COUNTYWIDE : Ely Outspent Fellow Trustees on Travel

Tom Ely, a trustee of the Ventura County Community College District who is running for the county Board of Supervisors in the 4th District, spent more on travel alone last year than his four fellow trustees combined, district records show.

Ely spent $10,830.32 on travel costs between July 1, 1989, and April 20, according to district records.

The other four trustees spent a total of $8,053.16 during the same time period.

Board President Greg Kampf spent $1,556.77, Timothy Hirschberg spent $1,344.91, Greg Cole spent $2,784.10 and Pete Tafoya $2,367.38, according to district documents.

Ely, who makes $400 a month as a trustee, spent $10,003 the year before, about double what any other trustee spent, said Tom Kimberling, vice chancellor of administrative services. The district’s annual travel budget is $17,500, Kimberling said.

Ely said he spends more on travel because he wants to ensure that the district is well represented at the various community college conventions nationwide.

The 54-year-old Simi Valley resident in March became the subject of a criminal investigation by the district attorney’s office for possible misappropriation of district funds.

An audit of Ely’s travel expenses found that he spent more than $8,422 in questionable expenses on business-related trips during the past three years.

Ely has maintained that the audit is flawed and that the district actually owes him about $900 for business-related calls he made on his residential and car telephones. Ely said Friday he will sue the district if it does not reimburse him for the money.

The 4th District stretches from Simi Valley west to Port Hueneme.