Gose Expected to Be New Camarillo Mayor : Government: The retired high school teacher narrowly missed the nod last year. The position is largely ceremonial.

A longtime resident who spent more than two decades each serving in the U. S. Navy and teaching high school civics is poised to become Camarillo’s next mayor at the city’s annual changing of the guard.

Vice Mayor Ken Gose, a 72-year-old retired high school educator and military intelligence officer, will probably be selected at tonight’s City Council meeting to succeed Mayor Charlotte Craven.

Gose, elected to his freshman term on the council in 1990, missed being named mayor one year ago on a 3-2 vote.

He said he “considered it a little bit of a slap in the face” at the time. After a law partner of Gose’s son publicly criticized the selection, other council members defended themselves against charges that they conspired to keep Gose from being mayor.

The fracas “made me a little more sensitive to the decision-making process in not wanting to create a problem,” said five-year Councilman David M. Smith, who said Tuesday that he would not seek the mayor’s job this year.

The vice mayor said he harbors no ill feelings, however.

“If I’m nominated and elected, I will be happy to serve and do the best job I can,” Gose said. “If I’m not elected, I will support whoever is.”

Smith, Craven and Councilman Michael Morgan indicated that they would support Gose for the largely ceremonial post. Councilman Stanley J. Daily, who served as Camarillo’s mayor in 1992, declined to comment before tonight’s meeting.

Morgan, who nominated Gose a year ago, said he plans to recommend Gose again.

“I think in all fairness the (mayoralty) has to go around,” said Morgan, who has been on the council for more than a dozen years, but has served only a single term as mayor. “He’s got to be No. 1.”

Morgan said Gose has worked hard for the city.

“I think if Gose isn’t (named mayor), there will be something wrong,” Morgan said. “He’s put in a lot of time, and he’s served his constituency well. He’s earned his right to have a shot at it.”

Under existing policy, Camarillo’s top elected official has no additional authority. But the mayor is expected to represent the city on a host of countywide committees and meetings as well as oversee the twice-monthly council meetings.

Craven said she is ready to pass the gavel to one of her colleagues.

“I’m looking forward to being able to spend a little more time with my family,” she said. “It’s been a good year for the city, but being mayor, you just go to a lot of meetings and ribbon-cuttings in representing the city.”

Smith, who served one term as mayor, said he spent between 15 and 20 extra hours a week as the city’s top ambassador--time he cannot afford these days.

The vice mayor is not always the automatic selection to succeed as mayor, Smith said.

“I would be satisfied with either one (Gose or Daily), but Stan’s been mayor fairly recently and so that would be part of my decision-making,” he said.

When City Clerk Marilyn Thiel takes the gavel from Craven midway through the agenda and opens nominations for mayor, Gose, Smith and Craven said they plan to keep mum.

That leaves Daily and Morgan to offer recommendations.

“It’s whoever gets to the microphone first,” Morgan said.