After a decade of service to Malibu on the City Council Sharon Barovsky’s term expired this month leaving big shoes to fill for a newly elected member.
Barovsky has been a long-time influential member of the Malibu community and can be seen as a historic figure in the city’s history. However not unlike all historic figures her decisions have been surrounded by both praise and controversy.
Such decisions include a multi-million dollar purchase and continuing renovation for the Malibu Performing Arts Center and a $1.5 million rent-deferral for the Malibu Lumber Yard owners two of the most controversial business issues in the recent city council election.
“She probably wants the best for Malibu said Bonnie Schulze, a resident of Malibu for 38 years. But I don’t agree exactly with her beliefs.”
Schulze is not alone in her criticism of Barovsky. Harold Greene one of the 10 candidates from the April 13 election refused to say anything about Barovsky referencing past disputes with her during a city council meeting.
However many others heap praise on Barovsky saying there is no doubt that Barovsky’s involvement in Malibu has brought more amenities to the community. And both of the candidates she endorsed Laura Rosenthal and Lou La Monte were elected to the council.
“Sharon Barovsky is the heart and soul of this city said La Monte, one of the newly elected city council members. She said things that we [the people] wanted to do and she did things that we wanted to have done for ourselves without listening to the political consequences.”
The acquisition of Bluffs Park the purchase of the chili cook-off site for Legacy Park the purchase of the new city hall and the development of Trancas and Las Flores Parks are included in Barovsky’s personal list of accomplishments while serving as a council member.
When asked what Barovsky’s biggest accomplishment was while in office 50-year Malibu resident Joan Almond said: “There are too many. Before Sharon we only had a market a post office and a pier.”
“Sharon is an old hand at Malibu elections and is far better for any candidate to have her on their side than anyone alive Paul Almond, Joan Almond’s husband continued, referencing Barovsky’s endorsement of the two winning candidates. I think her biggest accomplishment was establishing Legacy Park he said.
At the time [when I first moved to Malibu] I had four children and there was nothing for them to do after dark Barovsky said. Malibu needed more parks… more amenities for kids.”
Barovsky moved to Malibu in 1963 and got her start in Malibu politics after the sudden death of her husband Harry Barovsky who had been serving as a city council member at the time. Although Sharon Barovsky “was never drawn to the politics of Malibu” she was elected to a partial term and vowed to bring about the changes her husband had promised. She was then re-elected in 2002 and 2006.
“I try very hard but am not always successful in building a coalition that will represent at least the majority Barovsky said. You’ll never reach both sides. You have to be able to do what the majority wants.”
A veteran of Malibu politics Barovsky joked that her biggest disappointment has been in “getting old.”
However on a more serious note said “In this town is the… really nasty very small group [of people] who make very nasty personal attacks about my colleagues and anybody who doesn’t agree with their policy.”
“My skin has gotten a lot thicker… I’ve learned to not take things personally Barovsky said about dealing with the rough Malibu politics. In your youth your first reaction is to fight back but age teaches you it’s not worth it.”
Barovsky served as mayor in 2004 and 2005 and was involved in the General Plan Task Force for over two years the Civic Center Specific Plan Committee for 18 months and as the president of the Malibu Road Homeowner’s Association and Malibu Township Council board of directors.
“I’d like to see the completion of Legacy Park and see us address all of the clean water issues and pollution Malibu contributes Barovsky said.
However, after a decade of serving as one of the most influential members of the community, Barovsky says that she probably won’t” continue to be involved in the politics of Malibu.
Barovsky plans to write novels in her free time. Be on the look-out for a fictional novel based on Malibu by Barovsky in the future.
“I’ve taken a lot of notes through the years Barovsky joked.