Supervisors Miss Few Board Meetings

Ventura County supervisors, on average, missed few of their 51 board meetings this year, according to attendance records released this week.

While Supervisors Susan K. Lacey and Maggie Kildee were absent for only one meeting each, Supervisor Maria VanderKolk missed four meetings and Supervisor Vicky Howard missed five.

Supervisor John K. Flynn had the highest number of absences--six--because of two trips he made to Washington to lobby for the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement and a problem he had with cataracts, he said.

In addition to missing six meetings, Flynn was also absent for a portion of 13 meetings. He said eye problems made it difficult for him to look across the board’s hearing room for long periods of time, forcing him to take breaks during the meetings. Last month, Flynn had surgery to correct the condition.

“My eye gave me terrible problems,” Flynn said. “If you are not feeling well, if your eye is bothering you, you leave and come back.”

Overall, Lacey said, board members traditionally have had good attendance records. “It’s an obligation you have,” Lacey said. “Sometimes illness will delay you, but on Tuesdays, you should be at the meetings.”