Editor's note: This story is one in a series on the Nov. 5 general election. For more coverage, visit vcstar.com/news/elections.
Thousand Oaks voters will choose two council members in the November election.
In the city's first district elections, voters will pick a candidate in two of its five newly drawn districts. Voters cast a ballot for just one council candidate who lives in their area of the city. The other three districts will be up for election in 2026. Council members serve four-year terms.
Al Adam, currently on the council, will face Jeff Schwartz in District 4, which includes the city's eastern edge and a central area south of the 101 freeway.
Four candidates are running in District 5, which includes a central area of the city north of the 101 and east of Lynn Road. Kevin McNamee, a current council member, will face challengers Brent Allen Hagel, Connie "Tie" Gutierrez and Daniel Emerson Twedt. McNamee declined to participate in this story.
Council members set policy for the city of roughly 123,000, taking action on legislative matters from adopting local ordinances to approving budgets and housing developments.
The Star asked the candidates to answer a brief questionnaire. Their responses may be edited for length and clarity. City races are nonpartisan, but we asked candidates and checked public voter rolls to include party registration information.
Candidates are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot.
District 4
Al Adam
Occupation: Financial advisor, council member
Age: 72
Party registration: Republican
Education: Bachelor's degree in political science, Rutgers University
Elected office: Thousand Oaks City Council, 2012-present
Campaign website: AlAdamforCouncil.com
In 150 words or less, what’s your top priority and how do you plan to accomplish it? I am running to keep Thousand Oaks one of the safest cities in California, maintaining our low sales tax rate and ensuring financial stability. Despite state budget challenges, I will use my expertise to keep our city’s top credit rating and balanced budget with surpluses, preserving the services residents rely on.
I will protect our neighborhoods from Sacramento’s extreme housing mandates while addressing the housing crisis with workforce housing solutions. For District 4, I’ve delivered strong law enforcement funding, improved safety on Westlake Boulevard, addressed the K-Mart site and initiated our largest repaving project. My focus remains on supporting local businesses, maintaining our streets and ensuring safety for all residents.
Jeff Schwartz
Occupation: Educator
Age: 67
Party registration: Republican
Education: Bachelor's degree in psychology, Cornell University; bachelor's degree in communications, Syracuse University
Elected office: None
Campaign website: Jeff4TO.com
In 150 words or less, what’s your top priority and how do you plan to accomplish it? Promote term limits by explaining to the voters that my incumbent opponent is violating the spirit of the 2012 T.O. Term Limits Initiative by running for re-election this year after having just served 12 consecutive years in office.
Reduce Your Taxes by saying no to waste, fraud and abuse. End corporate favoritism and cronyism. Stop giving special breaks to billionaires and corporations. Get big money out of politics. Fight for the average taxpayer. Fight for more transparency in government. Promote tax refunds, tax rebates and tax credits as tools for empowering the taxpayer and addressing social problems that the government is unable to fix. Bring fresh ideas and common sense to the City Council. End the swindles, scandals and boondoggles. Always protect and defend the Bill of Rights. Leave room for some laughs and smiles in local government. As they said in Star Wars: “May the SCHWARTZ be With You!”
(Editor's note: The city's limit of three consecutive terms took effect in late 2012 and no current candidates have been termed out.)
District 5
Brent Allen Hagel
Occupation: Voice over artist
Age: 39
Party registration: American Independent Party
Education: Thousand Oaks High School
Elected office: None
Campaign website:brentallenhagel.com/tocitycouncil
In 150 words or less, what’s your top priority and how do you plan to accomplish it? The city of Thousand Oaks needs to remain economically strong. My top priority is driving sustainable economic growth that benefits our entire community. I plan to accomplish this by fostering a business-friendly environment that encourages local entrepreneurship and attracts new in-demand companies to our area.
I will work with the city manager's office and fellow council members to market Thousand Oaks to commercial real estate brokers. Thousand Oaks is an ideal area for corporation office relocation or to open satellite corporate headquarters in. The goal is retrofitting existing empty commercial office building locations to bring hundreds of high-paying jobs to our community with minimal new builds.
By streamlining permitting processes, offering incentives for corporate businesses, and collaborating with local organizations, we can create a thriving economic landscape. With a balanced mix of all size of businesses, we can create a thriving self-sustaining economic ecosystem for our city.
Connie “Tie” Gutierrez
Occupation: Small-business owner
Age: 39
Party registration: Democrat
Education: Currently enrolled in a bachelor's degree program, California Lutheran University
Elected office: None
Campaign website: tieforto.com
In 150 words or less, what’s your top priority and how do you plan to accomplish it? My top priority is strengthening our community by enhancing livability and ensuring our neighborhoods stay safe for everyone. To make that happen, I will focus on public safety and community-driven approaches to housing. This will involve advocating for thoughtful, sustainable development that protects our environment and maintains the character of Thousand Oaks.
Key components of this plan are improving infrastructure, supporting local businesses and creating more accessible green spaces and transportation. I will work with state officials to address the rising costs and difficulties residents face in securing property insurance. My mission will be to advocate for policies that provide relief and protect our community's financial stability. I will work with residents, local organizations and city leaders to support policies that foster unity, preserve our quality of life and promote long-term growth.
Daniel Emerson Twedt
Occupation: Home care aide
Age: 63
Party registration: Democrat
Education: Associate degree in communications, Saddleback College
Elected office: None
Campaign website:facebook.com/DanTwedt2022
In 150 words or less, what’s your top priority and how do you plan to accomplish it? Encouraging people to become new licensed Amateur Radio Operators would be my highest priority. It is in my view the “World’s Best Hobby” with its 3 million worldwide users having the best potential to become our American Experiment’s most vital contribution to crew operations for our “Spaceship Earth.” More “hams” mean even better communities of civil and civically-engaged, technically-conversant people prepared with a resilient infrastructure that can cope with the multiple possible disruptions that we can face from both nature and (sometimes malicious) human nature.
The largest potential threat to our community’s life and organized human civilization would be the widespread extended loss of electricity from our vulnerable power grids and Radio Amateurs exemplify resilience by routinely operating “off grid.” The capability to do almost unlimited kinds of peer-to-peer and open source activities will astound by aggressively expanding this already crucial and robust planetary community. “73” de KK6VDR.
(Editor's note: In ham radio terminology, "73" is a signoff that can translate to best regards and KK6VDR is Twedt's call sign.)
Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at [email protected] or 805-437-0260