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Dear Editor,

So who exactly is Bruce Porter, and what does he really stand for?

Porter claims to be a proud independent – but campaign filings show that he received more than $20,000 from the Santa Barbara Republican Party.

His campaign websites – he has two, apparently so he can present different faces to different people — pretend to champion green energy and environmental stewardship, and promise to end commercial oil shipping.  But the local Republican Party relies heavily on contributions from oil and gas developers.  It’s not a stretch connect oil and gas interests on the one end and Bruce Porter on the other.

Porter’s trademark seems to be a loose relationship to the truth.  He first denied a connection with an Isla Vista Rock the Vote group, which was disavowed by the national RTV organization and then exposed for engaging in voter suppression . . . until his involvement was proven. Then he bragged about reducing the number of student voters. 

Porter created a “non-profit” organization, supposedly to help students transition to college life, using a third website. But despite claiming its mission as ‘work[ing] to help UCSB and SBCC students transition into college,” the website is nothing more than a travel guide of local tourist attractions. These are hardly the “resources” that new undergrads need as they transition to college life!

Porter’s campaign websites effectively plagiarize the positions that Joan Hartmann, our current County Supervisor, has been working on so successfully.  

Does he have anything real to offer?

Michael Nicola

Los Alamos, CA

In a recent Commentary Richard Nagler stated that Third District Supervisor, Joan Hartmann, had cost the Santa Ynez Valley school district millions of dollars in funding through two decisions she had made – one was an oblique reference to “the Santa Ynez Unit” and the other to the agreement made between the County and the Chumash Tribe regarding Camp 4.

Both assertions are patently false and so easily disproved as to suggest that Mr. Nagler was not  interested in educating voters, only in misleading them.

First, we must assume that his reference to “the Santa Ynez Unit” was regarding the denial of an emergency permit to Exxon Mobil to truck oil seventy times a day up and down the Gaviota Coast.  The truth is Supervisor Hartmann did not participate in making that decision as it occurred in 2015 before she was even elected to the Board of Supervisors. 

Second, Supervisor Hartmann was never legally in a position to negotiate with the Tribe for funding for the Santa Ynez school district.  She could only negotiate on behalf of the County.  The school district has their own duly elected Board to negotiate for the betterment of their district of which Mr. Bruce Porter has been a member.  If Mr. Nagler thought that the school district should get more money from the Tribe, why didn’t he ask Mr. Porter to do it?  Indeed, why didn’t Mr. Porter think to do it himself?  Was it because he was quite satisfied by the funds the Tribe had already gifted to the school?  Or was he too intimidated by the Tribe to ask for more funds for the students he purportedly represents?  We may never know the truth.  However, whether complicit or cowardly, the responsibility for negotiating with the Tribe on behalf of the school district fell squarely on Mr. Porter’s shoulders and not on Supervisor Hartmann’s.  In contrast, throughout her term in office Supervisor Hartmann has consistently been honest, transparent, courageous and successful in asking for more resources for all her constituents.  On March 3^rd, vote to Re Elect Joan Hartmann. 

Doreen Farr,

Ojai, CA

Dear Editor,

I have been an environmental attorney for 30 years and in that time, few people have shown as much leadership in environmental protection as Joan Hartmann. I first worked with Joan when she helped fight oil development offshore Santa Barbara County.

I worked closely with Joan when she was on the Board of Directors of the Environmental Defense Center. Her background as an environmental attorney, who worked on wetlands preservation, as well as wildlife and habitat protection, were reflected in her keen understanding of the issues. Her collaborative approach to problem solving meant that she looked for best possible solutions to environmental challenges.

Joan was the driving force behind Measure A in Buellton, the initiative that ensures that the community decides whether or not development should push urban development into agricultural and open space. She has helped other communities to craft similar ordinances.

Joan helped the Gaviota community adopt a plan that protects agriculture, scenic views, and natural and cultural resources — something that took years! She pushed hard to expand parks and trails to ensure more community opportunities to get out into nature.

 Joan is a passionate advocate of clean energy and the green jobs that come with it. She led the County’s effort to join a community choice energy program that will let us buy energy from renewable sources.

 We are incredibly fortunate to have Joan on the Board of Supervisors. I urge all those who care about the environment to vote for her on March 3.

Sincerely,

Linda Krop

Goleta, CA

Dear Editor – Santa Ynez Valley Star

I live on a horse ranch on Fredensborg Canyon Road.  Supervisor Joan Hartmann was instrumental in preventing a cannabis farm in our community from expanding to a large growing operation.

The grower was already growing medicinal marijuana for personal use.  He was proposing to build just under 15,000 square feet in greenhouses for marijuana cultivation, on a five acre parcel completely surrounded by homes and small ranches, in a neighborhood community outside the Solvang City limits.  It was not a suitable place for a large growing operation, as even the Solvang City Council stated and voted.  But, because it wasn’t immediately next to the Solvang urban boundary, it wasn’t automatically banned, and it might well have been approved.

We reached out to Joan Hartmann, who dove in to help.  She and her staff worked for six months with the community to revamp the ordinance to prevent that grow, and others like it.  She met with a room full of angry people, but stayed with us, working together through the Planning Commission and back to the Board of Supervisors.  Joan took a leadership role throughout; she was one woman in a room full of men, but speaking with a ‘‘soft loud voice’.  That’s Joan; she speaks from the heart, but follows through with knowledge, commitment, and expertise.

We had a gathering not long ago to celebrate the revamped ordinance and our neighborhood being saved … and we honored Joan Hartmann’s work for our community.

Sincerely,

E. U. Dreyfuss

Solvang, CA

Dear Editor,

I’ve known Joan Hartmann for many years and the one thing that has always impressed me is how deeply committed she is to working with all sides on an issue. Whether she was volunteering as a citizen to help lead Buellton citizens to take hold of the decisions regarding the boundaries of their community, or promoting finding common ground as a member of the Planning Commission on contentious land-use issues, especially in the Santa Ynez Valley, Joan seeks to build coalitions of inclusiveness. She does not engage in finger pointing.

 Hers’ is a practical approach, not one of a demagogue, and the results speak for themselves. For example, her leadership as a member of the Board of Supervisors has resulted in remarkable forward-thinking with the development of the Strategic Energy Plan, a renewable energy initiative that will provide the citizens of Santa Barbara County with competitively-priced carbon-free electricity for generations to come and one of the first to do so in our state.

 You can talk to Joan and she listens. And she cares about what you say. It is as simple as that. What more can you wish for from an elected official? I am supporting Joan for re-election. I hope you do, too.

Mark Oliver

Solvang, CA

I wholeheartedly support Bruce Porter in the upcoming election for 3rd District Supervisor in Santa Barbara County.  I was born and raised in Santa Barbara, and after many years of living and working outside of the area, my husband and I chose to return to the county and make our home in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley.  We have become active members of our wonderful community by volunteering for various nonprofit organizations.  I have worked in both the private and public sector, and was also a small business owner and employer, giving me a broad perspective on how our County Supervisors can best serve our 3rd District citizens.  

A group of Rancho Santa Ynez Estates residents here in Solvang, including myself, recently hosted Bruce Porter to meet and speak with us, as well as those in the adjoining Alisal Glen neighborhood along Fjord Drive.  We are a community that the county has been steamrolling over in their personal vision of what’s “best” for their agendas, and they have ignored our many voices about our concerns with how their proposals will negatively affect and forever change the nature of the quiet and safe neighborhood that has existed here for 50 years.

Bruce, however, reached out to us, took the time to hear our concerns, answer questions, have a genuine discussion, and share his vision for the 3rd District. We desperately need a change of county leadership, and Bruce has proven himself to be a deeply committed candidate who understands the challenges we face, as well as opportunities for the future, and has the determination and the experience to produce results.

Our Santa Ynez Valley community is home to people from all walks of life. We have chosen this place as home, and most people I know want to work to make and keep our community the best that it can be. I know that Bruce wants the same, and he will fight for us all.

Denise Rose

Solvang, CA

Dear Editor,

If you are looking for a reason to vote for Joan Hartmann as 3d District Supervisor, you need look no further than the County’s progress on clean energy since Joan joined the Board of Supervisors in 2017.

With Joan as a leading proponent, the County joined Monterey Bay Community Power, which will enable us to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity throughout the County.

Joan has been a strong advocate for the Strauss Wind Energy Project, which will double renewable electricity generation in the County, providing energy for 30% of the County’s households. Wind is a high performing clean energy producer. It generates more power per nameplate capacity than solar: while a solar plant produces about 25% of the time, wind produces 33%.

Joan has also pushed the County to develop a Strategic Energy Plan that will include energy resiliency and the streamlining and acceleration of renewable energy development. Thus, the Board approved the largest solar+storage+EV charging microgrid in the region at the Betteravia Government Center. It also adopted a responsible vehicle policy, setting the goal of an electric-vehicle-only purchasing policy for County light duty sedans, leading to around 50 new EVs in the fleet as well as charging stations for fleet and employee usage.

Our County must “go green” if we are to combat climate change and stimulate an economy based on the jobs of the future.  Joan Hartmann has been leading us down this road, and we need her to continue to do so.

Dave Davis,

Santa Barbara, CA

Dear Editor,

As the person who chaired Goleta’s Agriculture Protection Initiative effort, I know that Joan Hartmann understands and supports key values Goleta residents hold dear.  Even before Joan Hartmann became Supervisor, she was instrumental in helping us protect Goleta’s largest remaining agriculture parcels.

Joan spearheaded Buellton’s successful Urban Growth Boundary initiative.  This helped Buellton prevent urban sprawl and preserve its semi-rural character.

Thanks to Joan generously sharing her expertise with us, we were able to put Measure G2012 on the ballot to preserve Goleta’s agricultural heritage.  Our measure was passed by 71% of Goleta voters of all political persuasions.  As a result, no rezone of Goleta’s largest agriculture parcels can now occur without prior voter approval.

Since becoming Supervisor, Joan Hartmann has continued to be a great supporter of Goleta.  Just a few examples include her support for ending oil drilling off our coast, closing down oil processing at Haskell’s Beach and effectively stopping explosive oil products from being shipped by truck or rail through our city.  She has consistently worked to protect our access to Goleta Beach, and to preserve the Gaviota Coast, the foothills and other such County areas surrounding Goleta.

I urge everyone who cares about Goleta to vote for Joan Hartmann for Third District Supervisor in the March 3^rd election. We need her experience and proven commitment to Goleta issues on the Board of Supervisors.

Bob Wignot

Chair of The Goodland Coalition Goleta, Ca

The post Letters to the Editor Feb. 21 appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

By Joan Hartmann

I have spent my life making government more responsive to the people. My greatest privilege has been serving as your supervisor, addressing your concerns and responding to your needs. I am honored to be endorsed in my re-election by both the Santa Barbara County Firefighters and Deputy Sheriffs Associations.

The hallmark of my office is responsiveness and openness. We respond to all calls promptly and I hold regular office hours in Solvang and throughout the district. 

Despite recent natural disasters, the County’s budget is balanced, with a fully restored Rainy-Day fund. We’ve improved efficiencies in delivering mental health, homeless services, criminal justice, and programs for children and families. I have championed clean energy and water wise projects along with expanded parks and trails for public health and community well-being.

I have a balanced and pragmatic approach to my job and take pride in working with community partners to achieve shared goals:

– Public Safety: I worked to ensure that our Fire, EMS and Sheriff have the resources they need to ensure your safety. Together, we’ve improved disaster preparedness, are instituting borderless dispatch, and have held the utilities accountable for recent disasters and power shutoffs. 

– Highway Safety: I championed a Traffic Safety Study of Highways 154, 246 and 101 to identify and fund upgrades. I chair the Highway 154 Safety Taskforce committed to bring improvements along this highway.

– Senior Services: I facilitated long-term leases for both the Solvang and Buellton Senior Centers and supported a major funding grant to the Buellton Senior Center.

– Libraries: I increased funding to keep our libraries open and serving the public.

– Tourism: I sponsored a successful bicycle tourism summit, and I support agricultural tourism through a new Farm-Stay ordinance. 

– Bikes & Mobility: I advocated for the Santa Ynez Valley Bike Master Plan and a collaborative Safe Routes to School bike education program.

– Parks & Recreation: I am leading the countywide effort for a Recreation Master Plan to guide park and trail improvements. I initiated a major contribution from the County to the Santa Ynez Valley Aquatics Complex.

– Cannabis: The County seeks a well-regulated and enforceable cannabis industry consistent with state regulations and voter-approved Proposition 64. I led the effort to institute a cap on cultivation, to ban cultivation on small parcels, and to direct the planning commission to consider additional measures to resolve the conflicts between traditional agriculture and cannabis and further protect urban-rural boundaries. 

– Camp 4. Without a local agreement, Camp 4 would have been put into trust by Congress and the County and community would have had no say in how Camp 4 was developed. Under pressure of this Congressional action, I negotiated an enforceable, local agreement with the Tribe that prohibits gaming, restricts development to 143 homes and a tribal center, while ensuring that 90% of the property will remain in agriculture or open space.

I am proud of my record of service. 

I would be honored to have your vote to continue this important work.

Candidate Statement

By Karen Jones

My name is Karen Jones and I am running for 3rd District Supervisor to protect the rights of the individual, the smallest minority on earth. I want to bring rational thought to the County’s decision making process. 

As a long time private property rights advocate, I am not against development as long as all parties are treated equally. I see an alarming trend of our elected representation catering to the interests of big money in a manner that is driving out the small business, the family farmer and the individual property owner in the 3rd District. Our current Supervisor and the other two candidates in the race have expressed support for Santa Barbara County writing rules and ordinances so complicated only the very wealthy are able to comply. This is destroying the fabric of our home and robbing us of our individual liberty.

In 2010 I was part of a small group of Santa Ynez Valley residents who founded the Santa Ynez Valley Opportunity Shop, a non-profit thrift store operated by an unincorporated association of volunteers established to raise funds for worthy local causes. After serving a two year term as president of the SYVOS board 2010-2012, I remain an active participant, volunteering in the thrift store and helping wherever needed. 

The SYV Opportunity Shop has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to various causes, including regular donations to the local chapters of the American Legion and VFW, the Buellton and Solvang Senior Centers Meals On Wheels programs, and academic scholarships for graduating SYVUHS seniors. In September 2019 our members voted to donate $10,000 to the Santa Barbra County Stand Down. 

My first run for 3rd District Supervisor in 2016 was unplanned, unsuccessful and amazing. I am proud of my performance even though I came up short on election night.  I was able to alter the dialogue of the race and the experience altered the trajectory of my life. My performance impressed some of my friends and neighbors who then encouraged me to run for the Santa Ynez Community Services District. Since assuming office in 2017 I have done the research, asked the right questions and I have been an instrument of positive change. I am the first woman to serve the SYCSD and was unanimously elected by my colleagues to a second term as board president.

In 2017 I was elected to serve on the Santa Ynez Valley Airport Authority Board of Directors.  I served as secretary of the board in 2018 and currently am chairman of the membership committee. Once again the only woman on the board when elected, I now serve with a strong and diverse new group of directors. 

I am happily married to a multi-generational native son of the 3rd District. Two of our adult children and all five of our grandchildren live in Santa Barbara County so the issues and challenges we face matter to me on multiple levels. I care about protecting agricultural land, water and air quality, and the rights of every individual who calls Santa Barbara County home. 

Candidate Statement

By Jessica Alvarez Parfrey

We are living in a world that is changing very quickly, increasingly complex, and uncertain for many. I believe that it is imperative that we recognize a growing desire to see our politics and our institutions reflect this changing world in a meaningful way. NOW must be the time for big visions, bold changes, and real collaboration.

It’s getting personal, being real, and allowing ourselves to be vulnerable enough to take into account the richness of our diverse experiences and viewpoints will help us to master an ability to find the common ground that exists between anyone who calls themselves human. This planet is shared, and the fate of future generations will depend on the choices we make here together, and the difficult conversations we have the patience and compassion to master.

The issues and the ideas surrounding “home” are very personal to me. As a renter in Santa Barbara County, I find that my idea of home has become much less about acquiring a mortgage, and much more about connecting to the land that I am on (including its history) and collaborating with people in my community to build a shared sense of safety, connection, meaning, and value. We may not pay property taxes on a real estate asset, but we are paying dearly to live in a county, that needs us but does not seem to want us.

The need for affordable housing that can be deployed in a timely and cost-effective manner (low carbon, low capital) is in greater need than ever. I would take on this challenge even more precisely and ask that the birthplace of the environmental movement offer up the courage, vision, creativity, and leadership to address systemic issues in a truly intentional holistic process that is place-based, participatory, and just. We must prioritize a shift to community-driven processes, and real collaboration through governance to help inform a truly green and just economy.

“Bouncing back” or Resilience is at its heart a systems design method that takes a cue from the way in which emergent and natural systems are able to maintain enough fluidity, diversity, and responsiveness to challenges and changes. I believe that our county needs to learn from the mistakes of the past, and be better at recognizing and responding to the immense challenges and opportunities that come along with our budding Cannabis economy — including both the smokable and wearable kind.

I believe that we need to be more excited and engaged with the energy coming from the Isla Vista/UCSB Community — this is our gateway to the future, a true county asset! We need to thoughtfully and intentionally explore the power of public banking; furthering our vision of a healthy and rooted financial infrastructure that empowers us to do more and better as a community.

I believe that Santa Barbara County, and the diverse communities of the Third District, have immense potential and opportunity for climate-smart regional economic development and design that is innovative, responsive, regenerative, and yes — beautiful. 

Candidate Statement

By Bruce Porter

Every election represents a choice, and this year, the choice could not be more clear.

County leaders constantly leave the Santa Ynez Valley in the dust. For decades they have enacted laws that make it hard for small businesses to thrive and contribute to our economy. When cuts are necessary and the budget ax falls, public services have often been the first on the chopping block.

The result: Our roads are some of the worst in the county, a bungled cannabis policy left neighbors and law-abiding cannabis growers in the dark, a school district has been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy while others are forced to reduce staff, and we have fewer Sheriff’s deputies than we did before the recession. 

But the Santa Ynez Valley is not the only community with unmet needs. In fact, the entire third district — which has the greatest number of residents living in unincorporated communities — is hit the hardest by the lack of leadership and direction by the current board.

When I took an oath to serve my country after graduating from West Point, I promised lifelong service to my neighbors and community. I served for 25 years alongside thousands of young men and women in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I helped build and manage critical infrastructure projects, protected natural resources, fought tyranny in the Gulf War, and responded to natural and manmade disasters including oil spills and wildfires.

I have been proud to call Santa Barbara County my home for two decades. Since settling in the valley with my wife, Jeanette, and our children, I have served on the boards of the Red Cross, Food Bank, Boy Scouts, Rotary, and Santa Ynez High School — where I helped balance budgets through tough times and graduated 99 percent of our students. I hope to continue my record of service as your next county supervisor.

I want to bring a shift in priorities to the county government on what’s most important: maintaining roads, parks, and libraries; protecting our environment; improving water infrastructure; ensuring public safety; addressing the rise in homelessness; and enhancing our quality of life. 

My goals as Supervisor would be to restore common sense and local governance, focused on creating an economically sustainable and resident-responsive government. We should not be scrambling to fix our own failures by papering them over with additional taxes and unbinding resolutions. We should not wield ordinances like a hammer against any industry who looks like they are going to “do too well.” 

This is a way of governance that has been in place for decades at the county level – one I am committed to changing my first day in office.

I promise to focus on better support for families in Guadalupe, responsive governance in Isla Vista, fairness for all in the Santa Ynez Valley, protection of agriculture and the Gaviota coast, and returning $5 million to Goleta annually.

I hope to earn your vote. Visit my website, BrucePorter.Org, and email me at Bruce@BrucePorter.Org if you have any questions.

The post 3rd District Supervisor Candidate Statements appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The Santa Ynez Valley Star and the Santa Barbara Independent have teamed up to co-host a forum on Feb. 5 for 3rd District Supervisor candidates, which will allow the four of them to give their opinions and stances on issues from agriculture to housing and other topics. The forum starts at 5:30 p.m. at Hotel Corque in Solvang. 

Four people are seeking the 3rd District county supervisor seat, which represents the Santa Ynez Valley as well as other areas from Isla Vista to Guadalupe. Incumbent Joan Hartmann will contend with former challengers Bruce Porter, a financial advisor and former Santa Ynez Valley Union High School board member; and Karen Jones, a member of the Santa Ynez Community Services District board. New to the field is Jessica Parfrey, a Goleta resident who works at Eco Vista. 

The forum will start with an hour of meet-and-greet from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., when voters an speak with the candidates. Then the candidates will start a formal question and answer session with moderators Matt Kettmann of the Independent and Raiza Giorgi of the Star. 

“I hope that people come and listen to the candidate statements on topics that affect the valley and the district. This is the time to make an informed decision on who to vote for, and I hope that people keep an open mind,” Giorgi said.

Those unable to attend the forum will be able to watch it live-streamed on the Star’s Facebook page. It will also be available to watch later on the Star’s YouTube channel. 

The 3rd District includes UCSB, Isla Vista, western Goleta, Gaviota, the Santa Ynez Valley, Mission Hills, Vandenberg Village, Casmalia, Tanglewood and Guadalupe.

The Star will not be endorsing any candidates for this election, and the Independent has indicated that its endorsements will not come out until after the forum. 

The primary elections are earlier than normal this year, coinciding with the California presidential primary on Tuesday, March 3.

Mail-in ballots will be mailed beginning Monday, Feb. 3, and the close of voter registration will be Monday, Feb. 17, according to the Santa Barbara County Registrar of Voters.

The post Candidate forum will cover issues facing 3rd District appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

After more than 20 years of serving Santa Barbara County in various capacities, Santa Ynez Valley resident Elizabeth Farnum has retired from her post as a local representative for the 3^rd District county supervisor.

Farnum had worked as an attorney in the County Counsel’s office, volunteered as a Planning Commissioner, and most recently worked for 10 years as a 3rd District Representative for both Supervisors Doreen Farr and Joan Hartmann.

She retired on Jan. 10, and Hartmann has hired environmental consultant Meighan Dietenhofer, a Santa Ynez Valley native, to fill the position.

Farnum began her work for Santa Barbara County as a deputy county counsel specializing in land use, air quality, and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) issues. After that, she served as 3rd District planning commissioner, appointed by Supervisor Gail Marshall.

Upon her election in 2008, Farr named Elizabeth as district representative for the Santa Ynez Valley – a role she filled for all of Farr’s tenure and for the past two years with Hartmann.

 Elizabeth’s extensive experience at the county, her encyclopedic knowledge of Santa Ynez Valley issues, and her close relationships with valley residents were instrumental in providing wise counsel and practical advice on a wide variety of policy issues such as the Santa Ynez Valley Community Plan, water, parks and open space, libraries, seniors, the Gaviota Coast, and Highway 154 safety improvements, according to a county statement.

“Throughout all of the challenges and emergencies that arose over the years,” Farr said, “Elizabeth remained stalwart, calm and unflappable and became not just a trusted and loyal member of my staff but a good friend and confidant. Her retirement is certainly well deserved, but she will be sorely missed by so many residents for whom she worked incredibly hard to make Santa Barbara County a better place to live for everyone.”

 “I will dearly miss working with Elizabeth every day. I am deeply grateful for her years of service to both the 3rd District and the county. She has played a tremendous role in preserving the rural character of the valley and has helped hundreds, if not thousands, of valley residents. She has been our rudder,” Hartmann said.

In retirement, Farnum said, she looks forward to more adventure traveling, more swimming, snorkeling and hiking, and just spending more time outside, which includes gardening.

She was recognized for her years of service with an honorary resolution at the Jan. 8 Board of Supervisors meeting.

Meighan Dietenhofer

Meighan Dietenhofer, who has been hired to fill the position, has worked for more than 20 years in private environmental consulting, for UCSB at Sedgwick Reserve, and for Santa Barbara County at both the Flood Control District and the Water Agency.

She holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of Puget Sound and a master’s degree in water resources management from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UCSB.

She lives in the Santa Ynez Valley, where she is a third-generation resident and where she and her husband are now raising their two children.

Dietenhofer most recently served as a commissioner representing the 3rd District on the county’s Riding and Hiking Trails Advisory Committee and on the county’s Park Commission.

 “I am ecstatic that Ms. Dietenhofer is joining our staff; she has diverse experience and deep roots in the Santa Ynez Valley and I feel very fortunate to bring her skills and knowledge to our team,” Hartmann said.

 The 3rd District is the geographically largest and most diverse district in the county, extending from UCSB and Isla Vista up the Gaviota Coast, into the Santa Ynez Valley and up to Vandenberg Village and Guadalupe.

Hartmann maintains offices in Santa Maria in the Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Center at 511 Lakeside Parkway, in Solvang at 1745 Mission Drive, and in Santa Barbara in the county Administrative Building at 105 East Anapamu St.

The post Farnum retires after 20 years of county service appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Staff report

County Supervisor Joan Hartmann has announced her nomination of Santa Ynez Valley resident Cerene St. John as the next planning commissioner for the 3rd District.

The vacancy was created by the resignation last month of Marell Brooks. St. John’s appointment is pending approval from the County Board of Supervisors.

“I’m very appreciative of all the hard work Marell has done representing the interests of Third District residents on so many diverse land use issues over the past years. She has performed an invaluable service to the Third District,” Hartmann said.

St. John is a practicing attorney and a former city attorney for the city and county of San Francisco. She also served as the city Solid Waste Program Manager for the Sunnyvale.

Most recently, she has run her own firms providing solid waste and recycling consulting and legal services for cities and counties throughout California. In this capacity, she has drafted and negotiated franchise agreements, procurement documents and ordinances for jurisdictions including the county of Santa Clara and the cities of Tustin, Napa, Laguna Niguel, Rancho Mirage, Mission Viejo and Sunnyvale.

“Cerene is a superbly qualified candidate in all ways, and I am so pleased that she has agreed to step into this position,” Hartmann said. “I have the utmost confidence that Cerene St. John’s experience working with local governments and stakeholders will help make her an exceptional commissioner.”

St. John has lived in the Santa Ynez Valley since 2000. She enjoys hiking with her German shepherd, Luna, and gardening.

The post SYV attorney nominated to county planning commission appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Only Field, Hartmann and Jones will be present at this forum. Porter had a previous engagement and Freeman didn’t return our requests to see if he will be attending.

The forums have been covering a wide range of topics in the Santa Ynez Valley from wineries, agriculture, events, short-term rental vacation homes, allowable uses, water rights and issues, property rights and more.

Tonight’s forum will from from 7 – 9 p.m. at the Los Alamos Valley Men’s Club located at 429 Leslie Street. This event is sponsored by Frequency Wines and Dumetz Wines.

The primary election will be on June 7. If the race is not a close decision the candidate will be elected, however if it’s too close to call then it will go to the November ballot.

The post Final 3rd District Candidate Forum Tonight appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

“When it comes to public safety, it’s important that we have leaders at the helm who understand exactly what’s at stake,” stated DSA President Matt McFarlin. “Bruce’s unwavering sense of duty and trusted leadership has kept our nation secure and our county safe, and we are proud to support him for Santa Barbara County Supervisor.”

Bruce Porter graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for over 25 years. He led assignments that included direct combat, as well as construction and protecting the environment. He retired in 2001 with the rank of Colonel.

“I am most honored to be endorsed by these local heroes, who put their lives on the line every single day so that the rest of us are able to go about our lives in peace,” Porter said.

Porter went on to say, “Our county needs leaders with a strong commitment to public safety, and who also have skills in fiscal responsibility, environmental protection, business development, youth and education, infrastructure planning, and sustainability. Working toward these goals is one of the most important things we can ask of our elected leaders. As your Supervisor, I will work hard every day to ensure our communities are kept safe, our budget is balanced, and our community’s rural character and quality of life remain intact.”

Porter is a Certified Financial Planner and has practiced as a Financial Advisor since 2001. Since 2008, Porter has brought his zeal for education to the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District’s board of education, where he has served as both an elected member and president of the board. As a former Director of the Buellton Chamber of Commerce and a longtime community leader, Porter has volunteered much of his time to a number of other local organizations, including the Santa Barbara County Chapter of the American Red Cross, Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Board, the Santa Ynez Valley Youth Coalition and the Solvang Rotary Club. Bruce additionally holds two Master’s degrees from Stanford.

Bruce lives in Santa Ynez with his wife of 30 years, Janette, who is an RN and local school nurse. They have two daughters and a son who is serving in the United States Navy.

To learn more about Bruce, visit: www.BrucePorter.org.

The post Porter gets endorsement from SBC Sheriff’s Association appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

“It’s time to upgrade the services provided in Santa Barbara County to care for our veterans.

One of the most significant duties of government is to care for veterans who honorably served our country. Responsibilities are shared across the federal, state, and county governments,” Porter said.

Here in Santa Barbara County, there are about 24,000 veterans and three Veterans Services Offices—in Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Santa Maria—dedicated to providing services for those veterans.

A significant service in the county are Veterans Courts. The courts give honorably discharged veterans an opportunity to have nonviolent criminal charges reduced or dismissed after completing a year of treatment. The graduates are paired with mentors, also veterans, and work with the Probation Department and Behavioral Wellness staff.

“I call on the county to take the next step for our veterans, above and beyond this solid base that’s already been established. There are three measures that we should take,” he said.

First, Porter outlined there should be upgrades for the staff handling the current caseload. Two of the county offices have only a single staff officer, according to Porter.

“When that officer is out of the office to accompany a veteran at Veterans Court, for example, the office is closed and no services are available. We should staff each office with two officers, which will give the offices greatly expanded opportunities for proactive outreach,” he said.
Second,  there needs to be an upgrade of the facilities which house Veterans Services Officers.

“Some offices are tiny, others have virtually no privacy in which to provide counseling,” Porter added.
Third, there is a need to upgrade the priority and visibility of Veterans Services Offices in the county structure.

 “VSOs are currently buried deep inside the county’s Office of the Treasurer – Tax Collector – Public Administrator. Given the importance of this function of government, Veterans Services Offices should work directly under the County Public Administrator,” Porter said.

These proposals will cost more money, according to Porter, of an increase from an annual budget of about $400,000 to $500,000, still less than 1 percent of the county budget.

“There will be a growth of county employees from 4 to 6, out of over 4,000 county employees, so about 0.15 percent of total employees. That seems like a small price to pay to improve the way we serve those who have given so much for our country,” Porter said.

Bruce Porter is running to represent the residents of the 3rd District. which is the largest supervisorial district in Santa Barbara County and includes the communities of the Santa Ynez Valley, western Goleta, UCSB and Isla Vista, Vandenberg AFB, Vandenberg Village, Mesa Oaks, Mission Hills, Los Alamos, and Guadalupe.

To learn more about Bruce, visit: www.BrucePorter.org

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