COUNTYWIDE : Official Says Reports Went Unquestioned

A Ventura County Community College District vice chancellor testified Tuesday that he was discouraged from questioning the expense reports and travel practices of district trustees because it would have caused problems.

Tom Kimberling, testifying in the fraud and embezzlement trial of Trustee James T. (Tom) Ely and his wife, Ingrid, said he was told by former Chancellor Al Fernandez that “it would be best not to irritate a trustee” by questioning expenses and travel.

As a result, Kimberling said, when small problems came up on Ely’s expense accounts, he was inclined to pay the bills instead of making an issue of the trustee’s expenses.

Also, Kimberling said, he was leery of Ely’s practice of exchanging travel expenses for money the district owed him for mileage.

“It’s not a good accounting procedure,” said Kimberling, who is in charge of the district’s finances.

Kimberling said he could not find anyone in the district who suggested that Ely file his expenses that way.

Ely and his wife are accused of conspiring to steal $15,000 by padding expense accounts and overestimating mileage and parking fees between April, 1988, and January, 1990.

Tom Ely has been charged with 29 counts of conspiracy, embezzlement and fraud. Ingrid Ely has been charged with one count each of conspiracy, grand theft and embezzlement.

After the defense rested its case Tuesday morning, Kimberling took the stand as a rebuttal witness for the prosecution. His testimony lasted through midafternoon, prompting Judge Lawrence Storch to postpone closing arguments until today.