At last Tuesday’s MUSD Board meeting, Donald Fields of Orrick Law Firm gave a detailed presentation on Bond Measure C’s Citizens Oversight Committee and its responsibilities in synergy with the board and overall legal parameters.
The role of the bond’s Oversight Committee is to inform the public concerning expenditure of the bond’s proceeds; basically, to review school board actions in spending bond funds and report findings to the public. The Committee will ensure bond funds are spent for the authorized purposes set forth in the applicable measure approved by voters. This includes reviewing annual financial and performance reports required by Proposition 39, inspections of campuses, reviewing materials provided by the board, and requesting information of the board and its staff. The board is required to provide administrative and technical assistance to the committee, including resources to publicize the committee’s conclusions, without spending bond funds.
Fields reminded meeting attendees the board is elected to direct which projects are to be funded with bond proceeds and how projects are to be completed and has no authority to delegate these decisions to any other body, including the Oversight Committee.
When speaking to the Committee’s operations, Fields stated their meetings are subject to the Brown Act; to be noticed and open to the public, to provide annual reports on its activities, and to provide its minutes and reports for public record.
For organization, the Committee must consist of at least seven members and must include:
- a member active in a business organization representing the business organization located within the school district.
- a member active in a senior citizen’s organization.
- a member active in a bona fide taxpayer’s organization.
- a member who is a parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the school district and active in the parent-teacher organization.
Willful failure to appoint the committee can be subject the board to taxpayer lawsuits and injunction against spending any bond funds.
For the Committee’s independence and member terms, no district employee, official, vendor, contractor, or consultant may serve on the committee. Members serve a two-year term without compensation and may serve no more than three consecutive terms.
For interested and qualified community members, applications are due by Jan. 31 and are available now at https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/3674/MUSD/5196155/Citizens_Oversight_Committee_Application_-_Morongo_USD.pdf
