College Board Studies Altering Boundaries of Ely’s District

Ventura County Community College trustees said they plan to redraw district boundaries because new census figures show that Trustee James T. (Tom) Ely’s district has 15,000 people more than it should.

The trustees disagreed Tuesday night about whether to shrink Ely’s district before or after his seat comes up for election in November.

Ely has not attended board meetings since August, and it is unclear when he will return. Ely was injured in a car accident and underwent back surgery in November. He has said his doctor has ordered him to stay away from the meetings.

But Ely’s absences began about the time he was charged with conspiracy, embezzlement and fraud. Prosecutors contend that he filed about $15,000 in false travel claims with the district. He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial in May.

Informed Wednesday of the possible redistricting, Ely criticized fellow trustees for even considering the action before the election.

“There’s no point in trying to rush it through,” he said. “It’s a big job. You shouldn’t go in there with a meat cleaver. That’s a disservice to everyone.”

Ely said he wants to be involved in any redistricting. To do the job right, Ely said, demographic studies should be done, with several options presented to the board. The possibility of increasing board membership from five to seven should also be considered, he said.

The board agreed Tuesday to continue the redistricting issue until its next meeting May 7.

Ely’s district--which includes Fillmore, Moorpark and Simi Valley--has swelled to 148,790 residents, according to census figures. The smallest district, with a population of 121,326, is that of Trustee Tim Hirschberg.

Board members discussed the possibility of taking Fillmore out of Ely’s district and putting it in Hirschberg’s. They also talked about adjusting other districts to make them align more with cities or geographical boundaries.

State law requires that district lines be re-examined after a census. A law passed last year enables the trustees to redraw the lines rather than the County Committee on School District Organization, an 11-member panel, said John Tallman, district vice chancellor for instructional services.

Tallman said the average district population is about 133,000. Ely’s district is 11% above average, and the goal is for districts to be within 5%, he said. If the lines are redrawn before the election, they must be in place by June 20, he said.

Two trustees saw little reason to wait until Ely returns or until after the election to redraw the lines.

“No one is being picked on here,” Trustee Gregory Kampf said. “His district is the most out of proportion.”

However, Trustee Gregory Cole said the redistricting should be done when Ely or a trustee representing that district is present.

Ely said he plans to seek reelection and hopes to return to his duties in the next few months.