Stark reelected to serve on Triunfo board





By Stephanie Bertholdo
bertholdo@theacorn.com

In a contentious political battle to hold onto his member-at-large seat for a seventh term on the Triunfo Sanitation District (TSD) Board of Directors, Ronald Stark, the incumbent, won handily in Tuesday’s election.


Stark captured 3,890 votes (49.4 percent) against opponent Wayne Blasman’s 34.4 percent, or 2,710 votes. Thomas Vincent Ray was supported by 804 voters, who represented 10.2 percent of the total vote. James Ebert got 437 votes (5.5 percent), and there were 33 write-in votes. The district is represented by two elected board members and three appointed officials.


"I would like to thank all of the residents of the Triunfo Sanitation District," said Stark. He vowed to continue to work hard to represent his constituents and deliver the best water at the lowest rates.


Stark, who’s served on the TSD board for 24 years, ran unopposed until this year. Blasman had charged impropriety in how upcoming elections were publicized but Stark denied that there was any conspiracy and said the Ventura County Board of Supervisors was responsible for placing legal notices in local newspapers to announce public elections. The procedure has been modified, and legal notices are now placed in local newspapers to alert potential candidates of filing periods.


Stark, 72, said one of the biggest issues is finding places to store reclaimed water. The regional water board, he said, is considering completely shutting down Malibu Creek as a site for reclaimed water. Year-round storage is necessary, Stark said.


In Oak Park, Stark said that the board will work to replace the Conifer water tank with a new one.


Stark’s accomplishments include his involvement in the expansion of the plant to accommodate growth in the Oak Park and Lake Sherwood areas. The purchase of Oak Park’s water company, he said, will eventually lead to lower rates.



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