THOUSAND OAKS : 2 Candidates File for Council Seat

With a Friday filing deadline approaching, only two candidates have completed the paperwork and are officially registered to run for the empty seat on the Thousand Oaks City Council.

But 10 more candidates have taken out papers and are still considering bids for the seat left vacant by Frank Schillo’s election to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

City Clerk Nancy Dillon said Monday the county Board of Elections approved businessman Ramaul Rush’s papers after rejecting them once, because the 20 signatures of residents on his candidate’s petition were not all from registered voters. Rush turned in a new petition whose signatures were verified.

Mike Markey, a Compton homicide detective, is also registered for the June 6 special election.

Last week, retired beer company warehouse supervisor Harry Wald and David Hare, an environmental services manager for the city of West Hollywood, both took out papers. Hare ran in November’s election on a slate with Councilwoman Elois Zeanah.

On Monday, former Councilman Lee Laxdal, who also ran in November and who has been touted as a possible candidate in the current race, announced that he is endorsing attorney Trudi Loh.

“We had a long discussion last night,” Laxdal said. “I really became impressed with her. She is the one to lead Thousand Oaks out of this mess that it is in. And she is the only one who can beat this big developer-Chamber of Commerce cartel that is trying to steal the election from us with money.”