Ventura County – Special Districts – 2024 General Election

Note: this post will be periodically updated! (10/14/2024). New endorsements and interesting bits of information are being added all the time!

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Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Banchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura

DON’T PASS THIS CATEGORY BY! This category includes candidates for SANITATION, WATER, PARKS & REC, and COMMUNITY SERVICE DISTRICTS – and is often a launching point for entry into our political eco-system.

“Sanitary Districts are managed by local citizens elected to serve on governing boards. The boards are responsible for the use of public funds put toward the construction and maintenance of drainage, sewage, or sanitary systems for the District. The boards may also be responsible for passing rate proposals and developing other monetary policies related to the district’s sewers and other pieces of drainage infrastructure.“

NEW RULE FROM INDIVISIBLE VENTURA!
If you are a challenger to an incumbent in one of these position, you need to put in a basic minimal effort to reach voters. Those who do nothing besides list their name and occupation are why people normally skip this part of the ballot! Here is what we want you to do!

You must either put out a public website explaining why you are a better choice than the current office holder (website, Facebook, instagram, etc.) OR
You must have readily-accessible endorsements.

If you don’t, we will usually recommend the incumbent.

Special Service Districts – Organized alphabetically

Bell Canyon

According to Wiki, Bell Canyon is an unincorporated, guard-gated community in the Simi hills with a population of approximately 2000 people, of whom 84% are White. It’s the seventh wealthiest community in the state of California with an annual median income of $230,000.

An amazing SIX candidates are running for their Community Services District board, maybe inspired by this…

(VC Star) “A Ventura County commission’s review of a special district in Bell Canyon found it improperly routed public funds to the private neighborhood’s homeowner association.

More than $170,000 went to goods and services the special district wasn’t authorized to pay for without the commission’s approval, the review found. The spending took place over a six-year time frame.

The review was conducted by the Ventura County Local Agency Formation Commission, also known as LAFCO, which manages boundary changes for cities and special districts like Bell Canyon. As part of its duties, LAFCO conducts a municipal services review once every five years for each special district in the county.

The Bell Canyon special district is largely financed by public property tax dollars. LAFCO’s report found public funds had been disbursed to a private organization, with two members sitting on the board for both entities.

Although there were no immediate consequences from the report’s findings, the commission required the district to fix its practices moving forward.

The money went to a variety of expenses, from CPR training to a decoy police vehicle. The district primarily provided funds to the Bell Canyon Homeowner’s Association through so-called “grants.”

“You can refer to these as something other than grants, but whether they’re gifts or reimbursements, it’s all the same: It’s public money going to a private HOA,” said Kai Luoma, Ventura County LAFCO’s executive officer, during the commission’s monthly meeting Wednesday.”

Usually, for these small, special races, it’s hard to find information on the people running. You can see by scrolling through this page, that most candidates in this category don’t put together media campaigns. We are thrilled when known organization or individuals endorse them.

However, three of the candidates, (Linka, St. Jean, Alderson) have banded together as a slate under a very professionally-produced website “bellcanyoncsd.org,” the url of which seems misleading, as they do not appear to be an actual organization. Besides Alderson’s menacing headshot, we found their motto “Together, for a Better Way” reminiscent of youth dystopian novels.

We can’t figure out how these three found each other, or what additional “latent” powers they would be seeking, but they have no endorsements indicating that the community approves of them.

However, we did finally stumble over Julie’s Threads page, and she’s been posting stuff we approve of since last year. We keep our fingers crossed that the other two members of the slate are similarly inclined.

Bell Canyon, Community Services District

SHELBY R LINKA

Occupation: CPA – Linka & Associates
Website: https://bellcanyoncsd.org/

(candidate website)”Shelby Linka is a San Fernando Valley native. He graduated from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. Upon graduation from college, Shelby immediately began his career in public accounting working at Gumbiner Savett, Inc. in Santa Monica. Realizing his desire to work in a smaller firm atmosphere, Shelby began working for Nadel CPA, Inc. in Encino in 2002 where he remained until 2020 when Linka & Associates CPA was officially launched. Shelby, along with his wife Stacie and their 3 sons, continues to remain a resident of the west San Fernando Valley.

Shelby created Linka & Associates CPA to cater to individuals and corporations that need, and desire personalized financial services. Over the course of his 27-year career in public accounting, Shelby strives to provide the highest caliber of services to all his clients, large and small. He believes in providing personalized service that cannot be found at larger firms.

Shelby is a fully licensed member in good standing with the California Board of Accountancy, California Society of CPA’s, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Thank you for your consideration.”

JULIE DE ST JEAN

Occupation: Retired Transportation Director
Website: https://bellcanyoncsd.org/

(candidate website) “My name is Julie De St Jean. My husband and I have lived in Bell Canyon since April 2020, and our daughter and her family live here as well. We love Bell Canyon. Since we moved here, I have attended the vast majority of the HOA Board meetings, as well as the CSD meetings, and I am well informed on the workings of our Boards as a result.

I am now retired, but I was the Director of Transportation for Oxnard School District for many years. I oversaw a staff of 65 employees and met all the responsibilities that come with that, including managing an 11-14 million dollar annual budget. In addition, I was a Union negotiator for several years, representing the School District in their negotiations with CSEA. Further qualifying me to be on the CSD Board, I have also had formal Conflict Resolution training, which enabled me to participate as the mediator in many disputes.

I was a 4-H Leader and advisor for more than 13 years, involved in working with members and other leaders to develop programs that met the needs of our youth membership. I was also on the Board of Directors for the Ventura County Boys and Girls Club during the early years when they were just starting to accept girls, which I helped coordinate. I helped establish a Ventura County branch of American Veterans United, and I then served as Secretary on their Board.

I feel I have demonstrated my interest in the workings of Bell Canyon by attending Board meetings. In addition, my background of being on other Boards, organizing and leading Departments, working with, and supervising people, and leading negotiations as a mediator have provided me with unique skills that enable me to be a valuable and productive member of the Bell Canyon CSD Board. I would like to be on the Bell Canyon CSD Board of Directors to help our beautiful Bell Canyon thrive for all of us. Thank you for your consideration.”

We do like this…

JENNIFER L. HURST

Occupation: CEO, Talent Management

“I’ll bring a young, fresh outlook to the community and help find solutions for pressing issues we have been facing. I lived in Bell Canyon from 1989-2004 and moved back in 2020 because I had the greatest childhood and it’s the best place to raise families. As a mother of 3 small boys, I want to spearhead bringing family fun events back to the canyon where we can share the joy of living here together. Pulling from past experiences and visions for the future, I’m confident I can help lead the community in a positive direction and enhance our quality of life. I’m serving on the Bell Canyon Equestrian Center Board and was secretary of an HOA board for 5 years. Using my Psychology degree, I’ll build a bridge to heal the division of our community and put an end to unresolved conflicts. I have experience producing events alongside government officials, staying within boundaries, working with teams for seamless execution, while oftentimes using tight budgets and parameters. I’m skilled at handling people with strong opinions and getting positive outcomes. My expertise is in resolving conflicts among very different parties with different goals while making everyone feel like they have won.“

ANDRES G. MARTINEZ

Occupation: Real Estate Manager

“One of the main reasons I decided to run it’s because we need new people, we need new faces, we need new blood, and new energy. It will be a short learning curve. As a former attorney I am sure I can lead the next MSR and keep the CSD in compliance. I will be prepared to offer to our community a plan that we can stick to it. It’s not rocket science. We can follow our budgets and stick to the numbers. Let’s bring action and a path of open communications which we need a change. I will be available anytime to discuss any issues.”

NORTON W ALDERSON

Occupation: Business CEO
Website: https://bellcanyoncsd.org/

(candidate website) “My name is Norton W Alderson, and I am running for the Bell Canyon Community Service District (BCCSD) board. As a dedicated member of our community, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute my skills and experience for the betterment of this beautiful neighborhood.

My wife and I have been homeowners in Bell Canyon since 2004, and during this time, we have witnessed many changes over the years. I have great enthusiasm for a new and positive direction by the BCCSD and look forward to the opportunity to get involved and make a difference. I have a passion for helping our community and have been inspired to seek an active role in the BCCSD by ensuring a new forward-looking success in our neighborhood.

It is critical to earn the community trust for effective and proper management of our tax dollars by eliminating the wasteful spending on contentious and unnecessary lawsuits. I have chosen to team with two other exceptional candidates that will put “service” back into the Community Services District, and Bell Canyon.

I bring to the table a set of skills and experiences that I believe align well with the responsibilities of the BCCSD. As an Aerospace business CEO of 32 years and a 15-year non-profit board member of a SoCal performance boating charity (SCOPE), I am well versed in executing the tasks required to get things done. Additionally, my commitment to open communication, attention to detail, and collaborative problem-solving will contribute to the effective functioning of the BCCSD looking forward.

In my professional life, I work with a diverse number of companies and people which have equipped me with the organizational and leadership skills necessary to excel in this position. Furthermore, my experience as a 5-year volunteer den leader in Cub Scouts (Pack333) has allowed me to develop a deep understanding of the needs in charity volunteering, self-sacrifice, and to learn about the needs of our community. Thank you for your consideration.”

NIRVAN RAYMOND

Occupation: Pilot Instructor

“I have lived my whole life in Bell Canyon.

I am lucky to live in a place where people can safely ride their bikes, hike the trails and walk their dogs. I am running to make Bell Canyon even better: safer, cleaner, quieter – while also making it a fun and engaging place for kids and parents of all ages. I’m a commercial rated pilot currently training to be an FAA certified flight instructor. Becoming a pilot requires discipline, following rules, and dedication to the safety and welfare of others. I might be young, but I recognize the importance of not just following rules, but understanding why we have them in the first place.

I will bring a fresh and young energy to the canyon, and believe I can quickly mobilize volunteers to serve the whole community – young and old. There are many services that Ventura County does not provide to Bell Canyon and will work full-time to improving our services.

I remember being part of campouts and Halloween and all the other great things Bell Canyon had over the years. I’d like to bring events like that back and find even valuable ways to enhance the community. Thank you.”

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Calleguas

Calleguas Municipal Water District, Division 1

THOMAS SLOSSON

Engineering Geologist/Geologist

SEAN CORRIGAN

Civil Engineer/Attorney

RAUL AVILA

Occupation: Navy Engineering Manager
Website: https://raulforcalleguas.com

This guy has endorsed two far-right Simi Valley School Board candidates. We’re marking him as “NO.”

Calleguas Municipal Water District, Division 2

Calleguas Municipal Water District, Division 3

JOE DEAKIN

Retired Utilities Manager

REDDY PAKALA

Retired Water Engineer

(V.C. voter guide) “I retired after 33 years of varied public service experience in Water Resources Engineering, construction, and maintenance. My last 25 years were as Director of Ventura County’s Water & Sanitation Department.

I was responsible for planning, design and construction and maintenance of water systems, recycled water systems, wastewater systems including water treatment plants for all County special districts.
Managed preparation of annual budgets for all County special districts and presented to the County board of supervisors, County of Ventura.
Conducted Advisory Committee meetings for all County special districts.
Was a member of the 2050 General Plan Committee member for the City of Moorpark.
I am a registered Civil Engineer in the State of California and have Master s Degrees in Groundwater Engineering and Environmental Engineering.

If elected I will promote development of local water supplies by the Cities and special water districts within the Calleguas service area, for a reliable water supply during earthquakes and below normal rainfall to all customers, at competitive water rates, consistent with State Water Resources and Metropolitan Water District policies.“

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Camarillo

Camarillo Health Care District, Zone 1

Camarillo Health Care District, Zone 2

Link to the Camarillo Health Care District website here.

THOMAS DORIA

Incumbent

VISHNU PATEL

This information is from a VC Star interview he did in 2022 for while running for the Camarillo City Council.

Age: 63 (Confirm)
Occupation: Registered pharmacy manager at Ralphs
Education: Master’s in pharmacology

“I believe in harmony by working on the concerns of our constituents. As a pharmacy manager who serves over 5,000 customers, I’m always meeting with people from all walks of life. I have always enjoyed discussions with residents about their concerns and advising them appropriately.“

Camarillo Health Care District, Zone 3

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Camrosa

Camrosa Water District, Division 3

Camrosa Water District, Division 4

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Casitas

Casitas Municipal Water District, Division 2

Casitas Municipal Water District, Division 3

PETE KAISER

Director, Casitas Municipal Water District

JEFF KETELSEN

Age: 62?
Party affiliation: Independent
Residence: Oak View
Occupation: Park Services Assistant
Highest degree earned: Bachelor’s in history from CSU Northridge

We’ve typed Jeff’s name into a number of election grids over the years, for a variety of offices. He’s sort of a “Where’s Waldo?” of our election cycles, casually running for things, without websites or social media. It might just be a hobby of his. This time, he is actually running for TWO water district seats – this one, and Ventura River Water District. We found this statement from when he was running against Matt LaVere for the Ventura County Supervisor seat in District 1, but his interest and/or expertise in water district management remains unknown so far.

Casitas Municipal Water District, Division 5

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Channel Islands

Channel Islands Beach, Community Services District

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Conejo Valley

Thanks to Buen Vecino, Conejo Climate Coalition and AAUW for creating this great forum!

Interactive district map here.

Conejo Recreation and Park District, District 1

This is an interesting race, because both the Dems and the far-right support Chuck Huffer, which indicates that there is something about ol’ Wendy that is too combustible to touch with a 10-foot pole. (She even gets a “HELL NO” badge from Anonymous Mommy.)

CHUCK HUFFER

Age: 73
City of residence: Thousand Oaks
Occupation: Director, Conejo Recreation & Park District
Education:
Funding:
Endorsements: here
Website: huffer4crpd.org

See why we think you should vote for Chuck in the section below on his competitor – Wendy MacLeod.

WENDY MACLEOD

Age: 54
City of residence: Thousand Oaks
Occupation: Stay at home mother/Parade Committee Chair
Education:
Funding:
Endorsements:
Website: gbj60.wixsite.com/wendy-for-crpd

Wendy appears to be a one-trick pony, focused on showy parades. But the Conejo Recreation & Park District is a large and diverse program with a lot of technical and financial issues to review. Endorsements for Chuck Huffer are from both sides of the spectrum, indicating that he has proven himself to be an effective member of the board of directors who can work with a wide variety of people.

Conejo Recreation and Park District, District 5

ASHLEY OROZCO

Age: 33
City of residence: Thousand Oaks
Occupation: Finance accounting manager
Education:
Funding:
Endorsements:
Website: https://ashley4crpd.com

ALLAN LINDERMAN

Age: Declined to answer
City of residence: Thousand Oaks
Occupation: President of The Linderman Media Group
Education:
Funding:
Endorsements: https://allan4crpddirector.com
Website: allan4crpddirector.com

Mark Radocay President, Ventura County Pickleball Club USA Pickleball Ambassador PPR Certified Pickleball Coach CRPD Instructor	Sheri Leiken President, Conejo Valley Cyclists CVUSD Teacher Trails Education Days Writing Contest Director	Gary Elliott Board Trustee, Allegheny College Former Vice President, Global Marketing for HP Former Chair, Association of National Advertisers Past Advisory Member, Northern California Make-A-Wish Foundation Former Board Member, The Ad Council Past President, Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific for IBM Retired President, Elliott Consulting Group	Diane Sutter Member, Board of Directors Times-Shamrock Communications, Inc. President/CEO Shooting Star Broadcasting
Gari Ann Douglass FO, Goodwill Southern California, retired	Robert Rothman Los Angeles Police Officer

HALLA MAHER

Age: 50
City of residence: Thousand Oaks
Occupation: Legislative contractor for a nonprofit org – Ventura County Taxpayers Association
Education: BA San Diego State University, Master in Social Work – USC
Funding:
Endorsements: Move the Needle
Website: votehalla.com

Halla hangs with sketchy people

Halla’s photo gallery includes a pic of her with hypocritical-waste-of-taxpayer-dollars Congressman Jim Jordan and with hopefully soon-to-be-former-Congressman Mike Garcia, who is now busy pretending that he voted for funding that is helping his district. None of this is a surprise. We added endorsements blocks for her organization – Ventura County Taxpayers Association, which were actually more rightwing than the state GOP’s. No. Seriously, no, for this candidate.

Halla has also promoted anti-vax/covid misinformation events

“Tenpenny is among the top twelve people spreading COVID-19 misinformation and pseudoscientific anti-vaccine misinformation on social media platforms. She has falsely asserted that the vaccines magnetize people and connect them with cellphone towers.“

We’re going to have to agree to disagree with Halla here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Halla Maher (@iamhallamaher)

She thinks the disgrace is that Trump was finally held accountable for some of his crimes. We think our disgrace started when we put a petty conman in office. We knew before he was elected that he cheated workers as a private citizen,

As a president, he refused to recuse himself from foreign business deals.

Halla’s sense of the relativity of morals makes her a not-so-good choice for any public office.

STEVEN STANLEY

Age: 69
City of residence: Thousand Oaks
Occupation: Dentist/Owner – Conejo Dental Group
Education:
Funding:
Endorsements: here (scroll down)
Website: stanley4crpd.com

Bob Lewis
Retired Mayor, City of Thousand Oaks

Joel Price
Retired Law Enforcement, Former Councilmember/Mayor of Thousand Oaks

Keith Parks
Retired Commander, Ventura County Sheriff and Thousand Oaks Chief of Police

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Fillmore-Piru

Fillmore-Piru Memorial District

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Meiners Oaks

Meiners Oaks Water District

Oak Park

Oak Park MAC (2 seats)

This race appears to have an embarrassment of riches – (3) qualified and reasonable candidates!

HARMEETH NIJJAR

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/voteharmeethforoakparkmac/home?pli=1

“Nijjar, 28, is in his final year of law school at Pepperdine University. He has interned for Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and worked as a recruiter in the private sector. Nijjar, also political director of Ventura County Young Democrats and a board member of the Malibu Democratic Club, said: “I am running for Oak Park MAC because I hope to be a strong advocate for the interests of the people of Oak Park, and I am passionate about bringing the community together to address key issues such as wildfire preparedness and a community evacuation plan.”

His other priorities include keeping residents’ cost of living down, protecting OPUSD’s “stellar reputation,” introducing neighborhood captains to coordinate with emergency response services, and preserving the beauty of Oak Park’s nature areas.”

BRIANNA ADAMS

Occupation: Oak Park Parent
Website: https://www.votebriannaadams.com

“Adams, 45, is a community volunteer who has lived in Oak Park for more than a decade. Her two children with her husband Jason attend Oak Park High School and Medea Creek Middle School.

Adams’ extensive volunteer resume includes serving on the OPUSD Measure S planning committee, various school site councils and PFA leadership roles, and the Yarrow YMCA board. “I am incredibly grateful for everything my family has gained from being part of the Oak Park community, and it is always my goal to give back in any way I can,” Adams said.

She mentioned wildfire safety and preparedness as a top priority, recalling the experience of evacuating during the Woolsey fire. “The MAC should work alongside OPUSD to ensure there is a clear plan in place that allows parents to safely reunite with their children and evacuate during school hours, while also enabling residents without school-age children to evacuate without major traffic issues,” Adams said.

Traffic congestion around Oak Hills Elementary is another of her concerns.

Adams also wants the MAC to “explore community-based safety initiatives that residents can participate in, while also ensuring there is adequate law enforcement presence and timely emergency response.”

Some public spaces need attention, she said, such as the Oak Park sign at the corner of Kanan and Lindero Canyon roads, which she believes voters would like to see restored “to something our community can be proud of.”

“I also believe there should be improved communication between the MAC and the community,” Adams said.

“When residents have concerns, there should be a clear pathway to reach the MAC, and residents should be better informed about the MAC’s goals and accomplishments,” she said.

Rosalind Ng
Oak Park
Endorsement

Lisa Solny
Oak Park
Endorsement

Lori Getz
Oak Park
Endorsement

Jennifer Moeller
Oak Park
Endorsement

JANE M NYE

Occupation: Incumbent
Age: (declined to state)
Profession: Software business operations manager
Family: Two children (son and daughter)
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Boston University; Master of Business Administration, Cal Lutheran University
Experience:
- Board member, Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council from 2016 to present (serving as vice chair currently)
- Board member, Triunfo Water and Sanitation District (current)
- Advocate for Oak Park Volunteers in Policing (2019-present)
Email: jane.nye@keysight.com

“Beautiful spaces and quality schools make Oak Park a wonderful place to live,” said Nye, a two term incumbent with two year-long stints as chair of the MAC. She works in the high-tech industry and has an MBA from Cal Lutheran.

“My professional background and demonstrated concern for maintaining the high quality of life in Oak Park make me especially well-suited to help fulfill the MAC’s mission to make recommendations about Oak Park matters to the Board of Supervisors on behalf of our community,” said Nye, the only incumbent in the race.

A native Californian who has lived in Oak Park for 33 years, Nye said she has volunteered in the community in many capacities and is familiar with the issues important to it. Her daughter and son were raised in Oak Park and attended the district’s schools.“

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Ojai

Ojai Valley Sanitary District, District 1

Ojai Valley Sanitary District, District 3

LOWELL R MARTINSON

Incumbent

JAN STEENBERG

Information Technology Manager

Ojai Valley Sanitary District, District 5

Ojai Valley Sanitary District, District 7

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Oxnard

Oxnard Harbor District

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Pleasant Valley

Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District, District 1

Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District, District 3

BEV DRANSFELDT

Occupation: Director, Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park
Website: https://www.re-electbev.com

Watch video clip from Kim Marra Stephenson here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1059307745751718

PAMELA KRAUSZ

Project Manager/Mom

Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District, District 5

MARY KENNEDY

Occupation: Retired Attorney
Website: https://mary4pvrpd.com

DAVID P. SCHLANGEN

Senior Project Manager

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Rancho Simi

Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, District 3

Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, District 4

Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, District 5

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Santa Clarita

Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, Division 3 (Vote for 2)

KATHYE ARMITAGE

Occupation: Incumbent Member, Board of Directors, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency
Endorsements: https://www.votekathyearmitage.org/endorsements
Website: https://www.votekathyearmitage.org

This is definitely the choice here. Her endorsements have a much broader and are more environmentally-aware.

HOLLY SCHROEDER

Occupation: Local Business Executive
Website: https://www.voteforholly.com

Mike Garcia US Congress	Scott Wilk State Senate	Cameron Smyth Mayor, City of Santa Clarita	Bill Cooper SCV Water Agency Board
Gary Martin SCV Water Agency Board	Maria Gutzeit SCV Water Agency Board	Dirk Marks SCV Water Agency Board	Piotr Orechowski SCV Water Agency Board
Ken Peterson, SCV Water Agency Board	Jason Gibbs Councilmember, City of Santa Clarita	Laurene Weste Councilmember, City of Santa Clarita	Bill Miranda Councilmember, City of Santa Clarita
Marsha McLean Councilmember, City of Santa Clarita	Kathryn Barger LA County Supervisor, District 5	Suzette Valadares, Former State Assembly; State senate candidate

Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, Division 3 (Short Term)

STACY FORTNER

Occupation: Water System Techonologist
Website: https://www.electstacyfortner.com
Experience:
- SCV Groundwater Agency – Stakeholder Advisory Committee
- AD40 Delegation Chair
- CA State Environmental Caucus Officer
- Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Political Chair (Former)
- National Political Women’s Caucus
- Commission on the State of Women & Girls – Appointed Member
- Whitaker Bermite Groundwater Cleanup Citizens Advisory Committee
- Sierra Club National Water Sentinels
- Sierra Club National Water Sentinels – Water Affordability sub committee
- California Conservation Committee – Water Committee (former)
- Climate Reality Project Legislative Chair (former LA Chapter)

KENNETH “KEN” PETERSEN

Occupation: Appointed Board Member, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency
Information: https://yourscvwater.com/governance/board-directors

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Santa Paula

Blanchard/Santa Paula Public Library District (Short Term)

Blanchard/Santa Paula Public Library District (3 seats)

DAVID H McEACHERN

Retired Teacher

CAMERON SALEHI

Occupation: Director of Instruction
Website: Link on https://greateroxnarddemocrats.com/democratic-endorsements/

MAISHA COLE PERRI

Occupation: Appointed Library Trustee, Blanchard/Santa Paula Public Library District
Website: https://www.maishacole.com/santa-paula-times

“I believe that books and literature are sacred expressions of creativity and reflections on our society and culture. Banning a book is equivalent to silencing a voice, and it’s the collection of diverse voices that shapes and enriches our culture. Art and literature provide opportunities for discussion and reflection. A public library serves everyone, but not everyone will like everything it contains.”

RON MERSON

Small Business Owner

RICARDO REYES

Incumbent

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Santa Rosa Valley

Santa Rosa Valley MAC (vote for 3)

There doesn’t appear to be (3) good choices here…

DAN GOLDBERG

Small Business Owner

ROSEMARY ALLISON

Small Business Owner

We have removed our “probably OK” mark for Rosemary, due to her endorsement of Dirk Lay for Oxnard School Board, District 5.

(From the V.C. voter guide) “I moved to Santa Rosa Valley in 1987. In 2002, I spearheaded the drive to create the Santa Rosa Valley Municipal Advisory Council to ascertain that our voices are heard, from our local community to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. I am proud of the accomplishments I have helped Supervisor Linda Parks as well as my fellow Council members to create that have enhanced our valley, i.e. installation of our synchronized traffic signals, establishing the Santa Rosa Valley CERT Team, the development of our Santa Rosa Equestrian Park and the myriad of projects that we have brought to fruition. I take great pride in a resolution presented from the Ventura County Board of Supervisors calling me the “yarn that weaves this close knit community together” and most recently honored to be chosen by Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin as Woman of the Year 2020 and most recently recognized by Senator Stern as Woman of the Year 2024 for our Senate district 27, for my contributions to our community. I have, and always will be, a strong and clear voice that advocates our position on the issues that affect Santa Rosa Valley. It has been my privilege to serve as your elected representative, and I am asking for your vote in order to continue serving my community.”

MICHAEL ADAMS

Incumbent
Website: https://www.michaeladamssrv.org

(his own site) “SMART DEVELOPMENT: We all moved here for the large lots, and the serenity and privacy that that affords. While we expect the few remaining undeveloped lots to be built on, we do not support subdividing lots which would increase our housing density further. Subdividing is not fair to current residents who invested in an area with large lots.“

We’re not thrilled with his Nimby-ism. What is so “smart” about growth that is done after a few more lots are built on? Not a recipe for people who complain that housing costs are too high, or who want their kids to come to live near them after college.

(V.C. voter guide) “It has been an honor serving and representing Santa Rosa Valley residents over the past three and a half years as your Council Member on the Santa Rosa Valley Municipal Advisory Council. As your Council Member, my task is to represent our Santa Rosa Valley residents’ interests and concerns, and work with our County Supervisor, Jeff Gorrell.
- I am on the Legislative Committee for the Santa Rosa Valley Municipal Advisory Council. Every two weeks I review the County Supervisors’ meeting agendas for issues that may affect Santa Rosa Valley. When such an agenda item does appear, I meet with Supervisor Gorell to provide input so he may best represent us.
- I have more work to do. I will continue to push for hardening the electric utility infrastructure serving Santa Rosa Valley to reduce the number of power shutoffs. I want earlier communication on zoning changes that affect our area. While we had many of the roads resurfaced in Santa Rosa Valley, I will continue to address concerns by residents over the quality of the resurfacing. I ask for your vote to represent you for another four years. Please see more at MichaelAdamsSRV.org”

MATTHEW BENSON

Father/Entrepreneur/
Advisor

DEBRA SPAFFORD

Retired Fire Captain

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Saticoy

Saticoy Sanitary District

Saticoy Sanitary District, (Short Term)

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Triunfo

Triunfo Water and Sanitation District

Triunfo Water and Sanitation District, (Short Term)

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

United

A half-a million-dollar government employee? The president of the U.S. gets $400,000! And fraudulent payments? A board member stealing water?

What the heck is going on at the Union Water Conservation District?

Usually with an elected office where the work is complicated, technical and really boring to most of us, we assume that we can just leave it in the hands of the incumbents who’ve been doing it for a long time.

We might be wrong there.

“From the VC Star, it was revealed that United’s General Manager, Mauricio Guardado, received total compensation of $585,000. This makes him the highest paid public official in Ventura County by far. He oversees an agency of 78 employees and a budget of $53 million. By any standard, this is an egregious abuse of ratepayers’ money by an out-of-control Board of Directors.“

Steve Nash: “Un-frigging-believable! The United Water Conservation District Board of Directors have demonstrated their complete disconnect with the community they represent and an utter disregard for fiscal restraint.

United has not released the employment contract with their general manager but as per records show he also gets to “work from home” two days per week!“

Read the story behind this headline and Steve Nash’s comment here or on the VC Star website.

And an elected water board member at United Water was stealing water for his farm?

(KTLA) “An elected member of a Ventura County water board has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of stealing water for his Oxnard farm. Daniel Naumann, 66, admitted to one count of grand theft of water, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in a Friday news release.“

And there were fraudulent payments too?

Three of those “AYE” votes were from incumbents Lynn Maulhardt (Division 4), Keith Ford (Division 6), and “Shelly” Berger (Division 7) who are conveniently running as a slate.

We agree with Steve. It’s time to get a bunch of fresh eyes in board room.

United Water Conservation District, Division 4

STEVE NASH

Age:
City of residence: Oxnard
Occupation: Retired Oxnard WasteWater Treatment Plant, CoGen Operator
Education: Ventura College (AS), UCSB (BA)
Funding:
Endorsements: here
Website: https://nash4water.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Nash4Water-100084399601608/

“‘Ford-Maulhardt-Berger are running as a slate. Ford was appointed this year when Director Naumann resigned after being tried and convicted of stealing $30,000 worth of water. Maulhardt has been on the Board for 39 years after being appointed. Berger has served 42 years. They are all registered Republicans and Ford and Maulhardt are farmers.

One incumbent has talked about the importance of “experience”. Well, his experience has given us a general manager with a pay and benefits package, approved by the United Board of Directors, of $585,000 per year. His experience has given us an unfair rate structure that has cost Oxnard residents millions of dollars extra per year. His experience has enabled the Board to game the system, allowing Directors to resign mid-term and then appointing friends and like-minded individuals who can then run as an incumbent. This has happened twice this year alone. His experience has resulted in the groundwater basin remaining classified as “critically overdrafted” by the California Department of Water Resources. His experience resulted in the United Board of Directors failing to censure or demand the resignation of a Director who was tried and convicted of stealing $30,000 of water.

It’s time to refresh the United Water Conservation District Board of Directors with candidates interested in the concerns of Oxnard ratepayers. Vote for Aiken-Jones-Nash for United Water Conservation District Board of Directors.

I respectfully ask for your vote on November 5. It’s time for change!”

For more information, visit Nash4Water.com and Nash4Water on Facebook.

LYNN E. MAULHARDT

Age: 80-ish
City of residence: Oxnard
Political party: Republican
Occupation: Incumbent
Education: Loyola U (BS), U of St. Louis (MA)
Funding:
Endorsements: here (scroll down)
https://www.unitedforunited.com/maulhardt

Mr. Maulhardt, who has a minimal online presence, is running on a slate with Shelly Berger, and Keith Ford. Shelly’s social platform shows him to be a nice guy, a family man and proud of the work he’s done for the board. Ford’s platform is something entirely something different…

HEATHER SCHMIDT

Age: 43
City of residence: Oxnard
Occupation: Public Policy Consultant
Education: Cal Lutheran (BA) and Claremont Graduate University (M.PA)
Funding:
Endorsements: No endorsements page
Website: https://heatherchristenaschmidt.com

United Water Conservation District, Division 5

United Water Conservation District, Division 6

KEITH FORD

Age:
City of residence: Oxnard
Occupation: Farmer/Appointed Incumbent
Education:
Funding:
Endorsements:
Website: https://www.unitedforunited.com/ford
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keith.ford.5454

Back in 2020, the Heritage Foundation, authors of today’s authoritarian manifest Project 2025, started supporting the election of MAGA-supporting Moms for Liberty into supposedly non-partisan school boards. It took a while for this trend to become obvious, but by then, damage had been done.

We no longer consider ANY public office immune from covert political manipulation, so we try to go past the glossy mailers and professional websites, to find out the real person beneath it all. For example, we will call out any social postings expressing xenophobia, homophobia or transphobia for candidate running for school boards, as they, in their official capacity, can cause harm to the lives of students who so identify.

But what about an office like a water board? In our imagination, it’s quiet, technical and professional. But something’s gone wrong at this board, as you can see from top of this section, so before we elect or re-elect anyone, we need to drill down into candidates where we can. Unfortunately, Mr. Ford’s social page (screenshots below) points to beliefs that concern us, and if acted upon in his official capacity, could open the county up to claims of discrimination.

Critical thinking skills – Can this candidate tell fact from fiction? Does he understand that “correlation does not imply causation?”

We are concerned that Mr. Ford may believe the ugly untruths he is spreading online – including the myths that Transgender Day and Easter were deliberately placed together and that schools are obtaining gender-affirming surgeries for kids. He is also displaying his animosity towards teachers, and his belief that evolution and actual American history have somehow caused shootings. However, forced student prayer in public schools wasn’t ruled unconstitutional until 1962,1963, and 1964 in separate decisions, but school shootings in the US actually started in the 1840s, over a hundred years earlier. School shootings have became steadily more common for a number of factors but lack of religious rituals isn’t one of them. Shootings even take place at Christian schools!

The people he serves are very diverse. How does he think about groups who are different than himself?

How will he treat the public or district employees who identify as Muslim or Jewish?
Ok, the image on the left is straight-up islamophobia. It would take 3 minutes to debunk the claim that George Soros owned voting machines, but the purpose of the one on the right is to promote antisemitism.

How will he treat the public or district employees who identify as gay or transgender?
These are pretty self-explanatory.

No one can say that Ford would act upon any this in his public capacity, but we should be aware that this is the tape that runs his head.

DONNY AIKEN

Age:
City of residence:
Occupation: Engineer Technician, Navy Veteran
Education:
Funding:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiken4water?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Website: https://www.aiken4water.com

United Water Conservation District, Division 7

RACHEL JONES

Age:
City of residence:
Occupation: Cybersecurity Assistant VP
Education: Liberty University (BA, MA), John’s Hopkins (MS)
Funding:
Endorsements:
Website: https://www.jones4water.com

JEFF PRYOR

Age:
City of residence:
Occupation: Strategic Communications Advisor
Education:
Funding:
Endorsements:
Website: https://www.pryor4unitedwater7-2024.com

SHELDON “SHELLY” BERGER

Age:
City of residence: Oxnard
Occupation: Realtor
Education: Birmingham High
Funding:
Endorsements:
Website: https://www.unitedforunited.com/berger

Shelly is running on a slate with Lynn Maulhardt, who has a minimal online presence, and Keith Ford. However, unlike Ford, Shelly’s social platform shows him to be a nice guy, a family man and proud of the work he’s done for the board. We’ve reached out to him for comment on Ford’s online activities and we’d also like him to comment on the issues currently plaguing the reputation of this board.

We haven’t heard back yet, but we will share his response here.

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

Ventura

Ventura River Water District (Choose 3)

PEGGY WILES

Occupation: Incumbent
Read about PEGGY WILES here

LAUREL LARY

Occupation: Appointed Incumbent
Read about LAURIE LARY here

JEFF KETELSEN

Age: 62?
Party affiliation: Independent
Residence: Oak View
Occupation: Park Services Assistant
Highest degree earned: Bachelor’s in history from CSU Northridge
We’ve typed Jeff’s name into a number of election grids over the years, for a variety of offices. He’s sort of a “Where’s Waldo?” of our election cycles, casually running for things, without websites or social media. It might just be a hobby of his. This time, he is actually running for TWO water district seats – this one, and Casitas Municipal Water District, Division 3. We found this statement from when he was running against Matt LaVere for the Ventura County Supervisor seat in District 1, but his interest and/or expertise in water district management remains unknown so far.

BRUCE KUEBLER

Occupation: Incumbent
Read about BRUCE KUEBLER here

Bell Canyon, Calleguas, Camarillo, Camrosa, Casitas, Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, Fillmore-Piru, Meiners Oaks, Oak Park, Ojai, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, Rancho Simi, Santa Clarita, Blanchard/Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Saticoy, Triunfo, United, Ventura, TOP

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			Adan Ortega Metropolitan Water District President
		Jay Lewitt Las Virgines Water District	Steve Huber United Water District Board Member
Muhammad Hasan United Water District Board Member	Eugene West Camarosa Water District President and Fox Canyon Ground Water Management Agency President	Jacque McMillan Calleguas Water Board	Thibault Robert Calleguas Water Board


Susan Holt CRPD Director 1995-2022	Ed Jones CRPD Director 2010-2018, Thousand Oaks City Council 1970-1974, 2018-2022	John Prescott Thousand Oaks Community Development Director, retired	Steve Ferry Regional Commissioner, AYSO Region 9









Claudia Bill-de la Peña Former Thousand Oaks City Councilmember	Betsy Connolly Retired School Board Member, Community College Instructor, Equine Veterinarian	Nelson Buss Play Conejo Board Member & Former Thousand Oaks Planning Commissioner	Brian Dennert Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Advisory Committee Member; Rancho Simi Recreation & Park Director
Kat Selm Local Climate Activist & Environmental Professional	Kathy Peterson	Danielle Blum	Cathy Wilott


			Aprylle Beck Candidate for Oak Park Unified School Board
2nd Lt. Samual P. Oakley U.S. Marine Corp. Pepperdine Law, ’24	Billy Melcher First Responder, Pepperdine Law Class of ‘”’27	Lusineh Bedikian Pepperdine Law, Class of ’24	Luke Bradford Pepperdine Law, Class of ’24
Christina Hovnanian Pepperdine Law, Class of ’24

CELINA ZACARIAS	Oxnard Harbor Commissioner
JESS J. RAMIREZ	Incumbent

BOB NAST	Incumbent
KRISTINA BREWER	Incumbent

ROBERT P. SMITH	Incumbent
JAMES B. MILLS	Incumbent