Supervisors Lose Right to Transit Panel Pay

Ventura County Supervisor Frank Schillo’s summer vacation has ended up costing him a little more than expected.

In his absence, the Ventura County Transportation Commission voted Friday to take away a $50-a-month payment he receives for serving as a commissioner.

The motion to ban payments for county supervisors was made by Supervisor Steve Bennett, who was Schillo’s alternate on the commission.

County supervisors earn $85,000 annually, Bennett said, and shouldn’t expect additional compensation for public duties.

“We are already well-paid by taxpayers,” Bennett said. “We shouldn’t double-dip and take a second payment.”

Bennett was backed by Supervisor Kathy Long, who said she has never accepted the extra cash in her five years on the Transportation Commission.

“Our job [as supervisors] includes sitting as policymakers on boards and commissions,” she said. “And we already get paid for mileage.”

Schillo, vacationing with family in Carpinteria, said the loss of income was not a problem. But he said it is unfair to drop the payment for supervisors only.

“Everyone should take a pay cut to zero,” he said.

Schillo said he was entitled to the extra compensation because he spends a lot of time preparing for meetings. He said he is annoyed that Bennett, elected to the Board of Supervisors last fall, took it upon himself to change the policy while attending his very first Transportation Commission meeting.

“He doesn’t do any of the work, so what difference does it make to him?” Schillo said. “It is very presumptuous of him to make a decision like that when he’s only been to one [commission] meeting in his life.”

The vote came as transportation commissioners were debating whether to raise stipends from $50 to $100 for each of seven commissioners who attend monthly meetings. The commission oversees a $30-million budget and sets policy on a number of regional transportation issues.

Commissioners voted 6 to 1 to grant the raise, but exempted county supervisors from any payment. Commissioner Nancy Grasmehr was the dissenting vote.

Bennett’s motion appeared to catch some commissioners by surprise. Commissioner Tom Holden said he was uncomfortable voting on something that should be debated by the five-member Board of Supervisors as a policy matter.

The commission’s executive director, Ginger Gherardi, told the panel that county supervisors typically do not ask for the monthly payment. But, without naming him, she indicated that Schillo has been the exception.

Commissioners decided to raise their pay after checking with other agencies and finding that $100 has become a standard payment for attendance at public meetings. Funding for the raise is included in the commission’s fiscal year 2001-02 budget, staff said.

Long said it makes sense to give the money to City Council members serving on the Transportation Commission because they typically are paid modest stipends for their official duties.

But being a county supervisor is a full-time job that is well-compensated, Long said. Besides salary, supervisors receive generous health and retirement benefits and are reimbursed $375 a month for travel.

At least one other county supervisor was critical of the vote.

“It’s a little thing, but it’s ornery,” Supervisor John Flynn said. “It’s like an ant bite on your hand that is irritating.”

Flynn said he accepts about $1,200 a year for chairing the county tax assessment appeals board. It’s all right for supervisors to receive stipends for work that is over and above normal hours, he said.

“I work about 80 hours a week. I work a lot,” said the 25-year supervisor. “I work on weekends. I think we’re underpaid. I’m not ashamed to defend what we receive.”