District May Take Away Ely’s Benefits

After calling on Trustee James T. (Tom) Ely to resign earlier this week, the Ventura County Community College District trustees are scheduled to vote tonight on whether to pull the plug on his district benefits.

Board President Gregory Kampf said he called the special meeting because of suspicions that Ely has been using a district-owned fax machine in his home to issue attacks on prosecutors and district officials.

The fax machine is just one of the benefits that Kampf wants back from Ely. Ely and his wife, Ingrid, face trial on charges of conspiring to steal district funds by padding expense reports. The other benefits include an American Express card, a telephone credit card, computer components, a phone answering machine and a phone line in his home intended for district business.

“The concern was about the possible inappropriate use of those resources during the trial of Mr. Ely,” Kampf said. “It’s only prudent for the board to eliminate as many . . . resources as may be used inappropriately.”

The special session follows a meeting Tuesday at which Ely’s four fellow board members called for his resignation and voted to bill him $16,768.32 that a district audit claimed he embezzled.

Trustee Timothy Hirschberg said board members will vote on returning their own benefits as well as forcing Ely to take such action. Ely has amassed the benefits during 11 years as a trustee.

“Over the years, board members have collected a huge arsenal of gadgets and gizmos and administrators have been only too willing to satisfy this craving,” said Hirschberg, who believes trustees’ $4,800 annual stipend is compensation enough. “I don’t see my role as setting up a college command post in my home.”