By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

Nina Casanova

Three incumbents and two challengers will face off in the Nov. 2 election for three open seats on the board of directors of the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District.

Whether or not to increase a special assessment fee that homeowners must pay is the issue that compelled Marcie Kraft to run.

Kraft, a businesswoman, said she supports increasing the fee so that the district can meet its financial responsibilities, maintain its parks, and acquire additional open space. She said that since its inception in 2000, the fee has gone up less than $5. The fee won’t increase dramatically because it’s capped at 3 percent a year, Kraft said.

Kraft is critical of those on the board who consistently vote against the fee increase, but in favor of a bigger budget.

Elaine Freeman

"So there’s that inconsistency again . . . a political viewpoint that’s against any form of taxation but that’s not in the best interests of the community," Kraft said.

For incumbent board chairman Mark Johnson, a successful district means staying the course. Johnson, who was first elected in 1990, said the board vowed at that time to preserve hundreds of acres of open space and build as many as two parks a year.

"We have kept our promise to Simi Valley," said Johnson, a teacher for 26 years at Simi Valley High School.

Johnson wants to update the district’s 10-year plan, which serves as a blueprint for park projects. He also wants the district to generate more of its own revenue, saying that a restaurant and miniature golf course could be added to Sinaloa Golf Course.

Mark Johnson

The recreation and park district has an annual operating budget of $12 million.

This is the first time that 14-year resident Nina Casanova has run for elected office. As a mother, taxpayer, homeowner and former recreation and park district employee, Casanova said she’s a different kind of candidate.

Casanova was a senior accounting specialist for four years with the district until she got laid off in June due to budget cutbacks.

"I’m wondering who’s getting this money," said Casanova, who pointed out that she’s not running for the board because she lost her job, but because her accounting background and insider knowledge could help the district better manage its money.

Marcie Kraft

Incumbent Elaine Freeman, appointed to the board in 2002, is proud of the district’s accomplishments since she came onboard. A permanent home is in the works for the girls’ softball league; older parks, such as Sycamore and Verde, are being updated; more than 1,000 acres are being set aside as open space; and the tennis courts and recreational area at Rancho Madera Park are in the process of being completed. These accomplishments are especially gratifying in light of the state budget cutbacks, said Freeman, a local businesswoman.

Freeman said she wants to work closer with the city council and school district to make more efficient use of local facilities and to save the district money. She wants to see the improvements completed at Chumash and Vista Arroyo parks and a hiking trail finished that links Simi Valley to Agoura Hills.

Candidate Kate O’Brien is a licensed civil engineer, turned financial advisor, who was elected to the park board in 2000.

The seven-year resident sees a bright future ahead for a district that has managed to stay afloat despite a budget shortfall of $900,000 this year. She’s proud of how the district weathered legal threats over the Mount McCoy cross, and she looks forward to the developer of the Sand Canyon project giving the district land to create the city’s first dog park.

Kate O'Brien

O’Brien is against raising the assessment fee, however. Even raising it a small amount can send Sacramento the message it’s okay to take away the district’s funding, she said.