THOUSAND OAKS : Board Mulls Large Office for Schillo

Ventura County supervisors on Tuesday will consider approving a $3,053-a-month lease for a large office for Supervisor Frank Schillo in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center.

If approved, the expenditure will be about $10,000 a year more than the rent for former Supervisor Maria VanderKolk’s office near the Janss Mall. At 1,800 square feet, it would be 50% larger than VanderKolk’s office.

Although he has been criticized for picking a larger and more expensive office than VanderKolk’s, Schillo said the new Civic Arts Plaza site would increase his office’s visibility and be easier to find.

Schillo, who pledged to slash government spending when he was elected in November, said the larger space would enable his office to provide more services. He said he has already worked out an arrangement with the California Highway Patrol to use a portion of the space four hours a week so residents can pay their traffic fines.

As for the added cost, Schillo noted that he was able to negotiate a lease 15 cents a square foot less than the rental amount initially sought by the city of Thousand Oaks, the owner. The saving, he said, would amount to about $270 a month.

Under the four-year rental contract proposed by the city the rent would increase 4% annually.