By Brooklynn Wong
Are you ready to vote on Nov. 6? The Independent reached out to candidates running for City Council in Buena Park, asking them each for their answers to the same set of questions. At the time of publication, The Independent had yet to receive responses from candidates Connor Traut, Val Sadowinski, Jae Chung, Ian Macdonald and Adonay Gutierrez. Responses will be published as they are received until Election Day.
Name: Virginia Vaughn, incumbent Mayor, seeking re-election
Personal info: I have been a resident of Buena Park for over 23 years with my husband Kenny and our two dogs Benny and Gigi. We have one daughter, six adopted grandchildren and two great-grandchildren who all live in Buena Park. I enjoyed an exceptional 30-year career at Northrop Grumman, holding positions in Property Management and Manager of a Facilities Office Support organization. I am a small business owner, enjoy volunteer work and strongly believe in staying involved throughout our community on all levels. Some of the key organizations and charities I have worked with over the past two decades include: Giving Children Hope, BPSD Education Foundation President, Boys & Girls Club President, BP Women’s Club, Bright Paths Homeless Program and the Buena Park Collaborative. I enjoy getting with our neighbors and and businesses to discuss what is going on in our city and hear their concerns and issues that most affect them. I also do my best to follow the best practices in our schools and meet with students on a regular basis. I stay very involved with our local businesses and my door is always open to any new ideas or concerns they may have. Our amazing diversity, in my mind, is what makes Buena Park so special. My motto is “Inclusive to all, exclusive to none.”
What are your long-term plans to improve Buena Park?
-Strengthen and grow local economy: additional housing and affordable/workforce housing; support new development and all local businesses, create more jobs; ensure business sustainability—attract additional tourism
-Maintain and support public safety: obtain the tools and resources required to keep our community safe—hire additional police officers, expand our community outreach with mounted police units; address traffic flow and congestion—work with Caltrans, businesses and traffic consultants with community outreach; support the Bright Paths Homelessness Program—improve the quality of life for all residents
-Embrace the diversity of our community: invest in all businesses, community programs, our schools and our children; support our veterans and first responders and encourage more programs to bring our rich cultures together in new and innovative ways
-Maintain strong fiscal oversight, transparency and accountability
If elected, what would be the issue you would want to work on first?
Strengthen and grow our local economy. Work closely with housing developers to build more housing in Buena Park. Not just fair market value homes but workforce/affordable housing. Ensure required parking codes are met.
What more does Buena Park need to do to address its homelessness problem?
Continue to use our Bright Paths Homelessness Program. Work closely with the Buena Park Collaborative for much-needed services and resources. Establish a Buena Park Family Resource Center to assist people with resources and services. Look into a possible shelter with wrap-around services and a job program.
Why should voters choose you?
I have lived in Buena Park for 23 years. I am very active in my community and made myself available to help, provide advice and assist our residents when asked. I am the right candidate with the experience, leadership and proven track record of accomplishments in Buena Park as evidenced by the support I have received from numerous residents, local businesses and community leaders such as Stephen Knott, Beatriz Porto, David Simpson (Chevrolet), Ken Grody (Ford), School Board Members, Congressman Ed Royce, Supervisor Michelle Steel, Senator Moorlach, California Women’s Legislative Association, all of our current City Council, several council members and mayors in surrounding cities and the Buena Park Police Association. Under my four years on City Council our city has grown and continues to prosper.
-Co-developed and implemented a new B.P. Homelessness Program—Bright Paths. We are down from 146 homeless residents to 96. Placing them into programs, reunification with families. Our program retention is 91%.
-In construction: Butterly Palladium, On Beach Project (CEO, Mr. J. Lee Fegi, LLC), Hotel Stanford, ALOFT Hotel and Hampton Inn & Suites, Buena Park Downtown Mall’s Grange 39
-Opened: New state-of-the-art fire department, Clark Commons, Olson Housing, City Ventures Housing, Porto’s, Kyung Bok Kung Korean BBQ, Pizza Press, Ocean Snack, New Moon Restaurant, Knott’s Water Park Expansion, Premier Automotive—Jeep, Auto Nation and Cadillac dealerships
-Approved by Council and in process: ten new security cameras on Beach Boulevard and in new parking lots, Police Officers Memorial, housing projects
Name: Sunny Park, City Council Candidate
Personal info: I am an attorney who has been practicing Tax & Estate Planning for elderlies and families in need for 17 years. I serve my community as a state-appointed board member of the California Board of Accountancy under the California Department of Consumer Affairs, President of the Buena Park Noon Lions Club Foundation, Sponsorship Committee Chair for Silverado Days and through pro bono work with youth, schools, and church organizations. I am a homeowner and business owner in Buena Park. My husband is a public servant of 19 years for Orange County, and our daughter just graduated from Emery Elementary School and is now attending Buena Park Junior High School.
What are your long-term plans to improve Buena Park?
I live and work in Buena Park, and I, along with all the other residents, have our livelihood and at stake here in this wonderful city. My ultimate goal is to make Buena Park a unique and interesting place to visit, to open new businesses in, thriving with economical and educational advantages over other cities, and creating comfortable and prosperous living for all residents. In order to make this into a reality, City Hall needs to take the necessary steps for transparency and accountability in our infrastructure, build smarter, long-term budget and development plans, and always openly communicate with our residents.
If elected, what would be the issue you would want to work on first?
First of all, Buena Park is going through many growing pains, and our residents are fed up with built-up traffic, eyesores like roads and signs in need of repair, building project sites with lack of forward movement, frequent home and mail robberies, unethical officials, and many more, all communicated to me by the residents from my numerous rounds of walks in our district. My first action is to take traffic and public safety issues as top priority and move forward with other issues quickly and efficiently.
What more does Buena Park need to do to address its homelessness problem?
Homelessness is an important issue that the federal, state and local governments must collaboratively work on to bring a proper solution. As an elected official of Buena Park, I will work together with all different levels of government agencies to help the homeless people. We need to build an infrastructure of organizations and people including homeless activists, mental health institutes, church and non-profit organizations to offer a wrap-around service, to come together for healing, caring and revival of our fellow citizens. I will also ensure that all of our procedural work will be clearly transparent to Buena Park residents, following the due process so that our residents will be together in decision-making and supporting City Hall in this venture.
Why should voters choose you?
The choices that our voters will make in this November election will directly impact all of us, our livelihood and our future. The best candidate to represent all of us is someone who will stay focused and who will listen and stay in close contact with all, not selective residents or special interest groups. I believe that this City Council election is not about any political party, race or ethnicity. It does not require a political party preference to fix broken traffic lights and signs in need of repair, to increase police patrols to protect our residents from frequent home robberies, or to make our City Hall accountable and transparent to the residents.
I will be honored to earn your vote. As your City Council member, I will be committed to fighting for public safety, creating opportunities for the youth, taking care of our seniors and children, preserving and enhancing our quality of life while maintaining Buena Park’s financial stability through well-balanced economic developments. I know and love our city, and I pledge to continue constructive leadership through a progressive, positive and independent approach, and to be accessible to all.
Name: Beth Swift, incumbent City Council member seeking re-election
Personal info: I’m currently a Buena Park City Council member, first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. I retired as a teacher at Buena Park High School in 2010. I have been married to Greg Swift for 48 years. We have four daughters, four sons-in-law, 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. I have lived in Buena Park my entire life, and for all but the first four years of my life, I have lived in what is now District 2. I have a Doctor of Education degree from USC, a Master of Arts in School Administration from Azusa Pacific University, and a BA in Home Economics and History from Cal State Long Beach.
What are your long-term plans to improve Buena Park?
I plan to direct more attention to “quality of life issues”—i.e. (1) beautify our city with trees, neighborhood identifications, etc.; (2) encourage safety and emergency preparedness by urging residents to train in the CERT program and/or neighborhood watch so that they will be prepared to take care of themselves and neighbors in case of crimes, earthquakes or other emergencies; (3) relieve street parking pressures on neighborhoods by working with apartment owners to use parking lifts and/or maximizing parking areas; (4) enrich parks and other recreational resources by making them truly beautiful as well as functional.
If elected, what would be the issue you would want to work on first?
The financial stability of the city is of utmost importance. We must examine ways to pay down unfunded pension liabilities such as make extra payments to Cal PERS, set up a pension trust, establish a responsible goal of 85% funding and enlist help of employees to hold the line on salaries and fringe benefits that increase Cal PERS obligations.
What more does Buena Park need to do to address its homelessness problem?
Because homelessness in not just a Buena Park problem, we must reach out to and work with other nearby cities, the county, state and federal governments to establish shelters and provide services. We cannot do it alone, but we have already done a lot by hiring two dedicated police officers to work on outreach to homeless neighbors and by hiring City Net as the case managers to find placements and programs for homeless individuals.
Why should voters choose you?
No one cares more about Buena Park more than I do. I have volunteered in and served the city since I was a 30-year-old mom of three little girls and ran for election to the school board. I enjoy the process of citizen oversight of the professionals who work for the city. I understand that the City Council is elected to make the policies, provide direction and ask pertinent questions of the professionals as they do their work and spend taxpayers’ money.
