Races for Board of Supervisors

We are stunned and disappointed by The Times’ failure to endorse Supervisor Kathy Long’s candidacy for reelection. You seem to view the mental health merger as the defining issue in the campaign, but anyone with a grasp of the county or the 3rd District knows that this is not a one-issue district or county.

Long’s advocacy for the mentally ill cannot be questioned. While Mike Morgan did everything in his power to shut down Camarillo State Hospital, Long fought to keep it open. The result of closing the hospital is a housing shortage that she and the Board of Supervisors are still working to resolve.

Long has worked hard to address a broad range of issues that are important to citizens in this county. She is a hard-working, dedicated supervisor who has the ability to bring diverse groups together to reach a solution that works for everyone. Elected officials from all over the state have recently chosen Long as chair of the Urban County Caucus. They all know what we know: Kathy Long is a leader whose integrity is beyond question.

In the end, your decision was not based on what voters really care about: a comparison of the candidates’ records, ability and experience. Instead, you applied some sort of media-inspired litmus test of who apologized the best.

As residents of Camarillo for 23 years who were here when the city lost $25 million, we know all too well that Morgan doesn’t have the greatest record of accepting responsibility for his actions. Most of us remember that Morgan was a member of a City Council asleep at the wheel while mismanagement of the city’s investment portfolio nearly resulted in bankruptcy. Morgan spent much of his time pointing fingers at others, and refusing to accept any personal responsibility for the disaster, not necessarily the qualities we look for in a leader.

MARK and TERRI LISAGOR

Camarillo

*

I was happy to see The Times’ thoughtful endorsement of Mike Morgan for county supervisor.

Advocates for the mentally ill are astonished that some people actually believe that Supervisor Kathy Long has worked to improve life for the mentally ill. In fact, her only so-called accomplishment has been to reluctantly vote to unmerge the botched merger of [the] mental health [department] with [the] Human Services [Agency]. And even then, I witnessed her astonishing defense of her vote: “I think the county should be able to do anything it wants with federal funds.”

Supervisor John Flynn, like the constructive leader he is, willingly withdrew his vote in support of the merger and began working to ameliorate the damages incurred. Long, in contrast, worked behind the scenes to keep the merger flames alive and to oppose the new administration appointed to replace the architects of the fiasco.

Flynn has creatively worked to bail the Behavioral Health Department out of its financial problems in addition to taking a leadership role at the Mental Health Board. In contrast, Long has been sticking it to the new administration without remorse or a thread of a plan for implementing damage control for her part in the fiasco.

Her unwillingness to listen for the better part of a year to repeated warnings from county consultants, advocates and the chief administrative officer about the consequences of the merger should be a warning to voters. This kind of headstrong, no-solutions leadership does not stay isolated to the defenseless mentally ill clients victimized by her actions.

Another term with Kathy Long is not worth the risk. Mike Morgan is a better choice.

SUSAN VINSON

Ventura

*

As a former member of the Ventura County Mental Health Board, I’ve had a chance to watch and work with both Kathy Long and John Flynn (who is a member of that board).

To be an effective county supervisor, one must be able to negotiate rationally with others, some of whom may have different opinions or may be critical. One has to be able to listen well and hear what people are saying.

By that yardstick, I know that Long makes an excellent supervisor. She has those abilities; she’s the kind of caring, strong and skillful person I want making decisions for me.

SHLOMO F. KREITZER

Camarillo

*

In my humble opinion, the county supervisors race should be based on one issue: Who are the supervisors who cost the citizens of Ventura County more than $20 million? The answer is Supervisors Susan Lacey, Kathy Long and John Flynn.

Lacey is not running for reelection. On March 7, Flynn and Long should be given some time off to reflect on the condition of the county’s financial situation.

JON SIMMONS

Camarillo