Antonovich Aide Millie Jones Looks Back on Career

Millie Jones, who is after working with county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich for 11 years, was wrapping up last-minute business in the supervisor's Chatsworth field office Wednesday before going to lunch with colleagues.

Until she retires on Thursday, she is based out of the office, which covers the San Fernando Valley (the other four field offices cover Pasadena, San Dimas, Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley).

In honor of her work, Jones received a proclamation Tuesday from the Board of Supervisors highlighting accomplishments of her tenure as a top aide to Antonovich.

What is she especially proud of? "Serving the constituents, providing excellent constituent service,” she said.

A Career Helping Others

Jones has had a long career in public service. Born in Virginia, she grew up in the rural southwestern part of the state. Moving north, she spent 18 years working for the federal government, private industry, state legislature and the board of realtors. After that, she started her own business, Millie’s Secretarial Service, a temping agency.

“It gave me the opportunity in the mid-'70s to help people find jobs,” Jones recalled, “and especially helped women re-entering the workforce in that decade. It allowed me to mentor women and young people." The agency grew to employ a staff of 33 by the time she sold it, in 1979, to a Philadelphia-based company.

Moving back into government service, Jones spent three years working as a legislative aide in Virginia for delegate Robert Harris. She later worked for the northern Virginia board of realtors as a lobbyist.

In 1987, she moved to California with her husband at the time, a special agent with the U.S. Secret Service who was on the protective detail of Ronald Reagan’s son Michael and his family. Jones became the director of public affairs for the San Fernando Valley Board of Realtors, occasionally working with Antonovich during the course of her work.

Recalling Her Work on Trails

In 2000, she was hired to work for Antonovich directly. Jones picked out one or two highlights of her time in the Chatsworth office as worthy of special mention.

“I’ve enjoyed working in the community on events and activities, especially working with nonprofit organizations," she said. "I’ve had an instrumental role with the Santa Clarita Valley Trails Advisory Committee, a committee dedicated to planning and linking trails through the unincorporated area of Santa Clarita and the city of Santa Clarita.”

Jones directed her attention to trails in the northwest San Fernando Valley and helped form a trail plan for that area too.

“We’ve accomplished the first step of approving a trails manual, and now very soon additional community meetings will get under way,” she said. The trails, according to Jones, are well-known, and include one through Browns Canyon and others through Devil’s Canyon, Fernann Falls and Iverson, but have never been formalized or put on official maps of the area.

“Some of them go over private property without trail easements and you have no real right to be on them,” Jones said. “So we work with the city of L.A., equestrian groups and residents, state parks, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to get those historic trails in the county of Los Angeles on the map.”

Jones said she has enjoyed her time working with Antonovich.

“The supervisor is a delight, a good mentor and a good role model. I like the fact that he exhibits moral courage in his decision-making. He’s a man of persistence. He stands on principle,” said Jones. “That’s something we all aspire to.”

She has fond memories of her colleagues. “We’ve often said that the 5th District is very much like a family,” she said.

Time to Relax

As for her retirement plans, Jones is hoping to start an exercise routine, do some “relaxing and rejuvenating” and then travel, perhaps to New Zealand. For now, her plans are up in the air, but she knows exactly what she’s going to do with her first day of leisure.

“I’m going to sleep in,” she said.

Tribute From the Boss

Antonovich told Patch via an email from his communications deputy, Tony Bell, of his deep appreciation for Jones' work.

"For the past 11 years, Millie Jones was my senior deputy in the Santa Clarita Valley, and then in our San Fernando Valley field office.

"Her retirement will be a real loss to our office—but we appreciated her superb leadership, her professionalism and her dedication working with all of the communities and cities in her areas. 

"She has been a very strong, productive and positive influence in helping our citizens receive the services that they require—and was very responsive in meeting their needs, whether it was working to improve our trails and parks or helping residents after a fire or flood. 

"We wish her a long, safe, healthy and happy retirement."