The OC Weekly has cracked another case of corruption over at the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD). Reporter Dafodil Altan exposed what appears to be a case of spending taxpayer money on remodeling – without properly informing the entire SAUSD School Board and the publi. Here are a few excerpts from Altan’s article:
In 2007, the Santa Ana Unified School District’s (SAUSD) lease on an office building on Alton Street was set to expire. The district decided to stop leasing this and two other facilities and instead move several departments to SAUSD-owned buildings, including the main office. SAUSD took out a $29 million loan, $22 million of which would be used for the move and construction of a new warehouse.
The district left itself some wiggle room when it came to spending the money: A report put out by the investment company that issued the loan states that money was to be used “primarily” for the relocation of those departments. And, much to the consternation of some SAUSD employees and at least one school-board trustee, the district has done some wiggling—without informing the public about it.
District spokeswoman Angela Burrell says the Relocation Project was “referenced” during SAUSD building updates on three separate occasions this year. A review of district minutes for the dates she provided indicates that building updates were indeed given and that two references to the project were made. There is no record of a presentation dealing with the expansion of Police Services or the moving and revamping of additional departments.
District employees who spoke to the Weekly on condition of anonymity say that additional renovations at the district office picked up speed after the arrival last February of Joe Dixon, the former head of facilities for the beleaguered Capistrano Unified School District. Dixon was appointed assistant superintendent for Governmental Relations and Facilities at a salary of $164,000 per year. Soon after, he initiated the repainting, re-carpeting, and knocking down and building of walls for the Facilities department’s new offices (including the blending of two former offices for his own). “He didn’t have to do much; he just shifted some desks around,” Burrell says. “There was no remodel.”
Board president Jose Hernandez says he has been kept abreast of all the changes made within the administration building and doesn’t object to them. “I was told the renovations were minor, between $5,500 and $7,500,” he says of the Facilities department changes. But he doesn’t recall, he says, if the information for those renovations, as well as others, were ever disclosed publicly.
Palacio believes the public is owed a presentation and cost breakdown of additional changes being made at the district office. “If these things are no big deal, then why wasn’t the public told?” he asks.
Be sure to read the entire article at this link.
Thank heaven for the OC Weekly. No wonder Reeps keep complaining about the adult adds to get retailers to stop giving them out for free. Oh wait that means Reeps support this kind of skulduggery and want to keep it secret – what a newsflash!
Wait, the above generalization of my Republican neighbors was out of line, I retract and apologize for it. The behavior in question is no respecter of party lines.
Whoa !!
Anonyms comes to his senses. Will ceases never wonder?
you ceases you
I will never ceased to be stupified by the remarks I readed on this here blogge.
It is “ads” anonyms, “ads”. Try Firefox as your browser. I switched over a few months ago.
I’m glad you realized your goof in your original comment seeing as how 6 out of 7 of the SA Council are allegedly Democratic.
Hmmmmm….Joe Dixon (the rat who left a sinking ship CUSD) is now involved in mis-use of public funds at his new job at SAUSD.
I think he is still under investagation at CUSD.
The people he harrassed and cheated would love to hear about this down south.
Maybe they can combine his trials so the County can save money.
SAUSD in our opinions covers up everything….why not anything else….FOR CYA..all of the following is allegedly: Mark Chavez(SAUSD Food Director) internal protectors or political favors are showing there true colors again,on Edjoin (a website for district jobs) posted MORE FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT JOBS…
Geez..I wonder if this job is 4 Mark’s little behind the scenes little worker that even writes ups his business plans…????
Allegedly, Mark Chavez created a job as a Dept. Specialist that was already promised to a person named Viet who does all of Mark’s business plans, orgnizational charts, etc….ALLEGEDLY!!!!
Unfortunately, Mark Chavez is allowed to promise jobs to people based on his..I am sure tremendous expirience…must be that Hamburger College everyone keeps referring too…oh wait, have to say allegedly…
WHY doesn’t the District or HR address the TRUE issue here which is Chavez lack of leadership and knowledge. Allegedly hundreds of thousand dollars(taxpayers) are spent on outside food service consultants to assist Mark Chavez.. WHY pay Mark Chavez over 100k salary if he needs consultant for almost every step..Mark Chavez has been the leader of the food service dept.. for OVER ONE year now..And its still in disarray and the lame excuse of ” I inherited this problem ” is very old NOW…
We are hoping that the NEW ASST> DIRECTOR that clearly has MORE knowledge & EXPIRIENCE than MR. MARK CHAVEZ will soon take the role of food service director..much like when Mark Chavez came and it was all part of a plan when they removed Jan…just our opinion..and as much as we did not like her style…she was WAY BETTER than Mark Chavez..and 4sure had more expirience…
SAUSD might of fooled the state…it’s being kept under a very tight lid..but U cant fool us!!!
Address the issue..new food service director.