The bulk of the Tehachapi Unified School District's board meeting Tuesday, July 17, was spent discussing the findings of a Kern County grand jury report released in June.
The jury suggested that the board receive further training on communication and ethics standards and more actively recruit participation.
Looking at the report, the board ultimately expressed agreement with several findings, but on some, felt that information was unclear.
Given that the district superintendent stepped down in March and the majority of board members were elected in uncontested elections, the jury recommended the board encourage people to run for election. In response, the board discussed ideas such as advertising positions up for election in the newspaper, on social media or on the district's website.
However, board members such as Joe Wallek expressed that "the onus is on the community" to get involved.
Board member Jackie Wood, who said she ran against an opponent "at some point in time," said regarding the board's response to the finding, "I think we should just say that we will strive to be ambassadors for the school district."
Four seats on the board will be up for re-election in November. The stipend for each board member was voted May 30 to be $35 per month.
The jury had also recommended that board members receive further training on the Ralph M. Brown Act, which, among other things, guides how business is to be conducted in open meetings.
"I'm kind of beside myself on it," said Board President Leonard Evansic, who added that the board receives training on the policies each year. "Something didn't stick."
The board disagreed that they need further training, but said they could do more to ensure that new members are trained.
One finding related to adherence to the Brown Act said the jury found an email chain that seemed to be a "serial meeting."
Evansic said the finding was "overly broad," but that "this may have unintentionally happened."
The board's responses collected at the meeting will be distributed and reviewed before sending an official statement to the grand jury.
July 22, 2018
Tehachapi News
By Dakota Allen
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