Ojai planning commissioner removed over allegedly inappropriate remarks
In a split vote, the Ojai City Council on Tuesday removed Jeffrey Starkweather from the city Planning Commission due to allegedly inappropriate remarks made last year about women running for council seats.
Dissenters claimed Starkweather's emailed comments had been taken out of context.
The commissioner's removal was placed on the agenda by Mayor Betsy Stix. Starkweather sent emails that were “detrimental to the function of our local city government,” Stix wrote on the agenda, citing a 2022 email from Starkweather referring to City Council candidates as “weak young females.”
Council members voted 3-2 for Starkweather’s ouster. He was in Ireland and did not attend the meeting. Two emails sent to him seeking comment had not been returned as of Friday evening.
Councilmembers Suza Francina and Leslie Rule voted against the removal.
Francina said the term "weak" in Starkweather’s email referred to the electability of candidates, not misogyny, and had nothing to do with his role on the planning commission.
"It's a personal, private email in which he described two or three new, unknown candidates as 'weak young female opponents,'” Francina said. "This clearly is meant to describe their financial support."
Rule said there was "no one" on the planning commission who felt Starkweather was not doing a good job and suggested the council arrange a conversation with him.
"I personally do not believe that tossing him off the planning commission will be good for this town," Rule said.
Councilmember Rachel Lang said the "weak young females" statement was directed at her and it “fired her up” to knock on more doors during her campaign.
Lang said she met with Starkweather after the election and she did not believe he was a misogynist, which was alleged at the meeting by some speakers during public comment.
Stix raised other issues about Starkweather, who is president of the Ojai Valley Democratic Club. His role as president conflicts with his role as commissioner when he criticizes city council policies, she said. A planning commissioner's role is to carry out the council's policies and not question them, she said.
Councilmembers Lang and Andrew Whitman felt Starkweather needed to choose between being president of the Democratic Club and a planning commissioner if he wants to continue giving his opinions on city issues.
Starkweather was nominated to be a commissioner by former council member William Weirick and unanimously appointed by the City Council in June 2022. His term was scheduled to end on May 22, 2026.
Wes Woods II covers the West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ojai planning commissioner removed for allegedly inappropriate remarks
