Field of 5 : Lane Wins Council Seat in Moorpark

John Patrick Lane Jr. beat five other candidates, including a temporary appointee, to win a special Moorpark City Council election Tuesday.

Lane, 39, a supervisor in the Los Angeles Police Department’s disability claims department, will replace Bernardo Perez. Perez had been appointed to the post by the City Council in February.

“It’s a victory for the entire city of Moorpark,” Lane said. “I think we are in a new era. It’s time for us to get on with a strong government and strong leadership.”

Lane’s term will end in November, 1988.

The seat was left vacant in January after Danny Woolard resigned from the council. Woolard had pleaded guilty in federal court to embezzling $5,500 from the Moorpark Post Office, where he worked as a window clerk.

Corruption Alleged

After pleading guilty, Woolard made a number of allegations of vote-buying and other political corruption involving City Councilman Thomas C. (Bud) Ferguson.

Ferguson has denied any wrongdoing, but Ventura County Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury initiated an investigation into Woolard’s allegations. The results of that probe are expected to be announced later this month.

Although Woolard’s allegations created a storm of controversy in the eastern Ventura County city of 17,000, the charges did not become an issue in the special election. All the candidates said they would reserve comment on allegations of political corruption until after the district attorney completes his investigation.

The issue of growth, how much and how fast, had been the dominant political issue since Moorpark’s 1983 incorporation. But, after establishing itself as one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, Moorpark voters last November passed a measure limiting the number of new home permits to 250 a year.

Voters in November also ousted two pro-growth incumbents and replaced them with council members Clint Harper and Eloise Brown. Lane was an unsuccessful candidate in that race.

City Council members are paid $100 a month.