La Jolla Village Merchants Association held its annual candidates night for members seeking spots on the board to state their cases before the group’s Oct. 14 election. “We have eight total candidates for seven available seats,” said Sheila Fortune, association executive director. Candidates were given a couple of minutes to introduce themselves and discuss why they were running for two-year board terms. Here’s what they said: • Nancy Warwick, owner of Warwick’s Books, said, “I’ve enjoyed being on the board for three reasons: I like working on projects, helping develop projects and enhancing and focusing on the success of the business community.” Warwick added she’s enjoyed collaborating in the group’s design division. “We’ve initiated the Sparkle & Shine (clean-up) program,” Warwick added, “and made a lot of changes with (reducing) trash in La Jolla. We now have someone working six days a week picking up trash three hours a day.” Warwick also said sitting on the La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board has been interesting, as that group deals a lot with parking time limits, special events and street speed limits. She added she’s involved with the association because “it’s a good way to give back to the community and to learn from others how to work better.” • Brett Murphy, owner of La Jolla Sports Club, asserted that “I really want to do public service. I’m new to the area, and I’m a young guy. I’ve come to listen, and I have some ideas.” Promoting local business and a strong economy is “very important,” Murphy said, adding, “I look around and see a lot of (other) people who own businesses in this town and put their money back into the town, and that is so important, and I look to help with that.” Pointing out there are some “vacant facilities around town,” he said, “I have some ideas on what we can do to fill that.” He concluded, “We moved here to build our life and family here, and we’re really excited to be here, and I thank you for the opportunity.” • Claude-Anthony “CA” Marengo, incumbent association president, a principal at Marengo Morton Architects and owner of Goldfish Point Cafe, noted he was involved with community planning for years and returned after a hiatus because, he said, “I still think I can do a lot more.” He said he’d like to polish the Jewel and return its luster. “I’m looking for ways to bring La Jolla back to the way it used to be,” he said, characterizing the community as a “Hollywood playground” during the ’60s to the ’80s. “The ’80s really changed La Jolla, and I don’t think we’ve ever come back,” he said, noting, “I do see a great surge, since I’ve been involved with the merchants association, in restaurants coming back. I’ve also seen more substantial retailers coming in.” He said he was excited about the Lot movie house and the Conrad arts center coming to town, which he said together constitute a new entertainment district. “This town has much more to offer than it does,” he said. “It just needs to be brought back up — and celebrated. Hopefully, I can add to that.” • Ike Fazio, owner of San Diego Fly Rides, which has a small electronic bike shop in the Village, said he’s moved from the Gaslamp Quarter to the Village. “I felt like I was an island down there,” he said, “but here I’m part of the neighborhood, run into people I know everywhere I go.” Pointing out he likes everything about La Jolla, from its wildlife to its restaurants and art galleries, the retailer noted, “It’s too wonderful a place for people to be passing up and not know about.” He said he would like to get involved and get La Jolla “back in the game” in order to make it the “go-to spot in San Diego.” “I think it’s lost a little of that edge,” he said, adding he appreciates the chance to “come in and be part of the community.” • G. Michael Dorvillier, the financial planner who manages La Jolla’s annual Concours D’Elegance classic car show each spring, said he’s “proud to live and work in the Village.” “I have tried for years,” he said, “to do my part to bring the ‘flash’ to the Village, bring it back to its glory days.” He noted he does all his shopping and other business in the Village. He added there’s noticeable work to be done cleaning up trash and sprucing up the business district. “I’m willing to do whatever I can to add value to help this community,” he said. • Christophe Cevasco, a managing partner at Eddie V’s Restaurants, Inc., said he’s worked in La Jolla 14-plus hours a day for the past four years, noting, “I pretty much live here.” Working on the waterfront and seeing the “beautiful side of the community,” Cevasco said, “I also see some things we need to work on in the Village. I think we (merchants) can work together, bring our ideas together to think outside the box and go above and beyond,” he said. Describing himself as a “go-getter,” Cevasco said, “I’m passionate and can really bring something to the (association) board.” The restaurateur said he’s seen the “electricity” in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, adding, “There’s no reason we shouldn’t have that right here in La Jolla.” He exhorted the merchants to “work together and make a difference.” • John Clarke, a Realtor, asked Fortune to read his statement, which said: “We must do something for the La Jolla merchants in order for them to cling to the few remaining customers they have. With a budget of $200,000, we need to offer valet parking with merchant validations to our local shops. This concept should be helping us pay our property taxes. Adding valet parking could bring a whole new customer to La Jolla with spending cash.” • Adam Barno, owner of Dick’s Liquor on Pearl Street, said he is running, but he did not submit a candidate’s statement.