Maria Vanderkolk

Maria VanderKolk flew 1,800 miles last week for three minutes of redemption. But some old friends refused even to talk to her. VanderKolk was once the youngest supervisor in Ventura County history and a darling of environmentalists. Her onetime allies practically ran her out of town after she brokered a 1992 deal that saved 10,000 acres of scenic hills but permitted construction of 3,050 homes on Ahmanson Ranch.

Maria VanderKolk flew 1,800 miles last week for three minutes of redemption. But some old friends refused even to talk to her. VanderKolk was once the youngest supervisor in Ventura County history and a darling of environmentalists. Her onetime allies practically ran her out of town after she brokered a 1992 deal that saved 10,000 acres of scenic hills but permitted construction of 3,050 homes on Ahmanson Ranch.

Ventura County Supervisor Maria E. VanderKolk wants the community of Oak Park to join with the neighboring Los Angeles County city of Agoura Hills to create a large regional library despite strong opposition by some Oak Park leaders. VanderKolk told her fellow supervisors at last week's board meeting that Oak Park's teaming up with Agoura Hills to build the regional library would demonstrate how communities can creatively pool resources to cope with state funding cuts.

Now we know what Frank Schillo thinks about his constituents: We are much too stupid to find 199 Hillcrest Road. The Thousand Oaks mall just across the street from that office and the fire station next door with those big yellow shiny trucks. But it seems that Mr. Schillo's "edifice complex" can only be soothed by an additional 1,300 feet and $3,323 a month of taxpayers' dollars so that he can be "more accessible." Shivers go down my spine just remembering the adventure of discovering Maria VanderKolk's, as well as, Madge Schaefer's office when they occupied that same 199 Hillcrest address.

The results of a Ventura County election has cast doubt on the future of a complex land swap between Bob Hope and the National Park Service that would turn 5,700 acres of the comedian's mountain property in Ventura and Los Angeles counties into parkland. The election of a new slow-growth member to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors has reduced the chance that the board will approve the subdivision of Hope's Jordan Ranch for a 750-house project, Supervisor John K. Flynn said.

Now we know what Frank Schillo thinks about his constituents: We are much too stupid to find 199 Hillcrest Road. The Thousand Oaks mall just across the street from that office and the fire station next door with those big yellow shiny trucks. But it seems that Mr. Schillo's "edifice complex" can only be soothed by an additional 1,300 feet and $3,323 a month of taxpayers' dollars so that he can be "more accessible." Shivers go down my spine just remembering the adventure of discovering Maria VanderKolk's, as well as, Madge Schaefer's office when they occupied that same 199 Hillcrest address.

The 70 children at her feet did not think of Ventura County Supervisor Maria VanderKolk as a prominent politician. On Wednesday, like community leaders at libraries around the county, she was just a storyteller. As part of the Great American Read Aloud, VanderKolk was at Oak Park Library to read "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters," the story of two sisters hoping to become queen and how one is chosen by the king for her kindness.

At a cost of nearly $1.3 million, about 330 Ventura County employees are seeking immediate payment for a perk that provides cash for unused vacation time. County Auditor-Controller Thomas Mahon said that since March 22, when Supervisors Maria VanderKolk and John K. Flynn proposed slashing salaries and benefits, a steady stream of employees has been requesting payment for a lucrative perk called "in lieu of vacation pay."

Ventura County Supervisor Maria VanderKolk, wounded by the fight over the Ahmanson Ranch project despite her political victory, said Wednesday that she may not run for reelection in 1994. VanderKolk, elected as an open-space advocate, was blasted as "a traitor" and "sellout" by environmentalists after she voted in favor of building the 3,050-dwelling Ahmanson Ranch project in the Simi Hills against the Los Angeles County line northwest of Calabasas.

Hundreds of Ventura County government employees jammed a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday to voice frustration and outrage over a proposal that would cut salaries by 5% and slash fringe benefits. Employees said they felt demoralized that Supervisors John K. Flynn and Maria VanderKolk had targeted salaries as a way to offset an anticipated $36-million loss in state funding.

Supervisor Maria VanderKolk is urging Oak Park residents to vote for annexation to Thousand Oaks in a June advisory ballot measure--a position that has angered leaders of the unincorporated community. The ballot measure is intended to allow Oak Park residents an opportunity to state their preference from among three options: incorporation as an independent city, annexation to Thousand Oaks, or continuation as an unincorporated community.

Promising to clean up government waste, anti-tax activist Jere Robings on Friday became the first to announce his candidacy for the Ventura County supervisor's seat representing the Conejo Valley and Port Hueneme. "After spending four years trying to bring county spending policies into reason, I have decided it is now time to work within the system to bring changes that will benefit the taxpayer," said Robings, a resident of Thousand Oaks.

Ventura County Supervisor Maria VanderKolk has shelved plans to build a new Oak Park library because she fears the county will not have enough money to keep it open. "It would be totally irresponsible to take this money that we have and build a building and not be able to staff it or run it," VanderKolk said. The supervisor pointed out that library staff and hours may be cut severely next year at all 16 county libraries, including the small branch that now exists at Oak Park.

The 70 children at her feet did not think of Ventura County Supervisor Maria VanderKolk as a prominent politician. On Wednesday, like community leaders at libraries around the county, she was just a storyteller. As part of the Great American Read Aloud, VanderKolk was at Oak Park Library to read "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters," the story of two sisters hoping to become queen and how one is chosen by the king for her kindness.

A committee of Ventura County government leaders rejected a recommendation Wednesday to cut their own paychecks and the salaries of all other county employees to offset expected losses in state funding. Calling the proposal by Supervisors Maria VanderKolk and John K. Flynn illegal and unfair, the county's 12-member budget committee unanimously rejected their proposal to save nearly $20 million with an across-the-board pay cut and reductions in lucrative fringe benefits for top managers.

In an apparent move to save face, a budget committee of top Ventura County leaders on Tuesday agreed that elected officials and department heads should be prohibited from cashing in on the county's golden handshake program. Following the controversial early retirements in December of Sheriff John V. Gillespie and Auditor-Controller Norman R.

Three months after voting salary raises for themselves and other top county managers, two Ventura County supervisors Monday proposed reducing the pay of most county workers by 5% and slashing fringe benefits in an effort to cut $20 million from next year's budget. Although one union leader accused supervisors John K. Flynn and Maria VanderKolk of "grandstanding," their proposals were praised by taxpayer advocates as a bold attempt to control government spending.

Ventura County Supervisor Maria VanderKolk has shelved plans to build a new Oak Park library because she fears the county will not have enough money to keep it open. "It would be totally irresponsible to take this money that we have and build a building and not be able to staff it or run it," VanderKolk said. The supervisor pointed out that library staff and hours may be cut severely next year at all 16 county libraries, including the small branch that now exists at Oak Park.

At a cost of nearly $1.3 million, about 330 Ventura County employees are seeking immediate payment for a perk that provides cash for unused vacation time. County Auditor-Controller Thomas Mahon said that since March 22, when Supervisors Maria VanderKolk and John K. Flynn proposed slashing salaries and benefits, a steady stream of employees has been requesting payment for a lucrative perk called "in lieu of vacation pay."

Hundreds of Ventura County government employees jammed a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday to voice frustration and outrage over a proposal that would cut salaries by 5% and slash fringe benefits. Employees said they felt demoralized that Supervisors John K. Flynn and Maria VanderKolk had targeted salaries as a way to offset an anticipated $36-million loss in state funding.