OXNARD : Inquiry Regarding Panel Nearly Finished

A city investigation of alleged irregularities in an Oxnard neighborhood council election should be completed next week, but a city official said few voting guidelines currently exist.

Two observers from the city staff attended a Feb. 2 meeting of La Colonia Neighborhood Council at which residents seeking the recall of council Chairman Carlos Aguilera walked out, said Jim Faulconer, the city’s director of community services.

The dissidents accused Aguilera of quashing the recall discussion with heavy-handed tactics.

The recall campaign was started after the Jan. 5 election of Aguilera to a second term as La Colonia chairman. Some members of the council accused Aguilera and his supporters of improper lobbying during the election and altering city-issued election flyers. Aguilera denied any role in the tampering of the flyers.

On Wednesday, Faulconer said the city is unlikely to take action because the bylaws governing the 25 active inter-neighborhood councils provide little direction on how council elections should be conducted.

The staff “will summarize their observations and try to understand the concerns of those who left the meeting,” Faulconer said. “But unless there is some irregularity proven, the matter will be resolved by the Inter-Neighborhood Council Committee itself.” The committee addresses issues common to the 25 neighborhood councils.

Eleanor Branthoover, the committee chairwoman, said a subcommittee will review the group’s bylaws and attempt to clarify its election procedures. On Tuesday, Aguilera said he will ask to have a Colonia representative on the bylaw committee, but Branthoover said La Colonia Neighborhood Council will have a chance to comment on the proposed revisions before they are adopted.