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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Tulare County Grand Jury • 2011-2012

Tulare County Grand Jury Report 2011-2012 Woodville Union School District Letter from the Judges (wusd)

38 pages
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Findings 12 findings

F1 Page 15
On July, 20, 2011, a WUSD Board member applied for a teaching position with the district.
F2 Page 15
On July, 29, 2011 (a Friday), this same Board member interviewed with a hiring panel which included two administrators, another teacher, and a parent. This Board member was one of eight candidates who appeared before the hiring panel. T U L A R E C O U N T Y G R A N D J U RY R E P O RT 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 1 2 LETTER FROM THE JUDGES 14
F3 Page 16
On July 31, 2011 (a Sunday), the Superintendent offered the open teaching position to the school board member.
F4 Page 16
Employee time sheets authorized for payment by the Superintendent for 2011 appear unreliable. Hourly employees submit for reimbursement, time sheets that reflect double payment and payment for days on holidays and weekends.
F5 Page 16
On January 11, 2012, the Superintendent changed the date and location of the Board of Trustees meeting without the consent or notification of a majority of the Board members.
F6 Page 16
Some Board Members have not attended school board training which includes provisions of The Brown Act. CONCLUSION Small and rural school districts face challenges that urban schools do not. These challenges include obtaining school board member participation from a broad range of the community which they serve. In addition, obtaining the training necessary for those who do volunteer to serve so that they are fully aware and compliant with the Brown Act and other relevant laws is difficult. While difficult, this training is necessary since they and the administrators they hire are responsible for following the law. Though the Grand Jury received complaints of potential conflicts of interest violations, a careful review of the relevant facts revealed no such violation occurred. It is clear that this school district is working to do the best that it can. Violations of the Brown Act can be easily rectified but the manner in which payroll practices impact the fiscal resources of this district must be firmly addressed.
F7 Page 18
The Tulare industrial site has a problem with waste gases such as methane and carbon dioxide.
F8 Page 18
At the Tulare industrial site, all of the waste gases are being captured. Some of them are utilized by generators and/or energy stored into batteries, and the remainders are burned off.
F9 Page 18
Tulare and Visalia owned facilities have solar power to reduce costs of operations.
F10 Page 18
Tulare, Visalia, and Cutler-Orosi facilities have UVL water treatment capabilities.
F11 Page 18
Seville has an antiquated water system that continues to have issues.
F12
Future plans for water conservation/use: a. In 2013, Visalia will use a capillary cleaning system (membrane bioreactor) to reduce the cost by eliminating chlorine and minimizing the use of UVL. b. Utilize waste water on City property.

Recommendations 5