Council race: Incumbents Fernandez, Gonzales, and newcomer Ashby pull papers
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula City Council
Published: July 30, 2010
So far two of the three City Council incumbents have pulled paperwork to try for their second four-year terms while a newcomer is also poised for his first run for elected office.
According to Deputy City Clerk Peggy Higgins, incumbent Councilmen Ralph Fernandez and Bob Gonzales have picked up council nomination papers, as has Duane Ashby, a member of the city’s Economic Development Committee.
Dr. Gabino Aguirre, whose second term is coming to a close, has still not taken out papers.
Fernandez, an architect and college instructor and the father of four daughters, noted he considered the workload and time commitment of council service.
“I was kind of debating whether or not to do it, but the council has set in motion a lot of things that would be nice to follow through, that’s been my motivation,” for running again.
“The only hard thing about it,” is council service “takes a lot of time... there’s a lot of reading, thinking, talking to people and meetings.”
Subsequently, “It was kind of a family decision for us,” that Fernandez said was discussed with his wife Cathy.
“It’s my personal life that was the only thing that made,” Fernandez weigh another council run.
Ashby said he has been considering running for several months and he plans on creating a website for his council campaign.
A resident of Santa Paula since the mid-1990s, Ashby is a corporate trainer and systems analyst also working on developing a financial coaching practice “to help the regular Joe out there,” those with smaller amounts of money to invest or who need financial advice and guidance.
Ashby has served on the Economic Development Committee for about a year and recently completed a survey of area businesses he created and conducted.
Ashby believes the council and the city are on the right track but said he wants to bring a fresh perspective on finances as well as attract new business and cultural events that will draw more people to the city.
Several people talked to him about running for council office, an opportunity and experience Ashby said, “I’m really looking forward to... I think the council has done a fine job,” and he believes it would benefit the community to join their ranks.
Those who pull the paperwork must get the signatures of at least 20 registered voters who reside in Santa Paula before they return the document to City Hall. Most potential candidates gather more to ensure that the signatures will pass the scrutiny of the Ventura County Elections Division, which verifies the signers.
When nomination papers are returned to City Hall and the candidate wishes to secure a place for their 200-word or less campaign statement on the county issued sample ballot/candidate statement publication issued closer to the election, a $600 deposit will be required.
The filing period opened July 12 and will end Friday, August 6 at 5 p.m. If an incumbent does not file by then the nomination period will be extended by five days.
For more information, call Deputy City Clerk Peggy Higgins at 933-4208.
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