I had a nice chat with Ojai City Councilwoman Leslie Rule over coffee on Friday. Before we said goodbye I asked her if she planned on running for reelection this year and she responded, “Probably. Fuck ‘em.”

Leslie is ever-quotable.

Recall: Rule is a defendant in a 2023 lawsuit brought by seven locals related to Rule’s disclosure of what she believed to be a conflict of interest by former Ojai Mayor Betsy Stix. The seven alleged that Rule’s disclosure was a violation of California open meetings law the Brown Act. (A Ventura County Judge found in Rule’s favor, the seven succeeded on appeal.)

There’s an ongoing battle at the Ojai City Council regarding indemnification (the City’s responsibility for Rule’s legal bills.) Rule has now brought that fight for reimbursement to Ventura County Superior Court.

I’ve intended to write up this saga for some time, but it keeps slipping on the to-do list. I find the whole thing annoying on the level of the pickleball drama, but important in that the City has spent a significant amount of money and time on the whole ordeal.

Please let me know if that’s something readers would like me to prioritize!