By Matthew Cabe Staff Writer
APPLE VALLEY — Tuesday’s Town Council candidate forum at Rock Spring Senior Living Facility saw the five challengers continue efforts to separate themselves not from one another, but from the incumbents.
Richard Bunck, Salvatore Ortiz-Lopez, Tom Piper, Jiles Smith and Bryen Wright were aligned on a number of key issues facing Apple Valley, and they criticized Councilors Art Bishop and Larry Cusack primarily on money the town has spent on its acquisition attempt of the water system currently owned by Liberty Utilities.
Smith, who ran in two previous elections, characterized the nearly $1.6 million spent on acquisition since 2011 as wasteful, while newcomer Wright promised “fiscal responsibility” if elected.
Both Wright and Piper were critical of the Apple Valley Golf Course, which showed a negative balance of more than $3.5 million in the town’s Enterprise Funds as of July 1, according to the town’s budget. Piper said he would “probably sell the golf course” if he were elected.
Meanwhile, Ortiz Lopez attacked the town’s purchase of the Hilltop House, which he deemed irresponsible and a waste of taxpayer money, despite the town’s use of $160,000 National Park Service grant to fund nearly 52 percent of the property’s price tag.
Among the challengers, Bunck was the most critical of the incumbents, referring to Cusack and Bishop as part of a “good ol’ boy” network and calling the Council corrupt. Bunck pledged that if he were elected, he would donate to charity the stipend Council members receive for public service, which Town spokeswoman Kathie Martin said is $811 per month plus a twice-per-month car allowance of $285.
Meanwhile, Bishop and Cusack positioned themselves as part of a Council dedicated to “the future of the town.”
Bishop, when asked about the $132,000 the town has spent on acquisition-related public relations services, said hiring outside help is “what good government does” because it allows staff to concentrate on a “daily routine” of providing services to residents.
And Cusack pointed to residents who’ve let their lawns go brown amid rising water rates as one reason the town continues to fight for public ownership of water in Apple Valley.
Visit Facebook.com/VVDailyPressNews/Videos or www.vvdailypress.com to view the full candidate forum.
Matthew Cabe can be reached at MCabe@VVDailyPress.com or at 760-951-6254. Follow him on Twitter @DP_MatthewCabe.