THOUSAND OAKS : Sierra Club Backs 3 Council Candidates

Seeking environmental candidates, the Sierra Club has endorsed three contenders in the Thousand Oaks City Council race: incumbent Elois Zeanah, city Operations Manager David Hare and retired filmmaker M. Ali Issari.

The Conejo Valley Sierra Club’s executive committee sent questionnaires to all 16 candidates, asking them to outline plans for improving air quality and transportation. The questionnaire also asked the candidates’ views on preserving land zoned for open space.

Half of the 16 candidates responded to the questionnaire, club member Cassandra Auerbach said.

Zeanah, Hare and Issari--who are running together on a slow-growth slate--got the nod because they will “uphold our city’s General Plan and . . . expand the city’s responsible policies on conservation and recycling,” Auerbach said.

Citing such upcoming projects as a proposed golf course in Hill Canyon and a huge mall in Newbury Park, Auerbach said the three council members elected in November will face some key environmental decisions.

Zeanah agreed, saying the election “will be telling as to whether or not we maintain the environmental values which make our city so unique.” She added, “I think--I hope--that people will pay attention to the endorsement.”

The other candidates who returned Sierra Club questionnaires were engineer Lee Laxdal, community activist Ekbal Quidwai, public access television producer Jeannette Scovill, Planning Commissioner Irv Wasserman and mobile carwash owner Lance Winslow.