Councilman in Thousand Oaks to Seek Reelection

A Thousand Oaks councilman said Monday he will seek reelection and, in a separate announcement, a first-time challenger said she will run for a council seat in the citywide November election.

City Councilman Frank Schillo, 54, told about 40 supporters at a City Hall news conference that he will seek a second term on the five-member council.

“I feel I’ve made a difference in this community,” said Schillo, a self-employed financial consultant. “I’ve listened to the people, studied the issues and taken action.”

Schillo said the city has prospered while he has been in office, citing a 60% increase in the average value of Thousand Oaks homes over the past five years and the city’s ability to pay cash for most public improvements.

Mayor Lee Laxdal, whose council term also expires in November, has not announced whether he will seek reelection. The office of mayor is largely ceremonial and is generally rotated among council members each year.

Elois Zeanah, 46, president of the League of Conejo Homeowners Assn., announced that she will seek one of the two council seats in the November election.

Zeanah, who has made frequent appearances before the council on several issues during the last year, said the city has not properly managed its growth.

“People are concerned about clean air, quiet neighborhoods, open space and low crime,” said Zeanah. “I am unhappy with the direction that the city is going.”

Neither Schillo nor Zeanah would say how much they planned to spend on their campaigns.