Ventura Water will start upgrading manually-read meters with new meters that will automatically relay customer’s water usage to the City’s water billing system through a secured network. The project began on October 1, 2018 and will replace water meters for approximately 32,000 Ventura Water customers over a 3-year period.

The new meters will allow customers to track daily water use and be notified of leaks with Home Connect, a new online water tracker.  “Ventura Water relies heavily on accurate and timely data,” said Ventura Water General Manager Kevin Brown. “The meter upgrade project will modernize our system and equip both customers and staff to better manage our water resources through real time water usage data and greatly improved leak detection.”

Customers will receive a notification in the mail 1-2 weeks prior to their scheduled upgrade. The City’s contractor, Professional Meters Inc. (PMI), will be installing the new water meters. Customers do not have to be at home for the replacement to occur.  Once the exchange is complete, customers will receive a door hanger detailing the work performed and additional contact information.

The City asks that customers provide easy access to their water meters by making sure the meters are not blocked by bushes, vines, equipment, or other materials that would prevent PMI personnel from replacing the meter. Meter boxes are typically located near the sidewalk. Customers with a meter behind a locked gate or a meter that is otherwise inaccessible should call PMI at 1-866-965-0657 to schedule an appointment for the new meter installation.

PMI installers will have easily identifiable uniforms and their vehicles will have identifying logos.  If an installer cannot show you an identification badge, or if you have a concern about the identification, please call the PMI call center at 1-866-270-9629 or Ventura Water Customer Care at (805) 667-6500.

For information on Ventura Water’s Meter Upgrade Project and updates visit www.venturawater.net.

by Antoinette Mann – City Clerk, City of Ventura

As the election official for the City of San Buenaventura, I want to remind you that voting is one of the most fundamental rights of democracy. Your vote is your voice, so get out and vote on November 6, 2018!

The City of Ventura will hold its first district-based city council elections on November 6th, for Districts 1, 4, 5 and 6. Voters in Districts 2, 3 and 7, are not voting for a city councilmember this election year, however all registered voters will vote on federal, state and other local items. Even if you do not live in a district that is voting for a councilmember, do your part and participate because elected officials in other positions, as well as ballot measures and propositions, affect our community and YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

Voters can save postage by dropping-off Vote-by-Mail ballots at the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, Room 204, or at the Ventura County Government Center Administration Building, including their 24-hour drive-up ballot box. You can also drop off Vote-by-Mail ballots at any polling place on November 6. If you are mailing your completed ballot, ensure it is postmarked no later than November 6 (Election Day) and add the correct amount of postage. The last day to request your Vote-by-Mail ballot is October 22 for the November 6th election … so don’t delay!

Unsure of your polling place location? Your polling place location is printed on the back cover of your voter guide. Please note that polling locations adjust periodically. If texting is your preferred means of communication, text “Ventura County” to 28683 to verify that you are a registered voter and to find your polling place. If you’re not registered to vote, you can easily register right from your cell phone via the Ventura County Elections Division website.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. and will stay open later than 8 p.m. if you are already in line so that you can VOTE. Stop by the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall to receive a “I VOTED” sticker to wear on Election Day! The City of Ventura City Clerk’s staff can be reached at (805) 658-4787 to assist with any of your election questions. Remember, YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

The City of San Buenaventura (City) filed its amended cross-complaint in the Ventura River litigation brought by Santa Barbara Channelkeeper (Channelkeeper) against the City and the State Water Resources Control Board. The City did not start this case but it has no choice but to defend itself. The City’s filing brings into the litigation all water users in the Ventura River Watershed.

In the litigation, Channelkeeper singled out the City’s use of the Ventura River, even though there are many other water users in the Watershed. The California Court of Appeal agreed with the City in a ruling earlier this year that it could bring in other users given that Channelkeeper’s claims could impact the City’s long-held rights to Ventura River water.

The City is bringing in all water users in order to protect its water rights and to ensure that everyone is part of the solution in the event that cutbacks are needed for sensitive species and habitat. Legally, in order to determine water users’ respective rights, all users must be parties to the same lawsuit. For this reason, the City named many cross-defendants. This is not a step that was taken lightly and only because it is to protect the City’s ability to serve its community.

The City is committed to environmental sustainability and will continue being a good steward of its local water resources. The City believes that all water interests, City residents, other water users, and environmental needs, must cooperate and compromise in using and preserving this precious resource. The City wants to be pro-active and is working to develop solutions to the competing interests in the Ventura River Watershed. The City would prefer to resolve these issues without litigation, and recognizes that only by all interests working together can we resolve these critical challenges.

Background on the City of Ventura’s Ventura River water supply

One of Ventura’s key water supplies is provided from the Ventura River at Foster Park. Water from the Ventura River is diverted through the City’s Foster Park facilities and treated at the City’s Avenue Water Treatment Plant. The extraction facilities include a subsurface intake and three shallow wells within the Ventura River riparian corridor. The City has maintained water rights on the Ventura River for more than a century.

The Ventura City Council has selected retired City Manager Don Penman to serve on an interim basis as Ventura’s city manager. Penman retired in 2011 from the City of Arcadia after serving for 13 years. Since retirement, Penman served as interim city manager for Azusa, Covina, San Fernando and Temple City.

“I look forward to serving the public in Ventura and working with the City Council and staff in moving the city forward,” said Don Penman.

Mr. Penman will work in a limited term appointment while the recruitment process for a permanent city manager is completed.  City Manager Mark Watkins held the position until December 2017 when he retired, and Assistant City Manager Dan Paranick served as interim city manager until August 24, 2018, when he resigned to accept other employment. An interim city manager is needed to complete objectives established by city council.

Mr. Penman will serve for six months or until the new city manager assumes the position. There are no proposed benefits for Mr. Penman in accordance with CalPERS requirements.

Ventura residents can now easily reduce their household waste and become even better recyclers with Recycle Coach, an easy-to-use mobile app designed to take the guesswork out of recycling.  Citizens can quickly access local disposal information for thousands of household items by downloading the free app at the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

The City of Ventura offers a variety of convenient ways to recycle, such as curbside collection in the blue bin, free monthly Household Hazardous Waste events, authorized drop-off locations, quarterly community cleanup events for bulky items and shredding, and certified collection centers. Recycle Coach makes these waste reduction resources and other important information, right at users’ fingertips to improve recycling and diversion.

“Outreach and education are key to improve recycling,” said Deputy Mayor Matt LaVere. “This is another tool that will help our residents and businesses become greater stewards of the environment.”

Recycle Coach helps residents:

• Know when to put out recyclables and solid waste for curbside collection
• Receive collection reminders and real-time updates on potential service disruptions such as during holidays and emergencies
• Access useful recycling tips, tricks and tools to become recycling experts with local disposal information and collection requirements for common and uncommon items
• Use the problem-reporting tool, equipped with geolocation, to notify municipal customer services about issues like missed collections

Residents can access Recycle Coach from their desktop computers, mobile devices, or through digital assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home.

Fire Chief David Endaya, Fire Captain Lou Manzano, Firefighter/ Paramedic Hermès Carbajal , Fire Engineer Logan Hughes(peeking out) and Assistant Fire Chief Matt Brock at the launch of ME7.

On Tuesday August 7, at Fire Station 1, located at 717 N. Ventura Ave. the Ventura City Fire Department presented the official launch of Medic Engine 7 (ME7), the Department’s new 40-hour per week Roving All-Hazards Fire Engine Company.

ME7 is designed provide additional resources during peak incident hours and will be available to respond to all types of emergencies, provide station coverage, improve departmental training opportunities, and provide additional community risk reduction to the citizens of Ventura. The vehicle features roll-up, aluminium doors, not unlike roll-up gortite doors that are durable, space-efficient and secure; they are common on emergency vehicles such as this.