Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenters press Brentwood board on document access, bleacher placement and alleged payroll problems
Summary
During public comment the board heard questions about timely release of agenda documents, a resident’s privacy and safety concerns about bleachers behind her home, and strong allegations from William Moss that the district employs 'ghost employees' and is wasting taxpayer funds; board members acknowledged the comments and said they would investigate posting practices.
At its Nov. 20 meeting the Brentwood Board of Education heard several public comments raising procedural, facilities and accountability concerns.
Parent and resident William Moss asked about hiring procedures for a recently filled science-teacher position and pressed the board on timely public posting of agenda backup documents. Moss later alleged that the district has "ghost employees" and staff paid to work outside the district, calling such arrangements "payroll fraud" and urging legal action to recover funds. "We're wasting money," Moss said, adding that taxpayers have ‘‘the right of action for injunctive relief and to recuperate funds.'' The board acknowledged his remarks; no board response disputing the allegation was recorded in the meeting minutes.
Resident Rosa Lopez raised safety and privacy concerns about bleachers installed near her home, saying that since July she "has not used my backyard freely" and that prior requests for an environmental survey and variances for Sunday/holiday construction were ignored. She asked the board why due diligence had not been performed and requested further follow up.
A public commenter, Elvia Salinas Calabolo, asked about federal funding to the district in light of reported federal reorganization. An unnamed district representative responded, "I don't have an exact number, but we do get several grants from the federal government," and said the district did lose one small federal grant but did not anticipate losing core federal grants immediately.
Board members said they would look into the public posting process (BoardDocs) and the administration acknowledged the questions. No formal board action to investigate or audit payroll practices was announced during the meeting.
