“I feel a sense of responsibility for the District team,” Supt. Dave LaRose said at last evening’s School Board meeting where the fate of a proposed bond measure campaign in autumn was regarded as a cinch.
But was not, with three members revolting against a seemingly popular wave of sentiment.
While the sense of campaign defeat was glumly settling over the still-buzzing meeting room, Mr, LaRose sought to counter charges of virtual slapdashery en route to hurrying the complex financial plan onto the ballot days from now.
“The sense of responsibility has been grounded in a shared commitment to be open, honest and transparent and accessible from the moment we have been a member of the CCUSD family,” he said at the end of his first year in office.
“Any process, exercise or dialogue that implies we are not doing that, I am very, very uncomfortable with.
“An accelerated timeline may depend upon your lens, on the lens through which you choose to look at things.
“It might be perceived as contrary to our goal to be open, engaged, honest and inclusive.
“I assure you, that is not the case.
“This team is committed to be responsive and inclusive.”
Mr. LaRose said that individual and group questions that “had not been addressed for a long, long time” was proof of the sincerity of the District leadership.
“The fact we are even having this conversation, animated and emotional as it is, is impressive in itself,” he said.
The distance the District has traveled in the past 11 months, Mr. LaRose said, from staring at a $2.5 million deficit and having no notion of what order to place facilities in need of repair, to last evening’s disagreement, was testimony to the talent and efficiency of the District staff.
He was applauded as he concluded.
