Ojai electorate has important choices
Ojai is at a crossroads ... again. It's unfortunate what I'm seeing as I've been observing as I have been talking with various Ojai City Council candidates.
Two camps have emerged with both saying they want what's best for the community, though their pathway and agendas differ.
Being one of the core group of those who produce the International Day of Peace, I'm dismayed at the divisiveness in our community since the last presidential election.
What I feel we forget is that proactive peace is about understanding how conflict doesn't happen and what measures, practices and skill sets we need to cultivate ongoing that are already in place when conflict does arise.
Ultimately, what I want is a council that is collegial, civil, and has no agenda other than serving our community.
It's very clear we are in a crisis that requires a holistic approach, which includes vigorous perception of how new building affects the ground- and surface-water supply, environmental impacts of new development, community support with "affordable-by-design" housing (a much different approach from the state's definition which favors the housing industry), policies that encourage, if not require, up-to-date water management methods and creative problem solving that would look at preservation housing trusts, home sharing, co-housing and natural building materials that are healthy and nontoxic, i.e., super adobe, cob, straw bale, yurts, domes, etc.
I encourage voters to look at which candidates buoy your personal values, ethics and vision in the long run. In 20 years from now, are the decisions you make today going to be what's truly best for our city and our valley?
If we/you were to rise above the ego stance, personal agenda and petty disagreements, who of the candidates really have a vision that is forward-thinking enough to secure the well-being of our people, environment, economy and overall health of what we are here to steward?
Research and learn for yourselves each candidate's background, track record and priorities, also taking in account their public behavior and style of communication, rather than simply voting for the slate received in the mail and endorsed.
Ray Powers — Ojai Valley
Councilman Bill Weirick endorses Williams for mayor
What should we be looking for when deciding how to cast our vote for Ojai mayor?
One important task of the mayor — our only at-large councilmember — is to have the broadest possible view of our city’s vital interests through communicating with engaged citizens of all perspectives.
Part of that task is constructively chairing City Council meetings, leading the five-member council deliberations when dealing with the evolving challenges facing our town. That cannot be done without being willing to allowing one’s opinions to evolve through these deliberations.
This core task demands active curiosity and a capacity to expand one’s understanding from engagement with the broadest possible spectrum of our citizens. We have an astonishingly deep and diverse well of human capital. We need a mayor who has the personality, the personal philosophy, and the core motivation to tap into this well.
We need a mayor with a dedication to effective collaboration through being open and able to learn from one another, allowing one’s thinking to be expanded through these collaborations.
This approach is also the essence of building coalitions for action. This has been Ojai’s history, to bring together people of diverse backgrounds and philosophies for actions serving to create and enhance the special character of Ojai.
Of the two candidates for mayor, only one has demonstrated this active curiosity, this eagerness to learn from others, a willingness and capacity to engage a broad spectrum of citizens, and a commitment to avoid destructive divisiveness.
That candidate is Anson Williams. Anson’s whole approach to his campaign has been to learn from others, to acknowledge his need to gain understanding of the complex challenges facing our community.
This is in striking contrast to his opponent. Anson is dedicated to inclusive governance. His opponent now has a multi-year record of a divisive approach to governance. Anson’s opponent is the “Just Say No” candidate.
Anson is the “Let’s Find a Way” candidate.
A vote for Anson Williams is a vote to recapture a sense of inclusive community working together that we have been losing through the fundamentally divisive behavior of the incumbent mayor.
Bill Weirick — Ojai
(The writer is a member of the Ojai City Council
who is not running for re-election in November.)
Vote for Stix, Lang, Pineiro, Whitman
Since returning to Ojai seven years ago, I have closely watched the operation of the City Council, and as a member of the Ojai Climate Emergency Mobilization Committee, I’ve particularly seen how the council has dealt with climate change.
The Ojai Valley is ground zero for the effects of climate change: the Thomas Fire, water shortages and Lake Casitas at 30%, record-high temperatures, and persistent extreme drought are the proofs.
Ojai deserves a City Council that will make addressing climate change a high priority. Here is my take on how the existing council has done and how the new council could do in tackling climate change and in promoting civility in council meetings.
Mayor Betsy Stix totally gets it. Suza Francina totally gets it. Randy Haney? Not so much.
When a majority of the City Council in 2019 voted to declare a Climate Emergency, Randy amazingly voted “no,” and subsequently has dragged his feet when considering actions recommended by the climate committee.
Further, he has at times been uncivil with other council members and representatives of the public. Ojai deserves better.
In addition to Mayor Stix, who clearly deserves re-election, three excellent candidates have come forward for the other three seats: Rachel Lang instead of Haney; Michelle Pineiro in the downtown area; and Andy Whitman in the westside.
I have met with all four of these candidates and am very impressed with their experience, talent, commitment to civility, and dedication to making Ojai a better place.
Phil White — Ojai
(The Ojai Climate Emergency Mobilization
Committee is a citizen action group committed to mitigating greenhouse gases in the Ojai Valley. Before July 2021, it was a city ad-hoc working group.)
Ojai must respond to childcare crisis
Two weeks ago, the Ojai Valley News reported that Holy Cross Preschool will close Oct. 28. In addition to being an invaluable childcare center, offering infant care and longest hours of operation in the Ojai Valley, Holy Cross provided aftercare to many school-age children, including my 9-year-old in the past, offering a safe space for kids and arranging transportation from area schools.
Holy Cross’s closure leaves many Ojai families scrambling and reflects the continued challenges childcare providers face. According to Child Care Aware of America, a consortium of childcare referral agencies, nearly 10% of licensed centers like Holy Cross closed from December 2019 through March 2021. I can assure you childcare was not abundant prior to the pandemic. Holy Cross’s closure shows that issues related to staffing, inadequate pay, and unaffordable housing continue to plague childcare in the United States and our very own community.
Although these problems affect our entire nation, we here in Ojai have a duty to respond, and are starting to. Our city of Ojai Recreation Department is planning to offer affordable day camps during holiday periods when school closures affect working parents the most. Mayoral candidate Anson Williams has made restoring strong relations with Ojai Unified School District a priority and has emphasized the importance of our children to our community.
But we can do more. We should first reassess the childcare needs of our community. New families moved to Ojai during the pandemic. Whether through a survey or other means, we must identify our parents’ childcare needs and respond accordingly.
Second, our city should declare lack of access to childcare an emergency, and that we will not rest until every Ojai family can obtain affordable, high-quality care. Childcare is not a problem for parents or even OUSD to endure alone. Each one of us bears responsibility to the next generation, and benefits when parents can remain in the workforce.
Our community claims to embrace progressive values. Let us actually live those values by responding to Holy Cross’s closure with a renewed, zealous commitment to our families.
— Sean Higdon lives in Ojai.
