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Letter: School board candidate Joan Summers comments on editorial 

Letter to the editor paso robles daily news

To the editor:

The fiscal problems have been addressed and the board is continually monitoring the budget, being adamant there is no deficit spending, and working to continue to build up the reserve.

“Position Control,” jobs filled according to funding, was lacking and new policies and procedures have been implemented.

The topic of selling surplus properties has been a topic of the board for the last 8 years. Because of the anticipated declining enrollment, which will have an impact on ADA and is a contributing factor in the budget, a 7-11 committee has been formed to evaluate selling surplus property and closing a school site. A contributing factor to sell at this time is recent legislation allowing a short window for school districts more flexibility to deposit the property sale funds into their general fund.

Per the financial reports filed with the SLOCOE and the state of California, accounting errors in 2014-2018 of over $4,358,668 impacted our reserve.

Additional contributing factors on the depletion of the reserve: Escalating special ed impact on the general fund, increasing legal fees and settlements, PERS/STRS increased contributions, utilities, maintenance, transportation, salary increases per negotiations, furlough days reinstated, new programs implemented since 2014, and lack of position control.

Audits are performed yearly and any findings are disclosed and available on the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District website. Since 2018 the district has had: FICMAT audit, SLO County audit, Grand Jury investigation, and a firm specializing in fraud was hired at the cost of $50,000. Interim superintendents Dr. James Brescia and Julian Crocker, current superintendent Curt DuBost have conducted an analysis and responded to community concerns.

In response to the “Force of Four”:

“Is it because representing conservative parents, teachers and voters in a conservative city is dangerous?”

The board represents all parents, teachers, voters and are advocates for children regardless of their political affiliation. A board member position is nonpartisan. A board should consist of a diverse representation of the community, from Blue Collar to College Educated, and politics should not be a determining factor as to your candidate choice.

“What then is your evidence that the Force of Four “threatens the retention of key district personnel?”

Read one of the “Force of Four” candidate’s campaign statement: “I know our community still wants to know what happened to the money, and they are not satisfied with the “let’s just move on” attitude currently held by the board and administration. I want the next superintendent we hire ….” Boy, that sure makes the superintendent and administration feel secure in their job.

Another candidate on the “Force of Four” recommended to the current board, that all staff hired by Mr. Williams is issued a pink slip and lose their job; the current board did not support his recommendation. Our talented and hard-working CBO, deputy superintendent, director of technology, fiscal employees, and a huge number of current beloved principals, paraeducators and teachers would be gone if the “Force of Four” votes in unity so “we will have a majority vote on school board decisions.” Employees will not be retained if they feel threatened they will lose their job and they will look elsewhere for a position.

I base my votes on issues after studying the information I received, asking questions, and then reaching my own conclusion. I never voted to simply be in unison with the rest of the board. The “Force of Four” accuses the past and current board of block voting, and in essence that is what their campaign is about: “With the Force of Four we will have a majority vote on school board decisions. “ One of the “Force of Four” candidate’s statement, “P.S. we need the three others listed with me to get elected as well so that we will have a majority to be able to get things passed.”

Finally, one of the “Force of Four” candidates was censured in 2017 for several violations of school board bylaws, including making threatening statements to me regarding a gun, referring to another female board member as a “weak, 72-year-old woman, that he would destroy her,” and repeatedly questioning her religious beliefs.” His response, “They are trying to take away my 1st and 2nd amendment rights.” The constitution doesn’t give the “Force of Four” candidate the right to make threatening remarks concerning a gun or make harassing comments and displaying offensive conduct toward another board member. Because the current board did not rescind his censure from 2017, he told them “lawyer up, see you in court.” And this is the man on The “Force of Four” asking for your vote so they can be in the majority.

Voters have some great people wanting to make a difference in the lives of our children. Please read Local Leaders offer advice on voting for school board candidates posted Oct. 19. Jeff Railsback, Dee Lacey, Patrick Sayne, Gina Fitzpatrick, Emily Reneau, Aaron Himelson, Matt McClish, Pat Stevens, Joel Peterson, and Stephanie Ulibarri contributed to the article. Take their advice and choose wisely.

Signed,
Joan Summers – Candidate for the school board


Editor’s note: Letters to the editor, opinion articles, and editorials are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Paso Robles Daily News or its staff. We welcome letters from local residents regarding relevant local topics. To submit one, click here.

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