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Although technically not a public personality, Jamie Wallace is a tireless mother whose appearance is quickly recognized across the community. She is a competitor for the title of most involved mom in the school community. When a drive is organized, she is one of the first volunteers, to drive the bus or do behind the scenes work, whatever is needed.
Doubtful that anyone enjoyed herself more than the mirthful Ms. Wallace at the Measure CC victory party hosted by Janet and Jerry Chabola.
“Culver City is a very special place,” Ms. Wallace said in response to the question of what ignited the 76 to 24 percent shellacking of school bond opponents.
“We have people who actually understand what the community needs, and they are willing to put their own blood, sweat, tears and money out there to help.”
Ms. Wallace giggled while pondering the question of whether the 52-point margin surprised her.
Bigger Than Anticipated
“I thought we could get into the high 60s, but not 76 percent,” she said. “I shouldn’t be surprised, though. When I was walking, knocking on doors, and I did a lot of that, over 95 percent of people were in favor of Measure CC. For those who were on the fence, I was able to explain enough so they understood it.”
Ms. Wallace said the small slice of pushback against CC was to be expected. “In these economic times,” she said, “people get it.”
Supt. Dave LaRose studied the computer screen that was blaring Measure CC’s success.
Unlike predecessors, he has donned pith helmet and suitable equipment the last six months to make sure there is no repeat of last July 1 when the School Board, at the behest of former member Karlo Silbiger, abruptly suspended the original bond campaign on the grounds too little was known, by the professionals and Culver City residents.
Hints Were There
Mr. LaRose declared himself more grateful than surprised by the onesidedness. “I had some inclination, based on the past support and generosity of this community in past elections,” Mr. LaRose said. “It does not surprise me and does not trivialize how much I am grateful for this level of support and commitment.”
The stain of last July 1 lives on, and the blot parked in the front row of the minds of Measure CC backers throughout this 11-month campaign.
In July, the superintendent would have been far less confident of a winning outcome. “But as we progressed,” Mr. LaRose said, “I was confident we would exceed the minimum margin (55 percent support necessary). But 76 percent is something I am impressed with.”
The super was asked of yesterday’s win was payback for what happened on July 1.
“I don’t know that I would say ‘payback,’” Mr. LaRose said. “I know you would like me to. What it does is demonstrate that we did not waste time between July 1 and this date.
“If there were questions, and if last July 1 it wouldn’t have generated a November return like that, then all the better that we spent more time. This way it demonstrated that we brought in more people in support of what we were trying to accomplish.”
The resistance to Measure CC may have been well articulated but limited to a minor core of residents.
“Through the process of identifying what we wanted to accomplish, why and how we might,” said Mr. LaRose, “there were lots of questions, but there was not an individual who came in and said, ‘You don’t need to do this.’”
