Flynn Picked to Lead Transportation Panel

Ventura County Supervisor John K. Flynn has been named chairman of the county Transportation Commission, the city-county panel that determines how to spend the area’s state and federal transit dollars.

“There are many challenges ahead in the next year in the area of transportation,” Flynn said in a written statement.

“I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on the Transportation Commission to meet those challenges.”

Flynn, who represents Oxnard, succeeds Supervisor Susan K. Lacey, who was elected commission chairwoman in February before being replaced days later on the panel by then-alternate Flynn.

Frank Schillo, who as chairman of the county Board of Supervisors is responsible for appointments to county commissions, replaced Lacey with Flynn after she succeeded Camarillo Mayor David M. Smith as commission chairwoman.

Schillo also sits on the transit panel.

As vice chairman last year, he was in line for the chairmanship of the commission, but wound up the lone dissenter when Lacey was named to the top post on a 6-1 vote.

The position is largely ceremonial.

Schillo last month accused Lacey of campaigning for chairmanship for political reasons, in part because she is running for another term on the Board of Supervisors.