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City Council — April 8, 2026

City Council — April 8, 2026April 8, 2026

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BodyCity Council
MeetingRegular Meeting
Date📅 April 8, 2026

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Meeting Summary

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Present: 2-Santangelo, 5-Martinez-Bravo, 3-Kildee, 4-Trembley, 1-Tennessen

This summary was AI-generated to save you time. It may miss or misstate details — verify against the official recording and the transcript.

At a glance

Museum of Ventura County Presentation

  • The CEO outlined the museum's operations, free public access model, and plans to expand its Camarillo research center.
  • Council members discussed potential partnerships with local historical and children's organizations.
  • The museum requested assistance in identifying participants for oral history projects to expand storytelling efforts.

Interface 211 Service Data

  • Staff reported that housing insecurity was the top need among 1,509 calls from Camarillo residents in 2025.
  • The presentation highlighted the strong correlation between housing instability and mental health service requests.
  • Council members discussed the city's financial support for the program and the specific breakdown of housing-related calls.

Uniform Crime Statistics Report

  • Assaults increased due to domestic violence and child abuse cases, while motor vehicle thefts decreased.
  • Organized retail theft remains a significant issue at local shopping centers, with suspects often originating outside the city.
  • Traffic collisions have risen for four consecutive years, prompting plans to increase citations and deploy motorcycle units.

Water Reclamation Plant Upgrades

  • Staff recommended awarding Phase 1A of the upgrade project to Jacobs Engineering Group for technical analysis and program management.
  • Council members discussed the $3.9 million cost and the necessity of the project to prevent infrastructure failure.
  • The agreement was approved to guide procurement and design decisions for the nearly 70-year-old facility.

Closed Session

  • The City Attorney reported that no reportable action was taken during the closed session regarding the OPV Coalition litigation.

Full summary

Camarillo City Council and Camarillo Sanitary District Meeting Summary

  • Date: April 8, 2026

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

  • The meeting was called to order by Mayor Tennyson. The City Clerk called the roll, and all members (Mayor Tennyson, Vice Mayor Martinez-Bravo, Councilmembers Santangelo, Kildee, and Tremblay) were present.

2. Closed Session

  • The City Attorney reported one item for closed session regarding the OPV Coalition v. Fox Canyon Groundwater Management pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(1). The Council recessed to closed session and reconvened at 5:00 p.m. with all members still present.

3. Presentation: Museum of Ventura County

  • Elena Brokaw, CEO of the Museum of Ventura County, presented an overview of the organization's history, mission, and operations. Key points included:
  • The museum operates four sites in Ventura, one in Santa Paula, and an office suite in Camarillo.
  • The museum is free to the public, funded by sponsorships, and focuses on digitizing archives and providing educational programs, including free bus subsidies for Title I schools.
  • A historical presentation detailed the origins of Camarillo, specifically the history of Rancho Cayegas, the Camarillo family's ownership, and the city's incorporation in 1964.
  • The museum requested assistance in identifying oral history participants and partners to expand storytelling efforts.
  • Council members congratulated Ms. Brokaw on being named "Woman of the Year" by Senator Monique Limón.
  • Discussion ensued regarding potential partnerships with Kids Dream, the Emerging Children's Museum, and the Pleasant Valley Historical Society. Ms. Brokaw noted that while no formal partnerships exist yet, conversations are ongoing.
  • Councilmember Tremblay inquired about the museum's vision for its Camarillo office. Ms. Brokaw stated the goal is to expand the research center and collections to Camarillo, increasing the footprint from the current 4,000 square feet to approximately 18,000 square feet.

4. Public Comment (General)

  • Six members of the public provided comments:
  • Spencer Ritchie: Corrected historical details regarding the boundaries of Rancho Cayegas. He raised concerns regarding ICE enforcement actions in the region, citing specific numbers of individuals taken from Ventura County and Camarillo.
  • Diana Bradley: Advocated for the passage of a mobile home rent stabilization ordinance with vacancy control, citing unfair rent increases by park owners and the impact on seniors and fixed-income residents.
  • Jordan Blake: Supported the rent stabilization ordinance, proposing a graduated vacancy rate increase (starting at 0% and rising to 7% over several years) to protect home equity and prevent exorbitant rent hikes during property sales.
  • Shirley Edwards: Supported the rent stabilization ordinance with vacancy control, expressing concern about her ability to afford future rent increases or sell her home due to high land rents.
  • Siddharth Medhotra: Supported the rent stabilization ordinance and called for an end to ICE enforcement actions and pollution issues in the city.
  • Devo Brown: Discussed the concept of "fair return on investment," arguing that while the ordinance addresses the park owner's return, it must also ensure a fair return for the homeowners.

5. Staff Report: Interface 211

  • Gerardo Gonzalez, Community Information Associate Director for Interface 211, presented data on services provided to Camarillo residents in 2025.
  • 211 received 1,509 calls from Camarillo residents, with housing being the top need, followed by family/community support and mental health/substance use services.
  • The presentation highlighted the interconnectedness of housing insecurity and mental health needs.
  • Council members discussed the importance of the service and the City's financial support of the program. Councilmember Kildee asked for clarification on the breakdown of housing calls, which Gonzalez explained included affordable housing searches, emergency housing, and rent assistance.

6. Staff Report: Uniform Crime Statistics

  • Commander Tennyson of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office presented crime statistics for Camarillo for 2025.
  • Crimes Against Persons: Homicides remained at one (a murder-suicide). Consensual sex offenses decreased. Assaults increased, driven primarily by domestic violence and child abuse cases. Arrests for resisting, obstructing, and delaying peace officers also increased.
  • Crimes Against Property: Motor vehicle thefts decreased. Organized Retail Theft (ORT) remains a significant issue at the Camarillo Premium Outlets and Town Center. A major cargo theft investigation resulted in the seizure of $1.5 million in stolen property.
  • Crimes Against Society: This category, reflecting proactive policing (drug and weapon violations), showed an increase, which the Commander noted is a positive indicator of enforcement activity.
  • Response Times: Response times decreased significantly, attributed to the addition of a cover sergeant car and a cover patrol car approved in the previous year.
  • Traffic Collisions: Collisions have increased for four consecutive years. The department plans to increase traffic citations and transition two patrol vehicles to motorcycles to improve enforcement visibility and nimbleness.
  • Community Engagement: The report highlighted extensive outreach efforts, including school programs and "Coffee with the Cops."
  • Council members discussed the effectiveness of the new patrol cars, the correlation between ticket writing and collision reduction, and the demographic origins of suspects (noting that ORT suspects are largely from outside the city, while domestic violence suspects are typically local).

7. Council Comments

  • Council members reported on meetings attended since the last session, including the Policy Committee, VRSD, Clean Power Alliance, and the Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance Ad Hoc Committee.
  • Vice Mayor Martinez-Bravo congratulated UCLA women's basketball player Gabriela Jaquez on her championship victory.
  • Mayor Tennyson discussed recent business visits to high-tech companies in Camarillo, noting job growth and high-paying engineering positions.
  • The Mayor inquired about the expiration date of the emergency rent stabilization ordinance; the City Attorney indicated it expires around April 20th or 21st.

8. Consent Calendar (Items E–G)

  • The Council considered the consent calendar items.
  • Public Comment: Spencer Ritchie requested to speak but was not heard during the initial period.
  • Action: A motion was made and seconded to approve the consent calendar items.
  • Vote Outcome: Passed unanimously.

9. Camarillo Sanitary District Water Reclamation Plant Upgrades Program and Manager Services (Item H)

  • Staff presented a proposal to award an agreement for professional owner's advisor services for the Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) upgrades.
  • Background: The WRP, nearly 70 years old, requires significant upgrades. A master plan and financial studies have been completed.
  • Proposal: Staff recommended awarding Phase 1A of the project to Jacobs Engineering Group. This phase involves a one-water affordability and technical analysis, program management, and regulatory compliance studies over approximately 20 months.
  • Selection Process: An ad hoc committee (Mayor and Councilmember Tremblay) reviewed five proposals and selected Jacobs based on qualifications and experience with similar projects (e.g., Las Virgenes Water District).
  • Discussion: Council members discussed the necessity of the project to avoid infrastructure failure and regulatory non-compliance. Questions were raised regarding the cost (approximately $3.9 million for Phase 1A) and the distinction between an "owner's advisor" and an "owner's representative." Staff clarified that the advisor role provides technical expertise upfront to guide procurement and design decisions.
  • Public Comment: Doug Blois asked for clarification on the contract scope and cost. Spencer Ritchie supported the investment in infrastructure and suggested reallocating funds from other contracts.
  • Action: A motion was made and seconded to approve the agreement with Jacobs for Phase 1A services.
  • Vote Outcome: Passed unanimously.

10. Closed Session Report

  • The City Attorney reported that no reportable action was taken during the closed session.

11. Adjournment

  • The meeting was adjourned.