Will Rockwood Take Prop S Off April Ballot?

The $38.4 million question, in this case, is:  Will Rockwood School District officials take Proposition S off the April 2 ballot?

No, and here's why.

The question was broached by Rockwood parent Nancy Robinson at Thursday evening's Board of Education meeting. She specifically asked if the proposition could be postponed until a fall ballot time period.

"I appreciate what the gentleman just said about Proposition S (Eureka High School locker room renovation needs). But I propose the district wait until the fall to put it on the ballot, after we've had chance to have the (state) auditors come back and go, this has been done, that's been done. Make sure our ducks are in a row, and the Is are dotted and the Ts are crossed," said Robinson.

She said she appreciated the Rockwood news release that night, indicating district officials were going to make changes in response to the state audit.

However, Robinson cited information from September 2011, which made Rockwood administrators aware of taxpayers' concerns regarding Glenn Construction Company and perceived conflicts of interest. "But no changes were made. Nothing happened. It's been too long. It's still been going on and on. Once the light was shed by the auditors, we seem to have had a scurry to get things done."

She suggested not having the vote about Proposition S until district representatives could get the confidence back from the community, which she said she believed has "really waned."

Lisa Stump, an attorney with Lashly & Baer, P.C contracted with the district as legal counsel, said it is not possible to remove the ballot initiative for April. "It's too late. All ballot issues are settled six weeks before, which was Feb. 21. That was the drop-dead deadline," she said.

Stump said the only way to have removed Proposition S from the ballot would have been through a court order, and Rockwood's Board of Education would have had to pay for that cost. She said it was especially too late because absentee ballots already were being printed.

She also said that after issues with construction management process were raised in September 2011, Rockwood's board members directed the legal staff to look at the proposal that fall for program management services. She said an addendum was issued to correct what they found in the process. But that bond (Proposition R) didn’t go through, which district officials said didn't spotlight the adjustments.

Stump said some changes were made to the process since that time in Rockwood policies that govern construction projects.

Rhonda Costa, another Rockwood parent, also spoke during the patrons' comments portion of the board meeting. She recently volunteered to head the Proposition S citizens' committee, which will be a group advocating for passage of a $38.4 million no-tax rate increase bond issue on April 2 ballots.

"As an involved parent, I came tonight to applaud the decision to put Proposition S on the April ballot. I don't know any parent who wants their children to go to school in buildings that are overcrowded or unsafe," said Costa.

She also said she was pleased to see the Rockwood board moving forward with suggestions from the state auditors. "To delay the bond issue for another year or two only hurts the kids and their education. I stand ready to work for the Yes on S vote in April. And I appreciate all the hard work done on behalf of our district."

PRIOR RELATED ARTICLE:

Rockwood Citizens Form Prop S Bond Committee