Santa Paula has been moving forward over the last several years

January 06, 2006
Columnist
By Richard C. Cook, Mayor, City of Santa Paula Santa Paula has been moving forward over the last several years to enhance what makes our community great and to bring new opportunities to our city. 2006 will mark the return of an important community resource as we build on new successes for a better Santa Paula.The County of Ventura is poised to reopen Santa Paula Memorial Hospital early in the year, which will return to the Santa Clara River Valley a full-service hospital for the first time in two years. Reopening a hospital is a major achievement in today’s health care business, and the return of Santa Paula Memorial Hospital will once again give our residents nearby medical services for all their needs.Santa Paulans will continue to scrutinize new development in 2006, as an initiative to move forward with development of Adams Canyon will likely be before voters early in the year, and the Limoneira Company continues its planning of their properties on the eastern boundary of the city. Santa Paula needs the benefits of new development, but only on Santa Paula’s terms. No one project or development is a “quick fix” for Santa Paula. Issues of traffic, available water and larger community benefits must be weighed before any further development is approved. I am confident that, after the broad community discussion of the approved Fagan Canyon project, Santa Paulans are up for the challenge.Santa Paula is working hard to invest in the economic vitality of our community. Main Street has new energy with the resurgence of existing businesses, the success of new businesses and the investment by the City in important infrastructure projects. Our agricultural and industrial businesses are also thriving, with new investments in Santa Paula being made by Calavo Growers Inc., Limoneira Company, Automotive Racing Products, Bend Pak and Abrisa Glass that are creating more new good paying jobs for Santa Paulans. These investments must be leveraged by more education and training opportunities for our residents. That is one reason why the City will continue its discussions with the Ventura County Community College District to urge them to accept our offer of property to move forward with construction of a new facility here.
As we move forward into 2006, the success of Santa Paula is tied to the hard work and dedication of our City Council, our city employees and members of our community who work together to ensure that Santa Paula will remain the jewel of Ventura County.



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