10 to Challenge 4 Incumbents on Ventura Council

Ten candidates filed paperwork Friday to challenge four incumbents in the Nov. 6 election for seats on the Ventura City Council.

Meanwhile, three incumbents and at least one challenger have filed paperwork in the Ventura Unified School District race.

In the City Council race, incumbents Brian Brennan, 49, Donna DePaola, 48, Jim Monahan, 66, and Sandy Smith, 50, filed paperwork indicating they would seek reelection to the seven-member council. Elections for the three other council seats will be held in 2003. Candidates were required to file candidacy papers with the clerk’s office by 5 p.m. Friday.

Challengers in this year’s council race include:

* Diane Underhill, 42, an antique shop owner who ran unsuccessfully in 1999.

* Neal Andrews, 58, a health care consultant. Andrews served as spokesman last year for the Coalition Against Measure O. The group worked to defeat a plan that would have transferred Ventura County’s $260-million tobacco settlement to private hospitals. Andrews is former treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee.

* David Norrdin, 42, a customer services manager and substitute teacher who unsuccessfully challenged state Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) last year.

* Jon Patton, 47, a crisis team clinician.

* Michael Osborn, 52, a city parks and recreation commissioner and businessman.

* Carroll Dean Williams, 59, who has previously run unsuccessfully for the council. Williams made a name for himself countywide in 1998 when he attempted a citizen’s arrest of the Board of Supervisors. After speaking on 14 issues, he alleged the board had conspired to commit a crime by preventing him from discussing another matter.

* Brian Lee Rencher, 41, a self-described citizen’s advocate, who ran unsuccessfully in 1999.

* Howard Rickard, 59, a financial management executive.

* Theodie L. Peterson III, 51, an attorney.

* John Milano, 50, a retired restaurateur.

In the school board race, incumbent Cliff Rodrigues , 60, director of communications technology and bilingual education in the county superintendent of schools office, is seeking a third term.

“I want to be a part of moving the district forward and making things better for students and staff,” Rodrigues said.

Velma Lomax, 50, who has served on the five-member board since 1993, had similar reasons for running again.

“There are a lot of exciting things going on, and I’d like to see that continue,” said Lomax, a vocational education teacher at Ventura High School and Ventura Community College.

John Walker , 55, a three-term incumbent, could not be reached Friday.

Former Ventura High School Principal Terry Towner is advocating for change on a school board that has remained relatively stable for eight years.

Towner, 63, said his 38 years of experience working in public schools--including 14 as a superintendent--make him the candidate who can help “ratchet up” student achievement in Ventura schools.

“I think that the current board members are all very good people and well-meaning, but I don’t think they’ve had clear expectations,” he said. “I want to go to a higher level.”