Major shift in Triunfo power base

Janna Orkney Janna Orkney was elected chair of the Triunfo Sanitation District at the agency's Dec. 15 meeting. Orkney takes over from longtime board member and previous chair Ron Stark, who lost his reelection bid to Mike Paule in November.

Paule was named vice chair.

Before Orkney's selection, board member Dennis Gillette broke with tradition and nominated fellow board member Tom Glancy to be the agency's chair.

It had been the custom for the two elected Triunfo board members to alternate as chair. Orkney and Paule hold the elected seats. The other three seats, held by Gillette and Glancy, both Thousand Oaks City Council members, and Linda Parks, Ventura County supervisor, are appointed.

Paule nominated Orkney to be chair. Both are from Oak Park.

A vote was delayed because Parks had not yet arrived at the meeting. Gillette withdrew his nomination, and Orkney was elected.

"I believe that having the two elected board members serving in this way helps balance the power, at least a little bit, between elected and appointed board members." Orkney said.

Changing the board to make all members elected is a top priority for Orkney. She and Parks have long supported an allelected at-large body but had been overruled by Gillette, Glancy and Stark. Paule sides with Parks and Orkney, a group that will now wield the majority power.

"It is time to go to an allelected board as soon as we can so that residents can have the say of whom they want to serve and also have the power to kick out board members if they don't like their actions," Orkney said.

Other issues concern Orkney.

She wants to keep costs under control for ratepayers and increase communication by improving Triunfo's website, creating a newsletter and attending homeowners association meetings.

In Oak Park, the Conifer water tank replacement and a mandatory water conservation program will begin.

"Developing a contingent mandatory water conservation plan in the event our water supplies are inadequate to meet our current needs (is a pressing issue)," Paule said. "This includes public outreach to educate residents on what they can do to conserve water."

Paule said he is honored to serve as vice chair. As the newcomer to the board, Paule prepared for his first meeting by reviewing Triunfo contracts and budgets, and touring potable and wastewater facilities.

"My goal is to be effective at the start of my term, and education is a key element of that preparation," Paule said.

The Triunfo board oversees an $18million budget that provides water and sewer services to Oak Park, North Ranch, Bell Canyon, Lake Sherwood and parts of Thousand Oaks.