Public safety, homelessness, ways to improve downtown and marijuana were among the myriad subjects thrown at Santa Paula City Council candidates for discussion during a forum.
Three council candidates appeared before an audience of about 80 people during the forum Wednesday night at the Santa Paula Community Center. Incumbent Martin Hernandez, former Councilman and Planning Commissioner Fred Robinson, and business owner Clint Garman answered a slew of questions submitted by members of the public. A fourth candidate, Micah Chapman, was not there.
The three-hour event organized by the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce, League of Women Voters and Santa Paula Latino Town Hall also included a session with the candidates for District 3 Ventura County supervisor, Carla Castilla and Kelly Long. It concluded with a discussion by supporters and an opponent of the 1-cent sales tax initiative known as Measure T, which, if passed, is expected to raise more than $2 million a year for police and fire services, road repairs and youth programs in Santa Paula.
Among the council candidates, one of the top items addressed was public safety, particularly the need for more police officers. All the candidates praised Police Chief Steve McLean and said his efforts had led to a decline in the city’s crime rate. However, McLean’s department needs about 15 more officers to carry out the police work necessary and to bring it within the standard ratio of police officers to population, Robinson said.
“We need to give him the resources and fill out the Police Department, let him get the boots on the ground, address the gang problems,” Robinson said. “If Measure T passes, that will bring resources.
If it doesn’t pass, that will be my first priority on council, to find the resources.”
How to improve the city’s downtown and bring in new businesses also topped the discussion.
Garman talked about his own success establishing Garman’s Restaurant & Irish Pub on Main Street. He said he has a passion for helping other businesses and wants to encourage more enterprises and visitors to come downtown.
“I think I can make a difference. I think I have made a difference,” he said.
Hernandez, currently the city’s mayor, touted his actions and achievements on the council, including spearheading the Measure T tax measure, helping shepherd the city’s buyback of its wastewater treatment plant and working to address homelessness through the coalition Santa Paula Project HOPE, which he said had succeeded in bringing weekly behavioral health services to the city.
“I care deeply about this community. I care about helping others,” Hernandez said.
The candidates were asked whether they would support having a marijuana dispensary in the city, and all expressed discomfort with the idea.
However, as far as dispensaries are concerned, “I don’t think Santa Paula is ready for that,” he said.
Later in the evening, Measure T Committee Chair Al Guilin, Councilwoman Ginger Gherardi and Measure T opponent Steve Smead offered their opinions on the initiative and answered questions from the public.
Smead said the proposed tax would be unnecessary and burdensome to local residents. He argued that the council could reprioritize the city budget to find more money for the Police Department and bring back a volunteer system of firefighters to free up money from the Fire Department.
Gherardi objected to those arguments and said the city has no way other than the Measure T tax to bring about the desired improvements to police and fire services, roads and youth programs. Moving to a volunteer fire department would be detrimental to the city, she said.
“If we want to have a better Santa Paula, each and every one of us needs to invest in Santa Paula,” she said. “If we want the status quo and we want to see things continue to deteriorate, then vote no.”
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