Alisal trustees feud 'embarrassing' - MontereyHerald.com ::
"Upheaval on the board
For the past month, relations among the five Alisal Union board members and top administrators have become so fractious that district business has practically come to a standstill.
On Oct. 12, trustees Gary Karnes, Juan Flores and Lupe Ruiz-Gilpas hastily approved 25 items ranging from a teacher's agreement to a multi-million-dollar renovation project, all while board President Meredith Ibarra kept yelling and banging her gavel, attempting to silence the board majority."
On Wednesday, facing an agenda that included possible disciplinary action against Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas and a flurry of other items just as controversial, Flores, Karnes and Ruiz-Gilpas announced they would not attend that night's meeting, forcing it to be cancelled. When meetings don't take place contracts don't get authorized, payments are not made, even student field trips can be cancelled.
After the Oct. 12 special meeting, Zendejas expressed relief that at least major projects could go forward.
"It was controversial, but the fact that the majority took action was very helpful. Some businesses were becoming irate."
"Upheaval on the board
For the past month, relations among the five Alisal Union board members and top administrators have become so fractious that district business has practically come to a standstill.
On Oct. 12, trustees Gary Karnes, Juan Flores and Lupe Ruiz-Gilpas hastily approved 25 items ranging from a teacher's agreement to a multi-million-dollar renovation project, all while board President Meredith Ibarra kept yelling and banging her gavel, attempting to silence the board majority."
On Wednesday, facing an agenda that included possible disciplinary action against Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas and a flurry of other items just as controversial, Flores, Karnes and Ruiz-Gilpas announced they would not attend that night's meeting, forcing it to be cancelled. When meetings don't take place contracts don't get authorized, payments are not made, even student field trips can be cancelled.
After the Oct. 12 special meeting, Zendejas expressed relief that at least major projects could go forward.
"It was controversial, but the fact that the majority took action was very helpful. Some businesses were becoming irate."