Community speakers urge local healing after Prop A; volunteers propose neutral‑site mediation

Two community speakers used the board’s public‑comment period to call for healing after a close Prop A election and outlined a volunteer‑led mediation effort.

Coach T.J. Garza said he witnessed deep divisions in the community and described his desire for peace and listening. He identified several board members whose students participate in his programs and said he supports the candidate the board will consider for superintendent. Garza said he would help organize neutral conversations to prevent personal attacks and named Greg Wimpey to explain the plan further.

Wimpey said the goal is to convene people who care deeply about the district but who can also demonstrate reasonableness and an ability to listen. "We're going to be inviting folks who have demonstrated not just a passion for one direction or the other, but also reasonableness," he said, and described Coach Garza as a central point of contact for those interested in participating.

Neither the board nor staff took formal action on the request during the meeting; presenters and trustees generally thanked the speakers for their initiative and emphasized the need to bring the community together around the district’s work.

What happens next: the speakers invited community input and said they will report back on plans; trustees and administrators reiterated a commitment to transparency and to communicating Prop A commitments publicly.