CUSD Update
Editorial staff

As anticipated, Capo school board Trustees Mike Darnold and Duane Stiff (the two remaining old-guard trustees) didn’t attend the July 1 special meeting to witness new Trustees Sue Palazzo and Ken Maddox being sworn into office. Following the June 24 recall of former Trustees Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke, the Capistrano Dispatch reported that Darnold and Stiff had scheduled vacations for July 1. Also on vacation was Supt. Woodrow Carter.

Was it a coincidence all three were absent? Perhaps Darnold and Stiff, who have four months remaining in what is likely their final term, weren’t up to friendly gestures.

The July 1 meeting began promptly at 6 p.m. and ended at 6:15. Trustee Ellen Addonizio administered the oath of office to Pallazo and Maddox. In the reorganization of the new board, Addonizio was elected president, Anna Bryson became vice president and Larry Christianson became the clerk, each with 5-0 votes. Palazzo and Maddox spoke briefly, thanking their supporters and introducing family members in attendance.

It took a staff member two tries to switch nameplates around after Addonizio moved to the left side of the dais to assume her duties as president. Former president Darnold’s nameplate wouldn’t budge from its holder. The symbolism wasn’t lost on audience members who had worked in the recall.

The district’s financial woes and controversial issues could make any celebration short-lived. Some parents are speculating Supt. Carter will soon be fired by the new board majority of reform trustees. Constituents should consider, however, that Palazzo and Maddox have to run again in the November election to keep their seats. If the new majority gets off to a stormy start by firing the superintendent – regardless of his questionable performance – it could backfire at the ballot box. On July 3, the Orange County Register posted an online article about the D.A. investigating Carter’s contract. The D.A. would like to know how the contract was modified without approval of the board to include a lucrative termination clause. Carter says he has done nothing wrong.

A constituent reacted, “I think Carter will last four more months at CUSD. He’s shown he’s a politician but not a leader. I doubt the board majority will get rid of him until they’re certain about their own futures after the November election.”

The district is operating on an interim budget while the Legislature continues to work on the state budget. Some people viewed Carter’s interim budget was as a tool to provide leverage against the recall with happy talk about rehiring. As a result of the old board majority passing the interim budget, CUSD has an obligation to rehire some employees whether it can afford them or not. Carter’s electioneering worked, as the teachers union came out against the recall.

Former Supt. James Fleming’s heydays came during boom times of real estate development. Money that should have gone toward modernization or saving for a rainy day was funneled into an extravagant administration center and an overpriced school next to a dump in San Juan Capistrano. A district with an annual budget approaching half a billion dollars couldn’t make ends meet in good times, and it now has a huge budget deficit and deteriorating older facilities.

Palazzo lightheartedly mentioned at the July 1 meeting that she’d already found $7,000 for CUSD by looking through the State Controller’s unclaimed property. It’s a start.