"Melba" gave Santa Paula officials a piece of her mind.

"I'm still ashamed of our police department. Funds are not the issue, competence is!"

And "Rellis Smith" shared his thoughts with Ventura and the rest of the world.

"As we all know, anytime the Government' gets involved in anything it will invariably cost twice as much as private industry, and of course will take twice as long."

These comments remain in the uncounted number of rants, raves and dialogue on the Santa Paula Blog and the Ventura City Manager Blog.

A blog, short for Web log, is a type of journal posted on the Internet that is updated regularly and gives readers a chance to leave comments. Only two city managers blog in Ventura County: Santa Paula's Wally Bobkiewicz and Ventura's Rick Cole.

The two see their blogs as a way to connect government with residents by keeping them informed and opening up dialogue.

"If I was just writing this blog, I think it would be like dropping a pebble in the ocean," said Cole, who was inspired by Bobkiewicz and started blogging in late December. "But I think to the extent that we have a variety of ways for people at all hours of the day and night to learn more, and as well give feedback, this is just part of a larger effort to improve communication with our citizen customers."

Cole's blog, which gets about 4,200 visits a month, offers insight and background on city issues, proposed developments and council decisions. And he has his critics.

In response to Cole's "Two Year Progress Report" on Ventura, a reader wrote: "Why don't you discontinue this blog' since A. there are a total of six posted comments on the entire deal over a period of months; B. you have not allowed any that you are uncomfortable with. "

Another responded: "The blog is a great tool to listen to what people have to say, I do not think you should get rid of it. But on the same note if comments are not posted then people will not take the time to comment any further and thus the blog will fail. So I say people keep writing, and Rick keep posting!"

Many interested in concept

Many city managers know what blogging is and want to know how to deal with the medium, said Mike Madrid, a public affairs official and political consultant for the League of California Cities, which works with more than 460 city managers in California.

Madrid said mayors, council members and especially city managers — about 20 in the past 18 months — have approached him about blogging.

"It's not something that is part of the culture of being a city manager," said Madrid, who has worked for the league for eight years.

The familiar role of city managers is to carry out policy and work behind the scenes, he said.

At a league conference in February, Madrid plans to talk about blogs, and he hopes that Bobkiewicz and Cole will participate.

Blogging "is kind of like running for office — there's both good and bad to it," Madrid said. "The good part is you're out there publicly talking about your opinions. The bad part is you're out there publicly talking about your opinions. That's a unique spot for the city manager to be in."

Bobkiewicz, who started his blog in November 2004, doesn't offer his opinions on it. He does provide information, including a summary of City Council decisions, news releases and event notices.

"People's threshold of wanting to know about anything is much, much higher today with the Internet than it ever was," said Bobkiewicz, whose blog gets 2,500 unique visitors a month.

Hard data wasn't available on how many city managers throughout the nation blog. Madrid said the league knows of only a handful blogging in California, but anticipates an increase in the next two or three years.

Michele Frisby, public information director of the International City/County Management Association, said the organization continues to see an increased interest in blogging among city managers. The association has about 5,800 city managers and deputy and assistant managers as members nationally and internationally, and she believes that blogging will become more popular in the next year or two.

Some don't find it necessary

Other city managers in Ventura County say blogging is either not necessary or does not fit their personalities.

"I could understand the utility of such a thing for a council member," Ojai City Manager Jere Kersnar said. "I see less of a need for a city manager."

City Manager Mike Sedell of Simi Valley said the city's news releases or Web sites do the job of informing residents.

In the blogosphere, Ronald Ellis Smith, who uses the alias "Rellis Smith" when submitting comments to Cole's blog, believes the blogs are beneficial.

"It's a good way for them (government officials) to communicate to the citizens," Smith said. "In fact, it would be nice if some of the council members would throw in a blurb every now and then."

On the Net:

Bobkiewicz's blog, ci.santa-paula.ca.us/blog.

Cole's blog, www.ci.ventura.ca.us/cmblog.