Election over but scars remain in Agoura Hills

Acorn Staff Writer


The Agoura Hills City Council met in the plush green chambers of the new city hall last night, the first meeting in the 17,000 square-foot government center since it opened in October.


The place has changed but the faces are the same.


Three incumbents returned to office following the Nov. 6 election: Denis Weber, Jeff Reinhardt and Mayor Ed Corridori. Weber and Corridori, the top two finishers, have announced the upcoming four-year terms will be their last. Both were elected in 1993.


Reinhardt, who said he knocked on more than 800 doors to win his reelection bid, is serving his second term on the five-member city council. Incumbents Louise Rishoff and Dan Kuperberg have terms that run until 2003.


Corridori wasn’t surprised that the incumbents were victorious.


"The city’s had nothing but good news for the last four years," said the 58-year-old printing shop owner.


Some residents, however, were still hoping for a change.


The politically influential Old Agoura Homeowners’ Association mounted an effort to unseat Weber—a candidate they considered more pro-business than pro-environment. The designated replacement was favorite son Bob Wachs. The move failed as Wachs came in fourth.


"I came close," Wachs said, "[138] votes is real close in any election."


Corridori led the balloting with 1,563 votes. Weber had 1,313, Reinhardt 1,297 and Wachs 1,159.


"I wanted to get a board representative who would represent Old Agoura," said voter Avi Nudell.


Often the lone dissenting voice on the council, Weber doesn’t see anything wrong with his sometimes adversarial role.


"I won’t deviate from my philosophy or my passion just to show a 5-0 vote," Weber said. "I think we need the dialogue and healthy dissention is part of the political process … We agree to disagree."


Weber, the current mayor pro tem, is slated to take over as mayor when the council reorganizes next month.


Wachs sees no problem in having a smooth transition.


"The battle’s over with and everybody shakes hands and goes back to work. Denis has been mayor before and he did a good job," Wachs said.


"I think they all have the best interests of the city as they see it. I think they’re very fair-minded." But he asked, "Does that mean he’s a shoe-in?"


Weber said he’d continue to speak on behalf of the city’s business interests during his term.


"We are the ombudsmen, not only for the residents, but for the businesses," he said.


A political mailer marred the campaign during the final week accusing Corridori and Reinhardt of bringing "blight" and "congestion" to the city.


Paid for by the Coalition for Competent Leadership, the flier supported Wachs and fellow challenger George Thomas. Wachs said the endorsement was distributed without his permission and that he disagreed with the attacks against Corridori and Reinhardt.


The anti-Home Depot group, Citizens for Responsible Growth, targeted all three incumbents.


Reinhardt said the entire election took on a "muddled" tone.


"We had one faction who said the incumbents were pro-development and another faction that was saying we weren’t doing enough, so it was very muddled, and I think not only were we confused, I think to some extent the voters were confused," Reinhardt said.


Did the election serve as a vote on Home Depot?


"I didn’t see it that way," said Corridori.


Still, one of the first important issues facing the council will be whether to approve a petition that allows citizens the right to vote on any retail store larger than 60,000 feet. The petition is under review by county authorities. If the council doesn’t make the petition into law, the matter could be decided by a referendum vote next spring.


Despite the hot issues, voter turnout in Agoura Hills was only 17.6 percent. The apathy was disappointing to many.


"This creates a dictatorship of the minority," Wachs said.


The 57-year-old business consultant said it was too soon to say if he might run for office again.


"You’re asking a lady who just had a baby if she’s going to have another," said Wachs laughing.


The new city hall is at 30001 Ladyface Court. City council meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month.





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