Ballot Activists Plan Victory Picnic

Ojai Valley activists will host a victory picnic April 13 for volunteers who worked on successful campaigns to pass two library tax measures and defeat a proposed dump in Weldon Canyon.

The gathering, which will feature music and brief speeches, will begin at noon at Ojai’s Libbey Park. Participants are asked to bring their own food and drinks to the potluck event.

Lisa Meeker, chairwoman of the Ojai Save Our Libraries campaign, said the group organized the picnic to thank volunteers and community members who gave their time to block the landfill Measure T and support library measures R and U.

“We would like to acknowledge and thank everybody and encourage everybody to keep fighting the good fight,” Meeker said. “It is not like library funding is secure within the whole county.”

In approving measures R and U, Ojai-area homeowners agreed to tax themselves an additional $35 a year--generating an extra $120,000 to support the city’s branch.

The Ojai library is part of the county’s 16-branch system, which is grappling with a budget crisis.

Ojai residents also led an aggressive campaign against a ballot measure that sought to pave the way for a landfill in rugged Weldon Canyon between Ojai and Ventura.

The measure was defeated resoundingly by county voters.