Barbra Williamson As the longest standing member of the City Council and a resident of Simi Valley for 36 years, Barbra Williamson has seen the city grow up before her eyes.

"I think we have come so far over the last 16 years," said Williamson, who was first elected to the council in 1992. "I think all residents can take pride in this city. Nobody can call us 'Slimy Valley' anymore."

Still, she said, there is more work to be done, which is why she is seeking a fifth term this November.

"There's more fine-tuning to be done," she said. "I think all the hard parts are pretty much behind us."

With the city at near build-out and an economy that has stalled development, Williamson said, it is now time for the city to "go slow" and wait for the General Plan update to be in place.

She said she understands the frustrations of longtime residents who remember Simi as a small town but explained that growth is a vital part of a healthy city.

"A community that doesn't continue to grow and thrive is a community that will die," she said. "We need to take care of the direction we're going in."

One project that is close to her heart is the revitalization of the Arroyo, which she says has been overlooked for too many years.

"I think when it's done everybody's going to want to be down there because it's going to be so relaxing and beautiful," Williamson said. "If we can get the other cities to pick up on it the potential is incredible."

Williamson said she doesn't want to throw tax dollars at the project but there are grants and private funds available to the city.

Also on her agenda is securing land for a public cemetery, revitalizing aging commercial centers, controlling the overcrowding of singlefamily detached homes and making sure that future infill development does not become too dense.

The council member is also mindful of two serious issues facing the city: the Runkle Canyon residential development and the proposed expansion of the landfill.

Williamson said she is waiting to see the environmental impact report before deciding if Runkle Canyon is safe to build, but she will also rely on gut instinct to guide her.

"I would never ever want to say that on my watch we built those houses and, because of it, people got ill and actually died," she said.

Williamson has been outspoken about the landfill since 2007, when she formed a task force of citizens who monitor Waste Management's plans to expand the landfill.

Though she is "anxiously awaiting" the EIR, she said, she still stands firmly against the expansion.

"With the government trying to reduce the number of tonnage going into landfills, why then would we want to expand this?" Williamson asked. "Because everybody else is closing up their landfills and wanting to bring it to Simi Valley. Why should we take everybody's garbage?"

She said the expansion would also make the adjacent land the city is considering for an industrial park undesirable to potential businesses.

Although her stance has ruffled some feathers, Williamson said she doesn't mind and that it's just part of the job.

When she makes decisions, she thinks like a resident.

"When I make my vote up there at the City Council level, that vote affects me the same way it affects you," she said. "That's how I always gauge my vote—is it best for everybody in this community and will it make our community better?"