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    Goodbye Constitution Freedom America by Don Jans

    Abrupt and Mysterious Departure of Oxnard Development Director

    By George Miller

    Oxnard is abuzz this week over the mysterious, unheralded departure of Community Development Director Jeff Lambert.  We first heard about it from a city official, who professed to not know why. He later wrote me: “Staff is totalling [sic] baffled. Staff said they liked Jeff, and “everyone got along well with Jeff”. Furthermore, they came in Friday and were told Jeff no longer works for the city but no answers to questions were offered not even how staff could contact Jeff to say goodbye.”

    Keith Brooks, Oxnard’s IT Director, was also added to the MIA list. No one we know seems to have any idea why- or at least they’re not telling us. 

    City officials would not reveal anything about what happened, according to multiple people we talked to.  Assistant City Manger Ashley Golden wrote me:  “The City cannot comment on personnel matters.”

    Lambert, who came to the position in 2019 from Ventura, where he held a similar position for years, had taken on a number of bold initiatives and seemed to be making good progress. We heard that he had tangled with a few parties on various issues, such as the downtown improvements. The location of a new homeless shelter/navigation center downtown is a huge point of contention with well over 100 city businessman opposing it. Ditto with the proposed teardown of a four story office building on Saviers, which would be replaced with a liquor-serving 7-11.

    The City didn’t even have time to take down his bio, before I snatched a copy:

    (Sorry about the readability, but one of Oxnard’s “improved transparency” projects was to prevent copy/pasting of its web site contents.)

    Since there was no celebratory language, announcement, or mention of where he went, it doesn’t look like a voluntary move.

    We heard some rumors only, so we won’t dignify them with publication.

    There is a snap special council closed meeting on Wednesday evening. We don’t know if there is any connection to this.

     


    George Miller is Publisher/Co-Founder of CitizensJournal.us and a “retired” operations management consultant residing in Oxnard.

    Get Citizensjournal.us Headlines free  SUBSCRIPTION. Keep us publishing – DONATE

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    11 COMMENTS

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    VanMarr.
    VanMarr.
    3 years ago

    This needed to be said. And it was! Thank you. Keep me posted.

    Dean
    Dean
    3 years ago

    Both were at will employees.

    Bu2
    Bu2
    3 years ago

    Just my opinion, You bring them in to do a job but I recall that 7 eleven on saviors some thought it would be bad idea of crime? I didn’t think so there are already 2 liquor stores on that corner and crime didn’t increase their job is to develop. You people want a vacant building thats been there fir 18 yrs? with homless people living by it that brings in more crime.

    Steven Schleder
    Steven Schleder
    3 years ago

    He left Ventura City Gov’t under the same mysterious circumstances.

    He was brought to Ventura city gov’t by past city manager Rick Cole, who now is City Manager for Santa Monica.

    Mark
    Mark
    3 years ago

    He had a lot of large Oxnard improvement projects on the table and he leaves before signing off. Very irresponsible to the 1000’s counting on him do his job.

    Jose Hernández
    Jose Hernández
    3 years ago

    This has interested me. Why so upset August?.

    Rana Emens
    Rana Emens
    3 years ago

    Thank you for having the guts for some honest journalism. When something doesn’t look right best to speak up about it because around here it probably isn’t by what I’ve seen.

    Mr. Charlie
    Mr. Charlie
    3 years ago

    Hey August … How’s Pearly Baker?

    August West
    August West
    3 years ago

    Maybe you should hold off your biased and poorly written editorial until you have some facts. When will this pathetic rag hire a real journalist to report on actual news?

    Gloria Postel
    Gloria Postel
    3 years ago
    Reply to  August West

    Must have hit a nerve.

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