Grand Jury Probing Study of Suns Deal

The Ventura County Grand Jury has launched a probe into the city’s plan to allow the Pacific Suns minor league baseball team to play at Oxnard College next year, according to an Oxnard civic leader.

Last month, City Council members voted unanimously to let the Suns play at the college in 1998. But some residents argued that the council moved too fast on the deal, because an environmental study of traffic, noise, lights and other potential problems at games has not been completed.

Steve Buratti, chairman of the city’s Inter-Neighborhood Council, said three grand jury members have questioned him about the city’s environmental study of the plan. Specifically, the grand jury members were trying to determine whether the city has involved citizens groups and residents near Oxnard College during its review.

The city has done so, Buratti said last week, but its meetings on the Suns have been poorly advertised and poorly attended. Moreover, he said, there is simmering resentment among residents near the college toward City Council members over the Suns deal.

“Basically, the concerns of the neighbors are not being addressed, and this is being rammed down their throats, one way or another,” Buratti said.

City officials said they were entirely in compliance with state law when they gave the Suns approval to play at the college. The city can pull out of the deal and tell the Suns to look elsewhere if the environmental report, expected to be released in a few weeks, points to major problems, City Councilman John Zaragoza said.

The Ventura County Community College District’s board of trustees has taken a more cautious approach, saying it will vote only after the environmental report is released.

Grand jury officials were unavailable for comment Monday.

Buratti emphasized that the grand jury inquired specifically about the city’s environmental review process and did not suggest that the Suns have done anything wrong.

Suns owner Don DiCarlo said the team has not been questioned by grand jury members.

“I do know the city has researched this more than anything in the history of mankind,” DiCarlo said. “Let’s put this aside and get on with baseball.”