PORT HUENEME : City Gives $10,000 to Effort to Spare Bases

A committee working to spare Ventura County’s military bases from closure has received $10,000 from Port Hueneme, despite the city’s initial reluctance to contribute to the campaign.

The 4 to 1 vote Wednesday came six weeks after the City Council turned down a request to give $16,630 to the Ventura County BRAC ’95 Task Force.

“We are disappointed” at the lower amount, said Cal Carrera, co-chairman of the task force. “We would like to convince the city that, among all the cities in the county, Port Hueneme will be one of the cities to suffer the most if the local bases are closed.”

Carrera said Ojai was the only other city that gave less than the task force had asked--$3,000 instead of $4,600.

The task force asked for contributions based on the population of each city and the economic impact if Port Hueneme Naval Construction Battalion Center or Point Mugu Naval Air Weapons Station turn up on the list next March.

Councilwoman Tony Young, voting against the $10,000 contribution, said the city should give the full amount requested. Council members told the task force they would contribute the full amount, if they find a way to raise the money in the months ahead.

City officials initially objected to the request saying the contribution was too high for their population of less than 22,000 and that the city enjoys little direct economic revenue from the bases.

At the time of the initial request, Sept. 7, city officials also said they needed more information on how the task force would spend its money. City Manager Richard Velthoen told the council Wednesday that the task force has since defined its work program better.