County School Board Contests Heat Up

County Board of Education politicking has stepped up with two candidates from Oxnard quarreling over whether to debate each other, while a pair of contenders from Ojai are talking campaign finance.

In the first instance, Oxnard businessman Ronald Matthews responded to a debate challenge from his opponent, Paul Chatman, who sits on the Ocean View School Board. Last week Chatman, 51, accused Matthews of trying to hide his religious right leanings by refusing to debate face-to-face.

In a letter to Chatman, Matthews volleyed back--saying there will be ample opportunity for candidates to air their views before the Nov. 5 election. However, he would not set a date for a debate. The two are running for an open seat on the five-member panel vacated by moderate John McGarry, who decided not to seek reelection.

The pair will have a chance to address voters briefly tonightduring the intermission of a candidates forum for Oxnard’s two school districts. That debate begins at 6:30 p.m. at Fremont School, 1130 North M St.

“He has not agreed to face me man-to-man before the electorate [or] to be quizzed by the electorate on the issues that confront the county school board,” Chatman said Tuesday.

Ratcheting up the debate issue, Chatman vowed to host a County Board of Education forum in the Oxnard area, paying out of his own pocket, with or without his opponent. Matthews could not be reached for comment.

The county campaign is shaping up to be the most contentious local school board race, with the balance of power hinged on the Nov. 5 election. The board currently is dominated by conservatives--Angela Miller, Wendy Larner and Marty Bates. In recent years, the majority has clashed with the county school superintendent over issues ranging from AIDS education for teachers to federal grants for job training.

With McGarry departing and Ojai homemaker Larner running for reelection, the board majority could remain conservative, tilt further to the right or realign toward the center.

The race in the district representing the Ojai-Camarillo region has heated up as well. Larner has accused her opponent, Janet Lindgren, 68, of concealing campaign contributions from a “radical liberal organization”--the National Women’s Political Caucus.

According to statements filed with the county Board of Elections, the caucus reported a $300 contribution to Lindgren’s campaign during the July 1 to Sept. 30 filing period. Yet on a preelection statement for a period ending the same day, Lindgren reported no contribution from the caucus. The NWPC attributes the discrepancy to an accounting error.

“Although we agreed to send [Lindgren] a check in September, we didn’t mail it until October,” said Celeste Weingardt, president of the Ventura County chapter of the caucus. “We were premature in submitting our report.” In point of fact, she said, the group has contributed a total of $500 to Lindgren’s campaign, which will appear on the next candidate contribution statement.