Bar Association Rates Candidates

The East Ventura County Bar Assn. has rated all four candidates for the County Board of Supervisors--ranking Simi Valley City Councilwoman Judy Mikels best in the field and Thousand Oaks Councilman Frank Schillo worst.

The association gave Mikels an “A” rating, Moorpark City Councilman Scott Montgomery and attorney Trudi Loh received “Bs,” Bs, and Schillo got a “C.”

The ranking was based partly on candidates’ responses to questions about legal and government services in the east county.

Mikels and Montgomery are running in the 4th Supervisorial District, representing Simi Valley and Moorpark. Loh and Schillo are running in the 2nd Supervisorial District, representing most of the Conejo Valley and Port Hueneme.

One of the association’s primary concerns addressed in a candidates’ questionnaire was their commitment to bringing more judges and legal services to the East County Courthouse.

The courthouse in Simi Valley is staffed with two court commissioners, who hear mostly traffic, civil, small claims and minor criminal cases. Attorneys and clients involved in more substantive legal cases must drive to the county’s main courthouse in Ventura.

“If you consider the amount of time police officers are taken off the streets to drive to Ventura to testify in court, along with witnesses and others . . . the impact is tremendous,” Tina Rasnow, association president, said in a prepared statement.

Attorney Richard F. Kunz, a member of the association’s candidate evaluation committee, said the association was most impressed with Mikels for making funding for additional legal services in the east county a top priority.

Kunz said Mikels promised to set a timeline for assessing services needed at the East County Courthouse and to recommend how to pay for them.