Three candidates will be on the Nov. 4 ballot vying for a two-year term as mayor of Lompoc. They are incumbent Dick DeWees, businesswoman Dulcie Sinn and businessman John Linn.

Each was asked to answer the following questions.

1. Describe your qualifications, especially as they pertain to leadership; for serving on the Lompoc City Council.

2. What are the three most pressing issues facing the City Council?

3. How should public safety (police and fire services) be funded in Lompoc?

4. What actions, if any, should the City Council take to improve the local economy?

5. Regarding the city's General Plan update, do you favor the extension of East Central Avenue?

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Look for answers by City Council candidates in future editions.

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Dick DeWees

Age: 60

Current occupation: Mayor, city of Lompoc; owner, DeWees & Company Media Services; instructor, Allan Hancock College.

Education: Baccalaureate degree from Eastern Michigan University (1970); two years of post-graduate study at Eastern Michigan University (1972-1974).

Work experience: Mayor, Lompoc; business owner; college instructor; television and radio broadcasting; marketing and sales; actor.

Community involvement: Member/officer, past and/or present in the following: Toys for Tots; Lompoc Boy's and Girl's Club; Lompoc District Libraries Foundation; Friends of the Library; Lompoc Library Board of Trustees; Lompoc Mural Society; Lompoc Pops Orchestra; Lompoc Museum Associates; Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor's Bureau; Lompoc Hospital Foundation; Lompoc Community Healthcare Organization; Cabrillo Aquarium Board; Industry Education Council; Business Network International; Surf/Ocean Beach Commission; Sons of the American Legion Post 125.

Answers:

1. Served 10 years as mayor of the city of Lompoc. Board member and past chairperson of Santa Barbara Association of Governments (SBCAG). Commissioner and past chairperson of Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO).

Board member of Santa Barbara County's 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness; member and past chairperson of Santa Barbara County's Mayors/City Managers Group. Small business owner.

I have held executive positions in both the public and private sectors.

2. Enhance Public Safety; economic growth and jobs; maintain a balanced budget without a reduction in services to the citizens of Lompoc.

3. Continue reductions where possible in the General Fund budget. Take advantage of state and federal grant opportunities. Contract out only if the current level of service is enhanced, or there is a substantial reduction in cost in delivering equivalent services. Redirect strategic economic development plan to maximize revenues to city.

4. Continue to recruit new businesses compatible with our quality of life, and increase tourism revenue. Continue to work with the local wine industry to promote the Santa Rita Hills Appellation, which will result in more jobs and more tourism revenue. Help local business owners grow their businesses. Continue to provide incentives to new and existing businesses.

5. The city of Lompoc is currently working with Caltrans and Santa Barbara County to provide and all-weather route in/out of the city. This “Corridor Study” will take into consideration all options available including the existing Highway 246 as well as the Central Avenue Extension. The study will determine not only the most cost-effective route, but the route that will have the least impact upon the environment, the agricultural industry, and the citizens that live and work along these routes. A final determination is still many years away, and the public will have numerous opportunities during this period to provide local input. I want to keep an open mind and will review the various options as they become available.

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John H. Linn

Age: 58

Current occupation: Owner of three small businesses.

Education: Bachelor's degree, political science from Chapman University

Work Experience: Employed with Goodyear for 10 years, advancing to zone manager of 18 stores and 200 employees. Operator of Goodyear franchise that I expanded into four other businesses employing up to 50 people.

Community involvement: Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Committee, Airport Days Trade Fair founding co-chairman, Chamber president 1988. Scoutmaster Boy Scout Troop 103, 18 years. Led the opposition that stopped the city's unfair rezoning of commercial zones. Supplied tow trucks for transportation on hundreds of community projects. Supplied all the crash training cars for both Lompoc and Vandenberg Fire departments for the last 10 years. Co-founder, Lompoc Parks, Recreation and Pool Foundation Inc.

Answers:

1. I have extensive background in supervision of large complex businesses with both Goodyear and my own businesses. I have a very wide base of knowledge for solving new problems I am presented with. I perform complete research to understand problems and with my previous experience, formulate the most direct and inexpensive solution and implementing it promptly. The mayor is the chairman of the board and leads the council in formulating policy and following up staff to ensure the policies are followed.

I have extensive experience at budgets and operating statements. I understand the city's various funding sources and associated restrictions. As a business owner, I am very familiar with obtaining maximum value from funds spent. My extensive, diverse life experiences make me uniquely qualified to lead the solution of our city's problems as mayor.

2. (a) Key elected officials have allowed staff to develop an attitude of indifference to the residents they serve. The city staff, by their actions and inactions, exclude the public from full participation. The staff consistently uses expensive consultants they can control instead of citizens committees. The results are six figure Brick Sidewalks and million dollar general plan consultants.

(b) In May, I realized the city had not found a location for the Senior/Community Center. I researched available buildings as new construction was not possible in the time remaining. I recommended the former J.J. Newberry's next to Vons on West Ocean Avenue. The city is currently negotiating to lease/purchase the property with work to be completed by Nov. 1.

(c) The City Council and staff's budgetary decisions have resulted in inadequate funding for police and fire service. To correct this long-term problem, each job and each expense must be reviewed to verify the cost is equal to the value received by the citizens of Lompoc.

3. The short-term solutions to funding of police and fire include budget revisions, fee reviews, revenue increases, city administration staff reductions, contraction our for services and elimination of little used city services.

AMR ambulance currently pays the city only $54,000 per year to co-respond to medical calls, which seems quite low to me. The long-term solution requires the creation of a feasible and measurable economic development plan that includes key city departments taking positive action. We have not added a significant number of jobs in 10 years. The city zoning ordinances, policies, practices and staff attitude are consistently identified as the main problems. I will lead the council in amending the city ordinances, policies and procedures and well as providing new direction to staff.

4. Once new businesses open and local jobs are created, local taxable purchases will grow. People tend to shop and make purchases where they work. Today, 40 percent of our taxable purchases are made outside Lompoc. That equals about

$2.6 million in lost tax revenue to fund city services.

In addition to the city of Lompoc's lost tax revenue, our commuters lose one to two hours per day of personal and family time. The large volume of commuter vehicles generates a tremendous amount of air pollution that could be avoided with jobs in Lompoc.

5. The Central Avenue bridge was included in the 1996 General Plan. It's a bad idea. A computer model estimated the bridge might save two minutes compared to other routes. With increased traffic signal rotations at H Street, and with a signal at D Street, A Street, and Highway 246, I question any time savings.

The second reason given was that the Highway 246 bridge would have 8 feet of water over it in the projected “100-year flood.” While the H Street bridge at 730 feet is OK for the “100-year flood,” the Highway 246 bridge at 500 feet with 200 feet of fill on the west side is a partial dam. Rather than spend perhaps $20 million for an 800-foot bridge and three-quarters of a mile of fill, just add 200 feet to the existing bridge on 246.

The Central Avenue bridge will be paid for with our half cent local sales tax when we can't afford to fix our potholes.

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Dulcie Sinn

Age: 56

Current Occupation: Educator/businesswoman.

Education: Doctorate, educational leadership and organizations from UCSB Girvertz Graduate School of Education; master's degree, confluent education, UCSB Graduate School of Education; bachelor's degree, education, University of Evansville, Ind.

Work Experience: Family Resources Coordinator, 1998-2005, city of Lompoc; Associated Students, Associate Director, 1986-1997, UCSB; Santa Barbara Business College, La Belle Modeling School & Talent Agency, and Weight Watchers, Inc., 1977-1986.

Community Involvement: Currently active with the Lompoc Business Women's Network, Lompoc Valley Women in Chambers of Commerce, and PTA - vice president, Parent Education for 15th District PTA (Santa Barbara County).

PTA: Over 20 years of leadership locally at Hapgood, Lompoc Valley Middle, and Lompoc High School; 15th District PTA President 2001-03; California State PTA Board of Managers 2001-05

Northern Santa Barbara United Way - Lompoc Action Team Council; served United Way at UCSB as workplace coordinator and as chair of the Success by 6 Initiative in Lompoc.

Founding member, Santa Barbara County KIDS Network; elected chair, UCSB Graduate School of Education Alumni Association; Santa Barbara County Child Care Planning Council; Santa Barbara Work-Life Initiative.

Past activities: American Association of University Women; Lompoc Valley Partnership for Children & Youth; Lompoc Girls Softball Association; Dorothy Jackson Family Resource Center.

Answers:

1. Having worked in government, business, and nonprofits, my qualifications for mayor are excellent. Before starting my own business, I served as Lompoc's Family Resources Coordinator working throughout the city and county initiating and supporting programs and services in education, childcare, youth development, senior services, health, and safety.

At UCSB/Associated Students, my skills in leadership development, communication, community involvement, and strategic planning mentored students into diverse and meaningful careers.

My business experience includes management positions with Santa Barbara Business College, La Belle Modeling Agency and Weight Watchers. I successfully expanded services and profit margins through innovations in programs, recruitment, publicity, employee training, strategic planning and evaluation.

I have been a PTA leader for local schools to state commissions working to strengthen families while promoting education for workforce development. I am a founding member and past chair of the Santa Barbara County KIDS Network and the Child Care Planning Council.

2. Public safety; economic growth; trust and transparency (need a new “can-do” attitude).

3. Funding public safety and increasing staffing for police and fire has been and will continue to be an ongoing challenge for the city of Lompoc. It will be important for the new City Council members to review the studies that have been completed, to fully understand the budgeting process, and to create pro-active code enforcement policies to prevent crimes and emergencies.

The new Allan Hancock College - Lompoc Valley Campus' Public Safety Training Center presents an opportunity to explore new organizational models for police, fire, and emergency services delivery that stay within the limits of the city's budget.

Asking the voters again to pass a tax increase, should be the last resort and only after using new and innovative methods to generate broad community participation.

4. Create a comprehensive economic development plan that works as a guide for the Chamber of Commerce and other business leaders, the City's Economic Development Manager, the Planning Division and other city departments. These departments and organizations are key to economic growth.

Conduct an “autopsy” of city services (no blaming or naming, just understanding how to improve) that interact with business and development.

Emphasize workforce development, encourage small-business expansion, attract manufacturing, and develop tourism with events, recreational venues, and local services that make Lompoc a destination city.

Work with Lompoc Unified School District and Allan Hancock College to address literacy, language, and employee training needs. Promote the Small Business Development Center (chamber of commerce) and the Self-Employment Training Program (city of Lompoc) and create incentives for entrepreneurs.

Seek to maximize the revenue potential of city facilities and services such as the new pool, new hospital, new community center, proposed theater, and Space Education Center.

5. No.

August 24, 2008