Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public comments raise conflict-of-interest concerns; district honors community organizer and student hero
Summary
At the Dec. 5 Cartwright board meeting, public commenters praised district leaders and raised concerns about possible board conflicts of interest; the board also recognized community organizer Masavi Perea and honored student Dallas Pastrano for lifesaving actions.
Public commenters at the Cartwright Elementary School District meeting offered praise for departing district leaders and raised concerns about governance.
Patricia Lopez, speaking as an employee and retiree, thanked Superintendent Dr. Aguilar Lawler for six years of service and praised district improvements under her leadership. Lopez also commended the board’s hiring of incoming superintendent Emma Hategui (spelled multiple ways in the public record) and praised teachers and support staff for their work.
Another member of the public, Cecilia Moreno, asked the board to address a potential conflict of interest involving two related board members and said she had contacted the Arizona School Boards Association about whether legal counsel was required; she said she did not know whether the district had funds to obtain outside counsel but urged the issue be considered by residents and voters.
The board also presented awards and recognitions in open session. The district presented a Community Award of Excellence to Masavi Perea for work organizing community-led climate and sustainability activities in partnership with organizations such as CHISPA and Unlimited Potential, and acknowledged support from the School for the Future of Innovation and Society (SFIS). In addition, the board honored student Dallas Pastrano of Maryville High School with the Cartwright Award of Excellence for staying with an injured eighth-grade student until emergency responders arrived; administrators said the injured student has returned to class.
When asked at the meeting about Perea’s organizational status, Perea described the work as community-focused and said his group is a 501(c)(4) with an affiliated political action committee; he emphasized his commitment to public education in his remarks.
