THOUSAND OAKS : Case Against Recall Group Is Dropped

The Ventura County district attorney’s office, citing insufficient evidence, has declined to prosecute a political committee that wants to recall two Thousand Oaks city councilmen.

Special Assistant Dist. Atty. Donald D. Coleman said in a letter to Thousand Oaks City Atty. Mark G. Sellers that there was no evidence that the 1000 Oaks Recall Committee intended to deceive the public in its campaign to remove Mayor Frank Schillo and Councilman Alex Fiore from office.

Schillo and Fiore are closely associated with the city’s Jungleland project, a $63.8-million development that recall supporters strongly oppose.

The two men and Councilman Bob Lewis said the recall proponents falsely claimed that if the recall is successful, Jungleland can be stopped.

Coleman said, “None of the complaining witnesses were in any way deceived by any alleged misstatements, and it is questionable whether any informed citizen of the city would be.”

The city has already broken ground on the project and is expected next month to award a $1.2-million contract to grade the 23-acre site at Conejo School Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard.

Leaders of the recall group said they believed the decision clears them of wrongdoing.

“They have tried to make this into a personal hatred thing,” said Joan Gorner, one of the recall organizers. “The issue has been Jungleland. It will always be Jungleland until we vote on it.”

They said they have collected more than 6,000 of the 8,700 signatures needed to put the recall to a vote.

Lewis, who initially called for an investigation of the group, said he would not press for further investigation.