Councilman Resting After Brain Surgery

City Councilman Ken Gose was recovering Wednesday after surgery to treat a malignant brain tumor that was diagnosed over the weekend, family members said.

The 75-year-old councilman underwent two hours of surgery earlier this week, with Westlake Village neurosurgeon James Chan removing a tennis ball-sized tumor from Gose’s brain, said Gregory R. Gose, the councilman’s son.

Gose said his father was in good spirits and already has recovered enough to walk around his hospital room. Ken Gose insisted on voting Tuesday morning, just prior to the surgery, his son said.

The councilman will begin radiation treatments within two weeks, but made it clear he intends to return to the council.

He told family members that he looks forward to returning to his duties at City Hall and working with the two new council members, Kevin Kildee and Bill Liebmann, Gregory Gose said.

“Our family wishes to thank the literally hundreds of people who have expressed their concern for my father and his family through phone calls, visits and prayers,” Gregory Gose said.

“The outpouring of affection for my father has meant a great deal to us all.”

A retired high school civics teacher and U.S. Navy pilot, Ken Gose was first elected to the City Council in 1990, topping a list of eight candidates by garnering more than 9,200 votes.

A Tennessee native who has lived in Ventura County for more than 25 years, Gose easily won reelection to the council two years ago.