Council challenger wants to help kids and seniors

Ernest LeGault Helping those in need isn't new to Thousand Oaks City Council candidate Ernest LeGault, the owner of a local business and president of the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra.

"I've always been involved in community service and been civic-minded," LeGault said.

Born in Indiana, he grew up in the San Fernando Valley. He was the middle child among seven, who were raised by a mother on a waitress' salary.

At age 18, LeGault left home and put himself through college with a full-time job. He graduated from Cal State Northridge, where he got a bachelor's degree in English. He planned to be a teacher.

In his early 20s he volunteered as a tutor in a maximum security prison for juveniles in Los Angeles.

"I helped educate 14 and 15year-olds in jail for serious crimes, (with) huge gaps in their educations," LeGault said.

He recalled one boy who didn't think he was smart enough to ever get a job. So LeGault worked on the boy's reading and writing skills using a program he customized by bringing in job applications for the young man to read and fill out.

LeGault's creativity didn't end there. He ended up developing software and starting his own company, IAD Software in Thousand Oaks, where he and his wife of 18 years, Karin, and their two sons moved in 1999.

Now he wants to evaluate the needs and fill in the gaps at city hall.

"I want to help children and the elderly," LeGault said.

He called himself "Mr. Thousand Oaks," saying, "Thousand Oaks is the greatest city, and I'd like to keep it that way."

He's pleased the city has a DialARide program to help seniors get where they need to go, and he wants to make sure this and other such programs continue to be available to those who need them, he said.

"The economy is tougher today. I don't want to spend money inappropriately," LeGault said.

He said he would look carefully at the budget and make sure each expenditure is necessary to keep up the quality of life in Thousand Oaks. He also wants to make sure small businesses aren't overtaxed.

"Everybody says, 'I'm slowgrowth' because people don't want to be busting at the seams, but I've been here for 10 years and I've seen nothing but growth."

LeGault said he'd like to see open space remain open space and provide trails for people to hike or walk their dogs—not be developed into condominiums.