St. Helena Unified School District board recall, California (2010)
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A vote about recalling four board members of the St. Helena Unified School District in Napa County will take place on the February 23, 2010 for voters in the St. Helena Unified School District.[1]
Supporters of the recall effort are seeking to remove board president Ines DeLuna, vice president Cindy Warren and trustees Carolyn Martini and Cynthia Lane from office.[2]
Recall supporters formed an organization called "Citizens for Quality Education in Support of the Recall". Leaders in the group include Jeanne DeVincenzi, Kevin Alfaro, Pavi Lawson and Sharon Harris.
Candidates on the ballot
- Kevin Alfaro is running for a seat that will become vacant if the recall succeeds. His candidacy has been endorsed by those leading the recall effort.[3]
- Jeff Conwell has filed papers to run for the seat that would become vacant if Trustee Cindy Warren is recalled. Conwell is an airline pilot. He has three children in the St. Helena school system.[4]
- Jeannie Kerr has filed papers to run for the seat that would become vacant if Trustee Cynthia Lane is recalled. Kerr has been involved in Parent Teacher Groups, the St. Helena Public Schools Foundation and the annual Just Imagine! fundraiser.[4]
Motivation for recall
Organizers of the recall say they are seeking the recall because:
- They are dissatisfied with the way the school board handled the process of choosing a new school superintendent.[2]
- They also assert that misconduct occurred in the awarding of retirement packages to St. Helena Unified School District Superintendent Allan Gordon and high school principal Jim Zoll.[5]
- They believe the district needs a higher degree of fiscal responsibility. They say, "Curbing the current excessive administrative spending in our district could free up hundreds of thousands of dollars that could be allocated to programs that develop all levels of education for all the students in our community. Cutting back on unnecessary administrative positions, excessive administrative salaries, unnecessary legal fees and unwarranted early retirement benefits for select administrators would allow our district to fund the valuable programs that have been cut or curtailed in recent years by the district, and perhaps additional programs could be funded to provide our students with more tools that they will need to achieve their goals."[2]
- They want more transparency. Recall supporters have said, "Public trust is lost when board members call special meetings to correct their failure to properly inform the community of an issue that was discussed and decided at a previous meeting."[2]
- Better relationships. They say, "It is important to have a school board that is willing to listen to, and take in, all points of view before making decisions. Eliminating any fear of retaliation for bringing concerns before the board and the administration is another critical step toward promoting trust and integrity in our district."[2]
- A board that thinks independently. They say "Our school district deserves board members who are willing to dig deeper into issues and administrative recommendations instead of accepting them at face value."[2]
Objections to recall
Objections that have been raised to the recall campaign include:
- Holding a special election to conduct the recall will be expensive.[6]
- Recalls should only be held when "malfeasance rising to a criminal level has been established".
- The recall, if it goes on the ballot, will take place only about eight months before the regularly scheduled November 2010 election.[6]
- Those supporting the recall made allegations about corruptions. "The Napa County district attorney investigated and found these charges ... to be totally without merit on each and every charge."[6]
- Complaints about high administrative salaries don't take into account "that the salaries we pay are “market rate” when compared to the districts we want to emulate."[6]
- Complaints about how much the school district spends on legal fees "fail to mention that, according to a summary of legal costs provided by the District, $152,000 of those fees are a result of two lawsuits filed by one of their leaders, Kevin Alfaro."
- The school board that is the target of the recall "has brought us the best schools in our district’s history, with an even brighter future ahead of it."[6]
Path to the ballot
On September 14, recall supporters turned in their recall petitions to election officials. They reported that they had collected at least 2,000 signatures for each of the four recall petitions. 1,515 valid signatures are required to force a recall vote for each of the four recall targets.[7][8]
Election details
- October 26: Election officials have until this date to verify the signatures.
- 14 days: Once the signatures have been verified, the St. Helena Unified School District must specify an election date within 14 days.
- The recall election must take place 88 to 125 days after the school board orders the election.
- The school board can choose between a traditional polling place election or a vote-by-mail contest.
See also
External links
References
- ↑ Napa Valley Register, "Upvalley recall election set", October 31, 2009
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Napa Valley Register, "A recall in St. Helena?", June 1, 2009
- ↑ St. Helena Star, "Recallers back Alfaro", October 1, 2009
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 St. Helena Star, "Conwell, Kerr pull papers for recall election", November 12, 2009
- ↑ Napa Valley Register, "Parents, school officials clash", June 28, 2009
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 St. Helena Star, "Recall fueled by costly vendettas, false allegations", October 22, 2009
- ↑ St. Helena Star, "Recall supporters submit petitions", September 17, 2009
- ↑ St. Helena Star, "Tuteur discusses recall with school board", October 4, 2009
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