As we flow through the systems and people of Ventura Water who work to provide safe and reliable water and wastewater services to the City, we will focus on specialized staff who support that mission. Because water is essential for all life on Earth, this resource has been legislated to be utilized sustainably and equitably. Another important consideration is the impact water and wastewater activities have on human and environmental health. There are many laws and regulations governing the use of water resources, from the Clean Water Act—the primary federal law designed to ensure the integrity of our nation’s waters—to California’s many water-related rights, laws, and regulations. For Ventura Water there are also local mandates, including the Consent Decree that addresses wastewater discharge into the Santa Clara River Estuary. To understand and adhere to the multitude of laws and regulations requires legal expertise.

Miles Hogan came to the City in 2016 and currently serves as a Senior Assistant City Attorney. He holds an undergraduate degree in marine biology from UCLA and a law degree from UC Davis with certifications in environmental law and public interest law. Miles’ education combined with his experience at a private law firm representing public agencies, primed him to be Ventura Water’s legal counselor.

He also advises the City’s Water Commission. In addition, Miles supervises the City Attorney’s Office Transactional team of attorneys, who advise all city departments on their contracts and agreements, draft ordinances and resolutions, and give general legal advice. His efforts are supported by the Office’s executive assistant, who assists Ventura Water by processing legal services agreements and invoices, scheduling negotiation meetings, processing important documents, and other related work.

Miles explains that the City’s water and wastewater issues are unique due to the diversity of its resources and services provided. Regulations change depending on the type of source—whether surface water from Lake Casitas and the Ventura River, or subsurface water from local groundwater basins. As we prepare to accept our allocation from the State Water Interconnection Project, other legal considerations will come into play. And as we shift to reusing our water resources with the VenturaWaterPure Program, there are specific legal considerations for implementation of this beneficial technology. The City conforms to laws protecting endangered and threatened species as we draw water from the river and discharge treated wastewater into the estuary. Ventura Water provides potable water service to customers in the geographically separated Saticoy Club community, and wastewater service to customers along the Rincon, which periodically presents unique legal issues. And our Mobile Reuse Program has its legal constraints and requirements.

When asked what he enjoys most about his position, Miles says that there is always something new to address which means his job is always interesting. He also greatly enjoys serving the public and working with the wonderful staff at the City (his words). Asked about job challenges, he says the diversity of Ventura Water’s portfolio is a mixed blessing because, though it gives Ventura more resilience to climate change impacts or emergencies, defending and protecting our varied water resources requires constant work by a team of people including him, Ventura Water staff, and outside firms that support the City. Protecting the City’s water resources on behalf of its customers is a very fulling career which Miles appreciates every day.

The City of Ventura seeks California-based artists or artist teams to submit proposals to create and install a mural at the Ventura River Floodwall along the Ventura River Trail. Applications are due online by February 8, 2024, at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/PublicArtOpportunities.

A public art mural will be featured on a levee floodwall just before the trail leaves the City of Ventura limits. The mural is to feature art that highlights the location as an entry into the City of Ventura while representing the cultural significance of Ventura’s Westside, the Ventura River, and the culture of the larger city.

“The mural will cover approximately 320 square feet of surface area on the floodwall,” said Recreation Manager Emily Fox. “We look forward to seeing the creative ways artists propose to showcase the beauty and cultural significance of the area.”

This public art mural is part of the Ventura River Trail Improvements Project, funded by a nearly $5 million grant from the California Department of Transportation through the Clean California Local Grant Program and administered by the City of Ventura.

The Ventura River Trail travels along State Route 33 and the east bank of the Ventura River, forming the western boundary of Ventura’s Westside neighborhood. Along the trail’s 1.8-mile City of Ventura stretch is a mix of residential, industrial, educational, and parkland uses.

Several community meetings and surveys allowed the public to help determine the project vision and identify trail improvements, beyond repaving the bike trail, adding solar lighting, and removing and replacing trail fencing. These additional improvements include updated accessibility to the trail, trail monuments, environmental and ‘no litter’ signage, native and drought-tolerant shrub and tree planting, trash cans, wayfinding to the trail, and other amenities.

Learn more about the Ventura River Trail Improvements Project at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/VenturaRiverTrail.

Registration is open for the Spring 2024 Corporate Games. This annual program features business-to-business competitions over several weeks to help organizations build camaraderie amongst coworkers. All local businesses are welcome to register through March 2, 2024.

Last year’s Corporate Games hosted 72 companies with thousands of participants. The County of Ventura, Oxnard Unified High School District, Newport Healthcare, and Calavo Growers were the overall champions among their divisions.

“We are excited for the Games to return to their original springtime schedule,” said Recreation Supervisor Tyler Nelson. “The spring allows for more opportunities and events between daylight hours and family plans.”

This year’s diverse line-up of competitive activities will take place March 23 – May 4, 2024, providing opportunities for all players to showcase their strengths. All competitions and events are held on weekends or weeknights after regular business hours. Divisions and fees are determined by company size.

5K Run (In-person & Virtual)
Basketball
Billiards
Cornhole
Dodgeball
Flag Football
Golf
Kickball
Pickleball
Six-A-Side Soccer
Softball
Tug-O-War
Volleyball (Beach & Indoor)
Bowling
Darts
Table Games and more!

Each group is also eligible to compete for the Team Spirit Award, which includes a team T-shirt Design Contest, Sandcastle Building Contest, Photo Contest, and Community Service Project.

The Corporate Games began in 1989 and is designed to build camaraderie and team spirit amongst professional work groups in a unique and friendly atmosphere. Find all details and registration forms at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/CorporateGames.

Ventura Water’s fundamental connection to its customers is the Utility Billing Team since they are typically the first line of contact for over 32,000 account holders.

There are four utility billing representatives who answer nearly all the phone calls coming into the water department, averaging about 600 calls every week. A robust customer support system is used to manage one or many communication channels, including phone, email, and self-service. Utility billing representatives answer questions about billing, changes in water usage, and leaks. They also help customers start and end water and wastewater service. As needed, they field calls that can range from a severed fire hydrant to a report of water waste.

The Utility Billing Team also includes three utility service representatives and a utility service lead. With the citywide installation of smart meters, it is no longer necessary to read each meter for each billing cycle, so this group is focused on helping customers with any water related issue. They perform the field work required to maintain meters and troubleshoot the hardware and software to ensure data from the smart meters is successfully transmitted. A utility billing supervisor oversees billing operations including rate changes and audits and coordinates new service. Finally, the Utility Billing Team is led by a utility billing manager, who assures that Ventura Water adheres to all state and federal laws and regulations related to providing water and wastewater service, and guides implementation of programs to help the team increase efficiency and improve customer relations.

Utility Billing Representative, Dillon Galarza joined Ventura Water two years ago, with seven years’ previous experience in customer service. What Dillon most appreciates about his job is that everyone on the team truly wants to help the community and that he can rely on any one of them to support their common goal of providing excellent customer service. The most challenging part of his job is the emotional component of utility service billing, for example, having to give delinquent customers the news about late fees or shut offs. Dillon possesses an easy-going attitude which aids his capacity to change a potentially stressful problem into a solution. Fortunately, the average number of shut offs per week is about 20 and service is typically restored within a day. Dillon mentions that dealing with software issues that come up when utilizing multiple programs can be tricky but invariably this cohesive team works through it.

In a proactive move to address homelessness and enhance public involvement, the City of Ventura has initiated two public surveys. These surveys aim to gather insights from residents and local businesses to shape the city’s plan to effectively combat homelessness.

“Together with the local government, businesses, community members, and nonprofit organizations, we can address and combat homelessness,” stated Leona Rollins, Ventura Housing Services Manager. “This survey allows the community to provide feedback and recommendations on future initiatives and programs to improve the lives of our most vulnerable community members.”

The surveys aim to gather input, experiences, and potential solutions for housing and homelessness challenges in Ventura from community members and local businesses. Topics range from homelessness initiatives, funding priorities, and views on existing housing and homelessness programs.

Additionally, the business engagement survey focuses on understanding the impact on local companies. It explores difficulties faced and solutions considered from the perspective of business owners. Topics include difficulties faced, solutions considered, and opinions on who should be responsible for addressing homelessness from a business perspective.

“This is an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to a collaborative housing and homelessness solution,” said Ventura Mayor Joe Schroeder. “We encourage everyone to participate so that diverse perspectives are included in our efforts to develop an inclusive and impactful Homelessness Plan.”

Ventura acknowledges homelessness as a multifaceted issue affecting individuals, families, and the business community. Feedback from the surveys will be instrumental in crafting an effective strategy to address homelessness, aligning with the City Council’s 2023-2024 goals of establishing a comprehensive City-wide homelessness plan. Residents and businesses are urged to participate actively, contributing valuable insights to inform policies, programs, and initiatives targeting the underlying causes of homelessness.

The surveys are available online through January 19, 2024. To participate, visit the City’s website at www.Cityofventura.ca.gov/HousingServices.