TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Panama-Buena Vista Union School District's board on Tuesday night approved agreements with several consultants, including one who will review internal controls and provide fraud awareness training for staff, and another who will figure out how to properly deal with kit foxes causing problems on campuses.

Those kit foxes are burrowing underneath portable classrooms, causing damage, and on occasion trapping kids indoors by parking in front of classroom doors.

But the critters have been on the endangered species since 1967, and it's against the law to trap, kill or otherwise do anything about them. Only authorized personnel with the California Department of Fish and Game can move them.

Which is why the school district hired Steven Pruett, wildlife biologist Pruett and Associates Biological Assessments, to help the district develop policies to address "sensitive species issues," train staff working on construction and maintenance projects on campuses, and work with local, state, and federal agencies, according to district reports.

Kit foxes are native Californians, are found almost exclusively in the southern San Joaquin Valley, but there are fewer than 1,000 left. Local kit foxes are fond of school campuses and parks because they have big, grassy fields with lots of food around, local research has shown.

They can be found on every Panama campus throughout southwest Bakersfield, said Michael Brouse, Panama's assistant superintendent of business services.

They give birth to pups and burrow under portable classrooms, which causes a mound of dirt to pile up as high as the floor boards, Brouse said. The dirt compacts, moisture builds and then damages the floors, which costs the district thousands of dollars to replace.

On occasion, during hot days, for example, the kit foxes sit in front of classroom doors, trapping the kids inside because staff can't disturb them.

District officials are also concerned about student safety, but want to make sure they're dealing with the foxes by the book, Brouse said. Pruett and Associates' contract is for no more than $25,000, or $80 per hour.

The school board also approved a contract for no more than $15,000 with Michael Ammermon -- a public accountant and certified fraud examiner -- to review procurement policies and internal controls in the district.

Following a recent state report alleging longtime malpractice, misappropriation of funds and illegal recycling habits in the Bakersfield City School District, Panama officials decided to do their own digging.

They found no abuse or theft, Brouse said, but the district was not accounting properly for recycled material.

District officials decided to bring in an outsider to take a closer look a district practices, and train employees on fraud awareness to prevent issues from arising.

In February Ammermon will review the district's internal controls, and lead three trainings. The district also plans to implement a hotline for whistleblowers to safely report potential wrongdoing.

In other business, the school board:

* Did not vote on, and instead tabled, an agreement with J&K Consultants Inc. to provide "turnkey operation," or ready-to-go services, in the district's health benefits committee, which includes evaluating insurance plans and drafting documents, among other things. District officials would not go into details on the agreement because it had been set aside for future consideration by the board.

* Approved a contract with Brent Eviston, a Bakersfield-based artist, to provide 112 hours of lessons to students at Stockdale Elementary School. He will give one lesson per class, per month for four months. The $3,360 contract will be paid by the Stockdale Parent Club.

* Accepted a $15,000 donation from an anonymous donor for a computer lab at Laurelglen Elementary. Other donations included $1,000 for classroom enrichment and field trips for Castle Elementary by Roll Giving and Paramount Community Giving; and also $2,500 from the Kern County Medical Society for the annual district SAVE Today event.