Oxnard Willing to Offer Suns Loan, but Deadline Looms on Other Issues

Hopeful that the sticking points in a minor league baseball deal can be worked out over the weekend, city and community college officials have both scheduled meetings Monday to make final decisions on moving the Palm Springs Suns to Oxnard.

Afters days of negotiations, officials have agreed that, if no other loans can be secured, the city will lend the minor league team money for renovations to the Oxnard College field.

But they have not resolved such thorny issues as liability for any possible injuries, scheduling conflicts with college activities and any possible costs to the college--concerns that could well kill the deal.

By Monday, negotiators expect to have hammered out a final licensing agreement acceptable to the city, the college and the team. The agreement would need approval from the Oxnard City Council and the Ventura Community College District board--before a Wednesday deadline.

As of Friday night, the deal to bring the Suns to Oxnard was still on the table, despite misgivings expressed earlier this week by the college district board, according to Chancellor Philip Westin. Westin said he would make a recommendation to accept or reject the agreement by Monday.

“The easiest way to put it is that the answer is not yet no, but that is a long way from saying that the agreement could be a yes,” Westin said.

Oxnard City Manager Tom Frutchey appeared hopeful Friday afternoon that the deal would go through, bringing minor league ball to Oxnard as early as the spring.

“I have great optimism that the decision makers will decide this is great for the community, and it will work out,” Frutchey said at a press conference.

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But community college trustees remain skeptical that there is enough time to review the proposed agreement.

“I’m still open to the idea, but I do feel that the elected officials are being pressured into this,” trustee Timothy D. Hirschberg said Friday.

“This whole deal has been negotiated behind closed doors among staff, and now they want to throw a heap of contracts and agreements on the table and tell us how to vote on it.”

Hirschberg said he would reject the lease proposal Monday unless he is fully confident that the games will not interfere with campus activities and that the district is sheltered from any legal liabilities.

On Friday, Westin said the liability issues for the college had to be “bullet proof” as well as specify that the college would not bear any costs for the Suns’ relocation.

Because the time frame is so hurried, Westin said, the odds of the deal being finalized had improved but were still uncertain.

A source close to the negotiations said there was a slim possibility the agreement would be signed by Tuesday.

“I’d like to be more optimistic but I’m not. I’m gonna hope for the best,” the source said.

Oxnard City Council will also hold a special meeting at noon Monday to discuss the deal and the financial package that the city could lend to Suns owner Don DiCarlo. Councilman-elect John Zaragoza will not participate since he will be sworn into office Tuesday afternoon.

On Friday, Frutchey said the city would be willing to lend the Suns as much as $250,000 to fix up the college field, only as a lender of last resort.

Steve Kinney of the city’s Economic Development Corp. said the loan would bear interest and use as collateral a bank’s letter of credit or some commercial properties DiCarlo owns.

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The private negotiation sessions Friday were attended by Oxnard City Atty. Gary Gillig, Recreation Supt. Karen Burnham, Deputy Chancellor Michael Gregoryck and a college attorney.

In addition, DiCarlo met with several neighborhood committees Friday to discuss any impact the team’s relocation might have on the area surrounding the college.