francis feels re-directing some of the land used for animal production into human food production is a better answer and allows for use of bio-fuels as an alternative to polluting and declining reserves of fossil fuels.
“The state of California animal waste surpasses human waste several thousand-fold each year,” said Francis. “Animal production is the No. 1 depleter of both topsoil and our fresh water aquifers.”
Francis feels that not only do the advantages of bio-fuels to the environment far outweigh the disadvantages, but its costs are now typically within 10 cents of what a gallon of regular diesel costs. A gallon of the cooperative’s biodiesel is now $5.26 according to Francis.
To find out more go to biodieselnow.com.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Lake Casitas User Fees To Increase
$800,000 deficit prompts rise in recreational feesBy Daryl Kelley
Faced with a burgeoning budget deficit, directors of the Lake Casitas Recreation Area voted this week to hike an array of fees charged to customers at their popular lakeside camping grounds and water park.
Beginning Sept. 2, the fee for a vehicle to enter the park off Baldwin Road will increase from $8 to $10 and charges for a camp site will jump from $19 every day to $25 for weekdays and $30 for weekends and holidays.
The charge to launch a boat will also escalate from $7 a day to $10, while the basic charge to hook up a recreational vehicle to drinking water and electricity will jump from $30 to $35 and $40, depending on time of week.
For kids, the popular Water Adventure summer water park remains affordable. A season pass will increase from $70 to $75, and daily entry will stay the same at $12. Daily fees for kayaks will remain a bargain at $3, with annual passes still costing just $30.
“I hope we’re not shooting ourselves in the foot,” said director Bill Hicks. “There is an elasticity in the demand (if the rates go too high). The thing that bothers me the most are the tents: Those usually are people who can’t afford it.”
But Steve Wickstrum, general manager of Casitas Municipal Water District, which operates the park, said the district had no choice. Facing an $800,000 deficit in an annual Recreation Area budget of about $3.5 million, the district can cover about $400,000 of that red ink by slashing overhead expenses and hiking fees, he said.
The remaining $400,000 deficit will have to be made up with a transfer from district reserve accounts or the district’s general fund, which is supported by water customer fees and property taxes.
The Recreation Area, which has always made money, is facing a large deficit for the 2008-2009 fiscal year, which began this month, because for the first time accountants deducted about $600,000 in depreciation costs from its net profit. That depreciation must be set aside to cover costs of maintaining the park’s attractions in future years.
Without the depreciation write-down, the park made a profit of about $200,000.
District directors said at a hearing Tuesday that their goal remains for the Recreation Area to be self-supporting. And they were bothered by the deficit.
“That $400,000 deficit is not theory, it’s reality … How am I supposed to get my arms around this $400,000 deficit,” Director Russ Baggerly asked Wickstrum.
But Wickstrum said Recreation Area labor and overhead expenses have been cut to the bone in the new budget, and that Casitas might price itself out of the market if fees were raised higher than the board has now approved.
“I think we’ve gone about as far as we can on these fees,” Wickstrum said.
For example, Casitas’ daily vehicle fees of $15 on weekends will be higher than the $10 charged at Lake Piru, $11 at Castaic Lake and $8 at Lake Cachuma, and weekend tent campsites will also cost more than at those competing lakes. Daily boat fees will be about the same as competitors’.
Wickstrum said, however, that there are other unknowns about balancing the budget, even with the fee increases.
He said the soaring cost of fuel could keep visitors home and that restrictions on the use of boats at Lake Casitas, because of the threat of contamination by migrating quagga mussels, could reduce revenue, although it hasn’t so far.
The biggest source of the Recreation Area’s $3.5 million in revenue each year is boat fees, providing about $1.5 million, while ticket sales at the water park account for $650,000. Daily vehicle visits provide about $500,000, and camping $150,000. A sharp drop in any of those areas would cripple the budget.
“I think this is something we’re going to have to closely monitor,” said Director Pete Kaiser.
A positive, Wickstrum said, is that future recreation area budgets will not be so affected by depreciation write-offs. This year’s budget took a hit because depreciation had not been adequately covered in the past, he said.
The Recreation Area is open from sunup until sundown seven days a week all year long.
In other action Tuesday, Casitas directors moved to allow kayaks and canoes greater access to the lake despite a ban on outside watercraft unless they meet strict standards to prevent mussel infestation.
The board approved five methods by which kayak owners may access the lake, while assuring their craft have not been used in other lakes.
Owners may store kayaks at the lake for a small fee, $1 per foot of craft length per month. They may use district-approved tags and cables to attach the craft to a trailer, a wheeled carrier or another kayak, so any unapproved use could be detected because the lock tag would be destroyed when the craft is detached.
Or, under a method devised by Oak View resident Steve Grumette, the kayaker or canoeist could attach the craft to the roof of his car via a PVC pipe-and-cable rack. Grumette, a 35-year kayaker, said he would produce the roof rack-and-lock mechanism for $50 to $70 each.
“Once it’s publicized there’s an unknown number of kayakers out there who’ll be interested,” said Grumette, a professional filmmaker who is also artistic director of the Ojai Film Festival.
“There are many who don’t want their kayaks stored at the lake, where they are short of room, or don’t want to have it lock to their cars,” he said. “So this would work for them.”
Ojai Bank Adding New Branches
Ojai Community Bank buys Santa Barbara Bank & Trust’s Santa Paula branch offices
By Sondra Murphy
Ojai Community Bank has integrated the concept of investing locally into its business plan. Now, after three years of success, OCB is expanding its horizons — but not too far.
“We have signed a definitive agreement for the purchase and the acquisition of two branch offices of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust that are located on Main Street and Harvard Boulevard in Santa Paula,” said Shari Skinner, OCB president and CEO. “The agreement is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, but we anticipate closing the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2008.”
That time period runs Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. OCB currently has about 311 shareholders.
Skinner said that since starting OCB in 2005, it has grown to be worth about $50 million. With the acquisition of the Santa Paula sites, the board expects to more than double its assets to around $110 million. OCB and SBBT began dialogues when the latter decided to focus more on trust and wealth management. Skinner said this was perfect timing for OCB to expand its consumer and small business banking.
OCB’s Don Scanlin recently took over as chairman of the board, a position previously held by John W. Russell. “Seven of us were all involved with the founding of the bank and we opened our doors March of 2005,” said Scanlin. “The main thing that prompted it was that Ojai didn’t have a true community bank after Ojai Valley Bank was purchased. We believed deeply in the community banking concept and what it can do for a community.”
Scanlin is proud of the fact that a high proportion of shareholders are locals. “Over 80 percent of our shares were sold to people who have Ojai residences, so we are truly locally owned,” he said. OCB shares are publicly traded on the over-the-counter bulletin board. Its stock symbol is ojcb.
Taking that small-town approach over the summit is a good fit for the company that has grown to employ 19 at Ojai Community Bank. “Our idea really is to have very small banks that don’t just expand into a giant bank so we can stay personal and serve local needs,” said Skinner. “We will be looking to the community through our Charitable Giving Program to help us develop programs to help support Santa Paula.”
The Charitable Giving Program produces funds that OCB reinvests in local endeavors. With each OCB account opened, $25 is given to a community organization with the customers directing the funds. “So far, we’ve given $25,000 a year to that program and we expect that to go up,” said Skinner. “Since we’ve opened, we have given more than 10 percent of our earnings to local nonprofits.”
OCB hopes to expand its community mindedness. “Our intent in going over to Santa Paula is to continue to run the bank with the staffs there and, if good fortune smiles on us, we will employ more,” said Skinner. “I actually think that, by moving it from a branch environment to a bank environment, it will be a positive move for them as well.”
The Harvard Boulevard branch is a leased location, but the Main Street acquisition includes the real estate as well. OCB plans to rename the SBBT branches Santa Paula Community Bank and provide the same kind of personal and community-based banking services in Santa Paula as it has in Ojai. “What we’re doing here is bringing local community banking into Santa Paula,” said Skinner. “We really believe in small community banks. Our long-term plan is to have very small, community banks that work on supporting the local communities.”
The idea of keeping banking small and local seems to go against the current trend in business, but it has paid off for OCB. “Ultimately, we have plans for doing this in other communities, as well,” said Scanlin. “We think there’s a bright future in that and it will do a lot of good to the com-munities and that will help our business plan succeed so we hope this is the first of many moves like this. I’m thrilled with the opportunity given to us.”
Scanlin was born and raised in Fillmore and worked in the oil industry before operating a real estate business in Santa Paula for 18 years, so he is enthusiastic about OCB’s expansion. “It’s kind of a coming home for me personally,” he said.
George Leis, president and chief executive officer of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, and himself an Ojai resident, said that the while the bank was committed to its seven other Ventura County branches, the “Santa Paula region would be better served by a bank that can really pay attention to this unique community.
“Santa Paula has been a good market for us, but it’s one we believe that (Ojai Community Bank) will do a better job of operating.”
By Sondra Murphy
Ojai Community Bank has integrated the concept of investing locally into its business plan. Now, after three years of success, OCB is expanding its horizons — but not too far.
“We have signed a definitive agreement for the purchase and the acquisition of two branch offices of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust that are located on Main Street and Harvard Boulevard in Santa Paula,” said Shari Skinner, OCB president and CEO. “The agreement is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, but we anticipate closing the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2008.”
That time period runs Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. OCB currently has about 311 shareholders.
Skinner said that since starting OCB in 2005, it has grown to be worth about $50 million. With the acquisition of the Santa Paula sites, the board expects to more than double its assets to around $110 million. OCB and SBBT began dialogues when the latter decided to focus more on trust and wealth management. Skinner said this was perfect timing for OCB to expand its consumer and small business banking.
OCB’s Don Scanlin recently took over as chairman of the board, a position previously held by John W. Russell. “Seven of us were all involved with the founding of the bank and we opened our doors March of 2005,” said Scanlin. “The main thing that prompted it was that Ojai didn’t have a true community bank after Ojai Valley Bank was purchased. We believed deeply in the community banking concept and what it can do for a community.”
Scanlin is proud of the fact that a high proportion of shareholders are locals. “Over 80 percent of our shares were sold to people who have Ojai residences, so we are truly locally owned,” he said. OCB shares are publicly traded on the over-the-counter bulletin board. Its stock symbol is ojcb.
Taking that small-town approach over the summit is a good fit for the company that has grown to employ 19 at Ojai Community Bank. “Our idea really is to have very small banks that don’t just expand into a giant bank so we can stay personal and serve local needs,” said Skinner. “We will be looking to the community through our Charitable Giving Program to help us develop programs to help support Santa Paula.”
The Charitable Giving Program produces funds that OCB reinvests in local endeavors. With each OCB account opened, $25 is given to a community organization with the customers directing the funds. “So far, we’ve given $25,000 a year to that program and we expect that to go up,” said Skinner. “Since we’ve opened, we have given more than 10 percent of our earnings to local nonprofits.”
OCB hopes to expand its community mindedness. “Our intent in going over to Santa Paula is to continue to run the bank with the staffs there and, if good fortune smiles on us, we will employ more,” said Skinner. “I actually think that, by moving it from a branch environment to a bank environment, it will be a positive move for them as well.”
The Harvard Boulevard branch is a leased location, but the Main Street acquisition includes the real estate as well. OCB plans to rename the SBBT branches Santa Paula Community Bank and provide the same kind of personal and community-based banking services in Santa Paula as it has in Ojai. “What we’re doing here is bringing local community banking into Santa Paula,” said Skinner. “We really believe in small community banks. Our long-term plan is to have very small, community banks that work on supporting the local communities.”
The idea of keeping banking small and local seems to go against the current trend in business, but it has paid off for OCB. “Ultimately, we have plans for doing this in other communities, as well,” said Scanlin. “We think there’s a bright future in that and it will do a lot of good to the com-munities and that will help our business plan succeed so we hope this is the first of many moves like this. I’m thrilled with the opportunity given to us.”
Scanlin was born and raised in Fillmore and worked in the oil industry before operating a real estate business in Santa Paula for 18 years, so he is enthusiastic about OCB’s expansion. “It’s kind of a coming home for me personally,” he said.
George Leis, president and chief executive officer of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, and himself an Ojai resident, said that the while the bank was committed to its seven other Ventura County branches, the “Santa Paula region would be better served by a bank that can really pay attention to this unique community.
“Santa Paula has been a good market for us, but it’s one we believe that (Ojai Community Bank) will do a better job of operating.”
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Police Investigate Fierro Drive Incident
Information sought on Monday's altercationBy Lenny Roberts
Ventura County Sheriff’s Department investigators are trying to determine what happened just before a 22-year-old Hispanic man was struck by a vehicle in the 1100 block of Fierro Drive Monday afternoon.
According to Ojai Police Chief Bruce Norris, some sort of altercation outside the single-family home between residents and a group of young males, who may have left the scene in a black Ford Explorer, preceded the incident.
The back window of the Explorer may have been smashed by a rock or hammer.
The victim was Mario Oseguera, 20, of Ojai. He was transported by ambulance to an awaiting helicopter at the landing zone at the former Sheriff’s Honor Farm on nearby Baldwin Road, and then to Ventura County Medical Center. He was reported to have a broken leg and head trauma.
A 1993 blue Chysler New Yorker at the scene showed evidence of significant front-end damage. The windshield was thoroughly caved in. Both sides of Fierro Drive were cordoned off, with a pool of blood visible in the street.
Daniel Charles Rockett, 19, of Ojai, was arrested at the scene on an unknown charge.
“This was a confrontation between two rival groups of males,” said Sheriff’s Capt. Bill Boyd on Wednesday. The Sheriff’s Department was unable to confirm by press time whether gang members were involved in the fight.
The incident, although turned over to the California Highway Patrol as a traffic incident, is under investigation by the Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Unit.
The driver of the car was reported as Matthew de la Cruz, 18, also of Ojai, according to CHP officer Shawna Davidson.
Two ambulances responded to the scene of the fight. According to an eyewitness at the scene, the victim was unconscious and unresponsive.
Anyone with information on this event is urged to call the Sheriff’s Department at 646-1414.
Hanstad, Horgan May Run For Re-election
Mayor, councilwoman reconsider decisions not to run
By Nao Braverman
With less than a week until the nomination period opens for Ojai City Council member seats, two councilwomen are reconsidering their previous decisions not to run for re-election.
In December 2007 at the council members’ reorgani-zation, Mayor Sue Horgan announced that she wanted to take time to focus on her children and her personal life. Shortly after, in mid-April, long-term Councilwoman Rae Hanstad also announced her plans to depart the council at the end of her second term.
Hanstad, coordinator of the county’s methamphetamine task force, said she wanted to focus on her career and family and step out of public life. With the city in fair shape, it seemed a good time to exit, she had said in April.
But some local citizens disagreed and told her so.
“Several members of the community have asked me to reconsider,” said Hanstad. “I have been meeting with them and I am re-evaluating my position.”
Horgan, seeing the city has not progressed as far as expected on some key projects, is also reconsidering her decision not to run again.
“It has come to my attention that we are not quite as far along with some projects as I had hoped we would be,” she said. “I don’t want to make it sound like I think I can do them myself, I can’t, but I think I have an impact. And I want to make sure the city is moving in the direction that we have set.”
Some of the projects she is referring to are the state-mandated housing plan, which requires the city to make a plan that accommodates hundreds of new affordable housing units. That plan has been met with controversy, and despite many long discussions on the subject, council members are still far from a concrete housing element that can be sent to the state department of housing and community development for approval.
Another important item left unfinished, according to Horgan, is the long-awaited Ojai Skate Park. Although more than the goal of $350,000 has been collected, a long-term lease on the proposed location on school district property has yet to be secured.
While the city is financially in good shape, and close to replenishing its reserves, council members have not yet set spending priorities for when the city does have money to spare, she said.
Horgan also mentioned her recent meetings with Hanstad and members of the Chamber of Commerce. The select group has been working on a plan to rejuvenate the local economy, but has just begun gathering information.
With so much still unfinished, Horgan is unsure whether she should leave the council as soon as she had planned.
But neither Horgan nor Hanstad have made a final decision just yet.
Whether they decide to run or not, both seats are up for election, along with the position of city clerk and city treasurer.
Despite the welcome offered by Hanstad and other locals, retired Ventura County Chief Executive Johnny Johnston said he had no plans to run for council. And County Fire Chief Bob Roper said he had made no decision at this time.
Candidates can pick up their nomination papers starting Monday, and have until Aug. 8 to turn them in, unless an incumbent decides not to file for re-election, in which case the filing deadline is extended to Aug. 15.
By that deadline each candidate hopeful has to obtain at least 20 signatures of sponsoring voters who are registered in the city in order to qualify for candidacy.
Elected council members receive a monthly stipend of $475 per month and $30 per meeting for serving on the Redevelopment Commission as well as health, vision and dental insurance.
City Clerk Carlon Strobel has been elected to her position for two terms in a row, and will be up for re-election on Nov. 4. as will City Treasurer Alan Rains. Interested citizens can pick up papers at City Hall on 401 S. Ventura St., starting Monday.
By Nao Braverman
With less than a week until the nomination period opens for Ojai City Council member seats, two councilwomen are reconsidering their previous decisions not to run for re-election.
In December 2007 at the council members’ reorgani-zation, Mayor Sue Horgan announced that she wanted to take time to focus on her children and her personal life. Shortly after, in mid-April, long-term Councilwoman Rae Hanstad also announced her plans to depart the council at the end of her second term.
Hanstad, coordinator of the county’s methamphetamine task force, said she wanted to focus on her career and family and step out of public life. With the city in fair shape, it seemed a good time to exit, she had said in April.
But some local citizens disagreed and told her so.
“Several members of the community have asked me to reconsider,” said Hanstad. “I have been meeting with them and I am re-evaluating my position.”
Horgan, seeing the city has not progressed as far as expected on some key projects, is also reconsidering her decision not to run again.
“It has come to my attention that we are not quite as far along with some projects as I had hoped we would be,” she said. “I don’t want to make it sound like I think I can do them myself, I can’t, but I think I have an impact. And I want to make sure the city is moving in the direction that we have set.”
Some of the projects she is referring to are the state-mandated housing plan, which requires the city to make a plan that accommodates hundreds of new affordable housing units. That plan has been met with controversy, and despite many long discussions on the subject, council members are still far from a concrete housing element that can be sent to the state department of housing and community development for approval.
Another important item left unfinished, according to Horgan, is the long-awaited Ojai Skate Park. Although more than the goal of $350,000 has been collected, a long-term lease on the proposed location on school district property has yet to be secured.
While the city is financially in good shape, and close to replenishing its reserves, council members have not yet set spending priorities for when the city does have money to spare, she said.
Horgan also mentioned her recent meetings with Hanstad and members of the Chamber of Commerce. The select group has been working on a plan to rejuvenate the local economy, but has just begun gathering information.
With so much still unfinished, Horgan is unsure whether she should leave the council as soon as she had planned.
But neither Horgan nor Hanstad have made a final decision just yet.
Whether they decide to run or not, both seats are up for election, along with the position of city clerk and city treasurer.
Despite the welcome offered by Hanstad and other locals, retired Ventura County Chief Executive Johnny Johnston said he had no plans to run for council. And County Fire Chief Bob Roper said he had made no decision at this time.
Candidates can pick up their nomination papers starting Monday, and have until Aug. 8 to turn them in, unless an incumbent decides not to file for re-election, in which case the filing deadline is extended to Aug. 15.
By that deadline each candidate hopeful has to obtain at least 20 signatures of sponsoring voters who are registered in the city in order to qualify for candidacy.
Elected council members receive a monthly stipend of $475 per month and $30 per meeting for serving on the Redevelopment Commission as well as health, vision and dental insurance.
City Clerk Carlon Strobel has been elected to her position for two terms in a row, and will be up for re-election on Nov. 4. as will City Treasurer Alan Rains. Interested citizens can pick up papers at City Hall on 401 S. Ventura St., starting Monday.
Perry, Family Appear At T-150 Benefit
By Linda Harmon
Garrison Keillor look out! "A Perry Home Companion" left the Saturday night capacity crowd with more than its share of chuckles. It was an uptown version of a down-home good time, affectionately modeled on its namesake, Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion." The one-night benefit performance for Theater 150, held at Matilija Auditorium, was co-produced by Debbie Perry and Theater 150's Deb Norton, directed by Jenny Sullivan and starred the John Perry family, including wife Debbie, son Matthew, daughter Maria and brother Tony.
The night was a rousing success with its blend of humor, wit and nostalgia, raising funds to help furnish the theater's expanded new space at 316 E. Matilija St.
"The family has often talked about performing together. We generally all do our own separate things. Playing together is a whole other thing, it's a new way to get together other than just for Christmas or Thanksgiving," said John Perry. "Since we have a soft spot in our heart for the theater, the benefit for 150 just seemed like a good way to do it."
It may have been the first time the family has performed on stage together but it probably won't be their last. They looked like they were having too much fun. The comfortable on-stage patter and sketches were interspersed with musical numbers by big brother Tony Perry accompanied by Jack Joshua on bass, Mark Parsons on fiddle and flute, and Steve Tremmel on guitar. Perry's career, like his brother's, includes music, television and theater, and he showed his ease on stage. The trio moved effortlessly through jazz selections from "The Ghost in the Attic," Perry's recently released CD, including "Someday," a Zen-like lament.
The audience was also treated to alternative vocal groupings. John teamed up with Tony, which was expected and appreciated, but sweet surprises followed. Maria took the stage with Tremmel and scored big with the hit ballad, "Falling Slowly," from the movie "Once." Another vocal surprise materialized as John later teamed up with Matt on the tender 1974 hit, "Please Come to Boston." Who knew Chandler could sing? Next Maria teamed up with Jessica Chanos to belt out a Thelma and Louise-like ballad, "Earl Must Die" after an old-fashioned red-neck cowboy duet by her dad and uncles.
The evening's comic scenes included the classic Abbot and Costello "Who's on first?" played by siblings Matt and Maria; the play "Intelligent Life" by David Babcock, acted by an ensemble including the John, Matt, Maria, Debbie; and the one that topped all the rest for star appeal, Grandma Molly Perry and Matt teamed up for a comic exchange as two bored baseball announcers. Great fun even if you're not a baseball fan.
If the enthusiastic reception of Saturday night's show is any indication Ojai definitely has a soft spot in its heart for the Perrys.
Garrison Keillor look out! "A Perry Home Companion" left the Saturday night capacity crowd with more than its share of chuckles. It was an uptown version of a down-home good time, affectionately modeled on its namesake, Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion." The one-night benefit performance for Theater 150, held at Matilija Auditorium, was co-produced by Debbie Perry and Theater 150's Deb Norton, directed by Jenny Sullivan and starred the John Perry family, including wife Debbie, son Matthew, daughter Maria and brother Tony.
The night was a rousing success with its blend of humor, wit and nostalgia, raising funds to help furnish the theater's expanded new space at 316 E. Matilija St.
"The family has often talked about performing together. We generally all do our own separate things. Playing together is a whole other thing, it's a new way to get together other than just for Christmas or Thanksgiving," said John Perry. "Since we have a soft spot in our heart for the theater, the benefit for 150 just seemed like a good way to do it."
It may have been the first time the family has performed on stage together but it probably won't be their last. They looked like they were having too much fun. The comfortable on-stage patter and sketches were interspersed with musical numbers by big brother Tony Perry accompanied by Jack Joshua on bass, Mark Parsons on fiddle and flute, and Steve Tremmel on guitar. Perry's career, like his brother's, includes music, television and theater, and he showed his ease on stage. The trio moved effortlessly through jazz selections from "The Ghost in the Attic," Perry's recently released CD, including "Someday," a Zen-like lament.
The audience was also treated to alternative vocal groupings. John teamed up with Tony, which was expected and appreciated, but sweet surprises followed. Maria took the stage with Tremmel and scored big with the hit ballad, "Falling Slowly," from the movie "Once." Another vocal surprise materialized as John later teamed up with Matt on the tender 1974 hit, "Please Come to Boston." Who knew Chandler could sing? Next Maria teamed up with Jessica Chanos to belt out a Thelma and Louise-like ballad, "Earl Must Die" after an old-fashioned red-neck cowboy duet by her dad and uncles.
The evening's comic scenes included the classic Abbot and Costello "Who's on first?" played by siblings Matt and Maria; the play "Intelligent Life" by David Babcock, acted by an ensemble including the John, Matt, Maria, Debbie; and the one that topped all the rest for star appeal, Grandma Molly Perry and Matt teamed up for a comic exchange as two bored baseball announcers. Great fun even if you're not a baseball fan.
If the enthusiastic reception of Saturday night's show is any indication Ojai definitely has a soft spot in its heart for the Perrys.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Oak View Discusses Gangs, Elects Council
City Watch program looks to partner police, community members through internet alerts
By Sondra Murphy
The Kunkle Room was more crowded than usual Wednesday as Oak View Civic Council members gathered to elect a new board. Nominations were plentiful with several positions having more than one candidate.
Honorary Mayor Al Buczkowski, who was elected in April during the Oak View Awards Banquet, tallied the ballots and the winners are as follows: President John Herndon; Vice President Jill Olivares; Second Vice President Pat Stone; Treasurer Guinevere Johnson; Secretary Lynn Smith; Parliamentarian Catherine Lee; Member at Large Randy Burg; Member at Large Elizabeth Tousignant
Pat Gorey, previous treasurer, has meticulously served two years and bylaws require a replacement for board positions after that time whenever new candidates are available. Dee Harper and Danna Prock were also nominated in the member at large categories and Johnson was nominated for secretary, as well.
After the election, the new board continued with the agenda. Buczkowski had arranged to have Sgt. Joe Evans with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department come speak to the council about the City Watch program being organized in the Ojai Valley.
Still in the early phases, the program uses internet resources to communicate crime incidents to neighborhood watch groups and other partnerships concerned with increasing safety and security in their areas.
Evans took questions first and the community was primarily concerned with gang activity in its many forms, but especially shootings, graffiti and why gang members are so antagonistic to each other.
“It’s a mutual thing and they’re all at fault,” said Evans. “They don’t play in the sandbox very well together.” He went on to say that the goal for the Ojai Valley City Watch is to get 15,000 people in the valley who are willing to call the police when they witness criminal activity.
By signing up to be a part of the City Watch program, the Sheriff’s Department will be able to send out incident emails to participants in an effort to identify perpetrators. “All our crimes blend into each other,” said Evans. “When we have crime trends in the valley, information will go out to everybody on the e-mail lists to request reports. It opens up the communication between the people in the community.”
Evans organized a successful City Watch when he worked out of Thousand Oaks and is using this experience to help improve communication between the police and residents. By knowing what is going on, it increases security within communities. “When you can’t get information to resolve your fear, that’s when it’s a problem,” said Evans. “Make no mistake. This is about arresting people.”
As the Ojai Valley City Watch program develops, additional information will be made available on how to get involved. For more information, contact Evans at joe.evans@ventura.org.
By Sondra Murphy
The Kunkle Room was more crowded than usual Wednesday as Oak View Civic Council members gathered to elect a new board. Nominations were plentiful with several positions having more than one candidate.
Honorary Mayor Al Buczkowski, who was elected in April during the Oak View Awards Banquet, tallied the ballots and the winners are as follows: President John Herndon; Vice President Jill Olivares; Second Vice President Pat Stone; Treasurer Guinevere Johnson; Secretary Lynn Smith; Parliamentarian Catherine Lee; Member at Large Randy Burg; Member at Large Elizabeth Tousignant
Pat Gorey, previous treasurer, has meticulously served two years and bylaws require a replacement for board positions after that time whenever new candidates are available. Dee Harper and Danna Prock were also nominated in the member at large categories and Johnson was nominated for secretary, as well.
After the election, the new board continued with the agenda. Buczkowski had arranged to have Sgt. Joe Evans with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department come speak to the council about the City Watch program being organized in the Ojai Valley.
Still in the early phases, the program uses internet resources to communicate crime incidents to neighborhood watch groups and other partnerships concerned with increasing safety and security in their areas.
Evans took questions first and the community was primarily concerned with gang activity in its many forms, but especially shootings, graffiti and why gang members are so antagonistic to each other.
“It’s a mutual thing and they’re all at fault,” said Evans. “They don’t play in the sandbox very well together.” He went on to say that the goal for the Ojai Valley City Watch is to get 15,000 people in the valley who are willing to call the police when they witness criminal activity.
By signing up to be a part of the City Watch program, the Sheriff’s Department will be able to send out incident emails to participants in an effort to identify perpetrators. “All our crimes blend into each other,” said Evans. “When we have crime trends in the valley, information will go out to everybody on the e-mail lists to request reports. It opens up the communication between the people in the community.”
Evans organized a successful City Watch when he worked out of Thousand Oaks and is using this experience to help improve communication between the police and residents. By knowing what is going on, it increases security within communities. “When you can’t get information to resolve your fear, that’s when it’s a problem,” said Evans. “Make no mistake. This is about arresting people.”
As the Ojai Valley City Watch program develops, additional information will be made available on how to get involved. For more information, contact Evans at joe.evans@ventura.org.
Herbicide Fears Prompt Meeting
Officials say no problems so far with spraying herbicides on arundo
By Daryl Kelley
Responding to community concerns that spraying a toxic herbicide to kill giant Ventura River reeds has sickened workers and residents, Ventura County officials told about 50 Ojai area residents this week that they’re closely monitoring the spraying, and that they’ve confirmed no problems so far.
“We don’t have evidence of workers getting sick,” county watershed official Jeff Pratt told an audience at Chaparral Auditorium on Tuesday evening. Nor have any of 60 tests detected the poisonous herbicide in water, officials said.
But Pratt pledged to investigate every citizen complaint and post the results on a county web site, matilijadam.org.
“We’ve heard from the community that they haven’t been involved enough,” Pratt said.
So as the eradication of towering non-native arundo reeds continues from Matilija Canyon to Baldwin Road, Pratt said the county wants feedback from the community. Officials have begun hosting public meetings, with the next one set for Aug. 7. And officials asked residents to immediately report problems.
But three Matilija Canyon residents told county officials that they’ve been sickened by the spraying of a powerful chemical, similar to that in the weed killer, Roundup, on reeds in Matilija Canyon.
“I was driving through the canyon when they were doing heavy spraying,” resident Patty Pagaling elaborated in an interview. “I went through a drift of it, and I became nauseous and headachy. I don’t get headaches very often. It was disturbing.”
Her son and his girlfriend have moved from Matilija Canyon until the spraying is complete, Pagaling said. And a neighbor described a June 24 incident in which a drift of spray entered her car. “She said she felt like her throat was on fire,” Pagaling said.
Another speaker, an Ojai environmental physician, insisted the county is not taking the threat that residents could develop cancer or Parkinson’s disease from the spraying seriously enough.
A Meiners Oaks resident said that the community’s water district is not testing for the chemical in its drinking water supplies. Another resident said bullfrogs have turned up dead after spraying.
And another resident pointed out that the European country of Denmark has restricted the use of the spray after tests found the toxic chemical, glyphosate, in groundwater.
County officials said they were studying the restrictions by the Danes and would report soon about the issue on the county web site.
County biologist Pam Lindsey said glyphosate is approved for spraying in water, but that the county does not spray it within 15 feet of water or 50 feet of an orchard. Nor do workers have to wear masks when applying it, because it can be safely used with only protective gloves and boots, officials said.
But several residents were not convinced.
“These guys just shine it on,” said Dr. Robin Bernhoft, who specializes in the effects of toxic chemicals on human health.
The Ojai physician said in an interview that he switched from performing surgeries after he became ill from supposedly safe chemicals used in operating rooms. He now studies and treats patients for the medical effects of herbicides, pesticides, molds and heavy metals.
“This is a bad idea for human health,” he told officials at the meeting. And he maintained that the county’s lab tests are not sufficiently detailed to detect biological toxicity from the spray in water. (The county said it tests to state and federal standards.)
Bernhoft also said that glyphosate is so toxic that the national worker safety program recommends that it not be used in the environment.
“Most telling … is the comment on the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Chemical Safety Cards which says, “Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment” (their emphasis). That’s NIOSH speaking, not the Sierra Club,” Bernhoft wrote in a letter to county Supervisor Steve Bennett last fall.
On Tuesday, several residents also urged the county to begin to use non-toxic means to root out the arundo, which was introduced in California in the 1820s to curb creek erosion and has spread rapidly in riverbeds during the last 50 years.
Under a $5-million state grant, the Ventura County Watershed Protection District, in cooperation with the federal Corps of Engineers, has completed its first round of spraying of the giant arundo donax. The eradication was needed to kill the 30-foot-tall reed, which sucks water from native plants, creates a fire hazard and causes erosion, officials said.
The arundo removal is part of a $140-million effort sponsored mostly by the federal government to tear down the Matilija Dam and open up the natural flow of the Ventura River again. That would allow the endangered steelhead trout to migrate upstream and silt and sand to replenish Ventura beaches 16 miles away. But demolition, still not fully funded, could not begin until 2013, officials said.
Built in 1948, the dam never functioned to control flooding or for water storage as intended, filling quickly with silt. Now, only 5 percent of its storage contains water. Millions of cubic feet of sediment fill the rest of the reservoir.
Studies of the arundo eradication have been going on for years. But the actual spraying began last fall. The first round, in which more than 200 acres of reeds have been sprayed in an 1,100-acre project site, is complete. And a second round of spraying, breaking, cutting and shredding of reeds that have grown back has begun. Regrowth areas will be treated over the next five years as needed, officials said. In addition, 25 acres of reeds just north of Baldwin Road will be attacked next year.
So far, 750 tons of the reed have been removed.
But while county officials see the project as a success, they’re also aware that community members have concerns. And they vowed to address them as they arise.
“This is a project where it’s very important to get out accurate information,” said county Supervisor Bennett, who represents the Ojai Valley.
“Given the difficulty and challenges of this project, this is as good of a public meeting as I’ve been in,” Bennett added. “Feel free to ask questions, and when you see things that would be violations, let us know.”
Watershed agency head Pratt’s telephone number is 654-2040; biologist Lindsey’s is 654-2036; and project manager Tom Lagier’s is 672-2106.
By Daryl Kelley
Responding to community concerns that spraying a toxic herbicide to kill giant Ventura River reeds has sickened workers and residents, Ventura County officials told about 50 Ojai area residents this week that they’re closely monitoring the spraying, and that they’ve confirmed no problems so far.
“We don’t have evidence of workers getting sick,” county watershed official Jeff Pratt told an audience at Chaparral Auditorium on Tuesday evening. Nor have any of 60 tests detected the poisonous herbicide in water, officials said.
But Pratt pledged to investigate every citizen complaint and post the results on a county web site, matilijadam.org.
“We’ve heard from the community that they haven’t been involved enough,” Pratt said.
So as the eradication of towering non-native arundo reeds continues from Matilija Canyon to Baldwin Road, Pratt said the county wants feedback from the community. Officials have begun hosting public meetings, with the next one set for Aug. 7. And officials asked residents to immediately report problems.
But three Matilija Canyon residents told county officials that they’ve been sickened by the spraying of a powerful chemical, similar to that in the weed killer, Roundup, on reeds in Matilija Canyon.
“I was driving through the canyon when they were doing heavy spraying,” resident Patty Pagaling elaborated in an interview. “I went through a drift of it, and I became nauseous and headachy. I don’t get headaches very often. It was disturbing.”
Her son and his girlfriend have moved from Matilija Canyon until the spraying is complete, Pagaling said. And a neighbor described a June 24 incident in which a drift of spray entered her car. “She said she felt like her throat was on fire,” Pagaling said.
Another speaker, an Ojai environmental physician, insisted the county is not taking the threat that residents could develop cancer or Parkinson’s disease from the spraying seriously enough.
A Meiners Oaks resident said that the community’s water district is not testing for the chemical in its drinking water supplies. Another resident said bullfrogs have turned up dead after spraying.
And another resident pointed out that the European country of Denmark has restricted the use of the spray after tests found the toxic chemical, glyphosate, in groundwater.
County officials said they were studying the restrictions by the Danes and would report soon about the issue on the county web site.
County biologist Pam Lindsey said glyphosate is approved for spraying in water, but that the county does not spray it within 15 feet of water or 50 feet of an orchard. Nor do workers have to wear masks when applying it, because it can be safely used with only protective gloves and boots, officials said.
But several residents were not convinced.
“These guys just shine it on,” said Dr. Robin Bernhoft, who specializes in the effects of toxic chemicals on human health.
The Ojai physician said in an interview that he switched from performing surgeries after he became ill from supposedly safe chemicals used in operating rooms. He now studies and treats patients for the medical effects of herbicides, pesticides, molds and heavy metals.
“This is a bad idea for human health,” he told officials at the meeting. And he maintained that the county’s lab tests are not sufficiently detailed to detect biological toxicity from the spray in water. (The county said it tests to state and federal standards.)
Bernhoft also said that glyphosate is so toxic that the national worker safety program recommends that it not be used in the environment.
“Most telling … is the comment on the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Chemical Safety Cards which says, “Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment” (their emphasis). That’s NIOSH speaking, not the Sierra Club,” Bernhoft wrote in a letter to county Supervisor Steve Bennett last fall.
On Tuesday, several residents also urged the county to begin to use non-toxic means to root out the arundo, which was introduced in California in the 1820s to curb creek erosion and has spread rapidly in riverbeds during the last 50 years.
Under a $5-million state grant, the Ventura County Watershed Protection District, in cooperation with the federal Corps of Engineers, has completed its first round of spraying of the giant arundo donax. The eradication was needed to kill the 30-foot-tall reed, which sucks water from native plants, creates a fire hazard and causes erosion, officials said.
The arundo removal is part of a $140-million effort sponsored mostly by the federal government to tear down the Matilija Dam and open up the natural flow of the Ventura River again. That would allow the endangered steelhead trout to migrate upstream and silt and sand to replenish Ventura beaches 16 miles away. But demolition, still not fully funded, could not begin until 2013, officials said.
Built in 1948, the dam never functioned to control flooding or for water storage as intended, filling quickly with silt. Now, only 5 percent of its storage contains water. Millions of cubic feet of sediment fill the rest of the reservoir.
Studies of the arundo eradication have been going on for years. But the actual spraying began last fall. The first round, in which more than 200 acres of reeds have been sprayed in an 1,100-acre project site, is complete. And a second round of spraying, breaking, cutting and shredding of reeds that have grown back has begun. Regrowth areas will be treated over the next five years as needed, officials said. In addition, 25 acres of reeds just north of Baldwin Road will be attacked next year.
So far, 750 tons of the reed have been removed.
But while county officials see the project as a success, they’re also aware that community members have concerns. And they vowed to address them as they arise.
“This is a project where it’s very important to get out accurate information,” said county Supervisor Bennett, who represents the Ojai Valley.
“Given the difficulty and challenges of this project, this is as good of a public meeting as I’ve been in,” Bennett added. “Feel free to ask questions, and when you see things that would be violations, let us know.”
Watershed agency head Pratt’s telephone number is 654-2040; biologist Lindsey’s is 654-2036; and project manager Tom Lagier’s is 672-2106.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Man Sues Ojai Over Fallen Tree
By Nao Braverman
Three months after a tree came crashing into Mel Williams’ duplex in downtown Ojai, a Ventura attorney helped him file a small claims action against the city.
For the 18 years that the Georgia-born Ojai resident lived in his Franklin Street home, the community had been good to him, and he, in turn, had given back to the community in his own way. Every Christmas, Williams, dressed in a red suit, black boots and white beard, poses as Santa Claus for the neighborhood kids, and anyone in Ojai who would request it.
But when a rotten tree on nearby city-owned land, fell on his home, destroying his Chevrolet custom van and some of his property, no one at City Hall could offer him help.
Strapped for cash, with many of his belongings lost or destroyed, Williams filed a claim with the city asking for payment of his damages. But the city denied his claim outright, with no explanation, said Ventura attorney, Tina Cowdrey who is taking the case pro bono.
The damages for which Williams holds the city responsible include the destruction of his van which was hit by the falling tree, and a television, VCR and stereo, which were taken by looters while the property was surrounded with red tape and declared off-limits.
Williams had asked if he could go in to retrieve some important paperwork, but city officials wouldn’t let him into the destroyed home, he said. That’s when the looters came and took his belongings, he added.
He is asking for $7,500 for his loss, which he believes actually came out to about $9,000, including the $5,000 van and approximately $4,000 for the lost furniture, including a couch, chairs and bed, and other miscellaneous goods, a television, VCR, stereo, clothing, and pictures on the wall. Williams holds the city responsible because it failed to maintain the tree and diagnose it as rotten, according to the claim.
City manager Jere Kersnar said he did not know the details of the incident, but said that the city automatically hands such cases over to the California Joint Powers Insurance Agency, a pool for sharing liabilities among 119 California cities, of which Ojai is a member. The advice of the insurance agency’s third party administrator, Carl Warren & Company, was to deny the claim, so that’s what the city did, he said.
George Mankiewicz, a claims supervisor at Carl Warren & Company said that a neighbor of Williams had called to complain about the rotting tree in December 2006, about a year and three months before the incident.
Ojai’s arborist inspected the tree, and had it trimmed at that time, said Mankiewicz.
“It is our contention that the trimming of a tree between a year and two years is reasonable. The regularly scheduled inspection was in January 2007, a month later, so the city was ahead of the game. There was no outward indication that the tree was rotting away from the inside.”
According to Mankiewicz, the city has an obligation to inspect its property, which it did, to the best of its ability. The city would also be liable if it were aware of the dangerous condition on the property. But if the city failed to discover the dangerous condition on its own, it was not liable.
“Nobody’s perfect,” said Mankiewicz. He added that several trees went down in Ojai during the heavy winds in March.
But it has not been as easy for Williams to hop back on his feet. Williams receives Section 8 vouchers which help pay his rent. He had no renter’s insurance, and there is no requirement that owners of Area Housing Authority-subsidized property provide insurance.
The Ventura County Chapter of the American Red Cross had placed Williams in the Capri Motel for one week and, after having a hard time finding a place which accepts Section 8 rentals, he finally found a one-bedroom apartment in Meiners Oaks.
But the cost of living has risen considerably since. Gas and water are more expensive at his new place and Williams has scrambled to come up with funds to refurnish his new apartment that he shares with his grandson and a boxer-pit bull mix.
“It’s been hard on us,” he said. “I went into debt just trying to survive here,” he said.
“When we first got here we didn’t even have a bed to sleep on, but people have been nice and offered donations,” he added.
Williams has a heart condition and is mostly confined to his bed, he said. He remembers the day when he was sitting on his sofa with his grandson and heard the strangest noise he had ever heard coming from outside the window.
“Then in came the windows, and then the door and the roof,” he said. “I grabbed my grandson and dove to the floor.”
A light came in through the windows illuminating the dark remains of the living room on that fateful day, and Williams realized that it was emergency personnel shining a flashlight through the window, he said. Community members were helpful but city officials were not, said Williams.
He is awaiting a judge’s opinion and a small claims court trial date is set for the morning of July 25.
The Franklin Street duplex that was partially crushed by the tree is still boarded up. A week before the incident, the structure had been damaged by a vehicle that crashed into the duplex, according to a letter from Ojai’s Community Development Department addressed to the Wisconsin-based property owner. With damages from the vehicle crash and the tree falling combined, the units are deemed dangerous to the public.
The property owner was ordered to abate the public nuisance in the beginning of April but no changes have been made to the property.
Three months after a tree came crashing into Mel Williams’ duplex in downtown Ojai, a Ventura attorney helped him file a small claims action against the city.
For the 18 years that the Georgia-born Ojai resident lived in his Franklin Street home, the community had been good to him, and he, in turn, had given back to the community in his own way. Every Christmas, Williams, dressed in a red suit, black boots and white beard, poses as Santa Claus for the neighborhood kids, and anyone in Ojai who would request it.
But when a rotten tree on nearby city-owned land, fell on his home, destroying his Chevrolet custom van and some of his property, no one at City Hall could offer him help.
Strapped for cash, with many of his belongings lost or destroyed, Williams filed a claim with the city asking for payment of his damages. But the city denied his claim outright, with no explanation, said Ventura attorney, Tina Cowdrey who is taking the case pro bono.
The damages for which Williams holds the city responsible include the destruction of his van which was hit by the falling tree, and a television, VCR and stereo, which were taken by looters while the property was surrounded with red tape and declared off-limits.
Williams had asked if he could go in to retrieve some important paperwork, but city officials wouldn’t let him into the destroyed home, he said. That’s when the looters came and took his belongings, he added.
He is asking for $7,500 for his loss, which he believes actually came out to about $9,000, including the $5,000 van and approximately $4,000 for the lost furniture, including a couch, chairs and bed, and other miscellaneous goods, a television, VCR, stereo, clothing, and pictures on the wall. Williams holds the city responsible because it failed to maintain the tree and diagnose it as rotten, according to the claim.
City manager Jere Kersnar said he did not know the details of the incident, but said that the city automatically hands such cases over to the California Joint Powers Insurance Agency, a pool for sharing liabilities among 119 California cities, of which Ojai is a member. The advice of the insurance agency’s third party administrator, Carl Warren & Company, was to deny the claim, so that’s what the city did, he said.
George Mankiewicz, a claims supervisor at Carl Warren & Company said that a neighbor of Williams had called to complain about the rotting tree in December 2006, about a year and three months before the incident.
Ojai’s arborist inspected the tree, and had it trimmed at that time, said Mankiewicz.
“It is our contention that the trimming of a tree between a year and two years is reasonable. The regularly scheduled inspection was in January 2007, a month later, so the city was ahead of the game. There was no outward indication that the tree was rotting away from the inside.”
According to Mankiewicz, the city has an obligation to inspect its property, which it did, to the best of its ability. The city would also be liable if it were aware of the dangerous condition on the property. But if the city failed to discover the dangerous condition on its own, it was not liable.
“Nobody’s perfect,” said Mankiewicz. He added that several trees went down in Ojai during the heavy winds in March.
But it has not been as easy for Williams to hop back on his feet. Williams receives Section 8 vouchers which help pay his rent. He had no renter’s insurance, and there is no requirement that owners of Area Housing Authority-subsidized property provide insurance.
The Ventura County Chapter of the American Red Cross had placed Williams in the Capri Motel for one week and, after having a hard time finding a place which accepts Section 8 rentals, he finally found a one-bedroom apartment in Meiners Oaks.
But the cost of living has risen considerably since. Gas and water are more expensive at his new place and Williams has scrambled to come up with funds to refurnish his new apartment that he shares with his grandson and a boxer-pit bull mix.
“It’s been hard on us,” he said. “I went into debt just trying to survive here,” he said.
“When we first got here we didn’t even have a bed to sleep on, but people have been nice and offered donations,” he added.
Williams has a heart condition and is mostly confined to his bed, he said. He remembers the day when he was sitting on his sofa with his grandson and heard the strangest noise he had ever heard coming from outside the window.
“Then in came the windows, and then the door and the roof,” he said. “I grabbed my grandson and dove to the floor.”
A light came in through the windows illuminating the dark remains of the living room on that fateful day, and Williams realized that it was emergency personnel shining a flashlight through the window, he said. Community members were helpful but city officials were not, said Williams.
He is awaiting a judge’s opinion and a small claims court trial date is set for the morning of July 25.
The Franklin Street duplex that was partially crushed by the tree is still boarded up. A week before the incident, the structure had been damaged by a vehicle that crashed into the duplex, according to a letter from Ojai’s Community Development Department addressed to the Wisconsin-based property owner. With damages from the vehicle crash and the tree falling combined, the units are deemed dangerous to the public.
The property owner was ordered to abate the public nuisance in the beginning of April but no changes have been made to the property.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Parcel Tax Sought To Cover School Shortage
Ojai Unified School District board wants initiative on November ballot
By Sondra Murphy
The Ojai Unified School District board has approved a balanced budget, as required.The question is, will the state follow suit?
After months of painful staff and program eliminations by the district in order to produce a balanced budget from pillaged funding sources, Laura Meisch, director of fiscal services, presented the updated 2008-2009 budget for adoption at Tuesday’s OUSD board meeting. With an estimated beginning general fund balance of $1,256,892, expected revenues of $24,874,061, expenditures of $25,293,478, operating balance of $837,475, and a required reserve of $802,614, the estimated end fund balance was listed at $34,861 — —a lackluster amount met with relief when contrasted to possible school closures so recently avoided.
“That’s cutting it close,” said board member Rikki Horne after the audience responded with brief applause and celebratory vocalizations.
Other funding categories are adult education, cafeteria, deferred maintenance, building, capital facilities, special reserve for capital outlay, bond interest and redemption with a total estimated beginning balance of $2,635,863 and estimated ending fund balance at $1,105,890. Categorical funds are so named because of the specificity in which they may be spent and so cannot be used to supplement the general fund.
Deferred maintenance projects over the summer and through next year are the last of bond funds available. “This is it,” said Danielle Pusatere, assistant superintendent of business and administrative services. “I will finish it off in the rest of the year.” Summer projects include various roofing and paving necessities at all campuses and a room remodel at Topa Topa Elementary.
It took little time for the board to voice concerns over next year’s financial hurdles. “Again, I keep wondering how we are going to keep functioning when we’re down to the bare bones,” said Vice President Linda Taylor as the board approved a revised list of classified job eliminations that helped the district stay in the black. “It’s distressing. We need to find a source of funding.”
In his superintendent’s report, Tim Baird said that enrollment statistics for 2008-2009 are coming in a bit stronger than projected and look to be similar to last year’s numbers. While this is good news in some respect, the need to hire back more teachers to accommodate students could strain OUSD’s tight budget.
The projections are based on students signed up at the five elementary and three secondary schools in the district so, until August, Baird said they will hire “ghost” positions and wait and see how many students show up to adjust for actual numbers. “We
have seen swings of 90 or so kids in the past,” he added. “Right now the numbers are solid, particularly for elementary and Matilija. If the high school gets over 1,000 and we grow in the other schools, we are good.”
District staff voluntarily took a cut in medical benefits in order to fund elementary physical education staff next year. Elementary P.E. is currently a pullout subject during which physical education specialists direct students while teachers have time for logistics associated with lesson plans. For secondary teachers, preparation periods are built into their schedules. “Many years ago, district employees traded pay raises for benefits and now they are giving up some of that in order to have elementary P.E.” said Horne.
With the objective of avoiding another scramble for financial solvency next year, the board agreed to spend resources to place a parcel tax initiative on this November’s ballot. Several supporters of the Save Ojai Schools campaign, which raised $62,445 this year for the struggling district, voiced further support for a ballot measure asking to allow OUSD to levy a tax of $89 per parcel annually for seven years with senior citizen exemptions, independent citizens’ oversight and yearly audits,
Unlike the failed parcel tax attempt of 2005, property owners over the age of 65 would be allowed an exemption from the tax and board members expressed hope that the $89 price tag would be acceptable to voters come election time.
“No one can tell us right now how many seniors meet the exemption,” said Baird, who estimated that half of the approximate 9,400 parcels within OUSD boundaries were owned by senior citizens. “Assuming all apply for exemption, we are looking at $450,000, or somewhere in there, being raised if this passes. That’s a significant amount,” Baird said, “that’s a school closure and a P.E. program.”
“I’m a little bit disappointed to hear we’re not talking about more than $89 a parcel,” said parent Mike Caldwell. “No matter what it is, I am going to be doing my utmost to organize the people involved with the Save Ojai Schools campaign to help make your job easier.”
“I’m a little concerned that, with gas going up and the economy going the way it is, it might not pass,” said parent Nicole Botti. “But I will support it because none of us wants to go through an SOS campaign again next year. We will if we have to, but we want to avoid it.”
“Our backs are against the wall,” said Baird. “We wouldn’t be in this position now if we had passed the parcel tax last time.”
“I’m encouraged to hear from so many supporters for this,” said board member Pauline Mercado. “I won’t make any excuses for asking for $89. I think it’s a bargain.”
Clerk Kathi Smith called the parcel tax a “bridge loan from the people in our community” as the district considers ways to develop the district office site into an income-generating property.
Meisch said that the budget would be fine-tuned as actual funding is received come autumn. Baird added that current friction among legislators in Sacramento inspires little hope for a timely state budget.
By Sondra Murphy
The Ojai Unified School District board has approved a balanced budget, as required.The question is, will the state follow suit?
After months of painful staff and program eliminations by the district in order to produce a balanced budget from pillaged funding sources, Laura Meisch, director of fiscal services, presented the updated 2008-2009 budget for adoption at Tuesday’s OUSD board meeting. With an estimated beginning general fund balance of $1,256,892, expected revenues of $24,874,061, expenditures of $25,293,478, operating balance of $837,475, and a required reserve of $802,614, the estimated end fund balance was listed at $34,861 — —a lackluster amount met with relief when contrasted to possible school closures so recently avoided.
“That’s cutting it close,” said board member Rikki Horne after the audience responded with brief applause and celebratory vocalizations.
Other funding categories are adult education, cafeteria, deferred maintenance, building, capital facilities, special reserve for capital outlay, bond interest and redemption with a total estimated beginning balance of $2,635,863 and estimated ending fund balance at $1,105,890. Categorical funds are so named because of the specificity in which they may be spent and so cannot be used to supplement the general fund.
Deferred maintenance projects over the summer and through next year are the last of bond funds available. “This is it,” said Danielle Pusatere, assistant superintendent of business and administrative services. “I will finish it off in the rest of the year.” Summer projects include various roofing and paving necessities at all campuses and a room remodel at Topa Topa Elementary.
It took little time for the board to voice concerns over next year’s financial hurdles. “Again, I keep wondering how we are going to keep functioning when we’re down to the bare bones,” said Vice President Linda Taylor as the board approved a revised list of classified job eliminations that helped the district stay in the black. “It’s distressing. We need to find a source of funding.”
In his superintendent’s report, Tim Baird said that enrollment statistics for 2008-2009 are coming in a bit stronger than projected and look to be similar to last year’s numbers. While this is good news in some respect, the need to hire back more teachers to accommodate students could strain OUSD’s tight budget.
The projections are based on students signed up at the five elementary and three secondary schools in the district so, until August, Baird said they will hire “ghost” positions and wait and see how many students show up to adjust for actual numbers. “We
have seen swings of 90 or so kids in the past,” he added. “Right now the numbers are solid, particularly for elementary and Matilija. If the high school gets over 1,000 and we grow in the other schools, we are good.”
District staff voluntarily took a cut in medical benefits in order to fund elementary physical education staff next year. Elementary P.E. is currently a pullout subject during which physical education specialists direct students while teachers have time for logistics associated with lesson plans. For secondary teachers, preparation periods are built into their schedules. “Many years ago, district employees traded pay raises for benefits and now they are giving up some of that in order to have elementary P.E.” said Horne.
With the objective of avoiding another scramble for financial solvency next year, the board agreed to spend resources to place a parcel tax initiative on this November’s ballot. Several supporters of the Save Ojai Schools campaign, which raised $62,445 this year for the struggling district, voiced further support for a ballot measure asking to allow OUSD to levy a tax of $89 per parcel annually for seven years with senior citizen exemptions, independent citizens’ oversight and yearly audits,
Unlike the failed parcel tax attempt of 2005, property owners over the age of 65 would be allowed an exemption from the tax and board members expressed hope that the $89 price tag would be acceptable to voters come election time.
“No one can tell us right now how many seniors meet the exemption,” said Baird, who estimated that half of the approximate 9,400 parcels within OUSD boundaries were owned by senior citizens. “Assuming all apply for exemption, we are looking at $450,000, or somewhere in there, being raised if this passes. That’s a significant amount,” Baird said, “that’s a school closure and a P.E. program.”
“I’m a little bit disappointed to hear we’re not talking about more than $89 a parcel,” said parent Mike Caldwell. “No matter what it is, I am going to be doing my utmost to organize the people involved with the Save Ojai Schools campaign to help make your job easier.”
“I’m a little concerned that, with gas going up and the economy going the way it is, it might not pass,” said parent Nicole Botti. “But I will support it because none of us wants to go through an SOS campaign again next year. We will if we have to, but we want to avoid it.”
“Our backs are against the wall,” said Baird. “We wouldn’t be in this position now if we had passed the parcel tax last time.”
“I’m encouraged to hear from so many supporters for this,” said board member Pauline Mercado. “I won’t make any excuses for asking for $89. I think it’s a bargain.”
Clerk Kathi Smith called the parcel tax a “bridge loan from the people in our community” as the district considers ways to develop the district office site into an income-generating property.
Meisch said that the budget would be fine-tuned as actual funding is received come autumn. Baird added that current friction among legislators in Sacramento inspires little hope for a timely state budget.
Farmers Face Yet Another Water Hike
Casitas $15M budget means 18.8 percent agricultural rate hike beginning Tuesday
By Daryl Kelley
With a telling absence of public dissent, directors of the Ojai Valley’s largest water agency approved this week a new $15-million budget supported by another sharp jump in water rates to valley farmers.
Although farmers would absorb an 18.8 percent increase in rates during the fiscal year beginning July 1, farm leaders in the audience at Wednesday’s hearing praised Casitas Municipal Water District directors for trying to keep rates down.
Indeed, despite the proposed increase of agricultural rates from $312 an acre-foot to $371, farmers said they were grateful that directors had used property taxes to offset part of the cost of delivering water to farmers.
Without the offset, farmers could have faced rates of more than $500 per acre-foot for the coming year.
“I think they’re doing a good job of trying to do what they have to do; they’re very much between a rock and a hard place,” said Tony Thacher, an East End farmer, in an interview.
Still, the more expensive farm water, coming on top of a 53 percent hike in the cost to irrigate crops last year, is putting Ojai Valley agriculture in jeopardy, because marginal farmers simply cannot pay the new price, Thacher said.
Even farmers with profitable crops such as lemons, avocados and specialty tangerines, will have to sink new wells into the valley’s subterranean water basin to be able to make farming pencil out, he said. The cost of well water, not counting maintenance expenses, is about $70 an acre-foot, farmers say.
But the new wells, costing up to $100,000 each, could be a huge problem, Thacher said, since they could pull too much water out of the underground basin, depleting the water supply of hundreds of farmers and thousands of residents.
“My biggest concern is the groundwater basin,” Thacher said. “There are lots of wells being drilled or contemplated right now.”
Added East End farmer Jim Churchill: “If everybody’s doing it, that affects the groundwater basin.” And a depleted Ojai aquifer could affect everything from drinking and irrigating water to the valley’s eco-system, Churchill said. “Wouldn’t that affect the oak trees?”
The interdependence of the Ojai Valley’s water supply systems has become an increasing issue during the last year, as water agencies have sharply hiked rates to maintain and rebuild aging pipes, pumps, tanks and reservoirs.
And every move by Casitas can affect every other agency in the valley, since it controls the huge reservoir behind Casitas Dam, a federal public works project managed by a locally elected board.
“There’s a lot of room for improvement in how we manage our water supplies,” said Casitas general manager Steve Wickstrum. “We need to protect our long-term and our short-term supplies.”
In fact, the valley’s groundwater management agency has begun an extensive study of precisely how the Ojai Valley Basin works and what effect new wells would have on it during dry years when there is not enough rain to replenish it. But that study is just beginning, and will take two years to complete, officials said.
In the short term, farmers must deal with the 18.8 percent rate increases, if the Casitas board enacts them as expected after a hearing Aug. 27. Property owners will be formally notified of the proposed hikes in coming weeks, and they will have 45 days to challenge them in writing.
If a majority of customers do, the rates would not be imposed and the district would have to go back to the drawing board on how to pay for its operations and an ambitious program to rebuild its sagging infrastructure.
Chances of a majority challenge are minuscule, however, since most Casitas customers are not farmers, but residents, and they fare well under the proposed new rate structure. Most Ojai Valley customers, mostly Oak View residents, will get a sharp reduction in rates resulting from the 2008-2009 budget.
Casitas provides water for about 65,000 people and nearly 5,700 acres of farmland in the Ojai Valley and Ventura areas. About 200 farmers use about 44 percent of the district’s water.
The net effect of water rate increases in the new budget is about a 10 percent increase overall, with farmers taking the biggest hit. The net operating increase to farmers is less than the 18.8 percent hike for water, because the district would reduce the monthly service charge to big users.
Farmers said they are waiting to see the details of the new water rate study on which the new budget is based. A summary of the study was distributed during the last week, but farmers said they wanted to see precisely how the rate model works, so they can come to their own conclusions about its effect on them.
At a previous meeting, farmers said they were concerned that basic 22 percent service charges for administration and overhead may be too high. They said they have not yet seen a breakdown to support that fixed charge. District officials said that the water industry standard for such overhead charges is 25 percent, so Casitas’ proposed rate is low.
Higher rates are required not only to fund millions of dollars in maintenance projects and fully fund an emergency reserve account, but because the district is under pressure to follow state guidelines that require water charges based on the actual cost of service, something the district has not done in the past when it came to agriculture.
In a 2006 State Supreme Court decision, justices ruled that Proposition 218, passed by voters in 1996, requires equitable distribution of water costs.
Homeowners already pay for the full cost of delivering their water. Historically, farmers have enjoyed a subsidized rate partly because the federally constructed Casitas Dam project was built, in part, to promote Ojai Valley agriculture.
Even with the farmers’ rate increased from $208 an acre-foot to $312 this fiscal year, and perhaps to $371 by September, they would still pay less than the $438 per acre-foot most residential customers pay. An acre-foot of water meets the needs of two typical households for a year.
Casitas officials have said they might be able to legally justify the lower rate because agricultural users do not need the high quality water delivered to their orchards since a sophisticated treatment plant was built a decade ago to meet state drinking-water standards.
If all costs, including treatment, were included, farmers would pay $521 an acre-foot, analysts have said.
But farmers fear that spiraling costs could eventually put them out of business.
Mary Bergen, who farms 100 acres of avocados along Creek Road, said she’s still trying absorb the increased costs from last September’s water hike.
“My bill has gone from $7,000 to $8,000 a month (during the summer and dry periods) to $12,000 a month,” said Bergen, who attended the Wednesday hearing.
Higher water rates will force farmers to pump more from their own wells in years with good rainfall, like this one, then go back to Casitas supplies when underground water basins dry up during low-rain years.
That would create a yo-yo effect in Casitas revenue, farmers have said, because the water district cannot count on selling water to farmers consistently.
Water rate summaries released by Casitas this week show that the proposed new rates would be good news for about 2,600 residential customers in the Oak View area, with their water rates dropping sharply and their overall water bills dropping somewhat after an increase in the basic service charge is included.
The new water rates differ from customer to customer, depending on the size of a customer’s water meter and how much water is used.
For example, a resident with a typically sized water meter (5/8 to 3/4 inch), using 34 units of water (748 gallons per unit) every two months, would pay $81.40 under the new rates, including a service charge of about $38. That’s about $9, or 10 percent, less than the resident now pays bi-monthly.
For farmers, water rates would go up 18.8 percent regardless of the size of farm, but proposed reductions in fixed service charges would mean a smaller percentage increase in the overall water bill.
For example, a farmer with 40 irrigated acres would pay $30,802 a year for water service, $4,341 or 16.4 percent, more than now. That assumes the farmer has a 2-inch meter and uses 2 acre-feet of water per acre per year.
A farmer with 200 irrigated acres would pay $152,628 for water service, $21,030 or 16 percent, more than now. That assumes the farmer has a 4-inch meter and uses 2 acre-feet per acre.
And if the same 200-acre farm had a 6-inch meter, the annual tab would increase to $157,649, $13,035 or 9 percent, more than today.
By Daryl Kelley
With a telling absence of public dissent, directors of the Ojai Valley’s largest water agency approved this week a new $15-million budget supported by another sharp jump in water rates to valley farmers.
Although farmers would absorb an 18.8 percent increase in rates during the fiscal year beginning July 1, farm leaders in the audience at Wednesday’s hearing praised Casitas Municipal Water District directors for trying to keep rates down.
Indeed, despite the proposed increase of agricultural rates from $312 an acre-foot to $371, farmers said they were grateful that directors had used property taxes to offset part of the cost of delivering water to farmers.
Without the offset, farmers could have faced rates of more than $500 per acre-foot for the coming year.
“I think they’re doing a good job of trying to do what they have to do; they’re very much between a rock and a hard place,” said Tony Thacher, an East End farmer, in an interview.
Still, the more expensive farm water, coming on top of a 53 percent hike in the cost to irrigate crops last year, is putting Ojai Valley agriculture in jeopardy, because marginal farmers simply cannot pay the new price, Thacher said.
Even farmers with profitable crops such as lemons, avocados and specialty tangerines, will have to sink new wells into the valley’s subterranean water basin to be able to make farming pencil out, he said. The cost of well water, not counting maintenance expenses, is about $70 an acre-foot, farmers say.
But the new wells, costing up to $100,000 each, could be a huge problem, Thacher said, since they could pull too much water out of the underground basin, depleting the water supply of hundreds of farmers and thousands of residents.
“My biggest concern is the groundwater basin,” Thacher said. “There are lots of wells being drilled or contemplated right now.”
Added East End farmer Jim Churchill: “If everybody’s doing it, that affects the groundwater basin.” And a depleted Ojai aquifer could affect everything from drinking and irrigating water to the valley’s eco-system, Churchill said. “Wouldn’t that affect the oak trees?”
The interdependence of the Ojai Valley’s water supply systems has become an increasing issue during the last year, as water agencies have sharply hiked rates to maintain and rebuild aging pipes, pumps, tanks and reservoirs.
And every move by Casitas can affect every other agency in the valley, since it controls the huge reservoir behind Casitas Dam, a federal public works project managed by a locally elected board.
“There’s a lot of room for improvement in how we manage our water supplies,” said Casitas general manager Steve Wickstrum. “We need to protect our long-term and our short-term supplies.”
In fact, the valley’s groundwater management agency has begun an extensive study of precisely how the Ojai Valley Basin works and what effect new wells would have on it during dry years when there is not enough rain to replenish it. But that study is just beginning, and will take two years to complete, officials said.
In the short term, farmers must deal with the 18.8 percent rate increases, if the Casitas board enacts them as expected after a hearing Aug. 27. Property owners will be formally notified of the proposed hikes in coming weeks, and they will have 45 days to challenge them in writing.
If a majority of customers do, the rates would not be imposed and the district would have to go back to the drawing board on how to pay for its operations and an ambitious program to rebuild its sagging infrastructure.
Chances of a majority challenge are minuscule, however, since most Casitas customers are not farmers, but residents, and they fare well under the proposed new rate structure. Most Ojai Valley customers, mostly Oak View residents, will get a sharp reduction in rates resulting from the 2008-2009 budget.
Casitas provides water for about 65,000 people and nearly 5,700 acres of farmland in the Ojai Valley and Ventura areas. About 200 farmers use about 44 percent of the district’s water.
The net effect of water rate increases in the new budget is about a 10 percent increase overall, with farmers taking the biggest hit. The net operating increase to farmers is less than the 18.8 percent hike for water, because the district would reduce the monthly service charge to big users.
Farmers said they are waiting to see the details of the new water rate study on which the new budget is based. A summary of the study was distributed during the last week, but farmers said they wanted to see precisely how the rate model works, so they can come to their own conclusions about its effect on them.
At a previous meeting, farmers said they were concerned that basic 22 percent service charges for administration and overhead may be too high. They said they have not yet seen a breakdown to support that fixed charge. District officials said that the water industry standard for such overhead charges is 25 percent, so Casitas’ proposed rate is low.
Higher rates are required not only to fund millions of dollars in maintenance projects and fully fund an emergency reserve account, but because the district is under pressure to follow state guidelines that require water charges based on the actual cost of service, something the district has not done in the past when it came to agriculture.
In a 2006 State Supreme Court decision, justices ruled that Proposition 218, passed by voters in 1996, requires equitable distribution of water costs.
Homeowners already pay for the full cost of delivering their water. Historically, farmers have enjoyed a subsidized rate partly because the federally constructed Casitas Dam project was built, in part, to promote Ojai Valley agriculture.
Even with the farmers’ rate increased from $208 an acre-foot to $312 this fiscal year, and perhaps to $371 by September, they would still pay less than the $438 per acre-foot most residential customers pay. An acre-foot of water meets the needs of two typical households for a year.
Casitas officials have said they might be able to legally justify the lower rate because agricultural users do not need the high quality water delivered to their orchards since a sophisticated treatment plant was built a decade ago to meet state drinking-water standards.
If all costs, including treatment, were included, farmers would pay $521 an acre-foot, analysts have said.
But farmers fear that spiraling costs could eventually put them out of business.
Mary Bergen, who farms 100 acres of avocados along Creek Road, said she’s still trying absorb the increased costs from last September’s water hike.
“My bill has gone from $7,000 to $8,000 a month (during the summer and dry periods) to $12,000 a month,” said Bergen, who attended the Wednesday hearing.
Higher water rates will force farmers to pump more from their own wells in years with good rainfall, like this one, then go back to Casitas supplies when underground water basins dry up during low-rain years.
That would create a yo-yo effect in Casitas revenue, farmers have said, because the water district cannot count on selling water to farmers consistently.
Water rate summaries released by Casitas this week show that the proposed new rates would be good news for about 2,600 residential customers in the Oak View area, with their water rates dropping sharply and their overall water bills dropping somewhat after an increase in the basic service charge is included.
The new water rates differ from customer to customer, depending on the size of a customer’s water meter and how much water is used.
For example, a resident with a typically sized water meter (5/8 to 3/4 inch), using 34 units of water (748 gallons per unit) every two months, would pay $81.40 under the new rates, including a service charge of about $38. That’s about $9, or 10 percent, less than the resident now pays bi-monthly.
For farmers, water rates would go up 18.8 percent regardless of the size of farm, but proposed reductions in fixed service charges would mean a smaller percentage increase in the overall water bill.
For example, a farmer with 40 irrigated acres would pay $30,802 a year for water service, $4,341 or 16.4 percent, more than now. That assumes the farmer has a 2-inch meter and uses 2 acre-feet of water per acre per year.
A farmer with 200 irrigated acres would pay $152,628 for water service, $21,030 or 16 percent, more than now. That assumes the farmer has a 4-inch meter and uses 2 acre-feet per acre.
And if the same 200-acre farm had a 6-inch meter, the annual tab would increase to $157,649, $13,035 or 9 percent, more than today.
City Council Rethinks Arts Funding
Mayor casts deciding vote to OK $14,575 to Arts Commission
By Nao Braverman
If Ojai is to be defined as an arts community as many locals claim, then the city must do its part to maintain that reputation, council members agreed at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
After some deliberation, council members unanimously approved an amendment to the city budget, granting the Ojai Arts Commission the entire funding that it requested for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
“The value of art is intangible, but it has an effect on property value, on who lives here, who comes here, who spends money here and who stays here,” said local resident Roberta Raye.
Although the council had recently agreed not to provide funding for outside agencies until the reserve budget was back intact, the Arts Commission should not be considered an outside agency, council members decided. The city commission is a city’s responsibility, and without proper funding, the commission cannot fulfill its purpose, said Mayor Sue Horgan.
The discussion closed on an indecisive note at a prior council meeting, with Councilwomen Rae Hanstad and Carol Smith staunchly in favor of granting the Arts Commission the funds it requested, and Councilmen Joe DeVito and Steve Olsen wary of loosening their former pact of fiscal caution, without approving a new policy agreement, that would allow them to give some funds to other organizations as well as the Arts Commission.
But Horgan, the tiebreaker, sided with Hanstad and Smith this week.
“You all know I am a fiscally conservative person and I don’t like to let go of my purse strings,” said Horgan. “But I believe the Arts Commission is a city agency and we need to take care of city responsibilities first.”
Since it is part of the Arts Commission’s assigned duty to allocate grants to deserving art projects in the community, the commission should receive the necessary funding to fulfill its given function, she explained.
Olsen, who described himself as generally more on the fiscally liberal side, said he was looking to have a policy in place so that the city could be more generous with deserving outside agencies. But perhaps the Arts Commission, allocated to funnel money to outside arts agencies through grants, could be the perfect model for such a policy, he said. The Parks and Recreation Commission could, in the same fashion, give funds to organizations such as Youth Employment Services, a needy outside organization, through a similar grant program.
“It looks like we do have a policy already,” he said, agreeing to vote in favor of giving the Arts Commission the funding it was asking for.
DeVito was the last to agree.
“It puts me between a rock and a hard place, making this decision,” he said. “The thing that bothers me extremely is if (Youth Employment Services) or any other outside organizations had any idea that we were going to fund anything until our budget was in place, then they would have been here too.”
But Horgan retorted that the Arts Commission is not an outside organization but a city organization, and although the grant money might be funneled through the commission to outside organizations, that was just one of the commission’s given functions.
A number of citizens and Arts Commission members attested to the fact that those grants fund popular local entertainment venues and festivities like the Ojai Music Festival, the Ojai Film Festival and Theater 150, all which bring in much-needed tourist dollars.
Demitri Corbin, Arts Commission member and founder of the Peach Tree Theater Company, added that some of the funding would go toward sustaining educational arts programs within the school district, an important goal in these trying times.
A motion was made to amend the budget to allocate $14,575 to the Arts Commission instead of the $6,000 initially budgeted. That includes the commission’s request of $11,575, $7,000 of which will be reallocated to other organizations in the form of arts grants. An additional $3,000 was added to the total, for repainting the walls and refurbishing the lighting in the City Hall’s art gallery space.
DeVito agreed to the motion, after a long suspenseful pause, and the amendment was approved unanimously.
Earlier at the meeting, Judy Gabriel, a member of Skate Ojai, another outside organization in need of funds, asked for more clarity from the city on the prospective site for the future skate park. With $293,348 already in the bag, Skate Ojai plans to build a permanent in-ground concrete park, said Gabriel. Rumors that the intended school district site was not as secure as initially hoped for seemed to be affecting the fund-raising process, she added.
Horgan said that the council would not be prepared to make any statements until they had all the details. Although those details were initially to be analyzed at the regular council meeting on July 8, city manager Jere Kersnar said that city staff would not yet be prepared for such a meeting at that time and he would have to schedule a special meeting at a later date.
In other council news, a 5 percent increase of the city manager’s annual salary was unanimously approved, bringing his total earnings to $159,954.03.
“The city manager, of course, received a stellar review,” said Hanstad, who served on the deciding committee with Horgan.
Later at the meeting a new parcel map dividing the property at 310, 312, 316 E. Matilija St. and 207 N. Montgomery St., formerly Clausen Funeral Home and currently the location of Theater 150, into four parcels was approved unanimously. The four new lots house the new theater location as well as some residences in the back. Council members applauded property owner Jim Exon on his new parcel map, which would help keep the downtown lots small and affordable while protecting the property from large-scale commercial development.
Also at the meeting the council heard the first reading of a draft ordinance which would give qualified historic properties tax incentives to foster the preservation of privately owned, historic residential and commercial properties.
Under the 1972 Mills Act, cities and counties can enter into contracts with private property owners who actively restore and maintain their historic properties in exchange for tax relief. The tax savings is supposed to make it easier for property owners to restore and renovate historic buildings. The owners must agree to work on the improvement of their property for at least 10 years in order to get the incentive. Participants save between 40 to 60 percent on taxes each year. The ordinance, drafted by the city attorney, will be reviewed by the Planning Commission at its July 16 meeting along with a public hearing on the subject.
By Nao Braverman
If Ojai is to be defined as an arts community as many locals claim, then the city must do its part to maintain that reputation, council members agreed at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
After some deliberation, council members unanimously approved an amendment to the city budget, granting the Ojai Arts Commission the entire funding that it requested for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
“The value of art is intangible, but it has an effect on property value, on who lives here, who comes here, who spends money here and who stays here,” said local resident Roberta Raye.
Although the council had recently agreed not to provide funding for outside agencies until the reserve budget was back intact, the Arts Commission should not be considered an outside agency, council members decided. The city commission is a city’s responsibility, and without proper funding, the commission cannot fulfill its purpose, said Mayor Sue Horgan.
The discussion closed on an indecisive note at a prior council meeting, with Councilwomen Rae Hanstad and Carol Smith staunchly in favor of granting the Arts Commission the funds it requested, and Councilmen Joe DeVito and Steve Olsen wary of loosening their former pact of fiscal caution, without approving a new policy agreement, that would allow them to give some funds to other organizations as well as the Arts Commission.
But Horgan, the tiebreaker, sided with Hanstad and Smith this week.
“You all know I am a fiscally conservative person and I don’t like to let go of my purse strings,” said Horgan. “But I believe the Arts Commission is a city agency and we need to take care of city responsibilities first.”
Since it is part of the Arts Commission’s assigned duty to allocate grants to deserving art projects in the community, the commission should receive the necessary funding to fulfill its given function, she explained.
Olsen, who described himself as generally more on the fiscally liberal side, said he was looking to have a policy in place so that the city could be more generous with deserving outside agencies. But perhaps the Arts Commission, allocated to funnel money to outside arts agencies through grants, could be the perfect model for such a policy, he said. The Parks and Recreation Commission could, in the same fashion, give funds to organizations such as Youth Employment Services, a needy outside organization, through a similar grant program.
“It looks like we do have a policy already,” he said, agreeing to vote in favor of giving the Arts Commission the funding it was asking for.
DeVito was the last to agree.
“It puts me between a rock and a hard place, making this decision,” he said. “The thing that bothers me extremely is if (Youth Employment Services) or any other outside organizations had any idea that we were going to fund anything until our budget was in place, then they would have been here too.”
But Horgan retorted that the Arts Commission is not an outside organization but a city organization, and although the grant money might be funneled through the commission to outside organizations, that was just one of the commission’s given functions.
A number of citizens and Arts Commission members attested to the fact that those grants fund popular local entertainment venues and festivities like the Ojai Music Festival, the Ojai Film Festival and Theater 150, all which bring in much-needed tourist dollars.
Demitri Corbin, Arts Commission member and founder of the Peach Tree Theater Company, added that some of the funding would go toward sustaining educational arts programs within the school district, an important goal in these trying times.
A motion was made to amend the budget to allocate $14,575 to the Arts Commission instead of the $6,000 initially budgeted. That includes the commission’s request of $11,575, $7,000 of which will be reallocated to other organizations in the form of arts grants. An additional $3,000 was added to the total, for repainting the walls and refurbishing the lighting in the City Hall’s art gallery space.
DeVito agreed to the motion, after a long suspenseful pause, and the amendment was approved unanimously.
Earlier at the meeting, Judy Gabriel, a member of Skate Ojai, another outside organization in need of funds, asked for more clarity from the city on the prospective site for the future skate park. With $293,348 already in the bag, Skate Ojai plans to build a permanent in-ground concrete park, said Gabriel. Rumors that the intended school district site was not as secure as initially hoped for seemed to be affecting the fund-raising process, she added.
Horgan said that the council would not be prepared to make any statements until they had all the details. Although those details were initially to be analyzed at the regular council meeting on July 8, city manager Jere Kersnar said that city staff would not yet be prepared for such a meeting at that time and he would have to schedule a special meeting at a later date.
In other council news, a 5 percent increase of the city manager’s annual salary was unanimously approved, bringing his total earnings to $159,954.03.
“The city manager, of course, received a stellar review,” said Hanstad, who served on the deciding committee with Horgan.
Later at the meeting a new parcel map dividing the property at 310, 312, 316 E. Matilija St. and 207 N. Montgomery St., formerly Clausen Funeral Home and currently the location of Theater 150, into four parcels was approved unanimously. The four new lots house the new theater location as well as some residences in the back. Council members applauded property owner Jim Exon on his new parcel map, which would help keep the downtown lots small and affordable while protecting the property from large-scale commercial development.
Also at the meeting the council heard the first reading of a draft ordinance which would give qualified historic properties tax incentives to foster the preservation of privately owned, historic residential and commercial properties.
Under the 1972 Mills Act, cities and counties can enter into contracts with private property owners who actively restore and maintain their historic properties in exchange for tax relief. The tax savings is supposed to make it easier for property owners to restore and renovate historic buildings. The owners must agree to work on the improvement of their property for at least 10 years in order to get the incentive. Participants save between 40 to 60 percent on taxes each year. The ordinance, drafted by the city attorney, will be reviewed by the Planning Commission at its July 16 meeting along with a public hearing on the subject.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Pair Arrested In Oak View Shooting
VENTURA COUNTY SHERIFF
MEDIA RELEASE
Nature of Incident: Arrest / Service of search warrant RB#: 08-13408
Location: 100 Blk La Luna Oak View
Date & Time:6-19-2008 / 0930
Unit Responsible: Gang Unit
Suspects
Ramos, Jose Oak View 19
Ramos, Sergio Oak View 27
Narrative:
On 6-19-2008, gang investigators arrested Jose Ramos and Sergio Ramos at their residence for participating in a gang related shooting. The shooting occurred on 5-18-08 in the community Oak View.
On 5-18-08,at about 0320 hours, Ojai patrol deputies responded to a shots fired call in the area of Short Street and Ventura Ave. The deputies were unable to find any evidence of a crime at that time. At about 0800 hours, Deputies were called back to an address on Short Street where they discovered a car that had two bullet holes in it. A search of the area found shell casings more than 350 feet away. Deputies also located a victim who stated he was shot at during the early morning hours. He did not report the incident at the time of the shooting.
Gang investigators developed information that Jose and Sergio Ramos were involved in the shooting and obtained a search warrant for their residence. Both subjects are active OSL gang members.
On 6-19-2008, the Sheriff’s Gang Unit, along with deputies from the Ojai station, served a search warrant at the Ramos’ residence. Both Sergio and Jose were present and were arrested. A search of the residence found ammunition similar to the shell casings found at the scene.
Jose Ramos and Sergio Ramos were booked into the Ventura County Jail for Assault with a firearm, and Street Terrorism. Sergio, who was out on bail for possession of heroin at the time of the shooting, was additionally charged with the commission of a felony while out on bail. They are both being held on $100,000 bail.
MEDIA RELEASE
Nature of Incident: Arrest / Service of search warrant RB#: 08-13408
Location: 100 Blk La Luna Oak View
Date & Time:6-19-2008 / 0930
Unit Responsible: Gang Unit
Suspects
Ramos, Jose Oak View 19
Ramos, Sergio Oak View 27
Narrative:
On 6-19-2008, gang investigators arrested Jose Ramos and Sergio Ramos at their residence for participating in a gang related shooting. The shooting occurred on 5-18-08 in the community Oak View.
On 5-18-08,at about 0320 hours, Ojai patrol deputies responded to a shots fired call in the area of Short Street and Ventura Ave. The deputies were unable to find any evidence of a crime at that time. At about 0800 hours, Deputies were called back to an address on Short Street where they discovered a car that had two bullet holes in it. A search of the area found shell casings more than 350 feet away. Deputies also located a victim who stated he was shot at during the early morning hours. He did not report the incident at the time of the shooting.
Gang investigators developed information that Jose and Sergio Ramos were involved in the shooting and obtained a search warrant for their residence. Both subjects are active OSL gang members.
On 6-19-2008, the Sheriff’s Gang Unit, along with deputies from the Ojai station, served a search warrant at the Ramos’ residence. Both Sergio and Jose were present and were arrested. A search of the residence found ammunition similar to the shell casings found at the scene.
Jose Ramos and Sergio Ramos were booked into the Ventura County Jail for Assault with a firearm, and Street Terrorism. Sergio, who was out on bail for possession of heroin at the time of the shooting, was additionally charged with the commission of a felony while out on bail. They are both being held on $100,000 bail.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Meiners Oaks Water Rates Hiked
John Brock on his six-acre Meiners Oaks citrus ranch, which has been in his family for 70 yearsBy Daryl Kelley
Directors of the Meiners Oaks County Water District approved a new budget this week, imposing the first round of fee hikes that would increase the water rate paid by a typical residential customer nearly two and a half times in four years, a boost officials said would still leave the tiny district’s fees the lowest in the Ojai Valley.
New rates would also make the typical agricultural fee about four times greater over four years, a hike some farmers said could limit production or put them out of business.
The new water rates take effect July 1, as the 2008-2009 fiscal year begins.
The immediate impact of the new fees will be modest for most customers — hiking the base rate for residential users from the current $21.20 a month to $28.52 for the coming year. But the fee escalates to $50.41 a month in four years.
For farmers, the hit comes quicker, with the average monthly cost for a customer with a 2-inch meter irrigating five acres spiraling upward from $193 now to $457 beginning next month to $759 in four years.
Customers had a chance to challenge the increases at a hearing on Tuesday evening, but only a handful showed up at the public hearing.
John and Marsha Brock, whose six-acre farm on La Luna has been in the family for more than 70 years, protested the elimination of a long-standing low rate for agriculture.
“My dad set up this board 40 years ago,” said John Brock, who has more than 1,800 producing trees. “There has always been an agricultural rate.”
And Marsha Brock told the board that her family repeatedly gets offers from Los Angeles residents wanting to buy their ranch. With the higher water fees, they may be forced to sell, she said.
“We are going to domestic water, so we can get rid of all the trees, or sell,” she said. “This isn’t what we want … This (ranch) is what Ojai has been all about.”
A water district consultant told the Brocks that under a new interpretation of state law, the district has no choice but to treat all customers equally and charge the full cost of providing service, even if the customer is a farmer.
In all, the district received 91 written protests of the rate increases from customers, far fewer than the majority needed to block it. All property owners in the district were notified of the change in April.
The Meiners Oaks district provides water for more than 1,100 residences, 33 agricultural users and several dozen businesses and institutions such as schools, churches and nonprofit organizations. It draws its water from four wells along the Ventura River, and buys backup supplies from the Casitas reservoir during dry periods.
On Tuesday, directors approved a new $1.04-million budget for the struggling district, relying on reserves because district income fell about $185,000 short of what was needed to pay for basic services and to begin to fix an aging infrastructure. It will be the fourth year in a row that the district has been in the red because of soaring maintenance costs.
Without a sharp fee increase, the district would have been bankrupt in four years, a consultant had warned.
“There has been one rate increase in 24 years,” said board President Bill Reynolds. “The state of the system is in such disarray … we’re not able to balance the budget. We’re trying to catch up.”
Even with the increase, Reynolds said the district’s financial future is dicey, because it is spreading needed increases over four years to make them more palatable, instead of imposing them all right away.
“It hurts us to do this, but we have to plan for the future,” said Director Carrie Mattingly. “We don’t have any option except to go out of business.”
The board delayed a rate increase last November because of the threat of a lawsuit by farmers and taxpayer advocates, who said the district’s budget was being illegally balanced on the back of the district’s few agricultural users.
Officials said the new, simpler proposal is fair and removes any basis for a successful suit.
Since 2004, the district has drawn down reserves from $2 million to $1.36 million to repair crumbling pipes, valves, meters and tanks. It now faces replacement of a failed half-million-dollar water tank and a faulty $40,000 pump.
Even some of those hurt most by the increases — the farmers — said it is evident that a sharp rate increase was needed to save the district, and avert even higher fees from another provider.
But fruit grower Camille Sears said the board is going too far in its four-year hike of agricultural rates.
“I think the first year is fair,” Sears said in an interview. “That’s two and a half times what we pay now. That’s going to hurt. But beyond that it’s ridiculous.”
By Sears’ calculation, she now pays $135 per acre-foot of water, and that would increase to $640 in four years. That compares with $365 an acre-foot proposed by the large Casitas Municipal Water District for farm users and about $445 an acre-foot residential users would be charged under a new Casitas plan.
“So we’ll be paying more than most residences in the Ojai Valley,” Sears said. “It doesn’t make sense. There’s no way any grower I know can afford to pay that.”
So if the rate hike plan of the Meiners Oaks district remains in place for the next four years, Sears said she would pull out her 1,300 fruit and citrus trees and sell them — and perhaps replace them with hardy melons that need little water.
Sears threatened a lawsuit when the original rate increase was proposed last fall, because fees weren’t based on actual service, as state law requires.
District officials maintained that its new, simpler rates would be fair because everyone would pay the same for water, with the difference in fees being based only on the size of a customer’s water meter and how much water is used.
That would jibe with a state Supreme Court decision two years ago interpreting a 1996 statewide proposition that requires that all water customers be treated equally and that they pay for the cost to deliver their water, district officials said.
And they said that if things improve during the next four years, adjustments can be made to reduce the hit on those bearing the burden.
Ojai Planners Eye Landmark Incentives
City manager recommends new ordinance to create tax break
By Linda Harmon
While the tone of the Ojai Planning Commission meeting Wednesday night was low key — with the approval of plans for a new restaurant on East Ojai Avenue’s and the concept of creating a tax break for privately owned historic landmarks — the issues presented could resonate for years.
The owners of Hakane Sushi, 967 E. Ojai Ave., were given the go-ahead for a remodel that includes a monument sign, a trellis-covered 500-square feet dining area and the addition of a parking lot.
According to project architect Joshua Griffen, the project remodel was designed to increase pedestrian flow by improving the streetscape and including native plants and other water conservation technologies. He also said the additional parking lot would address the previously voiced problem of inadequate parking. The applicant sought to successfully address this by providing parking on a leased, adjoining property.
“It is a major improvement of the site,” said Kanika Kith, associate city planner, as she recommended approval of the project.
The restaurant will move the existing parking to the rear where it will not be visible from Ojai Avenue, and provide new landscaping, including two London plane street trees, and a patio area. The project will also incorporate permeable paving using Gravel Pave, a stabilized gravel product, and a “rain garden” to allow rainwater absorption and improve runoff at the site.
“A rain garden is basically just a depression in the landscaping to catch additional stormwater,” said Griffen, who added that the landscaping will also reflect an Asian feel.
“I’m glad to see these materials used,” said Commissioner Tucker Adams, before the project was unanimously approved. Griffen said the product is more expensive than concrete or asphalt but he feels the price will fall as more people use it.
In other actions, Cabrillo Development’s N. Montgomery Street grading project was continued until the July 2 meeting.
Then city manager Jere Kersnar gave a brief overview of the Mills Act, a state statute, and asked the commission for its approval of the concept of creating an ordinance for Ojai. A local Mills Act ordinance would give the owners of historic landmark properties a property tax reduction proportionate to the applied maintenance of their property.
Landmarks are officially designated buildings of local, county or statewide significance with historical, social or cultural value.
The Mills Act and the proposed ordinance seek to provide an economic incentive to preserve residential neighborhoods and the revitalization of downtown commercial districts and an incentive for property owners to appropriately repair and rehabilitate historical resources rather than turn to demolition and new construction.
In California, Mills Act contracts are between the property owner and the local government granting the tax abatement and the city can individually determine the criteria and requirements for participation.
Kersnar said that although on its face it is a tax loss for the city, the property owner is required to spend that money in maintaining the building. He also said that obligation will be enforced by the city with as yet undetermined procedures.
“I have to admit that my first thought was we were giving up tax money,” said Kersnar, “but with only five privately owned landmarks in the city and the great benefits to the community, I’m in favor of it going to the council.”
The private landmarks include the Ladd House, the Libbey House, the C.W. Robertson House, the Woolsey House and the Ojai Valley Country Club clubhouse. Public landmarks include the Ojai post office tower and the Arcade.
The commission affirmed Kersnar’s opinion with Commissioner Susan Weaver saying, “The value of maintaining our heritage is incalculable.”
Citizens interested in acquiring landmark status or more information on the Mills Act can go to ohp.parks.ca.gov/.
By Linda Harmon
While the tone of the Ojai Planning Commission meeting Wednesday night was low key — with the approval of plans for a new restaurant on East Ojai Avenue’s and the concept of creating a tax break for privately owned historic landmarks — the issues presented could resonate for years.
The owners of Hakane Sushi, 967 E. Ojai Ave., were given the go-ahead for a remodel that includes a monument sign, a trellis-covered 500-square feet dining area and the addition of a parking lot.
According to project architect Joshua Griffen, the project remodel was designed to increase pedestrian flow by improving the streetscape and including native plants and other water conservation technologies. He also said the additional parking lot would address the previously voiced problem of inadequate parking. The applicant sought to successfully address this by providing parking on a leased, adjoining property.
“It is a major improvement of the site,” said Kanika Kith, associate city planner, as she recommended approval of the project.
The restaurant will move the existing parking to the rear where it will not be visible from Ojai Avenue, and provide new landscaping, including two London plane street trees, and a patio area. The project will also incorporate permeable paving using Gravel Pave, a stabilized gravel product, and a “rain garden” to allow rainwater absorption and improve runoff at the site.
“A rain garden is basically just a depression in the landscaping to catch additional stormwater,” said Griffen, who added that the landscaping will also reflect an Asian feel.
“I’m glad to see these materials used,” said Commissioner Tucker Adams, before the project was unanimously approved. Griffen said the product is more expensive than concrete or asphalt but he feels the price will fall as more people use it.
In other actions, Cabrillo Development’s N. Montgomery Street grading project was continued until the July 2 meeting.
Then city manager Jere Kersnar gave a brief overview of the Mills Act, a state statute, and asked the commission for its approval of the concept of creating an ordinance for Ojai. A local Mills Act ordinance would give the owners of historic landmark properties a property tax reduction proportionate to the applied maintenance of their property.
Landmarks are officially designated buildings of local, county or statewide significance with historical, social or cultural value.
The Mills Act and the proposed ordinance seek to provide an economic incentive to preserve residential neighborhoods and the revitalization of downtown commercial districts and an incentive for property owners to appropriately repair and rehabilitate historical resources rather than turn to demolition and new construction.
In California, Mills Act contracts are between the property owner and the local government granting the tax abatement and the city can individually determine the criteria and requirements for participation.
Kersnar said that although on its face it is a tax loss for the city, the property owner is required to spend that money in maintaining the building. He also said that obligation will be enforced by the city with as yet undetermined procedures.
“I have to admit that my first thought was we were giving up tax money,” said Kersnar, “but with only five privately owned landmarks in the city and the great benefits to the community, I’m in favor of it going to the council.”
The private landmarks include the Ladd House, the Libbey House, the C.W. Robertson House, the Woolsey House and the Ojai Valley Country Club clubhouse. Public landmarks include the Ojai post office tower and the Arcade.
The commission affirmed Kersnar’s opinion with Commissioner Susan Weaver saying, “The value of maintaining our heritage is incalculable.”
Citizens interested in acquiring landmark status or more information on the Mills Act can go to ohp.parks.ca.gov/.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)