Expenses for travel remain high in city of T.O.

As the Thousand Oaks City Council prepares to take an ax to the city's budget, some are wondering why four council members continue to spend taxpayers' money to travel.

"We're now in a different economic time. We need to bring down travel expenses," said Councilmember Claudia Bill-de la Peña.

But city spokesperson Andrew Powers disagrees. Some of the trips are lobbying expeditions that bring back money— lots of money. Some are conferences that bring new ideas that protect the city.

Past lobbying trips have successfully brought millions of dollars in capital improvement grants and recurring operating funds, he said.

"Funding at this level is often provided to those communities that are more aggressive in asserting their needs and pleading their case," Powers said.

Direct results of such travel expeditions include $10 million for the 23 Freeway widening, $1.5 million for the transportation center, $100,000 for the California Lutheran University community swimming pool, more than $400,000 for the Boys & Girls Club, $700,000 recurring community development grants and more than $50,000 in Homeland Security grants, Powers said.

Future travel is planned to request federal funding of $5 million for the 23 Freeway/101 Freeway interchange project to widen the interchange and relieve regional congestion, $1 million for storm drain infrastructure improvements and $1 million for safety buffer lanes on Lynn Road.

Over the past two years Billde la Peña has not traveled at the city's expense. Council members Andy Fox, Dennis Gillette, Jacqui Irwin and Tom Glancy have traveled at a cost of about $36,000 total in 2007 and $22,000 in 2008.

According to expense reports, Glancy, a dentist, spent about $14,000 in 2007 and $5,000 in 2008. Gillette, a retired Thousand Oaks police chief, spent $10,000 in 2007 and $9,000 in 2008. Irwin, a mother and homemaker, spent $8,600 in 2007 and $4,000 in 2008. Fox, a Los Angeles Fire Department captain, spent about $3,300 both years.

For that money, Glancy took 19 trips, Gillette 18, Irwin 10 and Fox four.

"City Council has a proven track record of successfully advocating on behalf of this community, with the amount of local funding garnered often dwarfing travel costs," City Manager Scott Mitnick said.

Gillette went to Orlando, Fla., for the November 2008 National League of Cities (NLC) Congress of Cities and Exposition. Gillette is on the Public Safety Committee. The conference focused on developing a list of national terrorism concerns and targets for the new administration. Other topics included the national economy and transportation.

Fox and Gillette attended the September 2008 League of California Cities (LCC) annual conference in Long Beach, where the focus was on state legislative strategies, greenhouse gas initiatives and best local government practices.

Thousand Oaks won a statewide award for its succession planning program at that conference.

Irwin, Glancy, Fox and Gillette attended the March 2008 NLC Congressional City Conference in Washington, D.C., where Hillary Clinton was a major speaker. The council members met with, among others, staff of U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly (RThousand Oaks) and both U.S. senators from California.

Irwin has also attended conferences on safety issues concerning young people.

She's brought back to Thousand Oaks information on energy drinks containing alcohol.

"Traveling for the city is a sacrifice for my family, but I knew it was a part of the job when I ran for office," Irwin said.