Firefighter to vie for council seat

Nathan Sweet Moorpark Highlands resident Nathan Sweet, 37, announced earlier this week that he will run in the upcoming City Council special elections to fill the seat vacated by Mayor Janice Parvin last November.

Sweet is one of 18 people who applied for the interim position on the council in December. Gary Lowenberg was appointed by the council to occupy that post until voters go to the polls in June to select a new representative who will complete the term ending in 2010.

The official filing period is Feb. 9 to March 6, but Sweet announced his candidacy early so he has time to share his ideas and get acquainted with local residents.

"The best way to give any message is to meet with people doortodoor and find out what their concerns are," said the paramedic and firefighter for the city of Los Angeles Fire Department.

Sweet and his family came here from Goleta two years ago.

"Like many Moorpark families, we moved here for the great public schools and the small-town feel coupled with bigcity conveniences," he said.

He decided to run for the council seat because he wants to help preserve the elements that drew him here, he said.

"As a parent of three young children, I want to plan Moorpark's future for the next two generations, not just for the two years remaining on this council term," he said.

According to Sweet, public safety is the first priority of every municipal government. "In our current economic crisis, local governments will be forced to do more with less," he said.

Statistics released by the Ventura County Sheriff's Department show that Moorpark is the only community in the county where crime from January to June 2008 increased over the previous year, Sweet said.

"Violent crimes increased by 40 percent last year and property crimes rose by 25 percent," he said.

"That's one of the main reasons why I want to serve. I want to curb that trend and the best way to do that is to add more police on the street," he said. "Even one additional patrol car could make a big difference."

And that could be done, he said, without straining the city budget.

The city currently pays $190,000 a year for the DARE program because it's not on the list of federally approved programs that would be sponsored by the government.

According to Sweet, DARE could be replaced with a different drug prevention program that has been shown to be effective and is covered by the government. The money saved could be used for extra policing.

"A police car has higher visibility; it could cut down crime and the graffiti we see everywhere," he said.

Sweet's priorities also include revitalization of High Street to improve the local economic environment and fiscal responsibility.

Councilmember Keith Millhouse and Sweet were recently introduced.

"I'm very impressed by him," Millhouse said. "He's been a public servant his whole life. He has a good understanding of issues within a city and he has a 'can do' attitude that I think is important for a public servant."

Sweet has been a first responder for nearly two decades. He lived and worked in Providence, R.I. before moving to California about four years ago to join the Los Angeles City Fire Department. He's a graduate of Providence College.

Sweet hasn't been involved in any committees or commissions in Moorpark until now, but he's coached AYSO soccer and participates in youth baseball activities. He's also been involved in the homeowners association for his community.

His wife, Rebecca Sweet, is a pediatric occupational therapist, who specializes in work with autistic children. The couple volunteer at Walnut Canyon Elementary School, which their two boys Benjamin, 6, and Nicholas, 5, attend. Their daughter, Lauren, is 3 years old.