Sheriff, other groups receive additional Agoura Hills funding

The city of Agoura Hills will soon be writing checks to a number of local organizations and agencies as part of its community grant program.

Following a recent budget workshop, City Council members agreed to fund an additional sheriff's vehicle and outfit a sheriff's van with surveillance equipment. The Las Virgenes/Malibu Council of Governments will split the $30,000 cost. The council comprises Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu and Westlake.

According to Lt. Steve Smith of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station, the high tech equipment will help detectives do their jobs more effectively by monitoring suspected criminals and lowering the incidents of illegal dumping and graffiti.

The cities will be paying for the majority of the equipment through a grant designed specifically for law enforcement needs. But with the addition of an added vehicle, the extra cost for law enforcement totaled $250,000.

Council members agreed to once again donate $2,000 to Agoura High School's music program. The school's Theater Boosters also asked for $1,000, but Mayor Dan Kuperberg persuaded the council to donate $1,500.

"It's a parentrun organization," Kuperberg said.

About 350 Agoura High School students participate in 35 performances per year. The Comedy Sportz troupe is the only regular comedy venue in town, he said. Most of the money raised comes from bake sales and dues, and the group needs new microphones to continue performing.

The Agoura Hills Library was denied its request for $4,500. Council members said they didn't want to pay for books, as the library has other revenue sources.

The Wildlife Center also was denied a grant. The city has given financial support to the center in the past, but Councilmember John Edelston said the center has $16,000 in its coffers.

Other organizations that got the green light on funding were the Las Virgenes Conejo Valley Future Foundation for $2,500 and $1,000 each to Manna, the largest distributor of food to those in need locally, Many Mansions, New West Symphony and the YMCA.

The Wellness Community was denied a grant for the same reason as the Wildlife Center- too much cash in the bank. Edelston said their "bottom line was close to 30 percent."

Although some council members were peeved at the Conejo Valley Friendship Circle for being six weeks late with its grant request and application, the city nevertheless funded the group to the tune of $2,500 since they believed the delay was an honest error.

But Kuperberg took issue with the mishap. He said that the parents in charge of Grad Night didn't apply for a grant once they were aware the deadline had passed and said he had a problem funding groups with religious overtones and those with paid employees versus volunteers.

Edelston quelled some of Kuperberg's concerns by saying the Friendship Circle operates at a deficit. The local nonprofit organization pairs teenage volunteers with special needs children and doesn't conduct prayer services or cater to any one religion, but operates in much the same way as the YMCA, which offers programs for children of all creeds.

Council members decided to give the Grad Night group a break after all and will provide a $1,000 grant even though the application deadline wasn't met.

New programs slated to be funded include $15,000 toward a Healthy Cities program, which would include studies on health issues, from smoking ordinances to an improvement in the enforcement of laws governing alcohol service at entertainment venues.

The city also approved a business assistance program that would provide training and offer loans to startup businesses in Agoura Hills. Council members designated $15,000 for the program.

Beautification efforts for next year will cost about $50,000, and $20,000 has been budgeted for the Trails Master Plan.

The council discussed purchasing bus shelters for Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Kanan Road, but most concluded the shelters would be an aesthetic addition but not necessarily represent money well spent. Council members decided to budget $90,000 for the shelters, but reserved the right to deny the funds at a later date.