What The Recall Is Really About

By Jim Haslip
Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The “recallers” and I have been misrepresented by recent commentaries and letters. Forty registered voters wrote the following charges that were printed on the petition to recall the board:

• “you demonstrated a complete lack of fiscal responsibility, as evidenced by your approval of exorbitant salaries to administrative personnel and the perpetuation of unnecessary administrative positions while funds for instructional materials to be used for our schools are being cut due to the current economic crisis;

• “ you failed to act with transparency and failed to provide the public with clear and accurate information and you, in some instances, misled the public with respect to financial, academic, and administrative matters;

• “you failed to work with the public as your administrative policies require and you completely disregarded all of the input that the public has provided to you;

• “you failed to adequately and properly supervise administrative staff, including, but not limited to, the Superintendent;

• “you allowed the administration to grossly mismanage fundamental school programs, such as special education and vocational programs...”

The exorbitant salaries are well-documented. The highest superintendent salary for a district of our size or smaller was cited by district supporters as $160,000 in Kentfield (other districts cited are up to three times larger than ours). Gordon retired at $264,000. Haley is making $205,000 base salary. (The district claims he makes $189,000, an exorbitant amount for someone who was subject to an extremely rare “vote of no confidence” at his last district, but they fail to disclose another $16,000 that he receives “on payroll” for “expenses.”)

I estimate that if (former Superintendent Allan) Gordon had been paid at the same rate as the Kentfield superintendent, without his retirement gift (however “legal” it may be), the children of St. Helena would have had access to over $650,000 for supplies, materials, and programs that have been cut. This is what “exorbitant salaries” means. This is what “misleading the public” implies.

Research by many sources, including former trustee Bill Swanson, shows that we overspend on administration by no less that $900,000 year in and year out when compared to other districts of similar size and income. A former superintendent here publicly stated that when he was superintendent (and we had more students), he had four people in the district office and now there are many, many more. This is what “the perpetuation of unnecessary administrative positions” means.

Research shows that 14 programs have been reduced or eliminated in recent years. The last teacher with a Vocational Education credential was two years ago. I am happy that agricultural studies is doing well but what about all those other students that are not going to college? This is what “mismanagement of vocational education” means.

The district had spent under $30,000 a year on legal fees. It is over $700,000 over the last 3 years. Meanwhile, we continue to sue the County rather than cooperate with them on special education, vocational programs, group purchasing, and staff development. This is what “lack of fiscal responsibility” means. We blame this on the County and on a few special education parents when competent administrators have demonstrated elsewhere that cooperation is more fiscally responsible that confrontation.

The recall is not about my term on the board or a few “recallers.” It is about our children and how your tax dollars are spent. I did not leave the Board to run away. Rather I have chosen the side of our children. When the Recall vote is taken in February, please join us.

(Jim Haslip is a former trustee of the St. Helena Unified School District. He lives in St. Helena.)

Kevin Alfaro Wins School Board Election

By Jesse Duarte
STAFF WRITER
Thursday, November 05, 2009

Election results show that Kevin Alfaro has defeated Roger Adams for a seat on the St. Helena School Board by a 2-1 margin.

Alfaro has received 1,463 votes — 67.6 percent — compared with 696 votes — 33.2 percent — for Adams, according to preliminary results released Tuesday night by the Napa County Elections Department.

The votes already tallied represent 36 percent of the 6,039 registered voters in the school district boundaries. Between 175 and 275 ballots received after Saturday, Oct. 31 still haven’t been counted, said Registrar of Voters John Tuteur.

The remaining ballots will be included in a final certified count, which will be released Monday, said Tuteur. He said he hopes to deliver the certified canvass to the school board at their next meeting, set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 at Vintage Hall.

Superintendent Robert Haley said that after the district receives the election certification, the elected boardmember will be sworn in at the next regular meeting. Right now the district is anticipating getting the certification before the meeting and swearing in Alfaro on Nov. 12, said Haley.

Alfaro thanked his family and everyone who worked on his campaign, helped hand out flyers and wrote letters to the editor on his behalf.

He credited Sean Maher, Jeanne DeVincenzi, Nell Hungerford, Diane Beltrami, Kelly Rios, Kathy Zelazny, Maria Stel, Pavi Lawson, Lisa Pelosi, Molly Morales, and Alexandra and Jim Haslip, whose resignation created a vacancy on the board in May.

The campaign has benefited the community by raising important issues and getting people more engaged, said Alfaro.

“It’s neat to see how the community has embraced school district issues and really started paying attention and asking good questions,” he said. “That’s already affected how the board interacts with the community — they’ve changed how they run the meetings a little and more information is getting out.”

When contacted Wednesday morning, Adams said, “I just wish him well.”

Alfaro said his strategy during the first few school board meetings will be to “listen and learn.”

“I need to get up to speed on how the board interacts, how it handles information and how it works with the administration,” he said. “The first few months will be a learning process for me.”

“I’m so proud that Kevin not only complains about what needs be changed, but he also rolls up his sleeves and gets involved to make the change,” added Sallie Alfaro, Kevin’s wife. “It takes an engaged parent and community member to put their money where their mouth is. He questions and he looks for the right answers.”