ELECTIONS / VENTURA CITY COUNCIL : 12 Candidates Outline the Issues They Consider Priorities for Campaign : Politics: Topics announced at season’s first debate range from building the sports center to fiscal viability and open-space measures.

Two days into the campaign for three seats on the City Council, a dozen candidates are staking out the issues--from campaign reform to library funding to open-space measures that residents will decide in November.

In the election season’s first debate, hosted Wednesday night by the Chamber of Commerce’s political action committee, the candidates each outlined a top priority they would pursue, if elected.

College Administrator Ray Di Guilio answered the priority question first, saying that getting the Centerplex sports and recreation center built would be his most important goal.

“It represents the best of many, many facets,” he told the 100 or so people who attended the forum. “It has social, cultural and recreational activities.”

Christopher T. Staubach, a recycling company supervisor, said protecting Ventura’s quality of life would guide each of his decisions.

Business consultant Brian Lee Rencher, running his third campaign for a council seat, listed economic viability as his first concern, saying he would “halt blatant spending on foolish ventures.”

Marketing manager Stephen L. Hartmann, whose campaign brochures depict two fists grabbing a bull’s horns, said his first objective is to restore public communication with elected officials. He said it is demeaning for residents to wait two or three hours at a council meeting for a few minutes of input on an issue.

Carroll Dean Williams said his first order of business would be to work with other council members to reach more of a consensus on issues.

Library advocate Keith Burns said the city needs to decide what it wants to be and render decisions accordingly. “Not sit on your assets,” he said, “but invest your assets.”

Craig Huntington said that if he gets elected, his most important goal would be to follow several issues, rather than let the council get distracted by any one project or decision.

Chamber President Jim Friedman pledged to “carry forward the momentum that the current council has begun.” John S. Jones said his top priority would be to “listen to the people.”

Restaurateur Charles E. Davis said he would better manage city assets. “We have enough money,” he said. “I can’t see this city not doing exactly what it wants to do with the money it has.”

Family law attorney Donna De Paola-Peterson said her first objective would be to complete the revitalization of downtown Ventura, while incumbent Jack Tingstrom promised to maintain economic stability and continue providing the service that residents deserve and demand.

An issue that split the candidates Wednesday night was the fate of two open-space initiatives placed on the Nov. 7 ballot by residents.

Tingstrom, Huntington, Davis, Friedman, Rencher and Di Guilio all said they oppose the measures, which would require voter approval before farmland could be rezoned for development.

Jones, Burns, Hartmann and Staubach all said they support the initiatives. “I do not trust our elected officials to do the right thing,” Hartmann said.

Two candidates declined to say which way they would vote on the measures, with De Paola-Peterson calling the initiatives “fatally flawed” and Williams saying the issue is where it belongs: on the ballot.