Forums Planned for School Board Races

To help residents sort out the jam-packed east county school board races, candidates’ forums have been scheduled for the Simi Valley and Conejo Valley panels.

In the Conejo Valley, four challengers are hoping to unseat incumbents Dorothy Beaubien, 64, and Dolores Didio), 63. They are electrical engineer Paul F. Finman, 39; homemaker Debra J. Lorier, 42; Lutheran minister Elroi Reimnitz, 48, and engineer Charles E. Rittenburg, 45.

The six will face off about district priorities at an Oct. 13 forum sponsored by the American Assn. of University Women. The forum will take place at 2 p.m. in the school district board room, 1400 E. Janss Road.

A day later, the contenders and two academics will debate the merits of Proposition 209--which would end gender and racial preferences in hiring and education--at a forum sponsored by the Jewish Federation/Valley Alliance.

That forum, featuring Richard Ferrier of Thomas Aquinas College and Raphael J. Sonenshein of Cal State Fullerton, will be moderated by Bruce J. Einhorn, a Los Angeles immigration judge.

That discussion, dubbed “The Candidates and The Issues,” will take place at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Etz Chaim, 1080 Janss Road.

Contenders in the most crowded school board race--Simi Valley’s--will square off Oct. 16 at Simi Valley City Hall.

With board President Judy Barry not seeking reelection, nine candidates are vying for three seats on the Simi Valley board. In the fray are incumbents Diane Collins and Debbie Sandland and seven challengers: homemaker Janice DiFatta, 44; small businessman and former trustee Doug Crosse, 49; physician Caesar O. Julian, 67; homemaker Nan Mostacciuolo, 41; lawyer Randy Sundeen, 40; high school history teacher Steven Steffek, 52, and homemaker Elizabeth Walbridge, 40.

All forums are free and open to the public.