CUSD Update, Oct. 5

The city council in Rancho Santa Margarita paid for an audit of Mello-Roos funds to find out how Capistrano Unified School District spent the money. Some RSM residents suspected the funds had been diverted from use in their city to pay for the $52-million CUSD administration building in San Juan Capistrano. The audit revealed $1.5 million from RSM and surrounding cities (Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, San Juan Capistrano and Talega) was spent on the Taj Mahal-type building.

CUSD administrator Eric Hall said it wasn’t an illegal use of Mello-Roos money, as it was spent within the Mello-Roos district where it originated. Hall also used the specious argument that the district built the administration center to save money on rent. Mathematically challenged administrators continue to promote the myth the district is saving money by spending $1.5 million on interest instead of paying $500,000 on leases. Trustees Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke also use this claim to defend themselves against being recalled. As an additional issue, some CUSD residents say the district continues to pay rent on at least some of its former facilities when the new administration building is partially empty.

CUSD residents have offered numerous solutions to the cash-poor district, which can’t make ends meet with an annual budget of half a billion dollars. Selling the new administration building is tops among suggestions. Administrators can perform their high-paying jobs in a less glamorous environment, and “portable” offices often get a mention. Constituents also recommend culling the administrative herd and dismissing extraneous and nonperforming workers. A CUSD constituent said, “The grand jury transcripts revealed people on the payroll who had no idea what they were doing, including supervisors who had no idea what anyone was doing. Use the transcripts as a guide for dismissals.”

The district is inviting parents and other community members to participate by joining various subcommittees to study and discuss CUSD issues. The subcommittees and meeting dates are 1) facilities, beginning at 6 p.m. on Tues., Oct. 9, 2) finance, Oct. 16, 3) curricula, Oct. 23, 4) communications, Oct. 30. Meetings will be held at the district office, 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano. In addition to residents participating to ask questions, it is clear this district can benefit from input from community members who have an appropriate background in problem areas, including facilities and finance.