MOORPARK : Council Hears From Opponents of Day Laborer Hiring Site

More than a dozen residents and merchants of downtown Moorpark urged the City Council late Wednesday night not to establish a hiring site for day laborers in the area.

“I am strongly opposed to the city facilitating the gathering of unemployed people on property controlled by the city,” said Robert Coglia, an attorney with a downtown office.

“I can’t imagine this would have anything but a negative effect on High Street,” said Mike Vickers, whose wife Judy operates an ice cream parlor on the downtown street.

Mayor Paul W. Lawrason and Councilman Bernardo M. Perez had proposed designating the southwest corner of High Street and Moorpark Avenue as the location of the first officially sanctioned hiring site for day laborers in Ventura County.

The council decided to look into the day laborer issue after receiving repeated complaints from merchants and residents.

Monika Moe, owner of Monika’s General Store across the street from the site, said she opposed establishing the hiring site because she thinks it will drive away her customers.

“I think they should have a place in Moorpark, but I don’t think that’s the right spot for it,” she said.

The proposed hiring site is owned by the Ventura County Transportation Commission and is managed by the city, officials said.

The owner of the Tipsy Fox convenience store repeatedly complained about day laborers congregating in the parking lot of his store at the corner of Spring Road and High Street. Owner Mike Abdul told officials that the men frightened away some of his customers.

Lawrason and Perez selected the hiring site after meeting with representatives of the laborers and of El Concilio de Condado de Ventura, a Latino rights group.

Perez said before Wednesday’s meeting that the hiring site would be in an excellent location because it does not front any businesses.

“I think this site that we chose best meets the needs of the men and the community and the downtown merchants,” Perez said.

The council was expected to vote on the action late Wednesday night.