Veteran Councilman wants to “finish the job."

Santa Clarita Councilman Bob Kellar has declared his intention to run for re-election when his term ends in April 2008.

“Santa Clarita is a special place and I am deeply committed to serving this community.  There are many challenges before us including public safety, the CEMEX issue, and the clean up of Whittaker-Bermite along with a responsible development plan.  I very much would like to continue working on these important issues in behalf of our city.” stated Kellar.

CEMEX is a Mexican multi-national corporation that has a 20-year permit from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to mine aggregate in the Soledad Canyon area.  Under the current permit, the mine would be the largest in the nation of its kind next to an urban area.  The mine would adversely affect air, water quality, and increase truck traffic on the 14 freeway.

Kellar has worked with other elected representatives and city staff toward a compromise that would greatly reduce the size of the mine.  He has met with the president of CEMEX and Congressman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon regarding federal legislation that would codify the agreement between the city and CEMEX.

Kellar said, “To maintain Santa Clarita’s high quality of life we must reduce the size of the CEMEX mine to historical levels.  This is one of my top priorities.”

The Whittaker-Bermite property covers 996 acres in the heart of Santa Clarita.  This site has been a huge problem particularly the issue of the perchlorate contamination.  Perchlorate is a chloride used in rocket fuel, which was dumped on the property over a 40-year period.  Kellar created the Whittaker-Bermite Multi-Jurisdictional Taskforce that brought together all interested parties and is widely credited with expediting the clean up of the property.

“We have an obligation to protect our residents’ health by cleaning up the perchlorate from the groundwater,” stated Kellar.

“As Santa Clarita continues to grow public safety becomes an increasingly growing problem as well.  This city must take a very aggressive stance against all forms of crime.  This can only be done by working closely with law enforcement, the court system, and the public.”

Kellar’s focus on the council has been public safety, protecting the environment and making Santa Clarita more business-friendly.  These efforts have paid off as the City of Santa Clarita has been lauded for its high quality of life.  In 2006, CNN/Money Magazine named Santa Clarita the “Best place to live in California.”