Board OKs Office Lease for Schillo in Arts Plaza

Despite concern that now is not the time to spend more money on a politician’s office, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors approved a $3,053-a-month lease for a new office at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza for Supervisor Frank Schillo.

The board voted 4 to 1 to ratify the lease, adding $10,000 a year to the cost of providing office space for Thousand Oaks’ representative on the panel.

Supervisor Susan Lacey opposed the 45-month leasing contract, saying that given the county’s projected $46-million deficit, increasing the size and cost of a supervisor’s office sends the wrong message to voters.

“If it was any other year, I would probably go along with it,” Lacey said. “But this time I just can’t. I think there were other quarters out there we could have rented. I guess I have to apologize in a way, but I just can’t do it.”

But the majority of her colleagues supported Schillo’s request for an 1,800-square-foot office near the entrance of the center.

The supervisors said the cost of $1.70 per square foot was a deal, and that Schillo’s new office will increase the visibility of county government in Thousand Oaks. They also said the office will be easier for residents to find than former Supervisor Maria VanderKolk’s office on West Hillcrest Drive.

“l think we always have to keep accessibility to the public in mind,” Supervisor John Flynn said. “While this may be more square feet than some of the rest of us have for office space, it will allow for neighborhood and community meetings.”

Schillo, who pledged to slash government spending when he was elected, did not join in the discussion. But he has pledged to use the additional space--about 600 square feet more than VanderKolk’s office--to host a variety of county services.

Schillo said last week he had already worked out an agreement allowing the California Highway Patrol to use a portion of the space four hours per week so residents can pay their traffic fines.

Tuesday, Marty Bates, a trustee of the Ventura County Board of Education, told the supervisors that he had also talked to Schillo about occasionally using the office for board meetings. He said because trustees represent different parts of the county, all of the supervisors’ constituents would benefit.

The city of Thousand Oaks initially proposed charging the county $1.85 per square foot for Schillo’s office space, but then agreed to provide three months free rent as an incentive for the supervisor to move in, City Atty. Mark Sellers said. This reduced the monthly rent to $1.70 per square foot.

Sellers said other potential tenants would be offered similar incentives.

The 45-month contract on Schillo’s office, which will not be ready until May, calls for a 4% annual rental increase.