Water plan sunk

The issue of whether to allow ratepayers to choose their water district representatives arose again during the Triunfo Sanitation District's meeting on Monday, but a proposal for change was dismissed by the water board in light of next week's election.

Incumbent Ron Stark, who's running for reelection, suggested changing the board from the current two-elected, three-appointed makeup to two elected seats from Oak Park, one elected seat from Lake Sherwood/Bell Canyon, and two appointed seats from the Thousand Oaks City Council. But if Stark is ousted by challenger Mike Paule, his proposal would be moot, said Boardmember Dennis Gillette.

Currently, the two elected seats are held by Stark and Janna Orkney. The three appointees are Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks and Thousand Oaks City Councilmen Gillette and Tom Glancy.

Parks has long sought to change Triunfo to an all-elected board, but has been unable to garner majority support. Stark, Gillette and Glancy have opposed the idea out of concern that voters would only elect Oak Park residents and ignore other areas. Paule has said that he supports an all-elected, at-large board. He said Stark's plan would require a change in law, whereas an all-elected, at-large option could be implemented immediately at less cost.

Triunfo is the only district in the state that has a combination appointed/elected board, Parks said. "It clearly avoids the will of the people," she said.

Glancy accused Oak Park of wanting an all Oak Park board.

"You have to have at least two members from Thousand Oaks or you've got a machine that will self-destruct," Glancy said. "People are content with the system. I see no point in changing it."

Paule and Orkney said it wasn't their intent to elect five Oak Park members.

"This is about giving voters the right to say who will represent them. Democracy has been working all over the country for 200 plus years," Paule said. "Half of the district's voters are from Thousand Oaks. You have to trust that they will decide who will represent them."

Gillette insisted that changing the board's makeup was unnecessary.

"In seven years on the board I have done my utmost best to serve the residents. I've truly tried and I don't think that ratepayers have been shortchanged," Gillette said.

—Sophia Fischer