Recap of ‘06

The biggest story for the city of Camarillo in 2006 was the ongoing debate over whether the Pleasant Valley School District should unify.

With the reelection of pro-unification incumbents Ron Speakman and Jennifer Miller and the win by pro-unification challenger Patty Lerner to the school board last November, it seems clear that Camarillo residents want the district to unify and include the area’s high school students.

Although a Ventura County committee recently gave the okay to send the issue to public vote, the unification movement is currently stalled by an appeal of the committee’s decision by Oxnard Union High School District officials.

Also of note were the reelections of incumbent Camarillo City Councilmembers Mike Morgan, Charlotte Craven and Jan McDonald. The reelection of these longtime council members show that Camarillo residents are happy with the direction of the city.

In sporting news, Camarillo’s Mike and Bob Bryan won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon this July, making them only the third doubles team to have won the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Among the top stories of 2006:

•The $6 million Family YMCA-Hiji Center opened in Camarillo in April.

•Camarillo was recognized by the California Department of Finance as the fastest growing city in Ventura County due in large part to ongoing construction of the 1,040-home Village at the Park housing community.

•Pleasant Valley School District Superintendent Thomas Dase resigned to take the same position with a school district in San Jose, Calif. Ken Moffett was hired as interim superintendent.

•Cmdr. Mike Lewis, Camarillo’s chief of police, retired from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department to head the Simi Valley Police Department. Cmdr. Stephen DeCesari took the job as Camarillo’s top cop.

•The “Next Chapter” Fundraising campaign for the new Camarillo Library has raised more than $600,000 for the 65,000-square-foot facility. The library is expected to open in February.

•The city moved forward with a number of capital improvement plans, including a joint effort with the state and county to widen Lewis Road out to California State University at Channel Islands, the final phase of the Old Town redevelopment project and plans to build a fullservice Marriott Hotel and convention center on the west side of the city.

Happy New Year, Camarillo. Here’s to an even better 2007.