Incumbent Ron Stark defends long record

Triunfo Sanitation District


Ron Stark

Ron Stark


Ron Stark says he has a plan that will solve the dispute over whether or not to have an allelected board overseeing the Triunfo Sanitation District.

The agency, which provides water and sewer services to Oak Park, North Ranch, Bell Canyon, Lake Sherwood and parts of Thousand Oaks, is made up of three appointed and two elected board members.

The agency remains split over the issue. Board members Linda Parks and Janna Orkney support an elected, at-large board. Stark would like to see board members elected by district so that each of the areas Triunfo serves is represented.

“Oak Park is an active area, and I suspect that atlarge, the majority of elected people would be from Oak Park,” Stark said. “Thousand Oaks is against that because they want representation for their people. If we go at-large, Thousand Oaks has said it will break away from Triunfo and handle water through a different agency. If that happens, sanitation (costs) for Oak Park could double or triple.”

Stark will give details of his accord at the Triunfo board meeting on Mon., Oct. 27.

“My definition of politics is compromise. No one can get 100 percent of what they want,” Stark said.

Stark takes credit for obtaining the two elected seats on the board nearly 30 years ago when Triunfo was run by the county board of supervisors. He said the supervisors met monthly for 10 minutes before lunch to discuss Triunfo business. He thought the community deserved better so he pushed for an elected board.

“The supervisors said, ‘We’ll give you two seats, one for Thousand Oaks and one for Oak Park.'”

Stark has served on the Triunfo board for 28 consecutive years.

Since moving to Oak Park from Torrance in 1968, Stark has been involved in almost every aspect of the community’s development. He helped establish the Oak Park School District, the Municipal Advisory Council, the Recreation and Park Advisory Board and the Community Foundation. He was recognized over the years with the Golden Acorn award, PTA awards and an Agoura/Oak Park/Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce commendation.

“I’m very proud that I had a hand in making one of the best communities in the world,” said Stark. “We have more parks per capita than any community in eastern Ventura County; our schools are top-notch, and it’s a beautiful place to grow up in.”

Stark also served on the MAC for 30 years before stepping down in 2006.

Stark acknowledges that Oak Park’s water bills are among the highest in the area, but says the rates are due to the purchase of the utility from the Metropolitan Development Corporation in the late 1990s. Once the bonds used for the purchase are retired in about eight years, the Oak Park water prices will drop, Stark said.

Stark also helped implement a modern water tank connection system that ensures uninterrupted service for Triunfo’s customers. If one tank is taken offline for repair, other tanks fill in the gap.

Under Stark, the Tapia Water Treatment facility in Calabasas was expanded in cooperation with the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, Triunfo’s joint venture partner in wastewater disposal. Stark said he’s pleased with Triunfo’s reclaimed water system, which he describes as one of the best in the state. Recycled water, which is used mainly for large landscaping areas, costs less than potable water.

“We sell more reclaimed water per capita than any other area around,” Stark said. “It does save people money and ensures that even in drought they will have water for irrigation.”

Stark said he understands hydraulics and engineering through his background as a test lab supervisor. He also has public policy experience, having served as a senior administrative aide to retired Ventura County Supervisor Frank Schillo.

“Serving on this board is more complicated than just going to a meeting,” he said. “People think they can jump right into this thing and just take over, but it’s not that way.”

Stark and his wife, Penny, have three children and five grandchildren. Stark remains involved in Many Motors, a nonprofit group he formed that accepts donated cars for people needing transportation to work.

“With his experience in engineering and administration, he’s been able to aide many people,” said longtime Oak Park resident Eileen Kahn. “We need Ron’s expertise now more than ever.”

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