City Attorney to Retire Next Month

After seven years as Ventura’s lead litigator, Peter Bulens is retiring from his position as city attorney at the end of October.

Bulens, 53, and his wife Cindy will be moving to Bemidji, Minn., to be closer to his wife’s family, Bulens said.

“We’re not going there with a firm job; we don’t need to go there with a firm job. I’m simply changing directions,” Bulens said. “This move will allow me to spend a little more time with my wife and family.

“I’ll do a lot of fishing and I’ll be working, either practicing law, or teaching,” Bulens said.

They have considered moving for some time, but it was a vacation in Bemidji last month that convinced them the time was right.

“My wife has medical problems, and we need to spend more personal time together. My father also lives with us. We thought, well, what about this place?” Bulens said.

Bulens and his wife have two children, ages 21 and 25.

As for the cases Bulens leaves behind: “The office will take over the cases that are here, and we have outside counsel as well,” he said. A replacement has not been selected and Bulens does not expect a replacement to be hired before he leaves.

Bulens was city attorney in Mountain View for 10 years before coming to Ventura. The city has gone through many changes since his arrival, he said. “We’ve had lots of very stimulating issues that have come up, from the [Ventura] Keys [dredging] problems to the Centerplex and stadium proposals, to the water issues,” he said.

And many of those cases have been resolved to Bulens’ satisfaction.

“This is the first time in the last 20 years that the city of Ventura has not been in any major water suit,” he said.