Candidate Mike Paule campaigns for change

Mike Paule As a member of the Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council, Mike Paule has had to learn quickly about issues affecting local residents, such as the availability of water.

Several years ago, the MAC vice chair began attending board meetings of the Triunfo Sanitation District, which provides potable water and sewer services for residents of Oak Park, North Ranch, Bell Canyon, Lake Sherwood and parts of Thousand Oaks.

"I have seen issues on the board that concern me, including how it's been managed from a business standpoint," said Paule, a 45yearold Oak Park homeowner who joined the MAC in 2006.

His interest in water issues prompted him to run against longtime Triunfo incumbent Ron Stark, who is up for reelection on Nov. 4.

"I have all the respect in the world for Ron. He's done a lot of wonderful things for the community," Paule said. "But I think 28 years is enough. We need new ideas. Times change, and this is the season for change for a lot of reasons."

One of the main reasons Paule is running is to convert Triunfo from a partially to a fully elected board. Stark supports an all-elected board, but by district; Paule seeks an all-elected, at-large body. An election of board members by district would be more expensive and complicated to run and would require changes in the law, Paule said.

"It's only logical and appropriate that all five people be elected," Paule said. "An all-elected, at-large board is the only way people can truly elect people who will represent them to set the rates."

Paule earned a finance degree from Arizona State University and a master's in business administration from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Paule works as an information management consultant for a company he used to own, but sold.

"Having experience in finance and business management gives me the opportunity to help Triunfo run smoother," Paule said.

Triunfo contracts for management services with Ventura Regional Sanitation District. Both agencies share the same staff, which some believe is a conflict of interest.

"Sharing the same manager, legal counsel and auditors is a screwy way of doing business," Paule said. "My objective is to make sure the board is accountable, that there are good financial controls, that it runs consistent with how a successful business should be run. I'm not coming in and saying let's terminate all the relationships we have with everybody, but let's take a look at where we need more independence with how we do business."

Other issues that concern Paule are rising water costs and lack of water storage in Oak Park.

"We have a couple of days' supply should we have a disruption. We need relationships with neighboring water districts so we can tap into their water service if we need to," Paule said. "We need to keep rates as low as possible but plan for the future."

He also wants to explore savings through solar power.

Paule is well-known in Oak Park, having served as chair of the Measure D4 public oversight committee and as a leader of the Oak Park Schools Community Group and the Yes on Oak Park Measure C effort. He's currently the cochair of the Measure R school bond on the November ballot. On the advisory council, Paule oversees landscaping in public areas in Oak Park.

"I'm proud of the direction we've gone with landscaping the public areas. Credit goes to a lot of people for cleaning it up."

As Agoura Youth Basketball Association president in 2003, Paule led the effort to build The Cage, a basketball facility at Oak Park High School. Paule helped negotiate a joint-use agreement with the school district.

"Every time I go there and see people out there, it's gratifying that we all did that," said Paule, who served as president for three years. "Overseeing the 32-member AYBA board gave me experience working with lots of different personalities."

In 2005, Paule earned an Edward L. Masry Integrity in Community Service Award.

Paule and his wife, Robin, moved from Calabasas to Oak Park in 1988. They have two daughters, Melissa, 18, and Kelsey, 13, who attends Oak Park High School.

"Mike is intelligent, balanced and strongly cares about maintaining and improving our communities in the Conejo Valley," said Jay Kapitz, the MAC chair. "I believe we need change on the Triunfo Sanitation District board in order to create an all-elected board, and Mike Paule will make that change happen."