City Council Candidates Forum ends
with gang issues, closing remarks

October 22, 2014
Santa Paula News

Ideas of how to deal with gang violence and closing remarks from those seeking office - including from an incumbent on why he started recusing himself from closed sessions on an arbitration issue - ended the September 24 City Council Candidates Forum.

The six candidates for City Council met with about 70 citizens at the Community Center for the forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters Ventura County and the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce.

Incumbents Ralph Fernandez, an architecture instructor and Bob Gonzales, the city’s retired police chief, are seeking third terms on the council; former two-term Councilman John Procter, church pastor Jenny Crosswhite, Port of Hueneme COO John Demers and Ginger Gherardi, the retired CEO of the Ventura Transportation Commission, fielded questions submitted by audience members during the 90-minute forum.

The six are vying for three seats: Mayor Rick Cook decided to step down from council service after serving one term; elected in 2010, he previously served two terms, 1998 to 2006.

Moderated by David Maron, members of the audience were invited to submit questions for one or more of the candidates. 

From 2003 to 2012 there were 8 homicides but as the police department diminished through attrition to less than 20 full-time officers in 2013, the city experienced a spate of murders, 9 in less than 18 months, a spree of homicides that started in May 2013.

How to turn eliminate gang violence was an issue candidates were asked to address.

Gherardi said gang violence “Won’t be solved overnight” and although working with at risk youth important, “It’s basically a tough nut to crack.” 

Grants that specifically target gangs and drug crime she added should be aggressively sought by the city.

Fernandez said the city has worked with the Santa Paula Unified School District to create two School Resource Officers - SPPD personnel - that during the school year work at the high and middle school campuses, “Trying to work with young to alleviate the problem early on.”

Street gangs, said Gonzales, have been present in Santa Paula since 1986: “Gangs have only gotten worse, not just in Santa Paula,” but in other areas.

Funding and partnerships must be sought to “Put a stop to it... fortunately, over the years,” gang crime was one-on-one but, “Unfortunately,” said Gonzales, this year an innocent victim was killed by a stray bullet.

Procter said once the city started dealing with the problem they saw a dramatic decrease in “certain crimes... “

The 1-percent sales tax Measure F, if passed by 2/3 of voters, would provide $800,000 annually to police as well as about $400,000 each to fire and roads.

Procter said Measure F revenue “Might be leveraged for more,” through matching public safety grants the city could seek out.

The public must be more involved said Crosswhite, who noted that a rise in Neighborhood Watch and other community programs must be encouraged.

Early intervention and education is also important: “They use fourth grade reading levels to predict how many jail beds will be needed,” in the future, said Crosswhite and the earlier such children have educational opportunities the better.

Demers said gang violence has to be addressed on two levels, “The short term solution and the long term solution.”

Strengthening the SPPD’s gang unit must be done but funding is always an issue.

“I just received $400,000 from (the Department of) Homeland Security,” for the port district to strengthen safety measures, said Demers, and although the police and school district have partnered to provide two School Resource Officers, “I think they can fund more... “

During closing remarks Gherardi said, “I think it’s important to say I’m not looking for a new career,” but she believes she has the “expertise, vision and ideas” that would benefit the city and community.

“I did some extraordinary things,” with VCTC that also benefited numerous local projects and Gherardi said it is critical that the city’s budget be examined and goals set. 

In addition, “It’s time to stop pitting one group of employees against each other,” by determining and comparing pay scales, creating “A simple spread sheet then build a budget, determine what we really need and then find the funds,” although Gherardi said she does not believe the city is “in as dire financial situation as we’ve been led to believe.

“I want to help the town, she added. “I enjoy living in the community... “ 

“I think I served very well,” while on the council 2000-2008 said Procter. 

“I think you know me, those that have seen me in action know how I deal with people... and respect and dignity is what we need to restore here. Procter said the council “Must get back to goal-setting, we need a way to raise the bar and without goals,” all decisions are “reactionary.”

A top campaign issue has been the city’s privately owned wastewater treatment plant that cost citizens more than $77 a month in basic fees plus a sewer surcharge implemented by the city that is now $1.12 per 100 cubic feet of water.

Procter noted, “I am the only councilmember that voted against the city using,” the Design/Build/Operate/Finance model to build the new wastewater treatment plant, “and I was one of two council members that voted against PERC as the provider... and that’s why we are in that mess now.”

Demers said the theme of the evening was leadership and lack of same.

“We all know the issues, but if you look how did we get into this situation?” with the wastewater treatment plant. 

“By the time we got thinking about a new plant the old one was 60 years old,” and combined factors led to a “very poorly thought out decision,” by the council majority.

The lack of a “structured plan” led to a bad situation for the city and ratepayers, said Demers and a better solution could have been found.

The remark about the city having a gang problem since 1986 prompted Demers to note, “Where was the leadership, where was the vision, where was the forethought,” to tackle gangs before they became a problem.

Replacing the wastewater treatment plant said Fernandez, “Was something that had to be done... if previous councils had done anything except dropped it in our lap at that time without a solution,” the outcome could have been different.

The council, he added, “Did the best we could,” dropped the original plan for the facility, considered two bidders “And got the best deal we could get... “

Fernandez said there was “no bond market” at that time and “If the previous council had dealt with it” it would not be an issue. “We did the best job we could... we also have to pay those rates,” but will activate the five-year “buyback” plan for the plant.

“I do think Santa Paula is the gem of the county,” and as a native Fernandez said he always was “happy to live here... I have no agenda but to make Santa Paula better... “

Gonzales said he wanted to touch on several items addressed by other council candidates including audits, “Done on a regular basis and there is no hidden fund out there... my agenda is Santa Paula and moving it forward,”

Gonzales noted he has “Served the community of Santa Paula for more than 40 years,” as a police officer and chief as well as an elected official and the elementary, high school and community college boards and now council.

“I’m very proud of Santa Paula and proud to tell people I am from Santa Paula... “ 

He said $18 million was “spent by previous councils on studying the sewer plant, putting band aids on the sewer plant,” and if “councils in the 1990s had taken action,” the city would have a new plant.

And at a fraction of the cost of the new one, which cost $60 million and could cost taxpayers more than $200 million over the 30-year contract period if the facility is not purchased by the city. 

Gonzales closing remarks also addressed the question of his recusing himself from closed session discussions regarding arbitration with Santa Paula Water LLC, which owns and operates the plant. 

After a council closed session in September 2013, the city announced it was seeking arbitration to resolve an issue regarding chlorides not removed during treatment, a situation that could potentially mean millions of dollars in fines and additional treatment.

Closed session discussions continued into the new year; Gonzales started to recuse himself from such meetings in May.

Gonzales said, “I have recused myself from closed session items because the city is in litigation with PERC and Alinda,” the entities that designed, built, operate and financed the plant.

“I have the philosophical belief that the city is wrong in what they are doing and I don’t want to be accused of speaking to people from Alinda and PERC on closed session items” so Gonzales said by recusing himself he is not “privy to those items.

“I’m just opposed,” he added, “to the lawsuit that the city is putting on... “ 

Crosswhite said through her extensive travels, education and heavy involvement with many causes and organizations, “I have sat at a lot of tables. I want to bring my experience,” to Santa Paula, “our wonderful beautiful community.

“If I have your vote I will work with all of you... we have a great community and if elected,” Crosswhite said she would work with others “to make it an amazing community. 

“I am bilingual, have a heart for the city,” and would encourage input and active participation of citizens partnering with the council to make for a better Santa Paula.

Said Crosswhite, “It’s really going to be take all of us to take a great city and turn it into an amazing city... “

The Candidates Forum can be watched six nights at 7 p.m. on Time Warner Cable Channel 10, Thursday evenings at 10 p.m. 

The forum is also available for viewing on demand at the city’s website. 





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