Ojai Valley News Blog

Post-election budget situation begins to take shape for schools

By Linda Harmon
Ojai Unified School District superintendent Tim Baird got the go-ahead at Tuesday night’s school board meeting to prepare the 2009-2010 budget, with current post-election numbers planning for $2.7 million in cuts. 

Baird is urging the board to be prepared for additional district cuts if the state budget cuts grow to $3 million as some predict due to the discovery of additional state shortfalls just announced. According to Baird, he is attending a June 5 budget workshop and “it could all be different at that time.”

Baird met with all six area legislators May 15, but legislators didn’t discuss what they would do if the propositions didn’t pass. 

According to Baird, the state has always borrowed money when they didn’t have a budget by the July start of the fiscal year, but this year things are different. Baird said the state is now in a cash flow crisis, has the worst credit rating in its history, is unable to borrow, and the federal government isn’t offering to lend California any money either.

“Everyone is playing poker with our fate,” said Baird, adding the outcome will affect the schools. “We are just a little ante chip. There’s a lot going on that we don’t have control over.”

Baird said the one good thing to come out of the credit “mess” is it adds pressure to pass a budget on time or, “the state will run out of money on July 1.” 

“I do feel we are on solid ground with these numbers, primarily through our prudent expenditures this year,” said Baird as he outlined 17 budget items on the table for cuts by the board in the 2009-2010 budget depending on the state’s final numbers.

“The board has already prepared for this by issuing layoff notices to over 60 employees,” said Baird, adding they have been able to take a few off the list due to higher-than-expected fall enrollment figures. Baird advised the board “to remain conservative.” 

To achieve the cuts the district has used “flexibility” provided by the state and federal governments to shift to the general fund money previously earmarked by law for a variety of programs, school maintenance, and staff reductions. After preliminary planning Baird feels the district is ready to move forward to finalize the budget.  

“We think $2.7 to $3 million in cuts is where we are right now,” said Baird, requesting the board be prepared for a five- to seven-day work year reduction for all employees in the future budget. “We can get to the three million with the help of our unions — but not without hurt.”

Martha Ditchfield, Ojai Unified Teachers Union president, then spoke urging the board to preserve teachers’ jobs, and continue to fund the class-size reductions programs even if it requires a pay cut.

“People are frustrated and terrified,” said Ditchfield. “I’m asking you as a parent and a teacher of over 30 years … I’ve surveyed every teacher and they would rather do that (take a pay cut) and save their colleagues.” 

According to Baird, it has always been the administration’s intent to save jobs and take other actions first. Board members concurred, saying everything on their list was designed to lessen impacts on classroom instruction. 

Along with a detailed breakdown of cuts, Baird presented the board with a sample budget from Meiners Oaks Elementary to illustrate where federal, state and district funds go on an elementary level.

After Baird finished his presentation, board members Pauline Mercado and Kathi Smith questioned the order of the cuts. Mercado also requested that additional items be considered “before we make cuts that affect the CSR.”

“There are still some items I don’t see in these budget cuts,” said Mercado. “I’m still not satisfied.” 

Mercado listed several other areas for possible cutbacks including a classified mid-management position, a consultant that has turned into full-time employment, the managerial oversight of nutrition, and the wage for a replacement of the director of special education.

Smith suggested that the board address Mercado’s issues after the new superintendent comes in. Board members Steve Fields and Linda Taylor followed up by asking Mercado to get a list of specific items to look at for their next meeting and give preliminary approval to Baird’s budget as presented. 

“The budget can be amended at anytime,” said Baird. “We need to move forward to have a first reading of budget and have it in place by June 23.”

The budget outline was then given the OK with the understanding that Mercado’s issues would be addressed at the next meeting. 

The board voted to approve Baird’s recommendation of the appointment of Jim Berube as interim superintendent pending contract negotiations. Taylor and Baird will finalize the terms and bring it back at the board’s next meeting for final approval.

The board then received public input on the budget and finding a permanent replacement.

According to Jeff Sherman, a parent of a special education student, his 13-year-old son, Dylan, has gone through Ojai public schools since kindergarten and is now an honor student at Matilija.

“The new superintendent must be special education friendly,” said Sherman. “There have been a lot of changes made to enhance the quality of (special) education and I don’t want to see any steps backward.”

Another parent of a special education student, Cathy Jones, also spoke saying, “We’ve had two great special education directors that have really turned it around and I am concerned that the new superintendent recognize we can’t go back.”

Taylor then invited anyone interested in giving additional comments by e-mail to address them to Leadershipassociates@cox.net remembering to enter “Ojai Superintendent Search” in the subject field. Applications are being taken for the position until June 15, applications will be reviewed on June 23 and on July 11 candidates will be interviewed.

Council directs staff to move on lease, design and construction plan

By Sondra Murphy
Get ready for some new downtown entertainment. After years of hammering out specifics, the Ojai City Council directed staff Tuesday to finalize the process for building the Ojai Skate Park.

Once the excitement of construction has been completed, the gravity-defying athleticism of the skateboarders is likely to screech traffic to a halt.

Included in the agenda item was officially designating the Ojai Skate Park Project, directing staff and legal counsel to send a letter to Ojai Unified School District exercising the option for obtaining an additional 3,500 square feet for the site, directing staff and the design team to prepare construction documents, directing staff to prepare and submit a design review permit application to the Planning Commission and to request that Skate Ojai submit all funds raised for the project to the city by June 18, with the amount to be placed in a designated Skate Park fund.

The design team is made up of city staff, Site Design Group, Inc. and Community Works Design Group. This team has been refining the conceptual design in preparation for construction. In order to build the proposed 10,000-square-foot skate park as designed, the city will exercise its option as allowed by its current lease with OUSD for the additional 3,500 square feet. Tuesday’s council direction allows the design team to prepare the design review permit application and construction drawings so the project can go out to bid by early July. It also allows staff to work with Skate Ojai to secure in writing donated services to help prepare the site for construction, such as demolition, clearing and grading.

The cost of building the skate park is expected to be within the given $361,000 project budget. The city contributed $100,000 of this budget, with the remainder coming from donations by community members, businesses and skate park supporters. Expenses from the design and construction management contract will be subtracted from the city contribution.

A skate park operations committee made up of Skate Ojai, Ojai Police Department, Ventura County Fire Department, OUSD, Ojai Parks and Recreation, the Ojai community and city staff has already been working to review conceptual designs and proposed rules and address operational concerns. Parks and Recreation will receive proposed skate park rules for review and subsequently submit recommendations to the City Council.

The skate park committee will next review whether municipal codes and ordinances are necessary and forward their findings to Parks and Recreation to review and make further recommendations to the council before the skate park opens.

Supporters of the skate park addressed the council. “It’s been a long road, but it sounds like we’re going to do it this summer,” said Skate Ojai’s Chet Hilgers. “If there’s anything we can do to help you, we’re here.”

Ojai Unified School District superintendent Tim Baird brought up concerns the district still had. “It’s not that we do not support the skate park, it’s a matter of where it is,” said Baird. He added that he saw a need for 6-foot fences, better lighting and rest rooms at the site and mentioned his experience with illegal activities taking place at the skate park. “I once again implore you to put the skate park in Sarzotti Park, where you have bathrooms, fencing, supervision and lighting.”

Several other speakers responded to Baird’s comments during their comments. “Skating is mainstream. It’s not this outrageous thing anymore,” said Sunday Rylander. “The children who skate there are all good people.” She added that if people witness illegal activities happening at the skate park, they should call the police.

“I don’t think we can attribute all the booze and drugs there to be from the skateboarders,” Bob Daddi said. “There are others who have access to the skate park.”

“I’ve been to hundreds of skate parks around the state and they serve as mentoring programs and are positive things,” said Hilgers.

The council concurred. “I want to commend the staff for moving this along as well as they have,” said Councilwoman Sue Horgan, acknowledging the anxiousness of the community to move forward. “I don’t believe Dr. Baird and the school district have become a barrier by virtue of the fact they approved the lease and approved the design.” She immediately moved to approve all aspects of the direction to staff, which was unanimously approved. Horgan also requested that staff provide skate park updates at each council meeting until construction is completed.

“Wait until people see what these kids can do in a real facility,” said longtime skate park goddess Wendy Hilgers after the vote. “They’ll be amazed.”

If the Ojai Planning Commission approves the design-review permit June 17, staff expects to return to the council on June 23 for authorization to go to bid on the project. To view the design plans, learn about lesson opportunities and accomplishments of the Ojai Skate Team or donate to the project, go to ojaiskatepark.com.

Gary Pentis, right, at a 2005 event celebrating his years as Ojai's police chief. Pictured are former chiefs Vince France, left, Joe Harwell and Jim Barrett. Photo by Lenny Roberts

Former Ojai chief of police moves up law enforcement ladder

Sheriff Bob Brooks is pleased to announce the appointment of Gary
Pentis to the position of Chief Deputy effective June 14, 2009.  Gary, a
30-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department is currently assigned as
commander of the Special Services Division with oversight of the Major
Crimes Bureau, Aviation Unit, Narcotics, Intelligence, and SWAT team. 
Upon his promotion to Chief Deputy, Gary will remain in Special Services
and take on additional responsibilities of overseeing the Forensic
Sciences Laboratory, Property Room and Information Services Bureau. 
“Throughout Gary’s career, he has been recognized as a high
achiever and continues to serve the Department with distinction while
building positive partnerships with the residents of Ventura County. 
His expertise in complex criminal activity make him the ideal person to
lead the Special Services Division, stated Sheriff Brooks.”

Throughout Gary’s career, he has worked in virtually every division
and brings vast experience from all functional and geographical areas of
the Department.  During his 30 years with the Sheriff’s Department,
Gary’s assignments have included Detention Services, East County
Patrol/Special Enforcement Unit, SWAT team member, and served ten years
in Narcotics both as a Senior Deputy and Sergeant.  During this time,
Gary was recognized for his excellence in narcotics investigations and
was named Narcotic Officer of the Year in 1986 and 1992, respectively.

In 1995, Gary was promoted to Lieutenant (now titled Captain) and
worked as the Facility Manager at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility,
patrol Watch Commander, East County Patrol Services Manager, and the
Administrative Captain for the city of Camarillo.  In 2000, Gary was
privileged to serve as the Acting Chief of Police for the city of Ojai
for five years.  This assignment was particularly rewarding in that Gary
was instrumental in helping form what was called the SAFE Coalition, a
community based forum aimed to assist the at risk youth population.  
Along those same lines, Gary helped create the Social Host Ordinance
that eventually was modeled for all Sheriff’s jurisdictions.

Gary earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Health from San
Diego State University, and is passionate about life-long learning.  In
fact, Gary has taught nationally and internationally covering topics
that include juvenile crime prevention, technology and child crimes, and
social media and intelligence gathering.

Gary and his wife, Janet, have five children.  He enjoys outdoor
activities with his family that include racing off-road desert trucks,
fishing, and hunting.

Release Prepared by: Sheriff’s Administration

Paul Bergmann, pastor at the Ojai Valley Community Church, says a blessing at the re-dedication of the plaque that sits on a rock across from the Arcade in Libbey Park to commemorate Ojai’s fallen heroes during Monday’s Memorial Day ceremonies. The project to restore the plaque was coordinated and paid for under the direction of former Ojai resident Dennis Byrne. Standing to the right is Dave Pressey, chaplain of the Ojai Valley Veterans of Foreign War Post 11461. Photo by Scott Wintermute

By Sondra Murphy
The fourth annual Oak View Memorial Day parade delivered hometown appeal Monday as the town gathered to pay tribute to the men and women who have served this nation under the theme of “Forever in Our Hearts.”

Following the parade, at Libbey Park in Ojai, Vietnam veteran Chuck Bennett acted as master of ceremonies for a program of speakers from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The Ojai Valley Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 11461 also sponsored a rededication of the plaque with the names of Ojai’s war dead.

Sponsored by the Oak View Civic Council and Rabobank, the parade in Oak View begam with a fly-over of two Korean era fighter-trainer radio engine craft. coordinated by Larry Beckett, just before more than 30 entrants began their trek down Old Ventura Avenue.

Larry Romero served as master of ceremonies during the community parade that included many movers and shakers of the unincorporated Ojai Valley. American Legion Post 686 again offered a pancake breakfast before the event and New Hope Christian Center served as staging area and hosted a barbecue and family fun afterwards.

Judges Kelly Hargett, Sharon Huisman and Susie Rivers looked to be enjoying the entries as much as the kids scrambling after candy.

“It’s not about the trophies, it’s all about Memorial Day, and I think you all have the spirit,” said Kim Armstrong, parade chair, after the crowd gathered around Longhorn Feed to learn who earned awards. “I want to thank Barbara Kennedy for being grand marshal and I want to thank all of you for coming out this year.”

Armstrong added later that day, “What a community celebration for Oak VIew. Loved the fly-over and from what I understand many photos were captured. Yahoo!”

Parade winners were as follows:

Mayor’s Award, Richmond Howitzers Confederate Artillery Battalion (Landis Potter, Chris Desamito, Peter Hathaway, Brett Gibbons, Phyllis Desamito in period garb driven by Linda Potter); Theme Award, Greg’s Rents; Most Imaginative, Brownie Troop 385; Best Musical Group, Pipers from the Pacific Coast Highlanders of Ventura under direction of Mike Reynolds; Favorite Marching Horses, Enrique and his Caballeros; Most Unique Animal, Fred and Donna with their zebra and llama; Largest Group, Ojai Valley Little League; Most Parade Spirit, Silver Belles Carol Tennant and John Tennant; Best Looking Car, Ventura Model A Club with 10 classic cars.

OVCC meets June 3 at 6 p.m. in the Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road. The council will be discussing its June 6 mayoral election and awards dinner and, as always, invites residents of the unincorporated areas of the valley to get involved in the process. For more information, call President John Herndon at 649-2919.

For first time in 45 years, Nordhoff’s pool to close as city won’t pay fees

By Sondra Murphy
As the nation’s economic hardships are contended with, Ojai is feeling the pinch in many ways. Ojai Unified School District has especially been dealing with the issue for years and has had to alter some of the fees for campus use of late.

Pool maintenance is expensive and the financially struggling OUSD has been making cutbacks for years in order to preserve the educational programs local parents have come to expect from valley schools. The city of Ojai has also been tightening its belt and expects the trend to continue next year.

The result is that, for the first time in at least 45 years, Nordhoff High School’s pool will not be available for local recreational programs this summer. The reasons are numerous.

The main issue is necessary repairs. “We have an air leak in the filtration line and it’s going to cause equipment failure if we don’t get it fixed,” said Dannielle Pusatere, OUSD assistant superintendent of business and administrative services. She said the line was partially repaired to keep it safely functional for the rest of the swim season, but additional cement work and modifications to meet new standards are needed before school begins in August.

After the contract between OUSD and the city for last year’s pool use was recently worked out, Pusatere informed the city of the delay in the pool’s availability and submitted the fee for the summer.

Pusatere reduced the summer 2008 fee from $17,550 to 13,240 by using the average annual utility rate instead of the higher summer rate. She was also able to decrease the summer 2009 fee from $13,240 to $8,770 because the campus is available fewer weeks to rent the pool. The city declined.

“Part of the reason is the pool is in need of repairs and also the campus is not available until after July 7,” said Dale Sumersille, Ojai Recreation Department director, of the city’s decision. “And funds are certainly a part of it. We are bound by American Red Cross standards to provide proper supervision at all venues. Due to the economic situation at this time, it was cost prohibitive, which is too bad for the kids.”

The Ojai Valley Youth Foundation reminds the community that they offer a variety of programs to combat summer boredom. “When we learned about this situation several weeks ago, we were naturally concerned about this,” said OVYF executive director Joanna Iwata. “We believe it is important for teens and their families to know what will be in place in terms of other options.”

Iwata said that OVYF is offering opportunities in its annual Teen Insight Program from July 9 to 12, a graphics arts program and Ripples, a cultural arts program, runs from June 17 to July 25.

OVYF had hoped that the Ojai Valley Athletic Club would be offering some swim lessons this summer, but staffing issues have made the club unable to confirm that possibility. Many parents are finding they must go outside the Ojai Valley this summer in order to secure swimming lessons for their children.

The city contributed $125,000 in community development block grant funds in 1997 to help upgrade Nordhoff’s pool. In 1995, the city funded $40,000, the recreation department funded $8,000 and OUSD funded $30,000 and took out a loan for $12,000 to replaster the pool.

After OUSD struggled to make more than $2 million in cuts last year, Pusatere pulled out the contract between the city and school district. “In the 1995 agreement, we said we would repay the city by waiving fees from 1996 to 2000. Since I’ve been here, we’ve just been charging $600 a summer,” said Pusatere. “I’d love to not charge anything, but I can’t. We have 3,000 district students to take care of first.”

No one was quite certain how long the city and school district have shared the pool, but Pusatere said that the 1995 contract acknowledged an earlier agreement dated 1964. Costs and regulations have changed over the decades.

OUSD is required to cycle the water four times a day and has converted to using as many frugal practices as possible. “It’s getting out of hand and I’m trying to be energy efficient and economize at the same time and we just can’t afford to do things the same way anymore,” Pusatere said. “I pulled out how much I spent last year, because we totally revamped the pool, and I spent almost $100,000.” 

“People need to know it’s expensive,” Pusatere said. “I want the kids to have a place to learn to swim and it’s hot in Ojai, but the district shouldn’t bear the cost of that.”

In light of the city’s declining use, Pusatere said the district is hopeful that a deal to rent the campus from June 12 to 30 will come to fruition. Sony Pictures and Screen Gems approached OUSD with a request to use the campus for a film shoot. 

The PG-13 movie is set on a high school campus and the use of Nordhoff could mean $50,000 to the district. “I’m trying to fund the school resource officer with that,” said Pusatere. 

For more information on the programs OVYF offers this summer or all year long, call 640-9555 or visit the web site at ovyf.org.

Officer Gunnar Dike keeps an eye on 34-year-old Custodio Ramirez of Lancaster, the last of three suspects apprehended on Friday after being seen allegedly speeding away from an area near a large marijuana cultivation site that was found in April. Photo by Scott Wintermute

According to information provided by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department,  narcotics detectives discovered two large marijuana cultivation sites in Matilija Canyon above the city of Ojai in April. One site, located south of Matilija Lake, was being used as a nursery where several hundred seedlings were found. The second site was found approximately 3 miles west of the entrance to the canyon and one mile south of Matilija Canyon Road.

On May 15, detectives were conducting surveillance of Matilija Canyon Road and Highway 33 and witnessed a vehicle stop at the Cozy Dell Trailhead. Two subjects ran from the brush and got into the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle then sped away, but was stopped. Through the subsequent investigation, it was determined the two subjects and the driver were involved with the marijuana growing sites in Matilija Canyon. 

Taken into custody and booked on suspicion of  conspiracy to cultivate marijuana were Custodio Ramirez, 34, of Lancaster, and Rialto residents Carmelo Hernandez, 34, and Doroteo Hernandez, 30.                                                                    

Detectives believe the three subjects were responsible for supplying those in the gardens with equipment and other necessary supplies. All three were booked into the Ventura County Main Jail.

On May 22, members of the Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit, Sheriff’s Air Unit, U.S. Forest Service, and the California Department of Fish and Game eradicated both sites, destroying 11,100 marijuana plants ranging from 6 to 12 inches in height. Typical with drug trafficking organizations’ marijuana gardens, the landscape had been altered by terracing the hillsides, diverting water supplies to the multiple growing locations, and the spread of trash, fertilizer, and camping equipment throughout the canyon. No additional suspects were located. The estimated value of the marijuana plants is more than $16,000,000.

Stacey Benotto holds the artist’s conception of her proposed Ojai Bowling and Entertainment Center. On Wednesday night, her concept review received favorable comments from members of the Ojai Planning Commission.

By Sondra Murphy
The community is buzzing about the possible development of a former landmark. The Ojai Planning Commission greeted a concept review for development of the old Topa Lanes bowling facility on East Ojai Avenue with pleasure Wednesday, as the building and parking lot have stood neglected for well over a decade. 

The property is currently in escrow to transfer ownership from Gail Bazzano to Stacey Benotto. Benotto was present during the meeting to explain her hopes to develop the property into a 12-lane bowling alley, arcade, billiard room, batting cage, children’s party room, restaurant and more. Of special interest to the commissioners was Benot-to’s landscaping plan for the 77-space parking area.

“I’m very excited to bring this project to you and hoping to get support and a lot of comments,” said Benotto as she addressed the commission. “It’s become a mission of mine to bring this to Ojai. I have children and I know the bowling alley was once the heart of Ojai.” She said part of her motivation to return the site to its former glory is the lack of evening activities for children and families, who then drive out of the valley and spend their money elsewhere.

Benotto’s team of architects, engineers and contractors specialize in bowling alleys and retrofitting. They also intend to incorporate solar panels and energy-efficient materials into the design. 

The commissioners had a few suggestions about fencing, native plants and bike racks, but were otherwise very positive about the design. “I am pleased to see you are doing a complete remodel of the building, said Commissioner John Mirk. “I like to see you are willing to invest so much into it.”

“I like the amount of landscaping in front and am glad to see the drainage handled well,” said Commissioner Tucker Adams.

“I think it works really well for the patrons, as well, when you’re not sitting on the street,” said Benotto. “It’s very pedestrian friendly, bike friendly, we have a trolley and it is horse friendly. We’ll have a hitching post.”

Public comments were supportive of the project, as well. “You’ve pulled together so many great aspects,” said Commissioner Steven Foster. “The intergenerational thing, batting cages, you’ve thought of everything.”

Vice Chair Troy Becker wanted to know if the site had room for a skate park, while Chair Susan Weaver envisioned residents walking, taking the trolley or riding their bikes to the location. “I look forward to seeing something firmer than a concept review in the future,” said Weaver.

To view site plans or share stories of the old bowling alley, go to bowltheojai.com.

Replacement sought for superintendent who resigned effective July 1

By Linda Harmon
Tuesday night’s meeting of the Ojai Unified School District was short and without conflict as board members began the serious business of finding a replacement for superintendent Tim Baird. He tendered his resignation at the board’s meeting on May 5 and will be leaving the district July 1. Baird has taken a new position with the Encinitas Union School District after eight years in Ojai.

Besides wanting a candidate familiar with Ojai’s curriculum and classroom instruction and an educator with an administrative credential, board members added a few additional attributes to their wish list. 

“I have really appreciated having someone who has a doctorate, although if they don’t have one that’s not a deal breaker,” said Kathi Smith. “What I do want is someone who can understand our green school initiatives, someone who can advance them. I don’t want the person to be completely absorbed by the budget issues — I want to try to get a person who can keep their eye on the ball. The budget is not the ball, it’s the district.”

Board Member Steve Fields agreed, and added to Smith’s metaphor saying he wants someone who will “keep the ball moving down the field.” 

Board Member Pauline Mercado added that a successful candidate should be “a good communicator” and a listener who would have empathy with students, parents, and the board.

“We are a cohesive team,” said Mercado. She feels the new superintendent needs to be able to see how we fit in with the city “as a main partner in the valley” and also be “an advocate for children,  make them feel that they are included, which goes back to the issue of diversity.”

The lone speaker from the audience was Kristin Belshe. Belshe, a parent of a special needs child, said she would like the candidate to keep “an open door policy,” where people could drop in with their concerns. She also hoped that the new superintendent would “have a place in their heart for special needs children.”

Board President Linda Taylor announced another special board meeting May 26 to gather input from the public on filling the position as well as the upcoming budget.

At that meeting, the board will discuss the budget from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and then take input on the superintendent’s position. According to Taylor, the public is welcome to comment on the budget and “let the board know the qualities they want in a future superintendent.”

“We’ll also have an e-mail address where they can contact us to make comments if they can’t come to the meeting,” said Peggy Lynch of Leadership Associates, an executive research firm from Mission Viejo. They have been hired by the board to facilitate the process and research applicants. 

According to the firm’s web site, they have “assisted school boards in their selection of superintendents in over 170 California school districts and organizations since 1994.”

“Hiring a superintendent is the most important job of the board,” said Baird, “and that is why almost every district uses a search firm to assist in this process.” 

According to Baird, the board negotiated a $10,000 price from the firm for the search and added most searches range from $25,000 to $30,000. He added that the reduced fee reflects the district’s own increased role in gathering community and staff input. 

“Usually, this is a very extensive process that can take months,” said Baird. “The board felt that they could receive input directly and electronically and save some of these costs.”

The e-mail address Baird gave is Leadershipassociates

@cox.net. Any member of the public who wishes to comment can write the district there. Baird said to make sure to enter “Ojai Superintendent Search” in the subject line.

Lynch said she has already spoken to teachers and classified employees across the spectrum and “will be compiling a list of qualities and characteristics” desired for Baird’s permanent replacement. 

According to Baird, Leadership Associates will continue to gather information and then conduct the search and advertising campaign.

“Because they are one of the most successful firms doing this type of work,” said Baird, “they have contacts all over the state that help provide possible candidates. They will assist the board in narrowing down the applicants to an interview pool. They will structure the interviews, help with background checks, and help write and negotiate the contract.”  

OUSD will be accepting applications until June 15 and will conduct interviews on July 11. 

The board also announced it has elected to find an interim superintendent because of the short time available before Baird’s departure and will announce the appointment at the May 26 meeting, in addition to taking public comments on the qualifications for a permanent superintendent.

Plans include restaurant, partnering with community

By Bret Bradigan
After 12 years since it was closed, and 18 months after plans for its return began, one of the landmark relics from Ojai’s past, the old bowling alley, will come before the Planning Commission tonight for concept review.

Stacey Benotto, the developer, a retired real estate investor and operator from Los Angeles, said, “This has been a mission for me, a project very close to my heart.” As the mother of a 13-year-old daughter, a  rising tennis star enrolled at the Weil Tennis Academy, and a 7-year-old son,  a student at Monica Ros School, she said she felt a strong need for a place for children to have fun and be safe. But she will actively promote “an intergenerational approach, from babies to seniors.”

Besides major renovations to the 16,351 square-foot property on a nearly 1.5-acre property at 1202 W. Ojai Ave., Benotto’s proposal includes adding 475-square-foot of new construction. She estimates the total cost of renovation at $2.5 million. If the permit and construction process goes smoothly, the proposed Ojai Bowling Center will open in early 2010.

Before then, she plans to keep the community involved. “I have a web site, bowltheojai.com, where I encourage people to leave stories about their experiences with the old bowling alley, to incorporate those memories into the new one,” she said.

The proposal before the planners includes a restaurant café, called Phoenix Rising, an arcade, a party room and, perhaps, a batting cage. The number of lanes would be four less than before, and Benotto said that the bowling lanes would be pedestrian friendly, and even include a hitching post and watering trough.

The proposal is a “low-impact development,” she said, using an existing building, and using solar panels and other energy-efficient materials. The project will not require an environmental impact report, she said, since it is being used for a same purpose.

Benotto said she made a deal with Gail Bazzano, the former owner, and the property is in a long-term escrow, contingent on permit approvals with the city.

“The community has been extremely supportive. Everywhere I go people are encouraging me,” Benotto said. “Every town deserves a bowling alley,” she said. “I’m interested in relationships being built and having fun.” City planners and officials have been helpful, as well, she said. “They’ve been looking at ways they can help, for which I’m very appreciative.”

FROM: Sgt. Joe Evans

Deputy Sara Valenzuela

School resource officer, Nordhoff graduate chosen by coworkers

By Lenny Roberts
As a rookie officer assigned to the sheriff’s Ojai substation a decade ago, Sara Valenzuela took control of a potentially life-threatening situation when a suspect got the better of her field training officer during a physical alteration. The suspect was jailed on felony charges, and Valenzuela immediately earned the respect of her fellow officers.

That respect has carried over into a generation of deputies unaware of that incident.

Last week, Valenzuela, 35, was named Ojai’s Deputy of the Year by her coworkers, and will be formally honored May 29 by the Kiwanis Club at The Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Ventura.

“I’m honored that I was selected by my peers, and appreciate the vote,” Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela’s desire to make law enforcement a career was solidified when she was hired as an Ojai Police Department cadet, working with longtime dispatcher/office manager Bonnie Dohrn. After Dohrn‘s death in 1995, Valenzuela was accepted into the Sheriff’s Academy while juggling her duties in the U.S. Army Reserves.

Following the obligatory stint in the custody division, Valenzuela began her patrol duties in the Ojai Valley, but later opted to go to the Camarillo substation after being selected as the Sheriff’s Department’s first female motorcycle officer.

Valenzuela returned to Ojai in 2008 after being selected by the Ojai Unified School District as Nordhoff High School’s resource officer — based at the school from which she attended. She will return to patrolling the Ojai Valley until the fall semester, provided funding issues are settled for the on-again, off-again position, and is hopeful of returning to the campus where she graduated in June 1992. “Absolutely. I enjoy working with these kids,” she said.

Ojai Police Department Administrative Sgt. Maureen Hookstra called Valenzuela, “an invaluable liaison between the school district and the community,” adding Valenzuela is currently implementing the first Explorer Scout Post in the Ojai Valley.

Recent recipients of the station award include Dave Sparks, Joe Preciado, Scottie Baugher, Jason Anderson and Chris Loes.

Ojai housing market shows signs of recovery

By Daryl Kelley
The good news is that houses are selling again in Ojai. The bad news, if you’re a property owner, is that they’re selling for less than at any time in six years.

April was the second highest sales month for the Ojai area since last summer. But the dumping of “short-sold” and foreclosed properties pushed prices to levels not seen since an average of $370,000 in January 2003.

Last month, 11 houses and condominiums closed escrow in Ojai and the rest of the 93023 ZIP code for an average of $383,000, the lowest mean Ojai sales price for April since $323,000 in 2002, according to Melissa Data, an Orange County business data firm.

Month-to-month data varies widely, but the trend in price is still clearly downward. And the average price of the four sales in the first week of May was even lower at $376,000.

All numbers are for the 93023 postal ZIP code, which includes Ojai, Meiners Oaks, Mira Monte and Upper Ojai.

Meanwhile, the average sales price in the rest of the Ojai Valley including Oak View, in the 93022 ZIP code, was $290,000 for just three sales in April, and $389,000 for a single sale this month.

But even as prices have tumbled locally, the number of sales have begun to rebound. The 11 closed sales in the Ojai area in April compares with eight sales for $410,000 in March and nine for $515,000 in February. January sales were also relatively high, 12 for $549,000, the highest since September of 2008, when 16 homes closed for an average of $473,000.

“I see a lot of pickup out there,” said Heather Erickson, president of the Ojai Valley Board of Realtors.

“Agents say there has been more activity on their listings lately.”

Increasing sales are partly the result of bargain prices and a sign that investors are buying up foreclosed or “short-sale” homes that have pushed the market downward for more than two years, experts said.

“We do have quite a few short sales for between $300,000 and sales in April, and $389,000 for a single sale this month.

But even as prices have tumbled locally, the number of sales have begun to rebound. The 11 closed sales in the Ojai area in April compares with eight sales for $410,000 in March and nine for $515,000 in February. January sales were also relatively high, 12 for $549,000, the highest since September of 2008, when 16 homes closed for an average of $473,000.

“I see a lot of pickup out there,” said Heather Erickson, president of the Ojai Valley Board of Realtors.

“Agents say there has been more activity on their listings lately.”

Increasing sales are partly the result of bargain prices and a sign that investors are buying up foreclosed or “short-sale” homes that have pushed the market downward for more than two years, experts said.

“We do have quite a few short sales for between $300,000 and $400,000, and when we have prices in the 300s, those tend to sell quickly,” Erickson said. “But it’s bizarre, there are also quite a few sales over $700,000. It’s that area in between where things have slowed down.”

The Ojai market is not only driven by fire-sale prices, she said.

“It’s not all short sales,” Erickson said. “We do have a lot of homes in trusts, or people are retiring and moving out. People have been waiting to move up here. And they see the time is right.”

Many of the sales are to first-time buyers, who receive a $9,000 federal tax credit for jumping into the market. Federal Housing Authority policy is also encouraging first-time buyers, Erickson said.

And with 30-year fixed mortgage rates as low as 4.375 percent, payments are much more affordable.

There are other signs that the housing market has begun to recover, and that homeowners are being more realistic about how much their home is worth, Erickson said. Sellers, many of whom had pulled their houses off the market, are returning.

“The sellers do understand that the market has changed since 2005,” she said. 

There were 149 houses for sale throughout the Ojai Valley this week, compared with just 131 a year ago. Still, the current level is very low historically.

In addition to reduced prices, a seasonal rebound has begun to kick in, Erickson said.

“We slow down over the holidays and the winter,” she said. “Now, the weather is good and the prices aren’t too astronomical, so buyers are returning. They want to get their children settled before the next school year.”

Activity is returning, too, to Ojai’s high-end market, said agent Sharon MaHarry.

“The pricier homes have been really stagnant ever since the big meltdown,” she said. “Now we’re seeing homes go into escrow and close. We had two here in Ojai recently for more than $2 million, and that’s a really good sign.”

A problem with estate purchases is that very large loans have been particularly difficult to get during the recession.

“That’s still a problem,” MaHarry said. “But now cash buyers are coming back. And there’s a lot of high-priced inventory to pick from right now.”

City comes up with $13k, OUSD with $28k

By Sondra Murphy
The city of Ojai and Ojai Unified School District took some steps toward a more amiable relationship Tuesday. At issue were agreements between the two entities regarding the school resource officer at Nordhoff High School and the recreational use of Nordhoff’s swimming pool.

It was standing room only in the Ojai City Council Chambers, as community members came to voice their support for retaining a campus deputy for the remainder of this year.

“We have bumped up against something that many partnerships formed on handshakes sometimes do,” said city manager Jere Kersnar. “In time, that handshake agreement gets transformed and changes over time and what you find out in hindsight is that you need a formal agreement in both the issue of the pool and the school resource officer.”

The resource officer is a deputy of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department who is contracted to work primarily at the high school during the 180 instructional days of the school year.

The city and school district have shared the cost for the past nine years and this year’s bill totaled $162,000, or $900 a day. The Sheriff’s Department pays for the same officer to patrol the valley during the summer months at about $26,000.

Ojai Police Chief Capt. Chris Dunn confirmed the current annual cost is $188,317 for the school resource officer and said the cost would be greater if the city was not already a contractor with the Sheriff’s Department.

Salary and benefits use $148,812 of the amount. Department-shared costs are personnel, $3,107, business office, $946, informational services, $926, crime analysis, $1,829, training, $2,398 and supplies and services at $3,690. Divisional shared costs are division supervision, $8,600, clerical, $1,376, dispatch, $10,247 and supplies and service, $6,386.

OUSD received $53,000 in funding toward its $81,000 portion, leaving $28,000 remaining. The report explaining the district’s shortfall came before the council April 14, with staff recommending it pay for the remainder. At that time, a miscalculation led to the city thinking the cost would be $31,000.

The City Council declined to pay the leftover amount and the SRO position ended that week. Many people voiced displeasure over the decision and the April 26 gang-related murder of a 16-year-old OUSD student by a 14-year-old alleged suspect heightened emotions on campus and throughout the community about the issue of student safety in school and out.

Kersnar explained the city contracts for the SRO with the Sheriff’s Department and then bills OUSD for half. The city and school district had been in negotiations about the SRO agreement, as well as the city’s use of Nordhoff’s pool in its summer recreation programs when staff brought the SRO shortfall request to council members last month. A billing dispute over last summer’s use of the pool by the city had yet to be resolved, leaving a $17,500 tab unpaid to the district.

After the item was voted down last month, Tim Baird, OUSD superintendent, prepared a new proposal addressing both contracts. After its receipt Monday, Kersnar was able to arrange a special meeting the next day seeking the council’s approval on Baird’s proposal.

In it, Baird requested the city pay $13,240.46 to OUSD for the use of the pool last year, while the district agreed to pay the remaining $28,000 cost of the SRO for the rest of the school year.

“I’d like to assure the crowd that this evening’s discussion with the council is not to make sure the school resource officer is on campus for the rest of the school year, because we have already committed to that,” said Baird. “This is really about communication and trying to mend fences.”

Baird added that the district has been asking for a contract for the SRO to improve its budgeting process and had indicated last spring the pool cost would increase. This prompted the city and district into negotiations over working out the legalities. “My strong hope is we will do that with the city as a partner and clear the slate and start over with a clear understanding for the pool and the school resource officer. I would hope our long-standing, close relationship with the city will continue,” Baird said. “The resource officer will be there the rest of the year.”

Before the city voted on the matter it heard nearly an hour of commentary from 16 speakers regarding both the SRO and gang issues in the Ojai Valley. Most were pleased to learn that the district had figured a way to pay its share for the officer, but expressed concerns about retaining the SRO in future years.

Many speakers from Heal the Community addressed the council, requesting it work with residents in addressing racial and gang issues in the valley. Primarily parents, the group members have been meeting since the tensions began at Nordhoff following the murder, and researched other community SROs and school administrator opinions on the success of having such officers on campus.

“The SRO is very important, but we need to focus on the gang problem,” said Dusty Fernandez. “Please put the gang issue on an agenda so we may address it and come up with a plan.”

Cindy Sauceda pointed out that, during crisis situations on campus, SROs run toward the danger while other staff members are focused on securing student safety. “When a student was shot at E.O. Green, staff was busy on lock down, but the resource officer knew the kid and was able to apprehend him two blocks away,” she said. She also cited incidents where trained officers are better able to calm emotionally distraught students and detect others carrying concealed weapons.

John Obraza spoke of the need for a full-time gang officer in the Ojai Valley. Using the Oak View Park and Resource Center as an example, Obraza suggested that residents may support a parcel tax to help fund such an officer. “With 8,239 parcels in the Ojai Valley, from Casitas to Upper Ojai,” said Obraza, “just $30 each is about a quarter of a million dollars.” 

Councilwoman Carol Smith reminded the speakers that OUSD just had a parcel tax initiative narrowly defeated in November. “That has to pass with a two-thirds majority,” said Smith. She told listeners that the passing of Proposition 13 transferred control of public schools to Sacramento and only 1 percent of housing taxes go to schools. She said that with a large number of seniors in the valley, it is questionable whether another parcel tax would garner enough support to pass. She encouraged people to rethink their negative views on taxes.

Representing herself and principal Dan Musick, Nordhoff assistant principal Susana Arce addressed the issue of the SRO. “I want to thank the city for the good relationship we’ve had over the years and especially for the school resource officers over the past nine years. It’s made a big difference,” said Arce. 

She said that campus security should be the first priority of a school and, an SRO’s presence at games, dances and other events helps avoid trouble. “If not the SRO, we would have to hire a different officer at each event, who doesn’t know the students. With the SRO we have consistency.” Arce said the officer is known and trusted by students, allowing for optimal communication and response to potentially dangerous situations.

Fernandez told the council that Heal the Community is attempting to organize a town hall meeting about local gang issues and how to counter violence. Dunn requested the group consult with him in order to schedule a meeting when he would have staff available to attend.

Dunn said that West Ventura County has eight gang unit officers that cover Fillmore, El Rio, Silverstrand and the Ojai Valley. Larger stations, such as Camarillo and Thousand Oaks, have their own gang units and are available to assist this area, as needed. “That’s what you saw right after this incident and previous incidents,” said Dunn.

This support helped increase patrols of marked and unmarked vehicles since the murder. Dunn encouraged citizens to join the City Watch program that alerts citizens to crime issues and allows people to submit information and get questions answered, and he reminded people about the anonymous crime tip hot line. That number is (800) 78-CRIME. To sign up to be involved in the City Watch program, e-mail OjaiValley.CityWatch@ventura.org.

The council members voted unanimously to accept Baird’s proposal, directing staff to make the pool payment and receive payment from OUSD for the SRO.

“That’s great, I was really happy,” said Nordhoff senior Cole Bettles, when he heard the news while checking out colleges on the East Coast. Bettles addressed the school board members last week, urging them to rethink their decision not to fund the SRO. “I was a little bummed that I was not able to be at the council meeting, and while I can’t take credit for it, I feel like I was a driving force in getting it through.”

There is no plan to use the pool for city recreational services this summer. The SRO will be a campus presence for the remainder of the school year, with OUSD, city staff and the Sheriff’s Department all examining ways to fund the position for the 2009-2010 school year.

Jim Wright

Loss of key Search and Rescue team member felt widely

By Misty Volaski
Four kids surround a table overflowing with stuffing, turkey, and all the fixings. But before family patriarch Jim Wright can take more than a bite, he gets the call. He’s needed on another rescue, the voice on the line says.

Wright grabs his keys and heads into the hills.

“It seemed like we always got called out during Thanksgiving dinner,” said Larry Beckett, who has volunteered on the Upper Ojai Search and Rescue team with Wright since the mid-1970s. The group combed the Ventura County backcountry for decades in search of hundreds of lost Boy Scouts and hikers, rockslide victims, homicide victims, airplane victims, and more.

A dedicated father, landscaper, and lover of the outdoors, Wright was in his 38th year of service with Upper Ojai S.A.R., and his ninth year with Mono County S.A.R., when he died April 21, after a brief illness.

About 300 friends and family showed up to remember him at a barbecue Saturday at Soule Park. Folks he rescued spoke of his gentleness and strength. His fellow rescuers remembered a strong, quiet leader. Kindergarten friends recalled how he always saved them a seat on the school bus. Indeed, Wright was a helper to all; his family came first, many people said, and then S.A.R., which often kept him in the backcountry for days.

“But he never complained,” said Beckett. “In the early days, there were no radios, and little or no air support,” Beckett added.

“We had to hike all the way in and out.”

Wright didn’t have a whole lot to say but gave so much to this community in the way of giving his all and never really asked for anything in return

Wright, in his cutoff shirt with tanned muscles bulging, led by quiet example, never giving up on hundreds of rescues in Ventura County, and later, in Mono County, where he lived part time. “Jim didn’t seek the limelight at all, but he was very competent at what he did. If Jim was hanging on to the end of my rope, I knew I was safe,” said Beckett.

Sergeant Frank Underlin, of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department S.A.R. Aviation Unit, agreed. “I met Jim during my first week as the resident deputy in Lockwood Valley when a number of Boy Scouts were stranded on top of Pine Mountain in a raging snow storm. Jim didn’t stand around and ask questions. He just put his head down and headed up the mountain, He was a real dynamite individual.”

That applied in and out of the backcountry, said Randy Felkins, who lived next door to Wright for 26 years. “He was a fine fellow. If he saw you outside, he would come over and talk. As long as you stood there Jim made you feel comfortable. That kind of neighbor is hard to come by. If everybody had Jim’s disposition, the world would be a better place.”

Wright’s oldest son Dan echoed those sentiments. “It’s people like my dad who don’t say much that quietly change the world by being who they are. My dad was one of the few people who was actually a good person but didn’t have to tell people about it.”

Said longtime friend and fellow Upper Ojai S.A.R. member Tom Farmer: “Jim Wright always gave 100 percent for whatever he was asked to do. It’s my hope that everyone who came in contact with Jim felt the sincerity and personal dedication that Jim displayed as a member of the Upper Ojai Search and Rescue team. Jim was my friend and mentor. He will be truly missed.”

NOTE: Donations are being accepted at Los Padres Bank under the name of Jim Wright Memorial Fund. For more information, call Tom Farmer at Los Padres: 646-5523.

FROM: Sgt. Joe Evans

Tell us where you were and what it was like when the earthquake struck at 1:27 p.m. Friday.

Deputy Victor Medina, former school resource officer and current member of the Sheriff's Department's gang task force, with Nordhoff assistant principal Susana Arce in 2005.

By Linda Harmon
Last night’s contentious three-and-a-half-hour school board meeting started on a bright note with touching speeches from youth Optimist winners, Kevin Griffee and Corrine McGinley, and the discussion of the expansion of the popular Health Science Academy, but soon took a dark turn. 

An overflow crowd addressed the board about the possibility of losing funding for two separate programs, a district early infant care center and the school resource officer providing a police officer on the Nordhoff High School campus.

The infant care center, A Place to Grow Infant Center, located at Topa Topa Elementary since 2001, has full-time director Bonnie Patton and two part-time staff currently overseeing the care of eight children per day, Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

According to Baird, the center had “fiscal solvency issues,” but was “in the black” last year. Baird’s concern is that the “overhead costs” of supporting the center have not been included or covered in their budget. He said with the declining economy and severe district budget cuts required, the continued operation of the center is an added risk the district cannot afford.

According to Baird, the overhead cost, an estimated $12,000, includes office staff to interface with parents, billing and administrative support, custodial services and utilities.

“We’re stretched and we need to look at these costs,” said Baird. “We’re paring down to our central mission … I am recommending closing it down, something I have not recommended in the past.”

The crowd then started their appeals.

“We have eight children a day,” said Patton, “and parents calling every day that we have to turn down … We’re ready to fund raise … All the centers in town are full and our parents have nowhere to go.”

Parents and grandparents spoke in support of the center giving heartfelt stories of their experiences with the center.

“We’re pretty representative of the culture here in Ojai,” said Christopher Bates, who is a professor at Santa Barbara City College. He and his wife, who also works fulltime, have paid over $20,000 to have their children cared for. With both parents working out of the valley Bates asked the board to be proactive. “The love and care they have received will be with them forever.”

After one speaker, Bryan Morris, offered to donate his paycheck, Board President Linda Taylor offered to match it.

The board thanked the speakers and agreed to table the issue, giving Patton, Baird and staff time to come up with some possible solutions.

The board then dealt with another topic, the possible elimination of district funding of the school resource officer at Nordhoff, and hostile comments on this issue. 

Baird first outlined the background of the program, which began nine years ago after a safe schools grant was received. According to Baird, the board originally voted to split the $50,000 expense equally three ways between the city, the grant and the district. Since then, two major changes occurred. According to Baird, first the original grant expired and the city received new grant funds that they have allocated elsewhere. 

Then, in 2005 after the funding shortage began, Susana Arce agreed to return to district employment for a salary of $27,000 after retiring if the district agreed to fund up to $75,000 to the SRO. According to assistant superintendent Dannielle Pusatere, the district has extended this agreement into the 2008-2009 school year. Pusatere also said the district budget of 2007-2008 paid the city $72,544, which was then half of the cost of the SRO. Those funds came from two district sources, $63,000 out of a district-written State School Safety Grant and $10,000 out of the General Fund.

Pusatere said the city then sent an additional bill to the district, which they refused to pay, saying Police Chief Norris had already given them the previous bill as a total expense. Pusatere then asked for a contract that would clearly spell out SRO expenses and also disputed the formula used to arrive at charges. In late fall Pusatere said the district again asked for a contract when the city increased their SRO portion to $83,000. No contract has been received, only bills.

According to Baird, the SRO was pulled “due to the city’s vote” and the schools have applied for a new grant, the status is yet to be determined. 

“Our intent was never to leave the school without support,” said Baird. “We were looking at this from a school perspective not a law enforcement perspective. Then we had this crisis.”

Baird outlined an alternative under consideration, a well-respected teacher filling a “dean-like position to resolve problems before they arise.” 

Dan Musick, Nordhoff principal, then addressed the board and asked that the SRO remain on campus for the rest of the year saying, “It has a calming influence, not just having a police officer on campus but one they know and respect. We’d like to have Sara with us.”

Arce also spoke concurring, “Right now we have someone on campus who can calm things down. That’s why we don’t have problems on campus.”

Current Police Chief Chris Dunn said the dean-like position vs. a police officer was like “apples and oranges.” 

Comments expressing fear and anger at the possibility of the SRO removal followed, including Teresa Nicholl who said, “I kept my son home the last two days and don’t know if I’ll send him back.” 

Many of the speakers did not have children attending Nordhoff.

The board decided to take no action to eliminate the SRO and will look at resolving funding issues to keep the SRO for the rest of the year.

“We do need to figure this out,” said board member Steve Fields, “but it’s important for people to also pressure the city. I think we should go back to the original one-third, one-third, one-third split.”

Dunn said the city has a C.O.P.S. grant but “the lion’s share goes to the city’s portion of the SRO.”

After Taylor thanked the attendees and asked them to voice concerns at the city’s May 12 meeting, Baird addressed the district’s response to events. Having met with school staff that day about the crisis, Baird said he felt “our kids” did fine, but were heavily influenced by outside activity, community blogs and rumors. According to Baird, the staff was overwhelmed with telephone calls but the staff performed well and had their hands full just dealing with students. 

He said the district is looking at ways to incorporate new technology like cell phone texting into their communication system to approach each segment of the community. 

“We have to acknowledge it’s a fearful world out there,” said Baird, who also gave updates on the swine flu issue, saying the district is in close contact with the Board of Health and is following all recommendations.

After the 17-month budget was presented Baird ended the public meeting by informing the remaining audience of his resignation effective July 1.

County takes in information for EIR on Ozena Mine’s permit application

By Linda Harmon
Citizens answered the call of Stop the Trucks and filled Chaparral Auditorium Wednesday night as Ventura County held a public meeting to gather input for the planned Environmental Impact Report for the proposed expansion of the Ozena Rock and Gravel Mine. The mine, on 630 acres located at 2710 Lockwood Valley Road in the Cuyama Valley up Highway 33, has applied to expand gravel production and build another 15-acre stock pond to expand its aquaculture activities. 

“This meeting is for people to let us know what things they think we should look at in the required EIR,” said Dan Klemann, a Ventura County associate planner who led the meeting. 

The EIR is required under the California Environmental Quality Act, a law that was deigned to protect the people and environment from potential degradation of projects.

Stop the Trucks, a local organization formed to oppose expanding gravel truck traffic through Ojai, publicized the event to bolster attendance, and opposition to the mine expansion was prevalent in the room. 

“CEQA is all about public participation,” said Kim Rodriguez, the county’s planning director who welcomed the crowd. “I’m glad Ojai came out, it is why we are here today.”

Supervisor Steve Bennett was present but confined his short remarks to say he would not be making any substantial comments as he needed to remain impartial to retain his right to vote on the proposed project when it eventually reached the County Board of Supervisors.

Klemann gave a brief overview of the project, including expected changes in restrictions, and went over the planned scope of the EIR including effects on transportation quality and safety along Highway 33, hydraulic hazards, flooding, noise and the effects of exposure to noise on people and wildlife, biological effects such as impacts on wetlands, wildlife migration and local “important species,” and potential significant impacts on the scenic highway, glare, visual resources, archaeology, air quality, and climate change. 

“I completely respect the passion in this room, but this is not a place for opinions of the project itself,” said Klemann. He then opened the floor to speakers while reminding the audience that comments needed to be specific to question of the scope of the EIR. He asked that the audience focus on missing impacts and suggestions for testing impacts, keeping in mind that the comments would be weighed using the “fair argument” approach, i.e., logical evidence to back concerns.

There were more than 20 speakers, and Michael Shapiro, representing Stop the Trucks, was first.

“The modified CUP would adversely affect the environment and the quality of life in Ojai Valley and should be denied outright,” said Shapiro in his opening remarks. “If the project is not denied outright, the EIR evaluating the project must meet all of the rigorous procedural and substantive requirements of CEQA.”

He then suggested the existing CUP should be treated as expired, that the county should consider Ozena’s past violations, consider a “no project” alternative, that mitigation measures be feasible and verifiable with financial support in place for monitoring, include safety analysis of Highway 33 south, air quality impacts on the Ojai Valley, quantification and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, cumulative air and safety impact analyses, discussion of importation of recyclable materials, an examination of compliance with the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act, impacts of aquaculture activity, impacts on water quality, noise, and biological resources, geological impacts, and impacts on outdoor recreation and wilderness areas.

In addition, Shapiro submitted a 15-page brief prepared by Stop the Trucks attorneys, Chatten-Brown & Carstens, detailing these and other concerns.

Tim Baird was the next up, adding specifics that he felt were omitted after he noted the ironic nature of a project pushed by Caltrans “to repair the very same roads the truck traffic is degrading.” He called for the Nordhoff High School and Mira Monte Elementary, along with the Ojai hospital and several private schools to be included in the restricted zone, as well as the hourly truck travel limitation expanded to include Saturdays. 

Joseph Gilbert and others mentioned the decrease in safety along Highway 33. He said due to larger cars and trucks the tunnels are inadequate and large trucks can’t use them without passing over the center line, endangering oncoming vehicles.

Jerry Kaplan spoke, asking for adequate monitoring equipment and said “everything depends on it.” He added that complaints about past truck violations weren’t confirmed because of the lack of monitoring. 

Joan Roberts, a Realtor for 23 years, and Scott Eicher, chief executive officer of the Chamber of Commerce, expressed fears for quality of life, property values and tourism, which were echoed by others.

“Tourists come here for the three R’s,” said Eicher, “rest, relaxation and rejuvenation … This will impact the total economy of our valley. People move here for the same reason and I urge that the scope of the EIR include this.”

Carol Smith, City Council member and liaison to Stop the Trucks, was there to let the county know that the city agreed with Stop the Trucks position.  Smith delivered a letter from the city and notified the officials that the city of Ojai’s boundary was not accurately reflected, leaving out part of the city from the affected zone in the county documents. 

“This valley is tourist dependent,” said Smith, adding, “Carmel is a good comparison. Can you imagine trucks going down their main street, between the little shops?”

The meeting continued until 8 p.m. with many local residents giving personal stories of the traffic’s effect on their lives and the enjoyment of the canyons surrounding Ojai. A representative of Cuyama Valley residents also called for cooperation in the fight.

“We’re fighting until the end,” said Gene Zannon, in opposition to increased mining development in their valley. They feel isolated due to political agreements between the county agencies and the mines. “We’re looking for help but you can’t give it. It’s kind of the old NIMBY scenario, not in my back yard. If anybody wants to contact me I’m available.”

For more information go to ventura.org/rma/planning or call Stop the Trucks at 640-2524.

By Linda Harmon
Tuesday night’s contentious Ojai Unified School District board meeting ended with Tim Baird announcing his resignation after six years of service as superintendent of OUSD.

“I have accepted a position with the Encinitas Union School District,” said Baird, adding that his time here has been rewarding on both a personal and professional level. 

According to Baird, he accepted the position after much thought, consideration and long discussions with his wife, Laurie. He said the new position will allow them to be closer to her parents who have health issues, and also present him with the challenges of a larger district. 

According to the Encinitas Union School District web site, the district has approximately 5,600 students enrolled in its nine schools, all have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools.

“I just want to thank you for your service,” said Linda Taylor, board president. “You’ve been an incredible asset to the community. You’ve gone through fire and had to deal with a lot of problems that have been out of your control. You’ve been a real role model for all of us.”

Board members concurred with Taylor that it was with sadness that they accepted Baird’s resignation. 

Baird has dealt with continued declining enrollment during his tenure and the defeat last year of a parcel tax that was intended to head off the district’s ensuing fiscal crisis. The state and national economic crisis were an added burden on the superintendent’s shoulders.

“This has been a truly difficult decision because Ojai Unified and the Ojai Valley mean a great deal to me,” said Baird when contacted Wednesday. “I am leaving a wonderful team of dedicated professionals who work very hard on behalf of our children.”

“On a professional level I was lucky enough to have Tim as a superintendent,” said Ojai City Council member Steve Olsen. “He was nothing but supportive and I think he was wonderful for our community. I am extremely sad to see him leave our valley. He and his family were an extreme asset to our community … I had the honor of being on the board of the Ojai Valley Green Coalition with Tim, and saw how hard and tirelessly he worked, how much time he spent at all the events and organizing the Green Coalition.”

Deborah Pendrey, director of the OVGC, also had praise for Baird.

“In the year and a half I’ve been active with the Green Coalition, I saw Tim give time when he didn’t have it to spare,” said Pendrey. “I understand the decision, but it doesn’t make it any less sad for me. He rarely missed a meeting or helping with an event. His actions and conversations made it apparent he was taking what he learned being part of the coalition and applied it to his own life and in school policies. He quickly became someone I respected and looked to for guidance. He will be sorely missed.”

Baird is one of the founders of the OVGC and was at the forefront of greening the school system, conducting energy audits aimed at reducing the district’s energy footprint and addressing environmental and related concerns districtwide. 

“Dr. Baird has been a supportive partner in helping Food For Thought initiate a number of activities to raise awareness of the importance of supporting local agriculture for our health and environment,” said Marty Fujita, board President and co-founder of Food For Thought, “as well as implementing change to ‘green’ our schools.” 

Tyler Suchman, a fellow board member of the OVGC summed it up this way,

“I greatly admire Tim’s ability to synthesize pragmatism with his forward-thinking vision on behalf of OUSD, the Ojai Valley Green Coalition and the community at large. The impact of his contributions to the valley won’t stop when he moves. I will miss Tim greatly and wish the Bairds best of success and happiness in Encinitas.”

Baird said he will be working with the school board to find his replacement.

“There are many possible options for them and we will begin working on the plan immediately,” said Baird. “My new position does not begin until July 1. I am committed to wrapping up the big issues facing our district before moving to my new assignment.”

Marsha Fithian, left, and Sharyn Mathews display funds they raised from the Seth Scarminach Memorial Benefit. A car wash, bake sale, and silent auction raised money for the Scarminach family’s funeral and other expenses. Photo by Bryan Florer

By Misty Volaski
The parking lot of the New Wine Harvest Fellowship Church literally overflowed with dirty cars, sudsy teenagers, and donations of every kind — checks, brownies, even a piglet — last Saturday as locals banded together to raise money for the family of slain youth Seth Scarminach.

Hundreds of people showed up at the church, where 60-plus volunteers ran a car wash, bake sale, silent auction, and T-shirt and bracelet sale. Along with an account at Bank of America and donation cans at local businesses, Ojai Valley residents raised $24,000 — and counting — —to help the Scarminachs through their difficult time.

“We just didn’t want them to have to worry about anything right now,” said friend of the family and a co-organizer of Saturday’s event, Bridget Campbell.

Campbell remembers Seth Scarminach as a sweet boy who loved playing with her toddler son. With Scarminach’s passing, Campbell decided to put her grief and helplessness toward something positive. Gathering a group of Scarminach’s friends, family and various church and community members, Campbell and friend Sharyn Mathews led the way. Mathews spoke with the church, which agreed to donate their parking lot for the event, along with the use of their water for the car wash.

Campbell took charge of the silent auction. “I just walked around town last week, went into every store. They were so generous.” Donations came from Ojai Surplus, Feast Bistro, Cowboy Babies, Serendipity, Ojai Valley Athletic Club, Mary & Lisa Boutique, Jolly Kone, Ruben’s Burritos, Ultimutt Pet Spa, Java Joe’s, Angela’s Flowers, Lulu Bandha’s, and more. Others helped by putting donation cans by their registers: Ojai Coffee Roasting Co., Joe’s Quick Stop, Jersey Mike’s, Cowboy Babies, Pat’s Liquor, Ojai Liquor, and Amerigas, among others.

By the time Saturday rolled around, the silent auction and bake sale tables were full, and a line of cars wrapped around the corner of the church.

“There were at least five cars in line waiting all day,” said Campbell. “It was crazy. So many people showed up who didn’t even know Seth but just wanted to help the family.”

“We even washed the Station 22 fire truck!” Mathews said. “The kids were so great. They worked so hard, nonstop all day long, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.”

“This weekend was the first time I saw a lot of those boys smile in a week,” Campbell said. “It was really good for all of us.”

Locals threw themselves into the event. Vickie Marietta sold Cookie Lee Jewelry, with all proceeds going to the Scarminachs. Dr. Mary Evans and son Brian, along with Cody Stevens, Eric Luna, Jake Vail, Timmy Nicholl and Tim and Tina Silverstri, donated and sold T-shirts, which quickly sold out and yielded well over $5,000. “The shirts sold out almost immediately,” said Brian Evans. “And Don Rodarte (of Ojai Printworks) came by with more shirts for us.”

Cowboy Babies, a children’s clothing store, donated red memorial bracelets to be sold. Donna Greenfield ran the bake sale table. The Grant family of Becky, Hannah and Charlotte paid for the event fliers out of their own pockets. Marsha Fithian put up $300 of her own money to make change out of the cash box. 

“The whole thing went really well,” said Brian Evans. “It lifted the spirits of a lot of people, and put a positive note on the day.”

Event organizers would also like to thank the following people for their help and support: Hannah Grant, Becky Borgeson, Larry and Dina Hooper, Jayke Mahl, Claudia Decker, Sharyn Mathews, Stacy Schutze, Mike Bailey, Marsha Fithian, Rene Green, Tracy Davidson, Bob Steiger, Dr. Mary Evans, Brian Evans, Sunday Rylander, Ellen Sklarz, Donna Greenfield, Vickie Marietta, and Becky, Hannah, and Charlotte Grant. “And anyone who donated a dollar, picked up a hose,” said Campbell, “thank you. We made something good come out of this.”

Donation cans are still around town, and the bank account is still open, for those who would still like to donate.

Water company’s tentative budget shows no increase for first time in three years

By Daryl Kelley
After two years of sharp rate increases for farmers, directors of the Casitas Municipal Water District plan no hikes for agricultural or residential customers this year, a tentative budget for the Ojai Valley’s largest water agency shows.

“We have no proposal for a rate hike,” said general manager Steve Wickstrum this week, as district directors prepared for their annual budget workshop this afternoon. “But we are watching a couple of bouncing balls that could get us down the road.”

Angry farmers absorbed rate increases of about 19 percent and 53 percent the last two budget cycles, but Wickstrum said that changes to Casitas’ rate structure, which had subsidized farmers, have now been implemented and the district is charging farmers the actual cost of untreated irrigation water.

Wickstrum’s proposed budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year that begins in July is $14,786,057, about $250,000 less than this year’s, because some construction and maintenance projects on the 50-year-old water system are winding down, he said.

Wickstrum doesn’t think the controversy of the last two budget cycles will emerge this time.

“I really don’t expect any controversy,” he said.

But two big question marks could place this year’s budget in jeopardy and force a rewrite, he warned.

One issue is whether farmers, the district’s largest users, will pull back from purchases during the summer because of high water rates imposed the last two years.

But the biggest unknown is whether the legislature will follow the advice of the state’s independent budget analyst and divert millions of dollars in property tax revenue from special districts such as Casitas this year.

If the money is withheld by the state, as was often the case from 2000 to 2005, that could result in a loss of $1.8 million to Casitas, or about 12 percent of its budget.

“That may be something the state looks at again,” Wick-strum said. “The legislative analyst has recommended it in the past, and it has been fought successfully. If it passed, that’s something we’d have to take a deep look at.”

As things are, Casitas uses the $1.8 million to offset part of the cost of  delivering water to farmers. The full cost is $521 an acre-foot, but that includes the cost of water treatment, which farmers don’t need, officials have said. 

So farmers pay $371 an acre-foot, the cost to deliver untreated water.

But that’s still up dramatically from $312 farmers paid last fiscal year and $208 the year before.

An acre-foot, water a foot deep on an acre of land,  meets the needs of two typical households for a year.

To justify the rate increases, Casitas directors have said they made the adjustment to follow state law and avoid a challenge by residential customers, who had been subsidizing agricultural users.

In a 2006 State Supreme Court decision, justices ruled that Proposition 218, passed by voters in 1996, requires equitable distribution of water costs.

Historically, farmers had a subsidized rate partly because the federally constructed Casitas Dam project was built partly to promote Ojai Valley agriculture.

Casitas officials have said they might be able to legally justify the lower rate — $371, instead of $521 — 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.

However, even without an increase this year, some farmers said they’re gradually being forced to drill new wells, so they don’t have to buy expensive Casitas water. That drop in farm purchases could also throw Casitas’ budget out of balance.

Some farmers are also leaving the business altogether.

“It will be a slow process,” said farmer Tony Thacher of Friend’s Ranches on Tuesday. “It’s just not economical any more. The cost of water is not the only issue, but it’s a very big issue.”

Already, Thacher said he knows of three growers on Ojai’s East End who have drilled new wells because of Casitas rate hikes. 

And if you want evidence that the Ojai Valley is transitioning away from its farm economy, just drive to the valley overlook on Dennison Grade, he said.

“There’s an amazing amount of land that’s vacant,” Thacher said. “Some of it may be just transitioning to other crops, but some of it is not.”

Thacher said that while it’s good farmers don’t face a new rate increase, they’re not satisfied with the hikes of the last two years.

“Some farmers in Ojai still think the new rate model is imperfect,” he said. Specifically, Thacher said he thinks that it’s not fair to charge overhead fees based on water use, rather than per meter.

Also, farmers think Casitas’ higher charge for water during peak use also discriminates against agriculture.

“We haven’t given up on pursuing some of these issues,” he said.

And, Thacher said, some large farmers elsewhere in California are considering a legal challenge to the method used to set higher water rates throughout the state. Those farmers think customer appeals of the new rates should have been set by class of water user, not all at one time. For example, farmer appeals should have been considered separately from residential appeals, he said.

“I’m not a lawyer, but this is an issue that’s coming,” Thacher said. 

As farmers let their trees die, or switch to groundwater, farmers predict that Casitas’ income will plummet, since crops use nearly half of all the water the district sells from the huge Lake Casitas reservoir. So, the water district’s efforts to boost its budget so it can repair an aging infrastructure, will backfire, they said at last year’s hearings.

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.

Today’s budget workshop is set for 4:30 p.m. at the Casitas headquarters on Highway 33 in Oak View. It was set for directors to review the proposed budget prepared by Wickstrum, with the formal public hearing set for June. But today’s workshop is a public meeting, and customers may attend and comment.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Comments on this report have been suspended because in the opinion of the OVN editorial staff, too many of them had become off-topic, inflammatory, rude, full of foul (deleted) language and insulting. We apologize to those who wrote sensitive and meaningful comments. We believe your opinions are important to our community. Letters to the editor are welcome.

FROM: Sgt. Joe Evans
Good evening Watchers. As many of you know our valley suffered a tragedy last weekend. A 16-year-old resident was murdered. A 14- year-old boy was arrested and is in jail for this horrible crime. Our community now deals with the aftermath of this event. Our sadness will be mixed with tears and anger. We will wonder why and never really get the answers we area hoping for. We may hear people who lash out with anger and feeling of revenge. We see people at their worst and at the same time we see heros in our community speaking of peace.  
As a community it is a time when we must talk of peace and not violence. When we hear people spouting words of violence we must change the conversation to that of peace. I know this is a difficult thing to do but it is the only way we can continue to heal without seeing more violence in our neighborhoods. We owe it to each other the stop the talk of violence and revenge. We know that talk sometimes leads to actions that would not normally happen.This will make the current situation worse and recovery from those action very difficult.

I am asking all members of this community to speak of peace and community harmony in the face of this tragedy. We must stay vigilant about allowing hate to take over our community and neighborhoods. There are many lessons to learn and we can not learn when we allow hate to dictate our actions.

You may have noticed a large police presence in our valley this last few days. Your Sheriff’s Department has assigned many of it’s specialized units to our valley this week. The purpose of this deployment is to discourage additional violence in our neighborhoods. At the same time the investigation into this crime continues and Detectives from your Major Crimes Unit are in town collecting evidence and following up on leads.

This is a trying time for many in our community. Please show patience with those who are directly dealing with this terrible crime. We must stand together and not except hate or violence in our neighborhoods. We value our family’s, homes and neighbors. Lets make sure we do not allow hate and violence to separate us from the things and people we love.

As always, keep up the good work and please be safe.

Your friend and neighbor, Joe

EDITOR’S NOTE: Comments on this report have been suspended because in the opinion of the OVN editorial staff, too many of them had become off-topic, inflammatory, rude, full of foul (deleted) language and insulting. We apologize to those who wrote sensitive and meaningful comments. We believe your opinions are important to our community. Letters to the editor are welcome.

Submitted by Nordhoff High School Principal Dan Musick

We had a very busy day today. If you called and didn’t get an answer, it is because our secretaries were fielding calls all morning.

Around mid-morning Police officers informed us of a rumor that something was going to happen at lunch today. Because of the incidents of last weekend, they elected to be proactive about student safety. They deployed five foot officers and five officers in cars on the perimeter of the campus. I want to stress that this was in reaction to an unsubstantiated rumor.

We went from classroom to classroom to inform students of what was happening. Many chose to call their parents, who in turn came to pick them up from school.

Lunchtime passed without incident. At the time of this message, police continue to patrol campus, and will be here until 3:30. Students who have chosen to stay at school are in class. Sports and other after-school activities are still going on, and, because of the exceptional circumstances, athletes whose parents excused them will be eligible to participate in their games today.

We will have our monthly Nordhoff Parent Association meeting on Monday at 7:00 in the library, where we can talk about the events of this week.