The Santa Clara Waste Water explosion was among the top issues Thursday at Fillmore City Hall, packed for the League of Women Voters – Ventura County forum that featured the seven candidates for 3rd District Supervisor.
David Maron, familiar to Santa Paulans for his regular moderating duties for League of Women Voters’ forums oversaw the May 12 event, asking the candidates questions submitted by the audience.
The highly contested race to replace retiring District 3 Supervisor Kathy Long has drawn the unusually high number of contenders for the seat that represents Camarillo, Port Hueneme, Southeast Oxnard, East Oxnard Plain, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Piru, East Lockwood Valley, and Eastern Portion of Naval Base Ventura County.
Since it is unlikely that any one candidate will garner the 50 percent plus one vote needed to take the seat in the June 7 Primary Election, voters will determine the two top candidates to face off in the November Presidential Election.
All but one candidate lives in Camarillo. The Camarillo-based candidates are Carla Castilla, district director for state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson; Dan Goldberg, insurance businessman; Kevin Kildee, clothing store owner and Camarillo City Council member; Kelly Long, an engineer and trustee on the board of the Pleasant Valley School District; retired federal probation officer Mike Morgan, mayor of Camarillo; and Jesus Torres, who handles community giving for utility corporation. The only candidate living outside Camarillo is Martin Hernandez, mayor of Santa Paula and Long’s chief of staff.
The session was filmed for www.KADYTV.com and is available for viewing online.
Santa Paula Chamber Board Chairman Zahid Shah was helping the nonpartisan League, whose President Pat Essick told the gathering about the LWV-VC and the mission.
“Part of the League’s purpose, is to encourage informed voters and inform the electorate,” on public policy issues and candidates.
Membership is open to men and women of all ages and the 93-year-old LWV has 800 affiliates nationwide.
During self-introductions Morgan said he has spent 36 years in public service, has a knack of bringing people together on issues and has “dedicated myself to making Camarillo one of the safest places to live…”
One of 10 children that grew up in Oxnard Torres, a UC Berkeley graduate touted his experience in government as well as working in the private sector helping nonprofits, the only candidate to have such experience.
Castilla, the first college graduate in her farmworker family, said the upcoming election is “critical to the health of the county” and noted she has “Never forgotten where I came from or whom I’m fighting for…”
A Camarillo native Goldberg worked in family flower fields, graduated from UC San Diego and the Ventura County Leadership Academy who wants a “health cafeterias initiative” to improve the health and futures of children.
Hernandez has worked with Sup. Long for 15 years, five as her chief of staff, and was an Air Force Medic. “I’m the only candidate that can hit the ground running,” he noted.
Long, a Pleasant Valley School District Trustee, said she has “proven experience as a mechanical engineer” that would bring a “fresh perspective and focus” to important issues.
Kildee, a Camarillo Councilman for 19 years, said he has “broad experience” in different facets of government; his goal is to “provide each resident with excellent service…”
Maron noted the river valley is still dealing with the November 2014 Santa Clara Waste Water – Green Compass chemical explosions and fire and asked if the candidates thought county oversight agencies were “lax…and should SCWW,” with its permit suspended since the incident, “be permanently closed?”
Goldberg said he would have to do more research on the issue but if elected although personally “not one for too much regulation” he would still “make sure county government is doing its job…”
“Of course it was a very traumatic thing,” said Kildee, but “I don’t know if it should be closed until we have something to replace it. Was the county lax? Obviously more should have been done.”
“We’re still dealing with the aftermath, families are still looking after their injured created by bad, dishonest actors,” said Castilla, who noted it is “critical to revoke the permit” and examine the property carefully to see what other hazards are present.
Torres said details are still not formed on the incident but the “number one priority is the safety and health of residents…two firefighters were permanently injured,” and executives charged with felonies.
“There were two entities at fault here,” said Morgan, the operators that are now charged with crimes and the county for having lax oversight. “It should remain closed until they can find ultimately what they can do with that plant,” if anything.
There were “bad players no doubt but enforcement was done by the book,” said Hernandez who noted that “when they list what is on the site the county doesn’t go peaking behind closed doors…there are three firefighters injured and it was not the fault of the county if the firefighters were assured there was no danger there.”
Long said “business leaders and government leaders” should be held to “high standards” and as an engineer, “I don’t understand how you get to this level,” that such an incident could even occur.
All the candidates agreed that the Ventura County Transportation Commission and Fillmore & Western Railway must settle their legal differences and vowed that if elected they would encourage same.
Morgan suggested the rail line could even be used to transport goods from “Castaic to Port Hueneme…it would create jobs, make money.”
Candidates were also asked about social issues particularly those pertaining to women and senior citizens as well as Caltrans proposed roundabout project on Highway 126 and the creation of a peaker plant on Mission Rock Road.
Long said it is “alarming to me spending money” for a report on the roundabouts clearly opposed to by river valley citizens and a project she said could even create dangerous conditions.
She would have to research the Mission Rock Energy Center.
Goldberg agreed the roundabouts are a bad idea and he would also have to research the peaker plan: “Let’s not just settle for our answers we’re fed by the government.”
Torres also questioned the roundabouts and said the peaker plant could provide jobs and an economic boost but at a price that citizens should consider.
Roundabouts said Morgan would not work and other alternatives such as median guards should be examined and he questioned why a peaker plant would even be necessary in the county.
Kildee questioned roundabouts as well as aspects of the peaker plant including how it would be decommissioned in the future and who would pay the bill. New technology he added is the alternative.
Santa Paula has the highest incidence of lung disease that a peaker plant would only worsen said Castilla who said river valley residents “have spoken using their voice to say they don’t want it.” When it comes to the roundabouts “It’s up to the supervisor to support the community at a higher level,” when they object to projects.
The roundabouts were never mentioned when safety issues were addressed in 2008 and Hernandez when the clear community feedback was for a series of medians. He would not support roundabouts and said the peaker plant would be undergoing rigorous review.
Candidates split on the necessity of a transportation tax as well as issues related to water and the Delta.
When it came to Newhall Ranch most candidates were adamantly against the proposed 21,000 home development just east of the Ventura County line on Highway 126.
“A new city would be built,” said Kildee who noted the “arrogance of Los Angeles basically saying we’re going to do what we want to do…this will change the demographics, the culture and the quality of life,” in the river valley.
When candidates were asked why they decided to run Goldberg got a big laugh: “When I saw who was running for president I thought these people are crazy…then I thought if they can do it I can run for supervisor!”
After closing remarks Maron noted that a democracy not only involves a decision-making public but candidate: “It takes people to run for office that give up time with their families, they have to raise money” and other efforts that include taking part in such debates as the LWV-VC Forum.
Added Maron, “Let’s give them a nice round of applause…”
