Candidates Disagree on Parks, Field Lights

Eight candidates vying for two City Council seats agree that stopping the proposed conversion of the El Toro Marine base into a commercial airport is the priority for the city.

But debate rages on other issues that often draw crowds at City Council meetings: the preservation of open space and the lighting of the city’s limited youth sports fields and facilities.

“[The city] put together a master plan this year for the next 17 years, and one of the primary shortages is youth sports fields,” said candidate Joe Brown, an anti-airport leader.

“We’re turning away a lot of kids from fields,” agreed candidate Ira Schaffer, a computer education teacher.

But Brown and Schaffer are not quick to support the often-controversial lighting of youth sports fields.

“There’s a controversy about that brewing,” said candidate Greg Cox, a small-business owner. “If we could put up more fields, then we wouldn’t have to put up more lights.”

As a planning commissioner, candidate Cathryn DeYoung said, she’s well aware of the protest that lighting a field generates. “There’s an absolute shortage [of fields] in Laguna Niguel,” DeYoung said, “but you need to look at each additional field separately.”

Incumbent Eddie Rose, the controversial and often lone dissenting voice in council matters, voted against the recent lighting of a baseball field at Crown Valley Elementary School. Rose has long been opposed to the lighting of sports fields.

Candidate Leni Gillis is making development a main issue in her campaign.

Another big issue for the candidates is crime. As a retired captain and former commander of the Aliso Viejo sheriff’s substation, candidate Vito Ferlauto said he would work to eliminate gang and drug activity by providing more youth activities.

Candidates Cox and Carl Gelbart would like to see a city hall built. Gelbart said the city needlessly spends too much money on rent when it could develop the vacant town center that would serve as an anchor for the community.

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Laguna Niguel Council Candidates

Eight candidates are seeking two seats Nov. 3:

Joe Brown

Age: 71

Occupation: Anti-airport activist

Background: Bachelor’s degree in economics, Yale; PhD in economics, USC; Laguna Niguel Parks and Recreation commissioner; director, CSU Institute

Issues: Opposes airport at El Toro; favors developing a long-term plan to reduce crime; supports sensible allocation of park and recreation resources with an emphasis on youth sport fields

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Greg Cox

Age: 50

Occupation: Small-business owner

Background: Bachelor’s degree in radio and television, Cal State Northridge; completed USC cinema school; board member, city sports field advisory; treasurer, Faith Episcopal Church; alternate to Jeff Brown on Republican Central Committee

Issues: Develop a city charter; add unlighted, youth sports fields; build a city hall

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Cathryn DeYoung

Age: 42

Occupation: Planning commissioner

Background: Bachelor’s degree in history, UCLA; law degree, Loyola Law School; former Orange County deputy district attorney; former parks and recreation commissioner; member, Junior League of Orange County and Conservative Women’s Leadership Assn.

Issues: Opposes El Toro airport; add youth sports fields; maintain high level of police, fire and paramedic services

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Vito Ferlauto

Age: 58

Occupation: Retired captain, Orange County Sheriff’s Department

Background: Former commander, Laguna Niguel sheriff’s substation; former director, Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce; chairman, Laguna Niguel Community Events Commission

Issues: Opposes El Toro airport; improve police services; eliminate drug and gang activity

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Carl Gelbart

Age: 41

Occupation: Information technology professional

Background: City freeway landscaping activist; member, tollway landscaping committee

Issues: Opposes El Toro airport; stimulate economic growth for redevelopment along freeway; build a city hall

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Leni Gillis

Age: Declined to state

Occupation: Business communications professor emeritus

Background: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees, USC; served on five community advisory boards; Santa Barbara City College instructor for 23 years; board member, Rape Crisis Center, Chamber Orchestra and Animal Health Regulation Advisory in Santa Barbara; founder and president of PAWS cat shelter in Santa Barbara

Issues: Opposes El Toro airport; preservation of open space; supports ban on gas-powered leaf blowers

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Eddie Rose

Age: 60

Occupation: City councilman

Background: Bachelor’s degree in engineering administration, Pepperdine University; master’s degree in systems management, USC; retired aerospace engineer; registered professional engineer; community college teaching credential; American Society for Quality; Laguna Niguel traffic commissioner; Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn.; Gold Life Master in American Contract Bridge League

Issues: Opposes El Toro airport; preservation of remaining open space; protect and promote public health and safety

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Ira Schaffer

Age: 40

Occupation: Computer education teacher

Background: Bachelor’s degree in psychology, UCLA; Laguna Niguel Parks and Recreation commissioner; former president, Pacific Mutual Mortgage Inc.; member, Laguna Niguel AYSO

Issues: Opposes El Toro airport; supports reasonable expansion of parks and youth sports fields; continued support of police and senior services

Source: Individual candidates

Researched by CHRIS CEBALLOS / For The Times