CANDIDATES TAKE ON MEDICAL, PARK ISSUES.

Byline: Sonia Giordani Daily News Staff Writer

Candidates for this year's council race are tackling the city's two most controversial issues as they campaign for an emergency care facility for Westlake Village residents and discuss city plans to build a new sports park for its youths.

Iraj Broomand, Christopher Mann and Mark Rutherford are running for three seats on the City Council in the Nov. 4 election. Mayor Doug Yarrow and Councilman James Emmons will leave two seats open when they retire this year, and Mayor Pro Tem Kris Carraway-Bowman is seeking re-election for a second term.

The three council hopefuls agree that the city's first priority is attracting a regional full-service emergency facility. Since the Westlake Village Medical Center closed in July 1996, residents have had to travel to the Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks or to Columbia/West Hills Medical Center in West Hills.

But incumbent Carraway-Bowman said she hopes an urgent-care facility will open in town to provide basic medical services.

``When Westlake Medical Center closed, it was a great blow - not only to residents but to the people who worked there,'' said Carraway-Bowman, a 21-year resident who worked at the hospital.

Now the director of marketing and public relations at Los Robles Hospital, she said building an emergency room would be too costly for the city and most private firms because state law requires full-service emergency rooms to have an operating room and intensive-care unit.

But the three opponents said they favored a full-service emergency room closer to the city rather than an urgent-care facility that could offer only limited treatment.

Broomand, an 18-year resident of Westlake Village, said an urgent-care facility would not be able to help people in cardiac arrest or with traumatic injuries.

``The question is not whether to build such a facility inside or outside the boundaries of Westlake Village. It's a question of providing access within five minutes to the city's residents,'' said Broomand, 65, a psychologist and the president of Stirling Academy, a school in the San Fernando Valley for emotionally disturbed children and adolescents.

Rutherford, who moved to Westlake Village in 1994, said the city may not have the space to build a full-service emergency facility but needs a hospital and emergency room closer to its residents.

``Whether the land is physically within this city is less important. . . . I would be satisfied with an emergency room closer to us in the area,'' said Rutherford, adding that the city needs to attract more private health care providers to the region.

``The bottom line is, we should invest in attracting health care providers,'' he said.

For Mann, an emergency room closer to the city's residents is imperative.

``There is money to be made in bringing an emergency room closer to the city, so private companies have a real financial incentive to come here. But the City Council needs to be willing to do the work to contact health care companies and attract them,'' said Mann, who moved to Westlake Village from Agoura Hills two years ago.

Additionally, the candidates agreed that the city could save money by building a city hall and library. The city now spends more than $300,000 a year to lease space for the facilities.

And three of the four candidates said they favor a plan to build a sports park on three acres on Lindero Canyon Road.

Mann is the only candidate opposed to the project, saying neighbors have legitimate concerns about its size and impact on their lifestyle.

Mann said the proposed plan to build baseball fields, soccer fields, volleyball courts, basketball courts and field-hockey courts is poorly designed.

``When people moved to that area, they were told that the open parcel was undevelopable and would remain as open space. . . . When people think open space, they aren't thinking of packed stadiums and glaring lights and referees' whistles,'' said Mann, a 21-year-old college student at California Lutheran University, who is majoring in psychology and political science.

Broomand, who served a four-year term on the Las Virgenes school board, said he favors park facilities that will promote youth activities.

``We need to make sure an active park is designed and constructed in a way to the liking of everyone. We can't just slap this together,'' Broomand said.

Carraway-Bowman said the city needs a park that would meet the needs of youths as well as neighbors.

``This park project is simply a proposal right now,'' said Carraway-Bowman. ``It's controversial right now because some residents are questioning its size. . . . On the other hand, there are many residents in the city in favor of an active park. The city has to try to bring these two sides to the middle and find a way to compromise.''

Rutherford, an attorney and professional arbitrator who has served as a judge pro tem on the Ventura County Superior Court, said he favors a park because neighboring cities, which have provided facilities to Westlake Village players, are expensive and not easily accessible.

``There is really no other location for it,'' Rutherford said. ``As for the exact layout and lighting and parking, I am waiting for the draft (environmental impact report) next month.''