MURRIETA: Enochs seeks fourth term on City Council

MURRIETA: Enochs seeks fourth term on City Council

By NELSY RODRIGUEZ - Staff Writer

Editor's Note: This is the second in a series profiling six candidates vying for two seats on the Murrieta City Council in the Nov. 4 election.

MURRIETA ---- Though he's served on the City Council in Murrieta for 13 consecutive years, Warnie Enochs said he still has the enthusiasm to keep going.

The 59-year-old electrical contractor and senior elected official is seeking re-election to his fourth consecutive term during the Nov. 4 election in which two seats ---- his included ----- will be up for grabs.

Five other candidates are vying for the four-year terms on the council, including fellow high school teacher Paul Clay, 50; local publisher Nancy Knight, 64; management consultant David Landriscina, 53; Planning Commissioner and telecommunications executive Randon Lane, 39; and incumbent and telecommunications executive Doug McAllister, 49.

While some community residents have called for imposing term limits on council members, Enochs, who has said he favors term limits, said his experience puts him in a unique position to guide the city through what he calls a pivotal moment.

"I'm still doing what I said I would in the beginning," Enochs said. "I listen, care and work hard. That's what qualifies me to run for this next term."

Enochs is most proud of his work to establish the Murrieta Public Library. He said he worked alongside several residents and traveled to other Riverside County cities for examples on how to pull from the county library system and create a city library.

He said his greatest shortcoming as a council member was allowing himself to be pulled into political infighting, which at times created an impasse among leaders at the expense of residents who deserved a functioning governing body. Should he be re-elected, Enochs said, maintaining diplomacy with other council members would be a top priority, as he has experienced firsthand how a dysfunctional council impedes city business.

But he is not without controversy.

Enochs is facing 14 felony counts of forgery, extortion and conspiracy, stemming from a divorce. None of the charges is related to his position as an elected official. A trial is scheduled for September, though several previous court appearances have been postponed as Enochs' attorney is called to argue other cases.

While some residents have called for Enochs to step down, others support his run at re-election. Enochs contends that support proves he has been able to keep his personal and legal life separate from that of the life of a city leader.

"Everybody knows my personal life, of course," he said. "But I feel this is all going to go nowhere. And the perception of me postponing it just because I'm trying to get re-elected is just not true."

Fiscal responsibility would be a main focus in his fourth term, should that day come, he said. Enochs said particularly in times of economic uncertainty, the city must watch every cent.

"We've got to be real careful with our money so we don't do layoffs, or cut back on overtime that our police and fire depend on," Enochs said.

Public safety, Enochs said, is also incredibly important. If elected to his fourth term, Enochs said he would continue to vote in favor of expanding the Police Department and look for ways to stretch dollars to employ more officers until the city reaches the goal of having one officer for every 1,000 residents.

And while other candidates have said they would work to attract medical offices to Murrieta to bring high-paying jobs locally, Enochs takes the position of seeking those offices to provide residents with the medical services they need.

Referencing cooperation between the City Council and a group of doctors who are proposing to bring a physicians' teaching hospital to Murrieta, Enochs said rapid growth is putting more demand on having doctors nearby.

"We do need these beds," he said. "They'll be full."

Contact staff writer Nelsy Rodriguez at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2626, or nrodriguez@californian.com.

Warnie Enochs

-- Age: 59

-- Occupation: Electrical contractor

-- Civic involvement: City Council, member; Town Hall Association Endowment Board, member; Western Regional Council of Governments, member; Youth Accountability Board, member; Friends of the Murrieta Public Library, member.

-- E-mail: AtoZLighting@yahoo.com.