City of Westlake Village in great shape, mayor says

Acorn Staff Writer


Westlake Mayor Mark Rutherford

Westlake Mayor Mark Rutherford

City of Westlake Village in

great shape,

mayor says

Westlake Village Mayor Mark Rutherford gave his State of the City address last Friday at the Hyatt Westlake Plaza after taking a creative look back at the city’s history.


Since its inception in 1981, Westlake Village has established quality-of-life standards that its residents love and expect, Rutherford said, and he assured listeners that the city would continue to meet those needs.


Guests entered a reception room filled with thin smoke and illuminated by dimmed lights. Imforms under zero gravity conditions scaled the walls. Computer music played softly under the murmur of the crowd.


"Keeping with the fact that this is the close of the year 2001," Rutherford said, "(the theme of this year’s address is ‘2001, a City Odyssey’). And while my name is Mark and not Hal 9000, and while I can’t control your oxygen and your environment, I do have a laptop computer, I do have a power point presentation and I’ve got a terrific video."


Rutherford’s visual presentation was projected on two large screens in the front two corners of the room and briefly covered via newspaper articles, pictures and computer animated renderings each of Westlake Village’s 20 years of cityhood, highlighting its birth as a city and some of its major accomplishments. These events, Rutherford said, shaped the city into what it is today.


Westlake Village became the 81st city in Los Angeles County in 1981 and had 15 candidates on the first council election ballot. The small community would later get a Costco store of its own in 1996, became the home of Dole Foods in 1999 and reached an agreement with Oaks Christian High School to build joint-use sports fields for the city leagues last year. This year the city created the groundwork for a new 26,000+ square foot civic center, which will house the new city hall, library, staff offices, conference rooms, exercise rooms, two outdoor plazas for formal and informal events and more.


The city has come a long way, Rutherford said after the presentation. And it continues to do so with one thing in mind: to uphold the quality of life in Westlake Village. Just this year, Rutherford helped add a two-man patrol car and two motorcycle units to law enforcement already on the streets and he helped create the volunteer police program. Public safety, he said, remains important in Westlake Village, despite the low crime rate.


Rutherford also helped update the housing element, made the Dial-A-Ride program available for youth and brought the new technology of the energy efficient L.E.D. traffic signals to the streets of Westlake Village.


"(They) have already reduced the city’s electric bill," Rutherford said.


The new streetscape project will take place this year, replacing street signs and trees to keep up beautification. Pac Bell has opened up 90 percent of Westlake Village to DSL and hopefully 100 percent by the first of the year.


"These are just a few of the examples of what the city council has been doing over the past 12 months. It’s also quite a mouthful," Rutherford said.


Currently, Westlake Village has been celebrating its 20th birthday.


"It’s my opinion," Rutherford said of the new city hall and library, "that the timing of these developments, (of these permanent buildings) didn’t happen by accident. The truth of the matter is, after 20 years following incorporation, our beautiful community is now maturing into a wonderful, vibrant city and these buildings reflect that naturalization."


Along with the grand opening of the new city hall and library (planned for February) as part of the 20th anniversary celebration, Westlake Village has also hosted park concerts, displayed banners, put on a logo and essay contest for kids and sponsored a big gala event earlier this month.


The future is bright, Rutherford said. "We’re looking forward to the community’s use of the (new civic center and library.)" It’s city’s new home, he said.


Other future highlights include completion of Foxfield Park and construction of landscaping improvements at the southeast corner of Agoura and Lindero Canyon roads.


"Another project currently underway," Rutherford said, "and we hope will be finished this year, is the comprehensive municipal code of update." This is the first time in 20 years that the city has gone through its code word for word. But it’s important, he said. The municipal code establishes the overall health, safety, building and zoning regulations of the community.


The city, Rutherford said, is in excellent financial shape with an uncommitted general fund reserve of about $6.5 million or 130 percent of Westlake Village’s annual operating budget. These figures are computed after the costs of the city hall and library, as well as the currently approved park projects.


Rutherford thanked the members of the council, staff and the many volunteers that helped make the accomplishments possible.


"Historically," Rutherford said, "our past councils have been fiscally conservative and extremely careful with overseeing the city’s budget. And I believe our new council will be no different."


Rutherford promised that residents can anticipate a continuation of the quality of life in Westlake Village’s future.




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