Waunch sworn in as mayor

Don Waunch was sworn in on Wednesday as the mayor of Camarillo.

First elected to the council in 2000, Waunch won reelection in November over challenger David Schlangen.

Kevin Kildee was also reelected in November and sworn in on Wednesday. He will serve as vice mayor.

The reelection of Waunch and Kildee assures the five council members will have served intact for at least a decade, until the next round of council seats becomes available in 2010.

During his second term as mayor, Waunch said he wants to focus on two major areas: public safety and the city's economic health.

"We, as a city, are in excellent shape," Waunch said, but Camarillo will be affected by the state's financial problems. Other issues that could affect the city's bottom line include a possible drop in sales tax revenue from shopping and fees associated with new housing construction along with a potential increase in water rates.

Waunch said he'll ask for a "complete scrub" of the city's financial state to see where it can save money, including a look at running City Hall more efficiently.

"I know there are areas where we can even do better," he said.

Because crime rates tend to go up when unemployment rises, Waunch said he'll also concentrate on ensuring the city has adequate police coverage.

Waunch took over from Charlotte Craven, who completed her sixth term as mayor.

First elected to the council in 1986, Craven said she's proud of the city's economic health, which she attributed to the council's longtime conservative budget practices and the provision of stable, long-term income from the outlet mall.

Pleased with the burgeoning popularity of the new Camarillo Library, Craven said the number of visitors and books checked out more than doubled during her term compared to last year. Camarillo residents also marked the year by recycling 65 percent of their waste, 10 percent more than last year, Craven said.

One of the most gratifying moments of the year came last month, she said, when the city entered an agreement with a neighboring business owner for 200 additional parking spaces for the Camarillo Ranch House.

"I'm really happy about finding a solution to that problem," Craven said.