First-year councilman takes a look back

It’s now been one year on the Westlake Village City Council, and I must admit I really enjoy it.

I was warned that being on the council is very time-consuming and indeed this is true. Thanks to a great staff that would be the envy of any small business owner, our city is professionally managed. I’ve learned that you get what you put into the council. It is very easy to slide by, but that isn’t my goal. Although I’ve been criticized for asking too many questions, so be it—that’s my job. I feel a responsibility to our community to ask the hard questions, watch how our tax dollars are spent and make sure we get value for the services we provide.

Preserving and enhancing our wonderful community is a real challenge. State-imposed housing requirements and development need to be addressed by first considering what is good for us, the people of the city of Westlake Village, and not what is good for a developer, housing advocate or regional governmental organization. Our kids have great schools, but I do fear overcrowding if zoning for high-density, low-income housing is adopted by our city.

I’ve been fortunate to be a member of a region-wide hospital committee and yes, there is hope that the health-care monopoly that currently exists will have to compete with another hospital in our community.

We are fortunate not having many of the problems that our adjacent cities must deal with. But that does not mean that we should be complacent.

There is much to do to retain the quality of life we enjoy.

Thank you for your confidence in me; I take it to heart. I hope more of you will become involved with the issues before us.

Bob Slavin

City Councilman,

City of Westlake Village