VENTURA : Council Candidates Appear at Forum

In front of an audience of more than 200 people, 14 hopefuls for the Ventura City Council squared off Thursday evening at a political forum sponsored by the Ventura Chamber of Commerce.

Four seats on the council are up for grabs this November and the race has attracted a wide field of candidates. All of them came to the forum to make campaign speeches and answer questions from the audience.

Each candidate gave an opening statement and then fielded questions drawn at random. Most of the office-seekers said they were concerned about public safety, the poor economy and jobs.

“We need to create an investor friendly environment,” said Rosa Lee Measures, a former banker. “We need to roll out the red carpet and cut the red tape.”

Other candidates suggested a wide range of ideas, from imposing term limits on the City Council to increasing the police force by 15% within the next four years.

Three incumbents on the seven-member council are defending their seats this year. Councilmen James Monahan, Todd Collart and Gary Tuttle are running for reelection to four-year terms.

The other challengers are: Steve Bennett, a Nordhoff High School teacher; Nancy Cloutier; publisher and editor of the Ventura County & Coast Reporter; Neil Demers-Grey, a writer and gay rights activist; Charles Kistner, a political consultant; Dick Massa, owner of a medical supply company; Clark Owens, a real estate broker; Brian Lee Rencher, a Ventura College student; Kenneth Schmitz, a certified public accountant; Virginia Weber, a housewife; and Carol Dean Williams, a local activist.