Category Archives: City News

Aaron Gaston-Business Owner/Realtor Candidate for City Council District 3

It’s an understatement for me to say I care about Ventura, having been born and raised here. My family’s roots in Ventura start in the 1950s—my parents live in the same Pierpont Beach house where they raised my brother and me. As an alumnus of Pierpont Elementary, Cabrillo Middle, and Ventura High, I even had some of the same teachers and coaches that my parents had. It’s a legacy I’m proud to uphold, having brought up my own daughters in Ventura. My father owned and ran a small business in Ventura, and that entrepreneurial spirit was passed on to my brother and me at a very early age.

After I graduated from UCSB, I returned to Ventura to cofound and run a technology company helping individuals with disabilities, where I worked for nearly 30 years. I’m now a Realtor and business partner with my mother, Grace Gaston, who has been a local Realtor for over 30 years. My brother has owned the largest salon and spa in Ventura, Michael Kelley, for years, and recently, my wife Nicole Gaston founded her own salon, The Ivy Mae, in 2018.

My family continues to grow its roots in Ventura’s soil. With my family’s broad experience as small business owners, supporting small businesses is extremely important to me. It’s one of the main reasons I wanted to run for City Council; investing in small businesses is investing in Venturans. I’m running for Ventura City Council District 3 to address the urgent and immediate issues affecting our City. I am committed to focusing on a robust local economy, supporting small businesses, improving public safety, preserving our environment, and addressing homelessness and housing issues. I am deeply committed to serving my constituents in District 3. It will be a privilege to represent you, and I will work tirelessly to ensure that your voices are heard. I believe in teamwork, not divisiveness, is essential to solving the challenges we are facing in this unprecedented public health and economic crisis. I am honored to have endorsements from Mayor Matt LaVere, former Mayor and Councilmembers Jim Monahan, Brian Brennan, Mike Tracy, and Sandy Smith. VUSD Board of Trustees Velma Lomax and Matt Almarez. Local labor unions IBEW Local 952, UFCW Local 770, Laborers local 585 (LiUNA), UA local 484, IUOE Local 12, Ironworkers Local 433, Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters (Local 805). City of Ventura Firefighters Association and City of Ventura Police Officers Association, and Ventura Chamber of Commerce PAC.

If you want to learn more about me, I welcome a conversation either in person or by phone. I can be reached at 805-242-6348 or [email protected].

Doug Halter Candidate for City Council District 2

The tug of war between maintaining a status quo and accommodating real changes in a city is a clear and present issue in our current city council elections. It has come to my attention that my point of view and values have been distorted in the numerous exchanges on this topic. Neither I nor anyone in Ventura that I know wants our City to resemble anything like the San Fernando Valley or Orange County. I have fought on many fronts for thirty years to preserve and enhance what we love about Ventura and maintain our uniqueness. Change stands all around us, and we must guide and manage it to create the prosperity our community needs.

I have fought hard to revitalize our City, preserve our history and amplify our unique and rich culture. I have also fought hard to preserve at least 80% of our hillsides, spaces owned by long time families who wanted to divest but also wanted to do the best thing for their families and our community. This was far before the establishment of the Ventura Land Trust and the Atmore’s Rancho conservancy.

Responsible development for Ventura must first meet our needs and allow our community to prosper. It’s essential that we save our farmland and reuse our urban fabric. A thriving city needs entry level affordable housing and executive housing; both are needed for a community to be sustainable. We do have a solid base of middle-income housing, but limited opportunities for people to earn that income.

While others restate our community vision, I sat on the 1999 Vision Document committee for two years. I started my own businesses to showcase what was possible in our renewing downtown and midtown, served as chair of the Chamber of Commerce and worked to support the living wage as the first Chamber in the country to do so. I encouraged businesses to not give up and helped them work through an arduous City process to expand a business or stay in business. On an average, it takes fifteen to twenty years for a commercial project to be approved in Ventura. City Hall still can’t answer four easy questions; What can you do with your property, what is the process, what is the timeline, and what will it cost? Why would investors enter that scenario with their lives’ savings?

I invest in the community because of one core understanding. We can leave our world better off with our unique contributions. To that end I’ve not only have participated on numerous boards to improve Ventura, but have founded or helped establish many such as the Downtown Community Council, AIDS Partnership, Social Justice Fund, CAPS broadcasting, the Ventura Music Festival, the Rubicon theater and the Ventura Botanical Gardens.

I am proud to say that my candidacy to represent you on Ventura’s City Council is endorsed by both the Police and Firefighters Associations.

We need change, bold leadership that has proven knowhow, to take ideas through to get results. I will be that leader.

For more information please visit: www.DougHalter.com

Michael Johnson Candidate for City Council District 3

With the budget crunch, housing crisis, rise in homelessness, and water shortage, the next four years are going to be tough for City Council. I’m running because I care about these issues — not the other way around.

For years, I’ve been deeply involved in our community. In 2008, I was caught up in a crime spree in my neighborhood. Knock-knock burglars were creeping about. I knocked-knocked too, warning my neighbors to lock their windows. In response, the bandits set my car on fire.

On the bright side, the burglaries stopped, and I started a neighborhood group. That’s how I first got involved in our community.

I was active in the Poinsettia PTO, serving two years as President, and elected to the Anacapa School Site Council for three years.

In 2010, I joined the College Area Community Council; I’ve served as chair. For five years, I’ve been involved in city-wide issues, been there for nearly every meeting of the Homelessness/Affordable Housing Subcommittee, Water Commission, Economic Development Subcommittee, and Measure O Committee.

So I know the history. I know the people, the policies, and the processes. It’s why I’m ready to lead on Day One.

City Council has its work cut out, but I have a concrete plan. The housing crisis is fundamental; we can’t make progress on many other thorny issues until we tackle this one. We need more housing, both affordable and market-rate.

We need a city-wide Inclusionary Housing Plan which applies to for-sale and rental units. It must be inclusionary, the affordable units included in the project, rather than allowing developers to get away with paying a fee instead. We started working on this in 2017. It’s still not done.

We’re required to submit a Housing Element to the state in 2021, showing where we could accommodate 5,000 new affordable units. Our current Housing Element says somebody could build six apartments in the parking lot of the KFC. We must do better.

We need to streamline development review by implementing the recommendations of the Matrix Report. However, we must not go further by disbanding the Design Review or Historic Preservation committees, nor demote them to advisory panels. We need their expertise; they need the authority to ensure high-quality projects.

To address homelessness, we need more outreach workers; this should be our priority when the budget recovers. We need more affordable housing at the extremely low income level. We need to work with County to pursue HUD and Medicaid funding for Permanent Supportive Housing for our most vulnerable population. It’s cheaper than relying on shelters, emergency rooms and county jail.
Whenever considering big water projects, Council should consult directly with the experts on the Water Commission, and must consider the financial impact on ratepayers.
We need to add solar panels to city buildings, and electric vehicle chargers for public and city fleet use.

The College Area deserves a councilmember who is ready to lead on Day One. To learn more, or watch videos of recent candidate forums, please visit MikeForVentura.com.

Captain Dougie Michie Candidate for City Council District 2

Captain Dougie Michie, USAF (Ret.), MSc., MBA, JD, PhD, a Vietnam war era veteran, served on active duty then in the National Guard from 1972 to 1999. (Dougie Michie retired from the Air Force National Guard. His military title use is not endorsement by the Departments of Air Force or Defense.)

A Certified Financial Planner and Registered Investment Advisor, Dougie manages his investment clients’ finances, and has taught business finance in Cal Lutheran’s MBA graduate program. Dougie is equipped to guide the City through them.

Dougie earned his Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Pepperdine. Dougie’s 39 years of legal experience, assisting over two thousand households navigate legal concerns, will benefit the City as it confronts legal issues.

Dougie mastered city planning while earning his Doctorate in urban planning. Well-thought-out planning requires the in-depth knowledge of city planning that Dougie has, particularly as the City addresses affordable housing and future growth. Dougie works and lives in District 2.

On Public Safety
Having worked with police officers and sheriff’s deputies as a former L.A. County prosecutor, I am against enacting policies that would put our officers in danger if implemented. I will not blindly adopt Campaign Zero, nor the 8 Can’t Wait prescriptions, many of which would endanger our officers in the field. Unfortunately, not all criminals are harmless, nor do they “play by the rules.”

I am absolutely against defunding the police department. I oppose the recent proposal to cut additional positions from the Police Department and from the Fire Department. If we want to maintain our public safety, we can’t do it by reducing positions.

On Homelessness
Like everyone else, I am tired of the impact on quality of life by those homeless that have drug problems and mental illness. By doing nothing, we are not helping these homeless. Meanwhile, the strange behavior, and sometimes aggressive behavior, is allowed to go unchecked, and we have to endure that behavior. The killing in Aloha by a homeless man should have been an alarm bell, but mostly, it is still more of the same.

The Ventura Police Department wants to address this problem by Enhance Patrol Task Force (PTF) coordination with County Behavioral Health and social service stakeholders and by utilizing enhanced patrol officers in public areas. They would also reinstitute gang prevention and intervention programs and focus on habitual offenders.

I am all for these strategic goals of our police department. But it’s not going to happen if we are cutting positions and not filling the positions that are authorized. I support filling all positions as a means of providing the police department with the means to implement their plans.

For those families that are homeless because of finances, the ARCH by Mercy House is a great resource. By helping get these families off the street and back on their feet we all benefit. I support ARCH and mental health and drug addiction intervention to reduce our homeless population and to win back our streets.

www.Dougie4District2.com

Michael James Nolan Candidate for City Council District 7

Ventura County resident since 2007. Father of Two College age daughters attending Ventura Community College. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley with my 10 brothers and sisters. Attended Chaminade College preparatory High School and received my B.A. in Marketing from C.S.U.N. Successful careers in Grocery and Wireless Telecommunications allowed me to sharpen my business acumen in land development, contract negotiations and retail space development all over Southern California.

Platform:

  • Balance Ventura city budget. (currently in muti-milion deficit)
  • Reduce Crime. (currently 37% higher than national average and 5% higher than national average for violent crime)
  • Attract business and employment base to Ventura.
  • Make our streets safe.
  • Eliminate vacant business blight.
  • Ensure housing development is balanced and not just pockets of city.
  • Vote NO on any sales tax increases.
  • Keep open space free and accessible for residents.

Challenges:

50% of the homeless people in United States live in California. A good portion of those live right here in Ventura. I believe in feeding the hungry and providing shelter to those that need shelter but I am not in favor of street camping and panhandling. I want my family and yours to feel safe in this city. The stabbing murder at the Aloha grill was the last straw. I fully support our Chief of Police and the strategic plan. Ventura has the highest crime rate in Ventura County and that directly correlates to the homeless. Stop in Westlake, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Camarillo or Simi Valley and you will not see the problems we have in Ventura. We need to work closely with those sister cities to bring safety back to our streets. Not only does it affect our crime rate but our Fire Department spends a high percentage of their calls rescuing homeless when they could be working on preventing future fires. We do have many programs in place but most are only sustaining the problems and not working towards elimination. I have no secret weapon but I will make it the highest priority.

I love this great city. I taught my daughters how to surf here, We’ve camped locally, we attend the fair on a regular basis and we visit downtown as often as possible. Let’s get though this Covid Virus safely and continue to make Ventura a Destination city in the future together.

Nancy Pedersen Candidate for City Council District 7

I am honored to have the opportunity to run for a Ventura City Council seat to represent District 7.  District 7 covers the most land mass of all districts, capturing all of Ventura’s coastline residential and business areas plus a little inland territory between the 101 and the 126 freeways – south and west of Victoria Avenue. District 7 is a true hodge-podge of culinary delight – a hearty mix of residential neighborhoods, iconic Ventura destinations, and small and large businesses – all co-existing to drive the vitality and the economy of our Ventura.

Under our new district structure, Ventura will be best served by councilmembers who can be a voice and vote for the concerns of their district while holding that in balance with an understanding of the needs, requirements, and sometimes constraints of the entire community – and then working with the full Council collaboratively to prioritize and make decisions accordingly. A healthy and vibrant economy for Ventura as a whole will be one that is good for all residents of Ventura across all districts and provides each district the resources needed to meet its most pressing issues.

My breadth of professional and community experience in a variety of settings and my personal style make me uniquely qualified to serve District 7 and Ventura. I have strong professional credentials with 40+ years as a business and legal professional, including holding law licenses in California and Texas. My personal style is collaborative, direct and honest, and I have proven myself to be an effective facilitator and organizational leader. As the Visitors Center and Convention Bureau Board Chair, I gained insight into the operations and economics of Ventura and the value of its unique assets.

The last few years have definitely dished up challenges to Ventura.  With these challenges come opportunities to create a true tipping point, whereby we can take a fresh look at why we do what we do and how we operate – making sure our governing efforts support the needs of the community today and lay foundation for the Ventura we want for tomorrow.

As I have campaigned, I have received numerous endorsements by organizations in our community including those representing Ventura’s first responders and its businesses, and the labor organizations representing so many of our working families – these endorsements were received after many hours of completing questionnaires and participating in numerous interviews. Throughout these processes, I shared this same message and believe that my assessment of where we are and where we need to head resonates with so many in Ventura.

I have the capability, the capacity and the heart to support the effort in front of us, and to be a valuable part of the conversation to shape Ventura for years to come.  I am hopeful that as I campaign and as you get to know me, you will believe this too! And, regardless of who you vote for this election year 2020 – use your vote as your voice and please vote!

To learn more about me – visit Pedersen4Ventura.com

Joe Schroeder Candidate for City Council District 7

In 2009, I accepted the role as the CEO/President of Ventura County Credit Union, a position I held until my retirement this year. During my tenure the credit union doubled in size to over $1B in assets and membership increased by more than 50%. I had a fortunate career that started in financial services right after graduation from Cal Poly Pomona. At 35 years old I became the CEO of one of the 50 largest credit unions in the state.

Nearly all local governments are going to be in for a financial rough ride due to the economic impact on business from the pandemic. The estimate for the City of Ventura is an $11M hole in revenue for this year. The worst part is the hole continues until we can get our local businesses up and growing and we get people back to work.

Executive experience is an incredible asset during times of stress and discord. I have managed through recessions and the difficult budgets they create. Business growth will lead us out of these tough times and I have a track record of growing companies. Some talk about growth, I have done it.

Turning to public safety, the Ventura Police Department enjoys an overall reputation of fairness, transparency and professionalism. They just completed their strategic plan that identifies their mission, values and vision. It lays out the priorities of the department and commits to community policing, professional development training on how to de-escalate tense interactions. We are fortunate that Chief Schlinder and Assistant Chief Dickey will lead us through these challenging times.

A key priority for the future of Ventura is the protection of our beaches, the ocean, the hillsides and our waterways. While many are talking about the updating of the General Plan, we need to also concentrate a lot of effort on building a Coastal Plan. We owe it to ourselves and the generations that will follow, to protect our coastline. In addition, we should continue our progress to improve bike lanes and trails. I can’t wait to see the improvements in the bike path and pedestrian walkways near Surfer’s Point and the Fairgrounds. I believe we should push the State to improve their path and walkway through San Buenaventura State Beach.

The General and Coastal Plans need to align smart growth with our need for affordable housing in an environment of water crisis and recent fires. Constant feedback from the community should be the hallmark of building these plans. People will support what they help to build.

I will reach out to all members of the community as my endorsements and recognitions reveal. I am fortunate to be recognized by the following organizations NAACP, Mixteco, Hispanic Coalition and the Credit Union industry.

In addition, I have earned the endorsements of Congresswoman Julia Brownley, State Assembly Members Monique Limon and Jacqui Irwin. Please visit my website at JoeSchroederForCityCouncil.com to see over 20 endorsements from leaders in education, police, the community, seniors and the Democratic Party.

Christy Weir Candidate for City Council District 2

It has been my honor to represent the people of Ventura as a Mayor and City Councilmember. I have shown a strong responsiveness to the needs of our community and have demonstrated thoughtful, balanced leadership. I am running for re-election in District 2 to make sure our residents are heard as we make decisions that impact our future. Four generations of my family have been fortunate to call this beautiful community our home, and my highest priority is quality-of-life improvements for all Ventura residents, including children and seniors.

As we recover from the economic and cultural impacts of COVID-19, it will be important to have leaders in place who are experienced, knowledgeable and creative. My years as a councilmember and chair of the city’s Finance and Budget Committee have given me a firm understanding of government processes, financial stability and the priorities of our community.

As a centuries-old town, we have challenges with aging infrastructure, but also enjoy the unique character of our historic buildings and cultural heritage. Our spectacular geographic location, bounded by the ocean, two rivers and hillsides, is truly our “good fortune,” to be celebrated and protected. Policies that guide our future, while balancing conservation, environmental sustainability, quality of life and growth, will be enacted in the upcoming adoption of a new General Plan, and will need steady, responsive leadership.

The core services of public health and safety, street paving, sidewalk maintenance, parks and urban forestry remain high priorities, and I will give them my continuing attention and support. My focus will also include enhancements to keep our downtown and midtown thriving. I was instrumental in the creation of Main Street Moves, the downtown street closure that enables outdoor dining to keep our restaurants in business through the pandemic. The Midtown business district also needs attention and I am working with merchants and others to visually enhance the streetscape, plant more street trees and improve parking lots.

With sea level rise and increasing storm surges, our coastline is being battered. As the vice-chair of BEACON, a multi-county joint powers authority, we are addressing beach erosion and clean oceans with grant-funded projects, such as the Surfer’s Point Managed Retreat. This project will complete the expansion of the dune area and move the eroding bike path inland, away from wave action. To help prevent harmful coastal litter and reduce plastic waste, I recently introduced to the City Council an ordinance banning Styrofoam use by restaurants in Ventura.
It is essential that as future development is considered, our city government requires compatible, high-quality projects that take into account our limited water supply, traffic and public safety impacts such as emergency evacuation. I am committed to transparency in decision-making, respect for our small-town neighborhood character, the creation of a more walkable, bike-friendly community and the preservation of open space and hillsides for future generations.

I would be honored to have your vote.
Christy Weir

My Experience with Districts

by Jim Friedman Ventura District 5

I have a unique perspective when it comes to serving as a city council member in that I have served “at large,” meaning being elected city wide and now, being elected within a district. I served as a city council member from 1995-2003. When the city broke up into districts, I was elected again in 2018, and now serve as the elected representative for Ventura District 5.

At first, I had mixed emotions about being elected within and then representing a particular district, but now, after almost two years, I have to say that I prefer Districts over the previous “at large” system. Campaigning required much more walking door-to-door but there were far less candidate forums to attend.

As the representative for District 5, I have gotten to know my district and constituents much better that when I was serving the community “at large.” I do find that a district council member needs to be much more responsive to the constituents because the council member is now the first point of contact with the residents. Previously, when serving “at large,” any one of the seven council members could take on a neighborhood issue, but now, that responsibility falls directly on my shoulders if the issue is in District 5. I don’t mind this added responsibility because I feel it is my job to help my District 5 constituents and provide the highest level of customer service to them as possible. Good customer service is something that I learned and continue to practice in my Insurance/Financial Services business for the past 42 years.

Just because I represent the residents in District 5 does not preclude me from assisting residents in other districts. I have heard from many people outside of District 5 and have offered them help and advice. I do however encourage them to also contact their district council member in an effort to help them resolve their issue. I di not want to step on the toes of any of my city council colleagues.

Being the very first representative for District 5 has been rewarding in that I am meeting a lot of new people, solving problems and making a lot of new friends.

City of Ventura to resume parking meter fees in downtown area

Starting Tuesday, October 13, 2020, the City of Ventura will resume collecting regular parking fees for on-street, metered parking in Downtown Ventura. Enforcement of fee payment will also resume.

Paid parking rates of 50-cents per hour will be collected along Palm Street, Oak Street, California Street, Chestnut Street, Fir Street, and Main Street. Along the metered parking streets, two ADA parking spaces will be made available for those with disabilities, and spaces will be designated for to-go or pick-up orders.

Currently, there are nearly 2,000 free public parking spaces available in Downtown Ventura, including the downtown parking structure located along Santa Clara Street.

The Downtown Parking Advisory Committee voted in September 2020 to resume collecting paid parking rates of 50-cents per hour. In March 2020, the City waived all parking fees supporting local businesses offering curbside pick-ups following State and Local State of Emergency declarations due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

As the City has begun to slowly open back up, activity has started to increase, and parking demand has also increased. To help ensure continued access to businesses and the availability of on-street parking, reinstating parking fees will help manage the demand. Paid parking also helps support many Downtown projects and programs, such as downtown security, parking lot and alley improvements, clean sidewalks, landscape beautification, lighting, and other improvements.

For contactless parking payments, download the free ParkMobile app. ParkMobile makes it easy to find, reserve, and pay for parking on any mobile device. Drivers can set up alerts via email, text message, or in-app notifications to remind them when their parking time is about to expire without running back to feed the meter. To learn more or download the ParkMobile app, visit parkmobile.io. Other fees may apply.

For more information about parking areas in the City of Ventura, visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/parking.