Talley Leads in Moorpark Council Race

Moorpark Planning Commission Chairman Roy Talley Jr. held a strong lead over two opponents Tuesday night in a special election to capture a vacant seat on the City Council.

Talley, 42, was far ahead of former City Councilwoman Eloise Brown, who lost her bid for reelection to the council in November, and John Roberts, a former parks and recreation commissioner. With nearly all the votes counted, returns showed Talley with 41.4% of the vote, to Roberts’ 30.4% and Brown’s 28%, said Jane McCarthy of the Ventura County Elections Division.

“It’s great,” said Talley, who was already celebrating his victory with a gathering of volunteers at his Moorpark home Tuesday night. “Now I think we’ll have a good, solid, professional blend of people on the council. Now we will really have a city without the infighting and bitterness of the past.”

McCarthy said an undetermined number of absentee ballots have not been counted. They will be counted today.

The winner of the election will fill a seat on the council left open when Councilman Paul Lawrason was elected mayor Nov. 6. The council position expires in November, 1992.

The election results are expected to be certified by the county’s Elections Division later this week, with the new council member to be sworn in during next Wednesday’s City Council meeting.

All three candidates campaigned on similar platforms, stressing the need to attract more business to the city while reducing traffic and improving emergency services.

The candidates agreed that the city needs to more aggressively pursue business and industry to strengthen its economic base. They said that because Moorpark grew at a rate faster than that of any other city in the county during the 1980s--increasing its population from 7,798 to 25,494--it failed to keep up with city services.

Increased traffic, overcrowded schools, an overtaxed sewer system and a lack of recreational facilities are some of the problems the city faces.

Talley said some commercial and industrial growth will help pay for improved city services as well as providing jobs for residents, many of whom now commute to Los Angeles.

Roberts and Brown said they want the city to work more closely with the Chamber of Commerce to improve the overall business climate in the city. Brown said she would also encourage the council to relax some of the city’s parking and sign ordinances to make it easier for businesses to operate, especially in the downtown area.

However, Talley and Brown said some controls on residential growth are necessary and they would support extending the city’s slow-growth ordinance, which expires in 1994. The ordinance limits the number of building permits issued for single-family residences to 270 a year.

But Roberts, a project manager for a Los Angeles construction firm, said that because there are now more than 500 building permits that have not been applied for, he is uncertain whether he would support extending the slow-growth measure.

Improving emergency services was also among the candidates’ top priorities. Residents have often complained about poor service and slow response time by Pruner Ambulance Co., which contracts with the county to provide service to Moorpark. Pruner’s facilities are in an unincorporated area several miles south of the city.

The candidates said they want the city to work with Pruner and the county to consider establishing an ambulance and paramedic station inside the city.

MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL

The winner will fill a seat vacated when Councilman Paul Lawrason was elected mayor Nov. 6. The council position expires in two years. Unofficial returns, excluding some absentee ballots, are:

100% precincts reporting Votes % Roy Talley Jr. 768 41 John Roberts 563 30 Eloise Brown 520 28