Rufener says he makes sense for LVMWD

Ken Rufener

For Westlake Village resident Ken Rufener, retirement doesn’t mean laziness.

Far from it.

The 80-year-old candidate for Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) plays golf weekly, takes a friend to the doctor on a regular basis, does his own yard work and is involved in a major fundraiser at his church.

Hardly a day goes by that Rufener isn’t busy.

With sound mind and healthy body, Rufener is seeking a second term on the LVMWD Board of Directors, adding more to his list of responsibilities.

Rufener faces challenger Glen Longarini for the board’s Division IV seat in the Nov. 7 election. Rufener joined the five-member board in 1997.

"In the last four years we’ve turned the district around," Rufener said.

"I think the water district is a very confident organization, very well organized, very well run now. I think I can take a little bit of credit for that."

During Rufener’s term, water rates remained stable; in fact, they showed a net decrease this year due to a realignment effort in which the number of ratepayers in the so-called lower cost tier was expanded.

LVMWD’s last rate change was 1996 when potable water increased 15 percent. Since then, the economy improved and LVMWD’s budget returned to the black.

But because the water district faces heavy capital costs to repair its aging pumps, pipes and other infrastructure, Rufener said a significant rate reduction now wouldn’t be prudent.

"If we were to refund the money, we’re increasing the risk to the water district," Rufener said. "My priority is infrastructure first."

Rufener spent 25 years with the U.S. Air Force and 15 years with Hughes Aircraft. In both jobs, he worked heavily in accounting and financial analysis.

For the past two years, he’s taken the role as treasurer of the water board.

Rufener said because of sounding financial planning the district earns about $3 million a year in investment income, and saved another $1 million a year by refinancing its debt service.

He said both he and the district are "blessed with being healthy."

Unhealthy smells coming from the district’s compost plant, however, still have many residents concerned.

Officials say that within five years the $50 million Rancho Las Virgenes Composting Facility in Calabasas will need a major overhaul to process the large amounts of sewage being delivered by the nearby Tapia sewer plant.

Rufener said he’d favor shipping the plant sludge away from here on trucks until the composting facility can be repaired.

Opponents to sludge hauling say the process is far less friendly to the environment than composting.

"If [hauling sludge] were something that was just horrendous, I would back off," Rufener said.

Rufener said he’s confident the water district will meet state guidelines on the amount of reclaimed sewer water that can be discharged into Malibu Creek. He said LVMWD recently added Westlake Golf Course to its list of reclaimed water customers, a move that will cut back on sewer effluent directed to the creek.

Rufener also served eight years on the Westlake Village City Council, including two years as mayor.

He and his wife Doris have lived in the area for 33 years.

The Acorn will continue to profile LVMWD candidates in upcoming editions.