School district changes rules in response to audit
BY JORGE BARRIENTOS Californian staff writer
Bakersfield City School District's board Tuesday night responded to two critical reports on the district, passing a policy responding to a state audit that alleged chronic misconduct in BCSD departments, and another policy addressing trustee compensation and benefits.
The district records policy is the first in a total of 10 policies the board will vote on responding to the state audit. It sets rules for maintenance, safeguarding and disposal of records. In future meetings, trustees will vote on policies that protect whistle-blowers, and address the use of district vehicles, among others. The state report released last month recommended the district revise its policies in bringing to light a more than 20-year history of public property being put to personal use and illegal recycling habits within the maintenance and operations, and transportation departments. The board agreed, stating they should be strictly enforced and monitored.
The board also responded Tuesday to another report -- one by Kern County Grand Jury that urged local districts to consider and revise trustee pay and benefits. It passed in a first reading a policy that keeps compensation and benefits as is, including a monthly $750 compensation for trustees, and reimbursements for board travel expenses with advance approval. The policy will allow trustees and families to continue getting health benefits.
The grand jury report said BCSD spent the most overall on trustee benefits out of all Kern districts -- $121,817 in 2009-10, or about .06 percent of BCSD's entire budget.
School officials decided not to include an option to get an annual 5 percent cost of living increase, and said trustees could opt out of monthly payments.
In other business Tuesday night:
* Trustees and community members welcomed BCSD superintendent Robert Arias during his first board meeting. Arias said the entire Bakersfield community has welcomed him with open arms. "It already has a special place in my heart," he said.
Arias said he's "committed wholeheartedly" to serving the district and the community. He and his family soon will move into their new home in Bakersfield.
In one of his first official board meeting duties, Arias recognized Aida Molina, executive director of academic improvement and accountability, for receiving her doctorate's degree in urban leadership. She was appointed last year to the State Board of Education.
* BCSD moved forward with implementing trustee election changes by applying for a state waiver that would allow the changes to take effect in the 2012 election. The district -- along with four others in Kern -- are switching from an "at-large" election system --in which voters choose among all the candidates -- to a "by-trustee area" system, which divides the district into pieces, and voters choose from candidates living in their area.
* The board approved an easement deed that gives the County of Kern authority to build sidewalks, curbs and gutters on Jane Street east of Pioneer Drive School. School officials called the fixes "long overdue," while commending the county and BCSD for working together.
* Chief Business Official Steve McClain said the district, in a worst-case-scenario, could face a $9.9 million budget cut in the 2012-13 school year if a tax measure proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown is not approved by voters. School transportation faces a $2.4 million loss.
* Trustees approved as a first reading a policy guiding the district's implementation of Transitional Kindergarten this year. That pre-kindergarten program is in danger of losing state funding.
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