Supervisors to Review Brown Act

Ventura County supervisors agreed Tuesday to review their procedures for communicating with each other to make sure they are not violating the state’s open meeting laws.

Board Chairwoman Judy Mikels asked for the review after Supervisor Linda Parks circulated a letter that expressed her opinion on an upcoming vote.

Parks said she faxed the letter, which outlined her objection to suggested changes in state laws that she believes would weaken environmental protections, to the clerk of the board and her four board colleagues on advice from County Executive Officer Johnny Johnston.

Mikels said the letter’s circulation could be interpreted as violating the Brown Act, which forbids elected officials from discussing issues outside a public forum.

“We need to set procedures for how we do this so we are squeaky clean,” Mikels said. Parks, reached after the meeting, said she agrees.

“If there isn’t a process, there should be one,” said Parks, who took her Thousand Oaks-based seat in January.