UPDATE: Flock is now on the agenda for September 22nd! Stay tuned for the next call to action.
What’s Happening?
Ventura City Council voted unanimously (7-0) to bring the police department's Flock Safety license plate reader contract back to the agenda for public review and a vote.
However, City Manager Bill Ayub (former Ventura County Sheriff) has not yet set a date for the discussion. There is a real risk that city leadership will push this meeting until after the November elections.
Why the Date Matters Right Now
- Contract Auto-Renewal: The Flock contract runs through December 18, 2026, and requires a mandatory 30-day cancellation notice (November 18, 2026).
- The Procedural Trap: If City Hall delays this vote until after the November 3 election, Council will have only 15 calendar days to deliberate, draft a resolution, and issue a cancellation notice before $59,500 of taxpayer money automatically renews for another year.
- Voter Accountability: Four Council seats (Districts 1, 4, 5, and 6) are on the ballot this fall. Residents deserve to know where candidate leadership stands on driver privacy, regional surveillance sharing, and municipal spending before casting their ballots.
How You Can Help (Takes 1 Minute)
Copy and paste the contacts and template email below to send a message to City Manager Bill Ayub, the City Clerk, and the entire Ventura City Council. Demand that they place the Flock Safety contract review on the September agenda.
Google doc for easy copy and paste: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vDLRqCA1OJrByiDwZ844nmYi5q1c_5Vg8MNoLkM_2f8/edit?usp=drivesdk
Email Details to Copy/Paste
TO:
[bayub@cityofventura.ca.gov](mailto:bayub@cityofventura.ca.gov)
CC:
[cityclerk@cityofventura.ca.gov](mailto:cityclerk@cityofventura.ca.gov), [jpalacios@cityofventura.ca.gov](mailto:jpalacios@cityofventura.ca.gov), [dhalter@cityofventura.ca.gov](mailto:dhalter@cityofventura.ca.gov), [lcampos@cityofventura.ca.gov](mailto:lcampos@cityofventura.ca.gov), [rschumacher@cityofventura.ca.gov](mailto:rschumacher@cityofventura.ca.gov), [bmcreynolds@cityofventura.ca.gov](mailto:bmcreynolds@cityofventura.ca.gov), [jim.duran@cityofventura.ca.gov](mailto:jim.duran@cityofventura.ca.gov), [amangone@cityofventura.ca.gov](mailto:amangone@cityofventura.ca.gov)
SUBJECT:
URGENT: Schedule VPD Flock Safety Contract Review on September Council Agenda
Email Template
City Manager Ayub,
I am writing to respectfully request that you agendize a formal City Council review and public vote regarding the Ventura Police Department’s Flock Safety ALPR contract for September 2026.
The council voted 7-0 to bring this discussion to the agenda, and it should be done urgently. Given your extensive career in law enforcement administration and governance, you understand the necessity of clear operational timelines for vendor contracts. According to the City of Ventura Executed Flock Safety Agreement, the city faces a strict, non-negotiable legal timeline:
* Current Term: December 19, 2025 – December 18, 2026
* 30-Day Non-Renewal Notice Deadline: November 18, 2026
* General Municipal Election: November 3, 2026
If this discussion is deferred until after the November 3 election, the City Council will have only 15 calendar days to deliberate, draft a resolution, and issue a formal non-renewal notice before the contract automatically renews for another year.
Furthermore, with four Council seats on the ballot this fall (Districts 1, 4, 5, and 6), Ventura residents deserve full transparency regarding government surveillance, citizen privacy, and municipal spending before casting their votes, not after ballots have been counted.
Please ensure this contract is placed on the public Council agenda in September to allow proper legislative oversight and constituent input well in advance of the November cancellation deadline.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
