City Managers Talk About Growth, Wildfires With Business Leaders

Four city managers of municipalities in Ventura County discussed their respective challenges and opportunities at the first event of the California Lutheran University 2019-2020 Corporate Leaders Breakfast Series. At the breakfast and networking event Sept. 13 with more than 200 attendees held at Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, the city managers – Thousand Oaks’ Andrew Powers, Oxnard’s Alex Nguyen, Agoura Hills’ Greg Ramirez and Ventura’s Alex McIntyre – addressed everything from economic development and business partnerships and housing to transportation, public safety and climate change mitigation. Cal Lutheran’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership Director Dena Jenson moderated the panel. While most of the city managers have been short-lived in their current roles, all of them come to their positions with a wealth of expertise and experience. Prior to his recent appointment as city manger of Thousand Oaks during the Woolsey Fire last November, Powers worked 18 years for local government in media and communications and community partnerships for the city of Ventura. Nguyen came to Oxnard in 2018 with 20 years of California municipal experience in Oakland and in Riverside, where he headed the Office of Homeless Solutions. Ramirez has the lengthiest local resume, appointed city manager of Agoura Hills in 2004, after serving as the assistant city manager, and currently sitting on the City Manager Executive Committee at the League of California Cities. McIntyre has only been Ventura’s city manager since November; however, he had served in the same role for Menlo Park from 2012-2018 and for Lake Oswego, Ore., previously. McIntyre described his complex role as “an incredibly rewarding job and an incredibly challenging job,” while Nguyen admitted that working in a fishbowl under public scrutiny in the 21st century was difficult. “Almost everything that we do we have to do out in the open and in the spotlight and often it is live streaming – scrutiny – in this day of social media with so much noise to wade through to (get to the important work),” said Oxnard’s city manager. In the areas of urban planning and development, Thousand Oaks’ Powers discussed the challenges of channeling through the bureaucracy and moving the needle. “We are trying to be responsive and we’re working with an elected board,” Powers said, noting being a business-friendly city and expediting approvals for new developments boils down to “the importance of relationships.” By example, he gave a shout-out to his mentor, former City Councilman Andy Fox, who was in attendance. Invevitably, the topic of homelessness was raised, and McIntyre outlined Ventura’s “broadbased housing strategy,” a diversity of housing models “that would attract companies and corporations to Ventura.” McIntyre mentioned the 60-bed homeless shelter opening in January to address about 10 percent of Ventura’s 600 homeless population. “We are looking forward to start to make a dent,” McIntyre said. Added Ramirez of Agoura Hills, “We don’t get to make decisions without our board.” Powers also discussed the updating of Thousand Oaks’ general plan, which, in part, is meant to address the ongoing housing crisis. “I’m very excited, we are embarking on the process,” he said. “We are committed to an honest dialogue.” Responding to Jensen’s request to reflect on trends, the topic of district-based elections came up. Nguyen talked about how Oxnard last December joined some 115 California cities that are now district-based. “Now you have, by design, political silos,” Nguyen said. “It’s fascinating in Oxnard how quickly it took.” McIntyre said that when he worked in Menlo Park a year ago, they were converting the municipality to district elections. “That process was painful (and) when I arrived to Ventura, we (had gone through the conversion),” he said. “I don’t know how it will change business but it will change business,” McIntyre added. “Yes, we are elected by district but we are one community. At the end of the day, the roads will be paved, the fires will be put out.” Among the audience questions-and-answer particpants, Dennis Washburn, the original mayor of Calabasas, asked the panel about addressing disasters such as fires. “Everyone who works in a municipal (capacity) is a disaster response worker,” Powers said of Thousand Oaks’ readiness. Ramirez noted that another fire unfolding in the region is not a matter of if but when. He explained that the city of Agoura Hills has been in talks with city of Los Angeles emergency agencies regarding fire suppression and “working with them on tech and ways to deal with fires,” he said. McIntyre ended the panel with a challenge to all of his peers, urging them to seek out those with the potential to become the next wave of city managers. “The next generation needs to be groomed,” McIntyre said. “That’s my closing pitch.”