State of the City 101

Every year Camarillo's mayor has the opportunity to address the community with the State of the City address.

This year's speech was given Tuesday afternoon at Spanish Hills Country Club by Mayor Jan McDonald.

The address is intended to reflect on where the city is, where it's going and how exactly the city council plans to pay for all the necessary repairs and upgrades needed to keep Camarillo such a special place to live and work.

Although it's not locally televised nor attended by a large number of residents, it's the mayor's chance to offer an insider's look at city hall- both the good and the bad.

That's why it was disappointing that McDonald chose to truncate her speech and instead show a 30-minute video produced by the city that simply gave a brief overview of local businesses and city services.

Sure, the video had high production value and showcased the city well. But the information presented only offered a one-dimensional view of Camarillo.

What the video- and the mayor- failed to present was a deeper understanding of the city's upcoming projects, the challenges it faces and how Camarillo's remaining unused land will be developed.

McDonald gave a good presentation about the budget- which is balanced- but skimmed over a number of important issues.

She did not fully explain the status of the impending 1,500-unit Springville housing community and its issues with Camarillo Airport or whether the Camarillo Commons redevelopment project has gained support from affected business owners. She did not discuss the possible development of St. John's Seminary, the city's affordable housing situation, the effect that shrinking federal aid is having on area social services, the economic impact the addition to the Camarillo Outlet Mall will have on the area or where negations stand between the city and Marriott to bring a full-service hotel and conference center to Camarillo.

The mayor only spoke briefly of impending state-mandated housing requirements and new laws limiting water runoff from buildings, which are expected to make construction costs rise even higher.

Yes, in general, the city is doing well, due in large part due to a steady City Council and a responsive city staff.

It's unfortunate, though, that McDonald didn't take full advantage of her opportunity to really talk about Camarillo. Instead she chose to shy away from the deeper, more complex issues and stick with the superficial.

Residents who want to know deserve to hear the whole story- and it should be told in person, not on video.