The Capo School District is asking the County Board of Education to reverse its previous decision regarding the date for a ballot measure. The ballot question allows voters to determine whether to keep the “at-large” election system, whereby all voters vote for all seven Trustees; or whether to divide the Capo District into seven ”separate voting areas” where voters would choose only one Trustee in each area.
The OC Board earlier set a special election for June 8 of next year. A special election will cost the School District an estimated $500,000, so Capo wants to save that money by having the election instead be combined with the General Election next November.
Capo’s attorney, Phil Greer, successfully requested a Special Meeting of the OC Board, which is scheduled for this Wednesday 11/18 at 6:30 pm in the OC Board of Ed Room at 200 Kalmus, Costa Mesa. The Board will initially consider Greer’s letter in Open Session (Item 8 ) and then move to Closed Session (Item 9) to discuss legal implications. Although the OCBA could report a decision publicly after the Closed Session, the Board could instead decide to take more time for staff to research the issues.
Children First, a political action committee that wants to replace the at-large election, and to maintain the June election date, has scheduled a news conference outside the OCBE offices at 5 pm.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Greer’s letter is exactly right.
The OC Board would do well to move this election from a Special Election in June to the November General Election.
Otherwise, they’re party to this burning of CUSD funds on Special Elections and lawyers, that the district is very short on.
Hasn’t CUSD wasted enough money already?
Is the issue, of whether trustees should continue to be elected “at large” from the entire district, such a life-and-death issue that it justifies spending half a million dollars to resolve quickly?
I think not. That money should go to the schools.
‘Children First’ sounds like perhaps it should change its name to Children First Sometimes – when it fits our agenda! If the folks in this group are truly interested in putting the needs of the children first then they should get on board to combine with the November election and save the district some major money. Is a few months going to make that much of a difference in the big picture? CUSD (along with all school districts in the state) needs every dollar for the children in the classrooms.