Financial adviser wants seat on H.B. City Council to be ‘champion of the people’

Ron Sterud says he will be a “champion for the people” if elected to the Huntington Beach City Council.

The 44-year-old financial adviser said he wants to see more setback spacing for new high-density development, close monitoring of the proposed Poseidon desalination project and ensure the old Michael E. Rodgers Seniors’ Center land is returned to public use.

The Huntington Beach native said he felt compelled to run for one of three open seats after Mayor Jim Katapodis and Mayor Pro Tem Dave Sullivan announced they would not be seeking reelection.

Sterud, a first-time candidate, is running alongside fellow council candidate Lyn Semeta, a planning commissioner, to detract from the Chamber of Commerce’s influence in the election.

Sterud said he declined to interview with the chamber for its endorsement because he didn’t want to be “beholden to their agenda and what they want to do in the city.”

He said he disagrees with the chamber’s promoting for new high-density development.

“I don’t necessarily see that as representative of the entire population,” he said. “Most people here want to keep their suburban beach community and want to control growth. No one’s really anti-growth, but when it comes to development of corners like Beach and Ellis, they want setbacks. We need that.”

Sterud said it is important that the state-mandated number of 2,100 residential units citywide — amending the Beach and Edinger Corridors Specific Plan’s original mandate of 4,500 units — stay the same.

“We cannot lose local control to Sacramento for the zoning of our properties,” he said. “We need to be able to have a say in our city about what happens.”

Regarding the Rodgers senior center property, Sterud believes the land should be returned to park space.

He said city officials should stick to their word on that issue. After 51% of residents voted in 2006 to open a new senior center in Central Park, then-Mayor Sullivan and four other council members expressed support for returning the old senior center land to public use.

“I think the city needs to honor the will of the people from back then,” Sterud said. “To change it today is exactly what I want to prevent in our local government.”

He also said he would like to see more oversight of the proposed Poseidon desalination plant.

“I do not believe the financial arrangement between Poseidon and Huntington Beach is a good one,” he said. “If I were on council, I would do everything in my power to watch them like a hawk.”

Sterud — who is endorsed by Sullivan and Councilman Erik Peterson — said he would also stop helping his clients in an investment capacity but could still do financial planning and insurance work.

“There is the potential that I could know about something that is non-public information as a result of my position in Huntington Beach,” he said. “I’d be giving up a lot of money, but it’s worth it to help my city.”

brittany.woolsey@latimes.com

Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey