Over the course of more than 8½ hours Tuesday night, the Oxnard City Council set in motion major policy shifts for the golf course and solid waste facility and roundly rejected a $1 million claim from a former city manager.
Preliminary votes showed a new three-member majority favors having the city take over operation of its Del Norte Regional Recycling & Transfer Station, a potential sea change for a lucrative deal that has been the source of controversy and intrigue for years.
Similarly, a four-member majority supported possible restructuring of the contract to run the city-owned River Ridge Golf Club, a facility meant to be self-supporting that has required millions of dollars in subsidies.
The panel's work began at 5 p.m. with a closed-door session in which members voted unanimously to reject a recent claim filed by former City Manager Ed Sotelo. Such claims are precursors to possible lawsuits against government bodies.
The 68-year-old, whose contract expired in February, was on paid leave for more than a year before that. His claim alleges the council damaged his career prospects by not renewing his contract, among other things.
The council's rejection starts a six-month window for Sotelo to sue in the state court system.
The wide-ranging golf and trash discussions stemmed from relatively small items regarding each operation.
For the golf course, finance staff members had proposed restructuring a $3 million loan. The council voted 3-2 against refinancing at this point, with Mayor Tim Flynn, Councilwoman Dorina Padilla and Councilman Bert Perello deciding the issue. Councilman Bryan MacDonald and Councilwoman Carmen Ramirez voted no. The motion by Perello also called for rolling golf course finances into the general fund rather than continuing a stand-alone account meant to cover the course's costs.
During the long discussion, in which operations for Oxnard's and Ventura's golf courses were compared, Flynn also made a motion, which was approved 4-1, that directed staff members to restructure the contract with High Tide and Green Grass Inc., which runs Oxnard's facility. MacDonald dissented.
The most heated discussion concerned Del Norte. If solid waste contracts can be notoriously passionate affairs for many cities — the deals are lucrative and competition intense — Oxnard is no exception. The facility has been run by two private firms since it opened in 1996.
A 3-2 vote Tuesday night could change that. Flynn, Perello and Ramirez approved a motion to bring to next week's special meeting an item formally ending the current request-for-proposal process seeking outside operators. Instead, a process would start to have city staff members run the plant in a year or so.
"This is absolute insanity," said MacDonald, who voiced vehement opposition several times.
MacDonald cited a consultant's opinion that city staff members would need at least five years to be able to run Del Norte. He said the council asked for the request-for-proposal process a year ago and was pulling the plug after countless hours of staff time and consultant fees. He also worried the city was rushing to take over and would make mistakes that would cost ratepayers more in the end.
But the majority said substantial profits now going to the operator could lower residents' costs.
In other business, the council:
Voted unanimously to hire an executive search firm Bob Murray & Associates to look for city manager candidates. MacDonald, who served on the selection committee with Ramirez, said Wednesday the deal was for a flat fee of $20,500 plus estimated travel and other costs of about $6,900. The city of Ventura recently used the Sacramento-area company for its city manager search.
The approval means city lawyers will draw up a contract expected to come to the council in September. Then, the selection of a permanent city manager will take about three to six months, MacDonald said.
Ramirez asked that a request by mid-managers to unionize go on next Tuesday's agenda. Several employees addressed the council during public comments, saying they have not received raises in six years, get no overtime and would like their newly formed association to be voluntarily recognized by the council as a bargaining unit. Eighty-eight of the city's 128 mid-manager positions are filled, according to their material.
Reviewed a report on a senior center recommended for a vacant lot at Southwest Community Park. Flynn also asked that $4 million of Measure O money be used for upgrading Wilson and Colonia senior centers, which need repairs.
In closed session, directed legal staff to draft a letter requesting repayment of a $300 monthly retirement perk that had been paid to seven or so high-level staff members. The perk, now discontinued, had been created without formal council approval.
Appointed Stephen Fischer acting city attorney after Alan Holmberg's retirement July 18. Fischer, one of Oxnard's two assistant city attorneys, will hold the spot until the council appoints an interim or permanent city attorney.
IqbalQuidwai 
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Woman jumps out of vehicle on Highway 101 near Lindero Canyon Road
A woman was found lying on the eastbound portion of Highway 101 near the Lindero Canyon Road exit about 9:15 p.m. Thursday, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The woman was later rolled over to the right shoulder, the patrol reported.
Several vehicles stopped on the highway to protect the woman from oncoming traffic, the patrol said.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department was notified of the incident and the woman was placed on a helicopter, authorities said.
A representative of the Lost Hills station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department later said the woman apparently jumped out of a vehicle and onto the freeway. She was scratched up but otherwise OK, the representative said.
The area is in Westlake Village just inside Los Angeles County
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/aug/15/woman-found-laying-on-highway-101-near-lindero/?comments_id=871473#ixzz2cFM9l4Rr
- vcstar.com
FREESTUFF writes:
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TheRevWillyD writes:
LOL
kkayla writes:
Where is that "thumbs up" choice when I need it?
FREESTUFF writes:
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whereyoufromdude writes:
So many questions unanswered or never answered by mr./ms. Staff Reports. Was the car moving at the time? Where did it end up? Did it hit anyone? What was the make and model? Were there any passengers? Was she cited? Was she speeding? C'mon, mr./ms. Staff reports, you gotta stick with the who, what, where, when whys when reporting this kind if meaningful stuff.
FactsMatter writes:
Teabaggers refer to a political group who earned that name by sending tea bags to Obama. Intelligent people realize words can have different meanings based on the context used. Glad to see the Star employees people who understand use of the English language. As some posters apparently do not.
FREESTUFF writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
FactsMatter writes:
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oilpiers writes:
24 hours after this story was originally posted, it still reads like a facebook posting by a 14 year old.
carthomas7 writes:
And you guys want MORE for the rag than world class papers. NO budget to have enough reporters! Delete the stupid comments, not defamatory ones!