As school district staff delve into the second series of bond money with major construction projects planned for 2017, the two-year terms for three positions on its Measure G Citizens Bond Oversight Committee have expired and are open to any takers.
One position is designated for an at-large community member and can be filled by any resident living within the Morgan Hill Unified School District boundaries.
The other two spots are more specific with one slotted for an individual who is a member of a taxpayer organization and the other for a representative in the local business community.
The new terms will run through Jan. 2019.
Measure G is the $198 million capital improvements bond approved by voters in the November 2012 election. The district has already spent $55 million of the money to make improvements at many of its schools and is in the process of releasing the second of three disbursements for such projects as the $50 million plans to build a new Britton Middle School. A list of the Measure G projects can be viewed on the district website, mhusd.org/measure-g.
“This board appointed committee was established to inform the public concerning the expenditure of the Measure G Bond proceeds,” according to the bond description. “The committee’s legal charge is to actively review and report on the expenditure of taxpayers’ money for school construction in accordance with voter-approved projects, ensuring the Measure G bond revenues are expended only for the purpose described.”
Anyone interested in the position or who has questions regarding the commitment can call (408) 201-6052 or email to [email protected].
The school board was scheduled to extend the terms of its three current bond oversight members at the Jan. 17 meeting. However, after a lengthy discussion and a 5-2 vote in favor of the move, the board decided to give all community members the opportunity to fill any of the three expiring positions rather than just extend the current members’ terms. The board will now vote in the new appointees at the Feb. 7 meeting.
Those current members, John Horner, Brad Ledwith and Mike Rusch, will also be considered for the new terms.
Trustee David Gerard asked to pull the item from the consent calendar and into general business. “By doing so, we may be able to attract a wider diversity of candidates to consider for this seven-member board,” he said. “We may also increase parent and community interest in serving our board and our district from a wider demographic range.”
Gerard’s request to do so was supported by trustees Mary Patterson, Teresa Murillo, Gino Borgioli and Tom Arnett. However, Board President Donna Ruebusch and Trustee Ron Woolf were in favor of extending the existing members’ terms.
