THOUSAND OAKS : D.A. May Investigate Recall Committee

The Thousand Oaks City Council has decided to ask the Ventura County district attorney to investigate a citizens group that is targeting two council members in a recall petition.

The council voted 3 to 2 to investigate the recall committee that wants to remove Mayor Frank Schillo and Councilman Alex Fiore from office because of their support for the Jungleland project.

Councilwomen Elois Zeanah and Judy Lazar opposed the move. Zeanah said the city should not be taking sides in the controversy and Lazar suggested that any violations may be difficult or take too long for the district attorney to prove.

The district attorney’s office is responsible for investigating alleged violations of the state code governing municipal elections.

It is illegal for proponents of a recall to knowingly misrepresent the facts surrounding a recall petition, he said.

Councilman Robert Lewis called for an investigation after hearing that members of the recall committee had represented their petition as a referendum on the city’s planned $63.8-million Jungleland project, not as a recall petition targeting specific public officials.

City Atty. Mark G. Sellers said Wednesday that he would ask Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury’s office to speed up the investigation so that the city can get a response as soon as possible.

However, in a report to the council, Sellers acknowledged that proving that those circulating the petition knowingly violated the law may be difficult. For someone found guilty of a misdemeanor, the maximum sentence would be a year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, Sellers said.

Proponents of the recall say the purpose of ousting Fiore and Schillo is to stop the city from building the Jungleland complex that will include a new city hall, an arts auditorium and a forum theater.

They say their aims are clearly stated in the petition.

“People say the best defense is a good offense,” said Ken Bauer, chairman of the committee. “I don’t know what their motive is, but I welcome the investigation.”