College District OKs Censure Guidelines
The Ventura County Community College District now has a procedure for censuring board members.
The board of trustees approved the policy Tuesday night, along with tightened travel procedures for trustees.
Both measures came in the wake of a scandal involving Trustee James T. (Tom) Ely, who is awaiting trial on conspiracy and embezzlement charges stemming from more than $12,000 in allegedly false travel claims he filed with the district.
It is unlikely that the board would attempt to censure Ely, who has not attended board meetings since last summer because of health problems.
“It would be a lame gesture now,” Board President Tim Hirschberg said Wednesday. “It’s all water under the bridge.”
The board also has adopted a code of ethics prompted by the Ely scandal. Under the censure policy, the ethics code would guide trustees on what behavior might warrant censure, which is an official expression of disapproval by the board.
If a complaint of misconduct is made, the policy calls for an investigation by two trustees, who would then report their findings to the full board.
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