Former Mayor  Joe Devito endorses Paul Blatz for Ojai City Council on June 8th.

In his announcement, the 6-term Ojai City Council member and 5-time Mayor stated:      “I am  endorsing Paul Blatz for the June 8th City Council Election."      "I have known Paul for several years and I have seen his leadership first hand. Paul was a valuable asset to Ojai when he worked directly with the City as Chairman of the Planning Commission and on the Redevelopment Commission. His experience working with the City on various Commissions gives him the experience necessary to immediately tackle the important issues facing our city."

     "Paul’s ability to lead is evidenced by his hard work on the Pergola Committee, the Libbey Bowl Project, and the Performing Arts Theater Foundation. His commitment to working with volunteer groups to create the Rotary Community Park and the Shelters along the Bike Path shows that he knows how to get things done without asking the City to do all the work.”

     Paul Blatz replied  "I am honored and extremely appreciative of Joe’s endorsement. Joe has always felt that public service is both a privilege and a responsibility, and to have his trust and his vote means a great deal to me.”

The Ventura County Star:      "For Ojai:  Paul Blatz"

     "Ojai voters are fortunate to have two capable, public-spirited candidates on the June 8 ballot for a seat on the City Council. Paul Blatz and Leonard Klaif both are attorneys who previously ran for the council. Both have lived in the city for decades and have been leaders and participants in community activities and civic issues. Both are articulate as they express comparable philosophies regarding the protection and improvement of Ojai.

     The public could be well served with either man on the council, but there is only one vacancy — a position left open by the retirement of former Mayor Joe DeVito last year. Voters must make the decision.

     The Star recommends Mr. Blatz based on his many years of relevant and useful experience on citizens’ panels in local government, which we see as a valuable complement to his demonstrated public service in other, nongovernmental roles in the community.

     His nine years of experience on the city Planning Commission, including several years as its chairman, coupled with his earlier service on the city Redevelopment Commission, represent more than merely paying political dues or marking time. It’s a type of service that helps a citizen grow in knowledge and wisdom, making him a more effective decision-maker if voters put him in public office with responsibility for taxpayer money.

     If elected, Mr. Blatz pledges to show leadership to make the council less passive in its relationship to the city staff — a change that many, including Mr. Klaif, would welcome.

     Mr. Blatz also says he will push for more progress on projects that have seemed to languish, such as the skate park, and for new efforts to protect the picturesque character of Ojai, such as tighter rules on the appearance of vacant commercial properties, while advocating steps to improve the business climate.

     In addition to those worthwhile objectives, we encourage him to fulfill his promise to see that the reconstruction of Libbey Bowl, a community landmark, is well managed.

     Likewise, we would urge him to take a similarly watchful stance on the idea of a performing-arts theater to ensure that any downtown development would be financially sound as well as built in a size appropriate for Ojai."

--May 8, 2010