City to update business guidebook

The guide the city uses to attract new businesses will have a new look next year.

The City Council voted unanimously last week to spend $35,000 to update the "Discover Camarillo Community Guide," a 16-page directory of city services and amenities.

The price tag includes updated text, new photographs and 10,000 printed copies.

"It's definitely an investment," City Manager Jerry Bankston said.

"Discover Camarillo" is an important tool used by the city's economic development department to recruit new businesses to Camarillo, Bankston said. The guide tells prospective businesses about the community, citing companies based here and the amenities available to residents, including the California State University Channel Islands.

The update is necessary because the city has changed since the last printing in 2003, Bankston said. The state university has grown, and some companies, such as Imation and Technicolor, no longer have offices in Camarillo, while others have relocated here.

Bringing in new businesses mean more jobs, and that helps sustain or expand the city's economy, Bankston said.

The new version could be available in six months.

—Michelle Knight