A Message from Ojai Resident Pat McPherson:"It's official, Lenny Klaif has agreed to step forward ..."
Ojai City Council News: Following the announcement by Councilmember Joe De Vito that he is retiring at the end of the year, Ojai activists are stepping forward with a nomination.
It's official, Lenny Klaif has agreed to step forward to become our next City Council member. We are circulating a petition to the City Council asking them to appoint Lenny as Joe's replacement at the end of this year. As you may recall, Joe won the last election over Lenny by just a few votes, and the final count was not available for days after the election ended. I personally endorse Lenny and feel if he were on the council we would not have the problems with the Skate Park or the expensive law suit and delay in writing the chain store ordinance. Lenny is an attorney who knows how to stand up when it counts.
You can download the petition we are circulating by clicking the link below. Our goal is to get as many signatures as quickly as possible (Only registered voters in the City only - please) so we will be ready to present them to the Council before they make a political appointment.
Click here to download petitions:
http://www.ojaipost.com/images/Lenny-PetitiontotheOjaiCityCouncil10-23-09.pdf
We are going to have to walk every street in Ojai and we need all the help we can get. Please join us at an organizational meeting next Monday, October 26th at 5:30 PM at the Art Center 113 S. Montgomery (Kids welcome).
Don't wait! Down load the petition and start getting your friends and neighbors to sign today.
You can drop off the signed petitions at my house at 1111 N. Montgomery St (Corner of Andrew & Montgomery) or call me at 895-3537 and I will pick them up. (Remember - only registered voters in the City). We want as many as you we can get by Tuesday Morning (10-27) to take to the council meeting that night. We will continue to gather petitions after that date if they don’t vote for an election.
If you want a yard sign, just give me a call and I will deliver. We will also be placing ads in the Friday editions in the Ojai Valley News. The more letters to the editor and blog postings the better. Pass this on to your friends in Ojai.
Please call or send me an e-mail to pat@ojaipat.com if you have any questions.
Pat McPherson
1111 N. Montgomery St
Mobile: +805-895-3537
This message approved by the Ojai Valley Democratic Club, 410 Church Road #29, Ojai CA 93023
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Comments (7)
does anybody really think the city council is going to be influenced by some kind of petition??
Comment #1 Posted by: Anonymous | October 24, 2009 10:00 AM
Anon #1: Are you saying they are immune to the wishes of their constituents? That they pay no attention to citizens of Ojai? That they work from their own agenda or one that is just given to them and they couldn't care less what people who live in Ojai think?
Comment #2 Posted by: spk | October 24, 2009 11:07 AM
Good point spk!
Comment #3 Posted by: Ano 2 | October 24, 2009 11:28 AM
If the Council listened we would let them make a choice without concern. Are you concerned about the proposed choice to replace Joe?
Comment #4 Posted by: Ray | October 24, 2009 12:44 PM
Yes Ray, I am concerned about the choice the council may make for a new council member which is why I would prefer an election. Some believe Joe resigned before his term was up so that he (which is questionable if he can) and his cronies can pick his successor so that the new council member will be an incumbent. This is going to stir up a hornets nest if they don't call for an election.
Just the fact that signatures are being gathered for Len will put into question and taint any other selection the council will make. I would not want to be that new council member come next November knowing he/she will be talked about and seen as a “political appointment” and not put in power with an election or the will of the large number of people that will signed the petition for Len. This will also piss off the people that signed the petition for Len and cause them come to out in force to support Len in the election just to prove the council was wrong.
If I were a council member, I would play it safe and vote for an election. But as we all know our council is known for forcing their will down the throat of the citizens.intelligent decisions.
Comment #5 Posted by: CitizenX | October 24, 2009 07:38 PM
This whole business of a petition is premature and out of line. What's needed is an orderly and transparent process. Nobody seems to know whether DeVito can vote to appoint his own successor or not!! That uncertainty is ABSURD.
Attention needs to be put on determining what is the right and orderly process, not on gathering signatures that the council will ignore.
Comment #6 Posted by: Citizen Why | October 24, 2009 08:48 PM
Dear Citizen Why (Comment #6),
I completely agree that "attention needs to be put on determining what is the right and orderly process", and we are doing exactly that.
At the same time, a petition to gather signatures to show support for Lenny klaif may also be a good thing, for the reasons previously noted.
Lenny planned to run in 2010 for one of the three open seats even before Joe Devito announced he was leaving early. Whether or not a petition influences the vacancy appointment, the signatures gathered will be helpful for Lenny's 2010 Ojai City Council election campaign.
Comment #7 Posted by: Suza | October 25, 2009 08:47 AM