Parvin

Moorpark Councilwoman Janice Parvin announced Thursday she is running for mayor in November's election.

Her official announcement to campaign for the city's top position comes a few days after Patrick Hunter announced he will not seek re-election, after 12 years as mayor.

"I've been thinking about it for about a year," Parvin said. "I've had a number of different people — from business owners, educators and police officers — make the suggestion to me."

Now in her second term as councilwoman, Parvin, 54, said she wants to continue her top priorities — job-building, reducing the city's crime rate and improving communication among city staff, the council and the public.

The nominating period for all council positions is July 14 to Aug. 8. The seats for council members Roseann Mikos and Keith Millhouse are up in November. The council members are elected on four-year, staggered terms.

Since Hunter will not seek re-election, mayoral candidates have three extra business days to file. Hunter said he was retiring from the position to spend more time with his family.

"He didn't give any clue that he was moving away from the position," Parvin said. "I think it was a surprise to the entire council."

A recent Ventura County Sheriff's Department statistic indicated crime in Moorpark has increased 40 percent since last year.

"As soon as you see a statistic like that, we need to address it immediately," Parvin said.

Parvin has advocated for safer trucks and sits on the Highway 118 Safety Task Force, a panel headed by Supervisor Peter Foy, which meets quarterly to talk about traffic and safety concerns on the two-lane state road between Moorpark and Ventura.

Parvin said she has seen improvements like more California Highway Patrol officers on the road, more people working at the temporary truck scales west of the city and an increase in arrests.

"It's a nice feeling knowing you can see a change," she said.

Parvin recently met with the executives behind Commonwealth Studios, a $125 million project proposed for Moorpark that includes 14 soundstages. "They have some great aspirations for our city and want to be very involved with the community," Parvin said.

Patrick Ellis, the president of the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce, said Parvin remains dedicated to the business community.

"Janice has always been a very pro-business person, and the chamber is excited in that respect," he said.

Parvin has more than 10 years of public service experience, including the council, Planning Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission. She and her husband, Dale, have lived in Moorpark for 23 years.

Parvin said she wants to continue to promote Moorpark's family-oriented community and would like to see more family-type events, "maybe performed on High Street."

Councilman Mark Van Dam said Parvin "would do an excellent job" as mayor.

"She's very good with time management," Van Dam said. "She picks and chooses what she can be involved in, on her ability to make a difference."

Parvin is also the president of the California League of Cities, Channel Counties Division. She is the executive vice president of human resources for Network Omni in Westlake Village.

Bruce Thomas, board member of the Moorpark Unified School District, said he supports Parvin for mayor.

"It's a great opportunity for the city to go to the next level," Thomas said. "She has the respect of everyone across the board."