Tonight the Thousand Oaks City Council unanimously approved its 2026 committee assignment roster.

Each councilmember represents your interests on a number of internal and external panels and commissions. These panels tie our city into regional, statewide, and national organizations where we meet colleagues, talk through issues of mutual concern, and learn of new solutions that directly benefit Thousand Oaks residents.

My assignments for the coming year include:

- Capital Facilities Committee (internal)

- Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA)

- Clean Power Alliance (CPA, also serve on CPA’s Finance Committee)

- Ventura Council of Governments (VCOG)

- Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance (VCREA)

- Ventura Regional Sanitation District (VRSD, current chair)

- National League of Cities Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee (NLC EENR)

- League of California Cities Environmental Quality Committee (Cal Cities EQ)

Most of the assignments are identical to last year’s. There are a few exceptions:

- Mayor pro tem Engler and I swapped positions on VCOG, where I now serve as primary delegate and he serves as alternate.

- Councilmember Gutierrez picks up new assignments: On the Ventura County Continuum of Care board; on NLC’s Finance, Administration, and Intergovernmental Relations Committee (FAIR); and on the board of Community Action of Ventura County (applied for and approved by the county Board of Supervisors).

#goodgovernment #thousandoaks #tocc

Happy 2026! Wishing everyone a healthy and happy new year.

The City Council meets Tuesday, Jan. 13. There is one hearing on the agenda (link in comments), involving the sale of Hillcrest Center (401/403 Hillcrest Drive) by the city to the Conejo Recreation and Park District for $30.4 million. There’s also a consent calendar item for 2026 councilmember committee assignments.

We meet Tuesday at 6 pm in City Hall. I encourage everyone interested to attend, either in person or remotely.

#tocc

Thousand Oaks Development Activity Report for December 2025

https://toaks.gov/corecode/storage/uber_resource/uploaded_pdfs/2025-12%20DAR_1767900522.pdf

#housing #urbanplanning #thousandoaks #tocc

Happy 2026! Wishing everyone in Thousand Oaks good health, happiness, and (in between the coming storms) more enjoyment of our beautiful city.

#ThousandOaks #conejovalley #tocc

With high winds continuing and more rain on the way, the city’s Public Works team has been super busy over the holiday. Please report downed trees or other hazards you see at toaks.gov/service.

And if you see one of the crews out in white city vehicles, I’m sure they’d appreciate a word of thanks!

#wx #caxw #thousandoaks #conejovalley #publicworks #tocc

With many downed trees and first responders very busy answering calls, please stay off the roads today unless absolutely necessary.

Besides these contacts, the county’s vcemergency.com site also has updated weather and closure info. Stay dry and safe!

#wx #cawx #ThousandOaks #ConejoValley #VenturaCounty #tocc

"No one should die alone. No one should grieve alone."

These are the watchwords for the annual Hospice of the Conejo Reading of the Names ceremony, held last night at Oaks Mall.

I was honored to participate in the event, which involved the reading of more than 500 names of community members (including a few beloved pets) whom we lost in the past year. I recognized more than a few names, and found the event very meaningful. If you need help, call the hospice at 805-495-2145.

Thanks to the organizers, and to WHS's A Class Act, which began the ceremony in song.

#hospice #readingofthenames #thousandoaks #tocc

Thousand Oaks State of the City address 2025

https://youtu.be/MQcw0heCicw

#ThousandOaks #ConejoValley #civics #tocc

Nice coverage of last month’s National League of Cities panel on adaption to climate change. It was a privilege to share our experience along with Salt Lake City mayor Erin Mendenhall, Moab UT mayor Joette Langianese, and Portland, OR, councilor Candace Avalos.

One nit: I view our namesake oaks as an asset, not a liability! We face far bigger fire risk from non-native stuff such as fan palms and arundo grasses.

#extremeheat #climatechange #adaptability #sustainabilty #thousandoaks #resilience #tocc

https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/climate-change-cities-sustainability-nlc/807562/

Tonight the @conejoopenspace board voted 5-0 to remove 23 Mexican fan palms from open space west of Lynn between Arboles and Flores, near Shenandoah.

VCFD recommended the removals because these trees contain highly flammable dead fronds and can send burning embers flying.

COSCA is seeking funding for the eventual removal of all Mexican fan palms and arundo grass, both non-native species, from the roughly 12,700 acres of open space it manages.

#WildfirePrevention #openspace #cosca #crpd #ThousandOaks #tocc

Preserving and enhancing open space is one of the most important things I do. Two recent news items on the conservation front:

1. Friday I joined a standing-room-only crowd at the annual fundraiser for the Conejo Open Space Foundation (COSF), which uses education and advocacy to promote and protect natural spaces. Here, secretary/founding director Elayne Haggan photographs one of the volunteers from a group that offers free removal of snakes without killing them. I'll post a link and also share an informative FB post from the group in comments. COSF also recognized Brian Stark, administrator of the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency, for his years of work protecting our natural environment.

2. Today, on the city's behalf, I signed a letter of support for the Rim of the Valley initiative that would add nearly 200,000 acres to the Santa Monica National Recreation Area, mostly to our north and east, creating a true ring of green around our entire area. The city has supported this initiative for several years running. I'll post a link with more information in comments.

#openspace #conservation #thousandoaks #conejovalley #santamonicamountains #cosca #cosf #samofund #tocc

More than 3,000 runners took part in this year’s Turkey Day Dash at California Lutheran University. Proceeds will benefit the Boy Scouts, the Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks Foundation, and Hospice of the Conejo. Thanks to all who turned out, snd to Five07 Coffee Bar for organizing.

It was a privilege to join COSCA analyst Anna Huber and local cycling hero Jack Nosco as a pacer for the runners.
#thanksgiving #grateful #thousandoaks #tocc

How does the Clean Power Alliance’s credit rating affect you? As a joint-powers authority governed by two counties and 36 municipalities, CPA benefits from a great credit rating by financing clean-energy projects on more favorable terms – ultimately resulting in reduced costs for Thousand Oaks ratepayers.

When it obtained an A- rating in 2023, the CPA estimated it would save around $20 million/year. It’s done such a good job with energy and fiscal management since then that Standard and Poors just upgraded that rating to A.

One result of HR1, the federal tax bill enacted this past summer, is that the overall energy supply is likely to become dirtier and more expensive in the medium term, according to CPA CEO Ted Bardacke.

Given that backdrop, it’s up to municipal governments to do all we can to ensure a ready supply of cleaner and less expensive energy.

#CreditRating #renewableenergy #climate #energy #cleanpower #cca #thousandoaks #venturacounty #tocc

At the National League of Cities’ annual conference in Salt Lake City, I took part in a panel discussion on extreme heat and what we can do to design cities for a more resilient future. ICLEI USA moderator Jess Grannis encouraged Salt Lake City mayor Erin Mendenhall; Moab, UT, mayor Joette Langianese; and Portland, OR, councilor Candace Avalos to share thoughtful strategies on mitigating climate change for all residents. I had a few things to say too.

📷: Mina Layba

#climate #extremeheat #sustainability #climatechange #renewableenergy #thousandoaks #nlc #leagueofcities #tocc

How good is our city’s digital infrastructure? In a national survey of innovations in municipal IT, the Center for Digital Government rated Thousand Oaks 9th in the USA for a city our size – even though the city has no IT department!

That’s a testament to the city’s competent and conscientious computer staff, which for years has worked as part of the Finance Department. The City Council voted earlier this year to create a separate IT department, with recruitment now under way for a chief information officer. Imagine what we can do *with* an IT group!

Congratulations to the existing computer team, and thanks for all you do to make our city’s information assets safer and more accessible. And congrats to the IT groups of many other California cities also honored tonight.

#DigitalGovernance #it #cio #thousandoaks #tocc

The City of Thousand Oaks is accepting applications for the 2025-26 Community Environmental Enhancement Grant Program.

Nonprofit community and school groups can apply for funding to complete a community beautification or environmental project.

Eligible projects include water conservation, litter collection, recycling, energy conservation, and more. Organizations and projects must be located within the city. Current award limits: Minimum $2,000, Maximum $4,500.

Apply today at toaks.gov/grants

#environment #conservation #cleanup #recycling #thousandoaks #tocc

Thousand Oaks Development Activity Report for October 2025

https://toaks.gov/corecode/storage/uber_resource/uploaded_pdfs/2025-10%20DAR_1762471866.pdf

#housing #thousandoaks #tocc

Reposted from @cityofthousandoaks: Apply to serve on the Ventura County Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee (VCCTAC)! ✨🚌

On VCCTAC, representatives from Thousand Oaks serve as advisors to the Ventura County Transportation Commission to address transportation planning and identify unmet transit needs.

👉 Learn more and apply today at toaks.gov/boards

#transit #masstransit #publictransit #thousandoaks #venturacounty #tocc

Hundreds of students and parents turned out this morning for another great walk’n’roll event at Wildwood Elementary. Walking and riding to school are great ways to get exercise and have been shown to improve academic performance.

Thanks to all who showed up, including all the first responders who handed out stickers as kids arrived at school.

#walknroll #walktoschool #biketoschool #wildwood #thousandoaks #cvusd #tocc

Thanks to the Southeast Ventura County YMCA Youth and Government program for the invitation to speak on civic engagement. The kids asked great questions and seemed very interested in getting more involved in their local governments. I encouraged them to get involved in the issues they care about – in other words, to come give us politicians a hard time. :-)

Did you know 16-year-olds in California can pre-register, so they'll be able to vote on their 18th birthday? Even better, they can register online at https://registertovote.ca.gov/

📷: Kyle Rohrbach

#civics #civicengagement #youth #ymca #voting #voterregistration #thousandoaks #conejovalley #tocc