Meet Jeremy Wolf, Candidate For Agoura Hills City Council

AGOURA HILLS, CA — As ballots start to hit Agoura Hills mailboxes, it’s time for locals to get to know their candidates.

Come Nov. 8, five candidates will vie for three open Agoura Hills City Council seats as Denis Weber, Mayor Deborah Klein Lopez and Mayor Pro Tem Chris Anstead all have terms ending this year. Lopez and Anstead are both running for reelection.

Agoura Hills residents will also weigh in on a number of other local elections, including the Las Virgenes Unified School District and local water district.

Visit this link for more information about the upcoming Agoura Hills election.

A number of City Council candidates answered questions to introduce themselves to Patch readers. Get to know Jeremy Wolf:

Age (as of Election Day)

31

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

I am excited to be building my life with my fiancée, Sarah Gorney, in Agoura Hills, where we are excited to eventually grow our family.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No, but my family has always placed value in volunteering for the betterment of our community. This set me on my path to politics, public service, and working for our state government on behalf of Agoura Hills and beyond.

Education

BA in Psychology from CSU Channel Islands
Masters in Public Policy from Pepperdine University

Occupation

District Director for State Senator Henry Stern

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Currently Chair of the Agoura Hills Planning Commission

Campaign website

https://www.jeremyforagourahills.com/endorsements

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running for Agoura Hills City Council because I love this city and strongly believe in the shared values that bring us together. For nearly a decade I have worked for our residents as a District Director in the California State Senate. I was raised here, am proud to be an Agoura High School alumnus, and have been shaped by our open space, high quality public schools, and a community that comes together in times of need. I have both the experience and the vision to represent all our residents.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have more experience working with and in local government than the other challenger candidates combined. I know how to achieve results for our City and how to navigate multiple levels of bureaucracy to advocate for our community needs. I have been a leading community advocate for policies concerning our environment, open space, small businesses, and local wildlife, areas of policy that are particularly unique to our City.

I am one of two candidates to grow up in Agoura Hills and therefore I intimately know the issues affecting our community, as I’ve lived them my whole life. I’ve supported Agoura Hills and the surrounding communities through wildfires and COVID-19, with particular impact on our local brick and mortar businesses, so I understand what challenges we have faced and what we need to prepare for in the future. I am also proud to have gone through every level of our local school system and I am proud to be an Agoura High Charger. I am deeply involved with the community, through my day job and organizing countless local volunteer efforts, and am committed to building my life here in Agoura Hills.

Having spent nearly a decade working for our residents in numerous capacities, I have the experience to fight for Agoura Hills. As Chair of the Agoura Hills Planning Commission, I understand our policies and priorities related to planning, land use regulation, and community development. No other first-time candidate possesses the skills, experience, and breadth of knowledge about our city than I do. I have relationships with local, city, county, state, and federal officials that I do, and I will always leverage those relationships for the best interest of the residents of Agoura Hills.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency):

While I deeply respect the work the current and previous City Council Members have done on many fronts, I believe we can do more to make our small businesses feel supported and to stand by them when economic uncertainty hits. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our city and they need to feel supported by our Council. When I am elected to City Council, I am committed to ensuring that small businesses want to be in and do business here in Agoura Hills.I know first-hand from supporting small business in Agoura Hills and our neighboring cities through Covid-19 how much government can do to help and I will ensure local businesses have a direct line to the Council.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

The issues that define my campaign are:

• Supporting our dynamic small business community
• Protecting and preserving our open spaces and environment
• Disaster and emergency preparedness
• Maintaining our unique quality of life

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My extensive public service has prepared me for this role. I am the Chair of the Agoura Hills Planning Commission and the District Director for State Senator Henry Stern representing Agoura Hills and local communities, where I have advocated for our needs in Sacramento and with the County. I have built incredibly productive relationships with city, county, state, and federal officials, including our representatives, the Sheriff’s Department, local firefighters, the water district, school officials, and more. Additionally, for the past 10 years I organized the Agoura Hills Annual Creek Cleanup, which is responsible for removing over 35,000 pounds of trash from our local parks and waterways. I am also the sole Planning Commissioner on the Agoura Hills Specific Plan Citizens Advisory Committee, which is one of the most critical development projects coming online in the City in recent history. In Senator Stern’s office, I developed the plan to secure financing for the purchase of 125 acres of Triangle Ranch to be preserved as critical wildlife habitat and permanent open space.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Always strive to do as much good for as many people as possible.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I cannot express how much I love this city and all that it has to offer. I will do everything in my power to advocate for each and every one of you. I will bring a fresh vision and tireless energy to Agoura Hills. If elected, I will be the youngest member to ever serve on the City Council, just one year younger than our city’s first mayor and my mentor, State Senator Fran Pavley, who served at 32. I have a decade of professional government and community advocacy experience, all for the Conejo Valley. I would be honored to have your vote and be able to continue serving you.

Editor's note: This article was edited to reflect Chris Anstead is running for re-election.