Thousand Oaks joins Ventura County Neighbors Support Fund after public pleas from immigrant-rights and relief groups

Speakers from nonprofit and community groups urged the Thousand Oaks City Council on Aug. 26 to support the Ventura County Neighbors Support Fund, and the council approved a consent-calendar item to join the coalition and make a one-time contribution. Vanessa Bechtel, chief executive with the Ventura County Community Foundation, told the council the fund is a coalition including the county, the Ventura County Office of Education and private-sector partners and that the foundation had already awarded funds in an initial round. “We have a long way to go,” she said, urging ongoing support and noting that community needs remain substantial. Representatives of locally focused immigrant-assistance groups also spoke. Primitiva Hernandez, executive director of 805 UndocuFund, described the organization’s work assisting families affected by immigration enforcement and said the nonprofit has distributed emergency assistance from philanthropy and would use Neighbors Fund grants to expand legal and emergency aid. Laura Tribble, a Thousand Oaks resident and volunteer, asked the council to allocate $100,000 and called the issue a public-safety and workforce-stability concern, saying “the cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of acting now.” Other speakers included Diana Marquez, Betsy Connolly (Adelante Comunidad Conejo), Susana Canales Baron (805 Immigrant Coalition) and remote speakers from the Conejo Climate Coalition and residents supporting the fund. Councilmember Engler moved the consent item “with recognition of CEQA,” and the clerk recorded a 5–0 approval. The item was listed on the consent calendar as item M; the consent-calendar vote carries the action described in the staff report attached to the agenda. Discussion vs. decision: The public-comment portion of the meeting was the substantive forum for appeals by nonprofit leaders and residents. The council’s approval on the consent calendar implemented the staff recommendation that the city join the countywide fund and make a one-time contribution as contained in the consent agenda. The transcript does not capture the precise dollar amount of the council’s approved contribution; individuals who addressed the council requested $100,000 during public comment but no specific figure appeared in council debate or the recorded motion. Ending: The council’s approval was unanimous; several speakers and staff pledged continued coordination among non‑profits, the county and the city to allocate grants and assist eligible residents and families.