Thousand Oaks City Council

Re “Thousand Oaks Sewage Spill,” Ventura County Letters, Feb. 4.

Peter J. Turpel did a very mean and expensive thing when he led the recall of Councilwoman Elois Zeanah, the low point in Thousand Oaks’ political history. He sees the sewer line break in the winter of 1998 as vindication.

In fact, he asserts in this letter that the recall, which tore this city apart and which was soundly defeated by two-thirds of the electorate, was good.

Facts are facts though, and Turpel should remember that it was former Councilman Frank Schillo and his council in 1994 that OKd the stripping of money from sewer accounts to build the Civic Arts Plaza.

The work on the old sewer line in the creek didn’t begin until Linda Parks’ first City Council motion was approved Dec. 17, 1996, supported by Zeanah and Judy Lazar. Parks’ motion was to internally borrow money to begin replacing the sewer line. Councilmen Andy Fox and Mike Markey voted against that motion but, fortunately, since it wasn’t raising fees, a four-fifths vote wasn’t needed.

The sewer line engineers were hired six weeks later, a full half year before Turpel and his group spent $400,000 attacking Zeanah, long the pro-development elite’s scapegoat.

Turpel’s continuing to accuse Zeanah does not right his wrong. While the recall was soundly defeated, the small vocal attack group is still around. One can only hope the people who partake in sewer politics finally turn over a new leaf and stop their ugly attacks.

LORRAINE SLATTERY

Newbury Park