OXNARD ’S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER
Cassie’s Cats provide a good home for adoptable kitties VOL. XXVIII NO. 38
n See page 11
SEPTEMBER 18, 2020
By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard-- Sept 11 was a special day of community service at the Oxnard Elks Club, as the venue hosted a 9/11 Appreciation Barbeque Dinner to honor lives lost and the men and women of law enforcement who risk their lives keeping everyone safe.
ELKS CLUB BRINGS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AT THE 9/11 AND BACK THE BADGE BARBEQUE
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HE evening featured delicious Tri-Tip steak, chili beans, salad, bread, and dessert, a moist chocolate cake to round out the meal. The Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks, “invest in their communities through programs that help children grow up healthy and drug-free, meet the needs of today’s veterans, and improve the quality of life.” When a new member gets inducted, they receive an American Flag and promise to defend America’s freedoms every day. Member Jeff Burum is proud to stand n Elks Club, see page 5
(Courtesy photo)
Water Resources Control Board approves Ormond Beach Generating Station threeyear extension The agreement will take down the GenOn Power Plant By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com
Nguyen makes his case for Measure E By Chris Frost chris@tricountysentry.com Oxnard-- With the election fast approaching, Oxnard City Manager Alex Nguyen made his case for a 1.5 percent tax increase to add much-needed revenue to the city’s coffer. He presented his plan to the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce during its “Fiscal Sustainability in the Era of Multiple Emergencies” program on Sept. 10. The city, which has been on a destructive course since before Nguyen’s arrival, has faced budget crunches over the past two years.
The city laid people off, closed the Carnegie Art Museum, and outsourced services at the Oxnard Performing Arts and Convention Center (PACC) and golf courses. Both were losing large amounts of money. Add to those challenges Covid-19, which sent the city into an $8.4 million revenue decline. Nguyen told the audience that Oxnard has been in a fiscal hole for a long time. “Last year, we made some significant progress, and we were on our way to getting out of this hole and being, at least, stable again,” he said. “My first budget
(Courtesy photo)
Oxnard City Manager Alex Nguyen.
here two years ago included a proposal of $9.2 million in cuts. The council reached an agreement to cut $5.3 million.” That budget included laying off
30 employees, which was difficult for the council. The city faces losing approximately $8.1 million during the current fiscal year. “After all the cuts, this forces us to eat into our already anemic reserves,” he said. “We’re on thin ice right now. Going from 7-8 months ago, we thought we were achieving stability. After getting walloped by the pandemic and recession, we are now entering into recovery mode, similar to everyone in the county and most cities in California.” He noted that only a handful n Nguyen, see page 7
Oxnard-- During its Sept 15 meeting, the Oxnard City Council received and filed the State Water Resources Control Board approval of the Ormond Beach Generating Station three-year extension. This agreement triggers the process for the City of Oxnard and GenOn to establish the $25 million trust fund with the Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) to dismantle the plant and continue the effort to achieve an Ormond Beach Restoration and Access Plan. City Manager Alex Nguyen presented the item to the council and reviewed pictures of decommissioned power plants in the state that are still there. “Unfortunately, they do not have a plan to be dismantled,” he said. “You can’t even get to remediating the land underneath until you’re able to dismantle the plant.” He worried the two Oxnard power plants would join the list. “I called these monuments to the 20th century because some of these plants, I can foresee being here decades from now continuing to rust into the ground,” he said. n Agreement, see page 6