News Flash

Download your copy of the Ojai Outlook Winter 2025 edition

Ojai, CA – Tuesday, November 25 – On Monday, November 24, the City of Ojai experienced a phishing incident where an unauthorized email with an attachment was generated in mass from the City Manager’s email account. The unauthorized email was promptly identified and contained, with no sensitive or personal data compromised or released. Subsequently, the City received many inquiries from parties who received the unauthorized email, asking about the incident. 

The City’s IT Team, in coordination with contracted cybersecurity professionals, has resolved the issue and implemented additional protective measures to further strengthen the City’s systems. As a precaution, The City reminds everyone to stay vigilant. If an unexpected or suspicious message is received, links or attachments within the suspicious message should not be clicked or accessed. Instead, the best practice is to call or text the sender directly to verify authenticity.  

The City appreciates the public’s continued trust and cooperation as we work to keep our community safe and informed.                                                                

Ojai, CA – Wednesday, November 5 – The City of Ojai is pleased to announce the appointment of Aleshire & Wynder, LLP as the City’s new legal counsel following a comprehensive and competitive selection process. After interviewing several highly qualified law firms, the Ojai City Council selected Aleshire & Wynder, recognizing the firm’s deep municipal expertise, collaborative approach, and proven track record of public service.

The new legal team is anticipated to begin service on December 2, 2025, and will be led by Bethany Burgess and Sunny Soltani, who will serve as Co-City Attorneys. Ms. Burgess will lead on municipal law, public works, and complex transactional matters, while Ms. Soltani will focus on specialized legal issues and housing. Supporting them, Carrie Raven will serve as Assistant City Attorney, representing the City at Planning Commission meetings and handling CEQA and litigation matters.

“It’s a privilege and an honor to serve as Ojai’s City Attorney,” said Bethany Burgess. “This is such a special community, one defined by its people’s deep commitment to preserving the beauty, character, and spirit that make Ojai unique. As someone who believes in the power of public service, I’m grateful to the City Council for their trust in our firm. We look forward to working hand in hand with the community to help protect and uplift all that makes Ojai shine.”

The City anticipates convening a special City Council meeting on December 2, 2025, where a contract for Aleshire & Wynder LLP will be presented for anticipated Council approval. At the same meeting, a transitional contract with Colantuono, Highsmith, & Whatley, PC will also be presented to support the completion of ongoing legal matters and ensure a smooth and coordinated transition between firms.

Aleshire Attorney Bios

Ojai, CA - The City is excited to announce that the Ojai Trolley will restore Sunday service beginning this Sunday, August 31. The return of the Sunday routes means the trolley will once again operate seven days a week, offering residents and visitors more opportunities to travel throughout the community.

City Manager Ben Harvey shared the news during Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, noting that the City has been working diligently with existing and new drivers to restore Sunday operations. To ensure coverage, the City has entered into a temporary contract with Fillmore Area Transit to provide Sunday drivers, and ensure route continuity in the event that a City driver is unavailable.

“This has been a long road, and we thank the community for their ongoing patience,” Harvey said. “We’re proud to bring Sunday service back and look forward to building rider morale and support for the Ojai Trolley.”

As part of efforts to celebrate and promote the service, the City will give away free “I love Ojai Trolley” t-shirts starting this week.

The City is also preparing a pilot proposal for the City Council’s consideration that would extend additional benefits to part-time trolley drivers. This item will be brought forward for discussion at a future Council meeting.

The Ojai Trolley provides affordable, convenient and sustainable transportation throughout Ojai with stops at local businesses, parks, neighborhoods and cultural attractions. For more information, visit OjaiTrolley.com or call City Hall at (805) 646-5581.

DignityMoves, in collaboration with the City of Ojai, has concluded the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process for the Ojai Permanent Supportive Housing Project. The purpose of this process was to solicit and evaluate statements of qualifications from contractors interested in participating in the project.

Following a review of all submissions, on July 28, 2025, four firms were determined to meet the established minimum qualifications, and were subsequently notified:

• Specialty Construction, San Luis Obispo, California• MacGillivray Construction, Ventura, California• Staples Construction, Ventura, California• Riviera Construction Group, Santa Barbara, California

The process will now advance to the next stage—a two-part process—through which proposals will be obtained exclusively from the prequalified firms. Key dates in this stage are as follows:

1. Submission of Initial Questions – Prequalified firms are to submit any initial questions by Noon on August 8, 2025. Responses to any initial questions received will be provided jointly by DignityMoves and the City no later than August 15, 2025 and posted on the City’s project landing page.

2. Feasibility Study Service – Prequalified firms are to submit a preliminary budget, schedule, and value engineering on the preliminary Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing project design by August 22, 2025.

3. Issuance of the Notice of Invitation to Bid – Upon completion of the question-and-answer phase, the completed construction documentation and project manual included in the Notice of Invitation to Bid is anticipated to be issued in November 2025 to the prequalified firms. 

Status updates and additional information regarding the Ojai Permanent Supportive Housing Project will be made available on the City of Ojai’s official website, both on the project-specific landing page and under the “City of Ojai News” section of the homepage: ojai.ca.gov.

For more information, contact Community Development Department: Lucas Seibert, Community Development Director at Lucas.Seibert@ojai.ca.gov, Bryan Schurmer, Planning Aide at Bryan.Schurmer@ojai.ca.gov, or by phone at (805) 646-5581 ext. 112.

Ojai, CA – August 8, 2025 – The City of Ojai announced today an update regarding its Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for City Attorney Services.

The City posted an RFQ for City Attorney Services on May 19, 2025. By the submission deadline, the City received proposals from the following five firms: Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Aleshire & Wynder, LLP; Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP; Ross & Schwarz; and Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP.

The Ojai City Council thoroughly reviewed all submissions during a closed session meeting held on July 29, 2025. Following this comprehensive review, the City Council has selected Aleshire & Wynder, LLP and Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP to advance to the interview phase. These firms will be interviewed by the City Council in a closed session scheduled for August 26, 2025.

The City Council will reserve further comment until the selection of a new city attorney has been made.

On July 8, 2025, the Ojai City Council unanimously passed the Ojai C.A.R.E. Community Autonomy, Rights, and Equality policy — an affirmation of the city’s core values of compassion, equity, and community responsibility. The new policy, introduced by Mayor Pro Tem Rachel Lang and Council Member Leslie Rule, establishes city protocols for navigating changes in federal administration policies, particularly those related to immigration and healthcare.  

Ojai joins a growing regional movement with this legislation. In June, the City of Ventura passed a similar ordinance, reflecting a growing consensus across Ventura County in support of sanctuary values and inclusive governance. While the two policies were developed independently, both cities share aligned missions: to create communities where every resident feels safe, respected, and protected.  

Additionally, the Ojai CARE Policy aligns with SB 54, the California Values Act; AB 2792, the TRUTH Act; and other relevant California policies. It outlines protocols for city staff and officials to follow regarding the protection of privacy for our residents.  

“We intentionally named our policy the CARE Act to express solidarity with what’s becoming a countywide movement,” said Mayor Pro Tem Rachel Lang. “It’s a signal that we are in solidarity with other cities in the county taking a stand for dignity in the face of rising hostility and fear. We believe it’s important to express our belief that all who reside and work here deserve dignity and respect.” 

Councilmember Leslie Rule added, “Each day, we hear of Ojai residents living in fear of the new federal policies. Diversity enriches our community, and no one should live in fear because of the color of their skin, their gender, sexual orientation, or anything that makes them different. Mayor Pro Tem Lang and I intend to continue this conversation by hosting workshops and joining countywide efforts to distribute information about how we as a community can help our immigrant neighbors or anyone who feels targeted.” 

Mayor Andy Gillman expressed solidarity with Councilmembers Lang and Rule. “The fact that this passed 5-0 says a lot about our community’s commitment to compassion and equity,” he said. “We will comply with federal and state laws; Our policy defines how we do that while upholding our values.” 

The CARE Act reaffirms Ojai’s longstanding commitment to human rights. As part of the Act’s implementation, Ojai will launch a “Know Your Rights” webpage, organize community workshops, and direct the City Manager to deliver a report outlining implementation costs, accountability structures, and whistleblower protections. 

“The CARE Act is a promise that Ojai will not lend our hands or our hearts to fear-driven overreach,” Lang said. 

Rule added, “It’s a reflection of the city’s values and a message to all who live here that Ojai will continue to be a sanctuary of equity, inclusion, and love.” 

Lang and Rule plan to host a workshop with a panel of speakers to help field questions, address concerns, and share resources. Details regarding the proposed workshop will be released once available via the City’s social meda channels and through local media.  

For more information, visit ojai.ca.gov or contact the City Manager’s office at (805) 646-5581. 

Following a Closed Session on Tuesday, June 17 (Liability Claims (Gov. Code § 54956.95) Settlement of Claim Against City: Leslie Rule), the Ojai City Council, through special outside counsel, are offering to enter into mediation for a proposed claim settlement regarding Council Member Rule’s individual legal expenses. The City of Ojai City Council is committed to good faith bargaining through a mutually agreed-upon mediator in the interest of reaching an amicable resolution to the matter. The City believes that an amicable resolution would be mutually beneficial, and in the best interest of the City of Ojai. Mediation is a confidential and informal process using a trained third party to help opposing parties find a mutually acceptable solution. Mediation can be detailed and methodical. It often requires considerable work by both parties and their attorneys to prepare and conduct. It takes time. Any agreement that may be reached through mediation will be publicly announced, should the parties mutually agree to do so. For additional information, please contact Taylor Anderson, Assistant City Attorney, at tanderson@chwlaw.us.

At its special meeting on Tuesday, May 27, the Ojai City Council selected Kroll to conduct a forensic financial examination related to the tenure of former Assistant City Manager Carl Alameda.

Kroll will begin its review immediately. A forensic accounting approach involves conducting accounting process and fact-gathering interviews, statistical sampling, discussion of the observations/potential next steps, and the preparation of a comprehensive report. The full review is expected to be completed within 120 to 150 days. Once completed and reviewed by the City Council, the final special forensic examination will be made public at a future City Council meeting.

Alameda is facing 11 felony charges of embezzlement and 23 counts of insurance fraud from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, related to his previous employment with the City of La Cañada Flintridge as Assistant City Manager.

The City of Ojai is committed to transparency, public trust and the responsible stewardship of public funds; the City will release additional information and updates to the public as they become available.

For additional information or questions on this matter, contact the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office or the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The City of Ojai is committed to maintaining the highest standards of fiscal responsibility and public trust. To that end, the City announces that the employment of Carl Alameda, Assistant City Manager, has been terminated, effective May 16, 2025. 

In conjunction with this personnel action, the City has initiated a special audit to ensure that all financial transactions have been conducted appropriately and that there has been no misappropriation of funds.

It is also of concern to the City that no communication or formal notification regarding the investigation or charges brought were provided to City leadership by the agencies involved. Therefore, the City will be reaching out to the relevant agencies to understand why it was not informed of the pending investigation or charges brought against Mr. Alameda.

The City understands that the public has questions and concerns during this time. The City is committed to transparency and will provide an update on the findings of the special audit as soon as it is complete and all information can be accurately and comprehensively reported. The City is taking these steps to uphold our commitment to accountability and to safeguard the public's resources.

FAQs:

• Has any financial misconduct occurred in the City of Ojai? The City is in the process of procuring a special audit which will be made public upon completion to ensure no financial misconduct occurred.
• When was the City made aware of the charges? May 15th when the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office issued a press release.
• Was the City aware of the allegations or investigations upon hiring this person? No. Since the investigation was ongoing during the time of his hire, details about the alleged crimes were confidential and not disclosed to the City.
• What safeguards are in place to ensure financial misconduct does not happen in Ojai? The City undergoes regular audits, which include close reviews of all cash management, and internal controls. The City recently hired Eide Bailly, CPAs, to conduct a review of internal controls. Staff continuously reviews internal controls to safeguard against financial improprieties.
• What is the employment status of Mr. Alameda at the City of Ojai? As of May 16th , 2025, Mr. Alameda has been terminated from employment from the City of Ojai.

For additional information or questions regarding the charges brought against Mr. Alameda, contact the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office or the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

On May 15, the City of Ojai was made aware that Carl Alameda, Assistant City Manager, was charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for financial crimes related to his work in his prior role at the City of La Cañada Flintridge. The alleged criminal activity involved insurance fraud and other related acts. Alameda left employment with the City of La Cañada Flintridge in April 2023.

Alameda was hired by the City of Ojai in July of 2023. At the time of his hiring, the City was unaware of any pending investigations or allegations of wrongdoing. The City follows a rigorous hiring process and background check procedure, adhering to all applicable laws, policies and best practices to ensure candidates are qualified and meet the necessary standards at the time of their hiring. Since the investigation was ongoing during the time of his hire, details about the alleged crimes were confidential and not disclosed to the City. Until notified through the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office today, the City was unaware that Alameda had been charged with a crime and had entered a not guilty plea to the charges, or that the matter has been set for a preliminary hearing on July 23. Mr. Alameda is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The City of Ojai has placed Alameda on immediate paid administrative leave from his employment with the City of Ojai. The City is also conducting its own internal financial audit to ensure there was no financial misconduct through his role as Ojai Assistant City Manager and prior service as Acting City Manager. The City will keep the community updated as the City completes its audit.

The City of Ojai is committed to maintaining public trust and will ensure that all necessary steps are taken to address this matter fully.

For additional information or questions on this matter, contact the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office or the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Download your copy of the Ojai Outlook Spring 2025 edition