Personal information:
Name: Denise Loustalot
Age: 42
Family: Married to Pete Loustalot; together we have a blended family of five children in Clearlake and one grandchild.
Career/current job: I have a vast background that consists of banking, bookkeeping, office management and computer service. I am currently self-employed with my husband Pete. We own and operate Enterprise Towing and Automotive in Clearlake.
Education: I graduated from Lower Lake High School and have continued educating myself everyday through classes or courses that may have been offered through my employment.
Length of residence in Lake County and your particular city: I am third generation here in Lake County and have made Clearlake my permanent residence for 32 years.
Web site or email address where community members can contact you:
Questions:
1. Please outline your experience serving the local community. Include all community or volunteer service.
Currently I am an active member of the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce as well as sitting on the chamber’s board of directors. I volunteer for the Lake County Community Co-Op at their Clearlake drop location. I am also part of the Lakeshore Drive Corridor Plan Community Advisory Group.
I believe giving to our community is very important in a small town such as ours. I do as much as possible for any opportunity I receive to either donate or volunteer.
2. Why did you decide to run for public office?
I am running for city council because of my love of Clearlake. My family are third generation small business owners in Clearlake. I want to see our city, as well as our community as a whole, thrive and be moved forward into sustainable vitality.
Our city needs leaders who understand responsible decision making and I am one of them. I am simply a small business owner who, along with my husband Pete, is raising a family here which offers me the opportunity and vision to help improve our community.
3. What are the important qualities you would bring to public service?
Some of my best qualities that I can provide are recognizing that the heart of our community is the people within. It appears that there are times when this is forgotten. I have tenacity, integrity and most of all common sense when making decisions. I can make very sound decisions with a level head for the best interests of everyone involved.
My long-term proven track record of successful management within the business community offers our community the opportunities needed to move Clearlake forward into the sustainable vitality that we desire.
4. What are the primary functions of a city council member? What are the important skill sets a council member should possess?
The city council sets policy. The city council has the ability to impact lives, both presently and into the future, so it is vital that a council member makes sound, responsible decisions The city council ensures that funds allocated are budgeted effectively and distributed in a manner that will sustain the financial needs of the city in order that departments have the resources necessary to safely and accurately do their jobs for the people of the community.
We should be at all times listening to the needs of the people that we serve, ensuring we do everything within our power to meet their needs. It is important that a council member is accessible to their constituents.
5. What is your city’s single greatest challenge? How would you address it?
Our lack of tax base is our city’s greatest challenge. We need to be year-round sustainable because the tourism is not here like it used to be. If we can make our city sustainable and draw buyers from other areas, then they will spend the day and their money here. Tourism will return when we show people that we have something to offer. I would address this through proper growth. What I mean by proper growth is by attracting a regional retail center that has services that our community is presently going out of town to purchase. We need to keep our money local by bringing in what we do not already have.
6. If you are elected, what will your top issue be? What other issues are of particular interest to you?
Again I am not doing this for any one reason. When elected, I will work in earnest to bring Clearlake into sustainable vitality. I do not have one topic or agenda as I want what is in the best interests of our city and community as a whole. There will be many things that cross the table and all I will promise is that I will be dedicated and honest to the people who have elected me. I cannot pick just one issue as the city currently has many needs.
Public safety, code enforcement and animal control are priorities as well as the safety and well being of our seniors. It is important that we give our youth the opportunities that they will need to be successful in life as they are our future.
7. Is there a matter that you’ve seen the council handle that you believe should have been approached differently? If so, how would you have handled it?
As a longterm member of the community, I have always respected the diversity of the city council along with the diversity of the public opinion. Diversity brings forward different thoughts and opinions as well as acceptance or disagreement of decisions that have been made. Often times the nature of the council’s job is one that cannot always please everyone. When we elect city council members, we are entrusting them to be guardians of the public welfare, entrusting them to explore all avenues concerning the issue at hand, prior to their decision making.
Occasionally there will be issues that are the hard ones – the problems where no amount of data will get you to the right answer. At the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, all you have to guide you are your values and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are.
I believe that through the diversity of the city council and public opinion, decisions that have been made were made to the best of the council’s ability.
8. What ways, if any, would you encourage public and media interaction with you and the city council should you be elected? How would you approach public interaction, especially on controversial issues?
I would encourage the public to get active. Come to the city council meetings and be part of the process and the solutions. Our city really could benefit from a Web site that could have a section that would allow the citizens to communicate with individuals council members as well as city staff. This would allow opportunities to be brought to the attention of the council and addressed in an expedited manner.
When I am elected, I will make myself accessible to the citizens of Clearlake, as they are the ones who have the needs and concerns that must be listened to.
9. When you think of your city in 20 years, what do you hope it will look like? When considering that future vision of your city, what would you want your legacy to be in improving your community?
In 20 years I would hope to see our city as a beautiful, self-sustaining place that I was a leader in forming. Skilled leadership will provide budgets that will provide the necessary resources to keep our city viable. Sound decision making will continue to address the present and future needs of our city. The community will feel safe and trust the decisions made for them by the city council. Citizens will say with pride, “I am proud to call Clearlake my home.”
Financial information: See Form 470 below.
Clearlake City Council Candidates - Denise Loustalot - Form 470
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