Questions by the Daily Independent: Sept. 3rd
1. Do you agree with the city’s current contract with Flock Security for automated license plate reader cameras? If so, why? If not, why not? What would you change about the contract, if anything?
I am strongly against the contract the City of Ridgecrest signed with Flock. Section 5.3 leaves a backdoor for a federalized police state to use the data free of charge and without a warrant. Our police department can’t share data with the federal government according to the California Values Act, but the City signed our rights away for Flock to share our data with 3rd parties and for training their algorithm for all of Flock’s services. Our group has had a lawyer rewrite sections of the contract to create protections for the people of Ridgecrest. These changes can be viewed on deflockridgecrest.org.
[Please note that my position has changed after the recent hacking of a camera, see my answer below in the De-Flock questionaire]
2. Do you support the construction of a multimillion-dollar pipeline to transport imported water into the Indian Wells Valley? If so, why? If not, why not? What, if anything, would you change about the local strategy to bring the draw from the aquifer even with the annual recharge?
I do not support the construction of the pipeline. Water from the pipeline is not guaranteed and is a fixed price even if we have a year where we don’t receive any water. It’s a bad deal for the people of Ridgecrest and doesn’t help our overdrafted basin. We need to do a few things to get our basin to be sustainable for the future.
- First, we need to help our neighbors get into a Tier 1 status on their bills through water conservation. That means fixing leaking swamp coolers and favoring trees over lawns. Trees use less water than a lawn and help lower the temperature in cities.
- Second, we need to capture the water from our surrounding canyons to recharge the water at optimal locations for the aquifer. In years of high rains, the LA aqueduct has to relieve pressure and dumps water into our basin. That water is currently not being captured.
- Third, we need to push back against big outside businesses that want to exploit our limited resources irresponsibly. Lastly, if those efforts still don’t get us to a sustainable yield, we need to consider other projects that can actually deliver.
3. Would you have voted in favor of or against Measures B and C on the June 2026 ballot modifying the city’s term limits ordinance? Why?
I voted against B because I felt the measure was written to be self-serving to the council members who just wanted to have their terms reset and stay in office. I mistakenly voted in favor of C because I voted early by mail and didn’t understand that it would have removed term limits. At the time, I did feel that it didn’t make sense for a mayor to have in a way less power and influence than a council member. However, after finding out term limits were removed for the mayor’s position, I had to tell other people to vote against it. We need to allow our community to grow with new ideas and leadership.
4. Are there any city events you would like to see added?
Music brings people together. I would like to see a “battle of the bands” competition. I’ve also heard that the Missoula Children’s theatre was amazing.
5. If you were asked to choose which committees you would like to serve on as councilmember (infrastructure, finance, economic development, or quality of life), which would it be and why?
Quality of Life and Finance committees, because I would like to see improvements to our parks and do so with the understanding of the City’s fiscal standing and what other grant money might be available to us.
6. Are there any changes you would like to see in the city’s relationship with the Navy and NAWS China Lake? If so, what are they?
I do not represent the Navy or China Lake when giving this opinion, I am answering as a resident of Ridgecrest. I don’t believe there is a conflict between the City of Ridgecrest and China Lake as both entities need each other to survive. The Navy was willing to enter into comprehensive adjudication to find a fair balance of water rights and a safe yield amount. The Navy seems willing to compromise by reducing their water rights significantly. This will help reduce water bills for residents as our share of the safe yield amount allows more usage in the tier 1 category of our water bills.
7. Do you have someone in mind that you would appoint to the planning commission if you’re elected? If so, who, and why?
I don’t believe I’ve met the right person yet. I would like to see someone who interacts with residents a lot who don’t have a business agenda for their personal gains. In my mind it needs to be someone who talks to a wide cross section of residents on a regular basis about their life, needs, and what their desires are- such as a teacher, social worker, realtor, or hair dresser.
8. Are there changes you would like to see regarding the Ridgecrest Senior Center and especially the meal program? If so, what are the changes, and how would you like them implemented?
Currently the meal program is run by the county and the meals come all the way from Bakersfield. It would be nice if the City could allow a local group to use the Kerr McGee center kitchen without charge to prepare meals for seniors and the homeless.
9. Would you support the city restarting its relationship with Placer.ai or a competing service? If so, why? If not, why not? Do you have other suggestions for information gathering to present to potential new businesses entering town?
I am against surveillance for the sake of profiting off people. The city could look at our tax base to help local business owners determine if we qualify for opening a certain franchise in town. Instead of bringing in outside businesses, we need to focus on strengthening our current business community by having an efficient permitting process, hold commercial landlords accountable to their leasing agreements, and enforce action when a landlord is in violation of a code.
10. What prompted you to run for councilmember?
After more than a year of participating in City Council meetings, I believe our community is ready for a stronger culture of listening, transparency, and public engagement. Residents deserve a council that carefully considers community input, asks thoughtful questions, and makes decisions based on the full range of perspectives and not just the recommendations of city staff.
Public comment is an important part of our democracy and a vital way for people to help keep the government accountable. I want to help ensure that every resident feels heard and that community concerns are meaningfully reflected in the council’s work.
When positive change is needed, citizens have the opportunity and responsibility to step forward.
11. What are your three top goals if elected?
- Modify the contract with Flock to protect residents from a federal police state. If we are unable to do so, I will push for the contract to be cancelled and write a surveillance policy to prevent future companies from violating our privacy and 4th amendment rights.
- Studies have shown that when cities invest in Parks and Rec, it reduces crime, improves mental health, and strengthens communities. This could be funded through grants and adjustments to the City budget.
- I want to be an advocate for women in our town. We need to make sure essential services for women’s health are available to half our population. Labor and delivery closing even temporarily was an inexcusable action taken by the hospital. This has had lasting negative impacts. Because of the loss of trust in our hospital, women are still choosing to go out of town for care.
Survey questions from Taxpayers for Accountability of our Groundwater: Sept 17th
1. Groundwater Availability & Storage: What is your assessment of the short- and long-term availability of groundwater in the Indian Wells Valley? Specifically, what is your view on the amount replenished on an ongoing basis, and what kind of water storage do you believe we have available?
We live in a desert and need to be mindful of our water usage so that our neighbors on wells can continue to access their water without having to drill deeper. This means we need to do what we can to not exceed the sustainable yield amount. According to the USGS, confined aquifers (like ours) are more likely to have permanent deformation due to a near-field earthquake as the fault offset. The 2024 report from the Technical Working Group doesn’t take into consideration how our twin earthquakes and subsequent aftershocks have changed the permeability of the ground. The earthquakes could explain the discrepancies between the models. Our sustainable yield might be temporarily or permanently higher at 14,300 than the historical yield of 7,650 due to the earthquakes.
2. Ratepayer Fees: Indian Wells Valley Water District ratepayers have paid nearly $20 million in groundwater fees over the last five years, and these fees are expected to continue indefinitely. Do you believe these fees are appropriate and effective? If not, what specific changes would you advocate for?
Once ratepayers get out of their tier 1 category on their water bills, the fees for replenishment are very steep. This extra amount can come as a surprise which is the last thing people need right now in this economy. I believe the tiers should be adjusted to incentivise people to use less water, not just be fined. Fines for exceeding the sustainable yield amount should start at tier 3, not 2 so there is a gradual transition in the cost of water. The cost to support a lower rate for people in the new tier 1 could be offset by the rates of the higher tiers users.
3. Path Forward for Sustainability: In your view, what is the most practical and economically viable path forward for our valley to achieve long-term groundwater sustainability without placing an undue financial burden on local households?
We need to focus on conservation and capturing the water that is dumped in our basin. Currently when there are high rains, the LA aqueduct has to reduce pressure from the system and releases water into Freeman canyon which flows into our basin and out to China Lake Ranges. We should capture the water that is funneled through the canyons and use it to recharge our aquifer.
4. Water Importation Pipeline: What is your position on the proposed Water Importation Pipeline project? If elected, what exact actions will you take either to advance, halt, or modify this project?
With my activism over the last 2 years, I have proven myself as having the ability to be impartial from my employer and avoid Hatch Act violations. I believe this should make me eligible to participate in discussion regarding water in our basin. If the City Attorney disagrees, I will be asking for a second opinion. I would push for a more sensible solution than the pipeline because a fixed annual rate regardless of how little water it may deliver is a bad deal for ratepayers.
5. GSA Transparency and Oversight: Do you believe local citizens currently have sufficient oversight, transparency, and accountability regarding the operations and financial management of the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA)? If not, what structural reforms would you implement?
For a long time, I didn’t understand my water bill and I think a majority of people in our area are also confused. When residents are not being properly informed of when fees kick in, that’s a transparency issue. Water in our basin is complicated. The IWVGA needs to host meetings at a time that is not conflicting with a majority of people’s working hours. Having the meeting at 10am on a Wednesday obstructs people’s ability to participate. Simply moving the meeting time to the evening when a majority of people are off work would be a huge improvement in bringing about transparency to issues surrounding our water.
6. Comprehensive Adjudication: How do you view the ongoing Comprehensive Adjudication process for the IWV basin, and what specific role should your elected body play in supporting or influencing it moving forward? What role should your body play in moving beyond it?
Once the judge decides what our safe yield amount is, the City Council will need to make adjustments to the Groundwater Sustainability Plan. I’ve read the GSP and there are a lot of good ideas in there, but we need to omit Option 1 for the Cal-City Pipeline.
7. Large Commercial Water Projects: What specific policy or regulatory actions would you take regarding large-scale commercial water projects, such as the proposed RB Inyokern Data Center? Would you apply these same standards to other large-water-use projects proposed in the future that are not Data Centers? Why or why not?
We need to protect our limited water supply. It should be used by people in our basin and push back against all new large-water-use projects, especially AI data centers. There isn’t enough water rights to go around.
DeFlock Ridgecrest — 2026 Candidate Questionnaire: Sept 22nd
Part 1 — Yes or No (8 questions)
Please mark YES or NO for each. You may add up to 40 words of explanation on the line below any question. We will publish both the yes/no answer and your comment.
1. Will you vote to place the City’s Flock Safety contract on a public City Council agenda for discussion and a recorded vote within your first 90 days in office?
YES ☐ NO Comment: Yes, this is an urgent issue.
2. Will you vote to end the City’s contract with Flock Safety at the earliest date the agreement allows, rather than continue it in any form?
YES ☐ NO Comment: We don’t need to wait for a renewal period. We can end the contract now.
3. If Flock Safety’s response does not satisfy all six of the objectives listed above, will you vote to end the contract rather than renew it?
YES ☐ NO Comment: The system has to go and we need a surveillance policy written to protect us from future ALPR companies.
4. Do you support requiring the City to publish an annual public report on how the camera system is used — including the number of searches run, the stated purpose of those searches, and which outside agencies accessed Ridgecrest data?
YES ☐ NO Comment: We need greater transparency on how the system is being used and by whom. Flock has an online training available on how to use the system to use for events to track people. This isn’t just about vehicles.
5. If the Council votes to suspend or end the contract, will you insist the City obtain written confirmation that the cameras have been physically removed and deactivated, rather than accepting a paper cancellation alone?
YES ☐ NO Comment: In other cities who have cancelled their contracts, it was found that the cameras continued to record and upload to the data base. We need the cameras physically removed after the contract ends.
6. Do you support a City ordinance requiring City Council approval, at a noticed public meeting, before the Police Department or any City department acquires or begins using any new surveillance technology — including equipment received as a donation, a grant, a free trial, or access granted through another agency or a private company, and regardless of which vendor supplies it?
YES ☐ NO Comment: We need transparency of when our rights could be violated.
7. Do you agree that if the City ends its Flock contract, replacing it with a comparable system from a different vendor would not address the concerns residents have raised?
YES ☐ NO Comment: If we get rid of Flock, we need to hold all other companies to the same level of scrutiny.
8. Do you support requiring, in writing in the contract, that no data collected by Ridgecrest cameras be shared with, or searchable by, any federal agency or any agency outside California?
YES ☐ NO Comment: It is against California state law and never should have been in the contract to begin with.
Part 2 — Short Answer (2 questions, 100 words maximum each)
9. Suppose Flock Safety agrees to everything the City has asked for. Would you still vote to end the contract? Explain why or why not.
Yes, in light of the recent hacking of a camera and with the findings that nothing has been done to mitigate the problems that were found a year ago, we must push to cancel the contract with Flock. The company has proven to care more about dominating the market than public safety.
10. What is the strongest argument against your own position on this contract, and why do you still hold your position?
Using Flock in cases where there has been a child abduction is often referenced as a reason to sacrifice our rights for safety. However, the two cases in Ridgecrest have been by a guardian or parent, which means it would have been a known license plate and the police would have already had all the information that they needed to file a warrant to obtain cellphone or vehicle location positioning information. In both cases, it was this other data that was accessed after a warrant was obtained to find the vehicles. Just because the PD used Flock, that doesn’t mean Flock was how the kids were found.
