Engineer to Make Bid for Council Seat

David Seagal, a self-employed engineer who has recently been critical of Thousand Oaks officials for bypassing his bid for a city contract, said he would announce today plans to run for the City Council this fall.

Seagal, 66, has lived in Thousand Oaks for five years. He said he will try to win one of the two open council seats in the November elections because he believes he can make a difference as a budget watchdog.

“We take too much for granted as citizens, and that’s a big mistake,” Seagal said. “This city could go the way of Orange County. It looks that way right now.”

Seagal, who said he has more than 30 years of experience in engineering, said his failure in trying to land a city contract has taught him that the city’s fiscal policies--particularly its bidding practices--need to be scrutinized.

He tried to obtain a city contract earlier this year to evaluate the status of the dilapidated former City Hall complex on Hillcrest Drive, offering to do the work for expenses only.

But city officials chose another contractor for $26,500--more than twice what Seagal bid--because they believed it was the most qualified out of the 13 that applied.

In his career as a civil engineer, Seagal has worked for IBM, Northrop Corp. and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he said. He also works as a free-lance writer for various technical publications, he said.

“It’s so difficult to establish credibility,” Seagal said. “So few politicians have it. But I believe my reputation speaks for itself.”

Seagal, who has not held public office, said he plans to formally announce his candidacy today at his engineering office on Thousand Oaks Boulevard. Incumbent Jaime Zukowski has announced she will not seek reelection because she is moving to Colorado; incumbent Mike Markey has said he will run again.