It is like the city of Thousand Oaks is playing the game of Musical Chairs with the office of mayor, and the other four council members have removed Claudia Bill-de la Pena’s Chair.
At their reorganization meeting on December 8, the T.O. City Council chose Dennis Gillette as the new mayor and Andy Fox as mayor pro tem. Tradition on the T.O. City Council, till 2009, was that the office of mayor rotated among the members, with each being appointed mayor pro tem for a year, and then moving up to mayor the next year.Â
Claudia last served as mayor in 2005, when incidentally, ally Ed Masry was also serving on the City Council, till his death in December of that year. Her rotation for mayor pro tem should have come up again for 2009, but instead, Dennis Gillette got the appointment from the council.
The rest of the City Council…Dennis Gillette, Tom Glancy, Jacqui Irwin and Andy Fox, had the chance at this month’s reorganization meeting to correct the error of skipping Claudia, but they chose not to. Instead, Andy Fox was appointed as the new mayor pro tem, to follow Dennis Gillette’s 2010 term.
I appreciate when our elected officials act with manners and follow tradition, which the Thousand Oaks City Council is not doing. I think it is time to restore Claudia Bill-de la Pena’s chair in their game of mayoral Musical Chairs. To read 12-9 article by Teresa Rochester in the Ventura County Star: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2009/dec/09/thousand-oaks-picks-gillette-as-its-mayor/
Posted by Janna Orkney
Mary Wiesbrock // Dec 19, 2009 at 7:08 PM
Yes, Claudia Bill-de la Pena deserves to be mayor. It rightly is her turn.
Claudia is an elected official who truly does represent the citizens of Thousand Oaks. Claudia can be trusted to continue supporting the preservation of Rancho Potrero open space in Newbury Park. Claudia and husband Ron helped in the preservation of 5400 acre Ahmanson Ranch that serves as a buffer of open space from the San Fernando Valley.
Why not make things right and vote for Claudia to be in the rotation for mayor? It IS her turn and she has earned this honor!
Mary Wiesbrock, Chair Save Open Space/Santa Monica Mountains
Mark Burley // Dec 19, 2009 at 8:45 PM
While I congratulate Dennis Gillette on being re-appointed as Mayor of Thousand Oaks, I note that Claudia Bill-de la Pena is certainly qualified to take the position as Mayor again.
By following the tradition of rotating the mayorship it takes politics and dissent out of what is largely a ceremonial position anyway.
I hope that next year Claudia Bill-de la Pena will be put back in the rotation in recognition of all her achievements for the city
clint // Dec 20, 2009 at 8:54 PM
This is not the first time this has happend. Former councilwoman Elois Zeanah, a very outspoken woman who had the ability to mobilize literally thousands across the community in order to question the council majority, was also passed by.
As long as the residents in Thousand Oaks continue to re-elect the same people, this will continue.