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New CSEA president urges collaboration; energy firm requests permission for no-cost solar feasibility study
Summary
Liz Salazar, the newly elected CSEA chapter president, told trustees classified staff want collaborative problem-solving; a public commenter from Excite Energy asked for permission to perform a no-cost, no-obligation solar feasibility study and staff agreed facilities would follow up.
Liz (Elizabeth) Salazar, newly elected president of California School Employees Association chapter 773, used her first board appearance to emphasize classified staff as "the school family" and urged collaboration with district leadership on negotiated matters and ongoing support for custodial, maintenance and food-service teams.
"Our classified staff are like our school family," Salazar said, identifying priorities for staff representation and naming her executive board. She thanked the district for recent negotiations that produced items such as a SPED training stipend and a summer assistance program and said CSEA aims to work collaboratively on future decisions.
Later during public comment, John Burdette, vice president of program development at Excite Energy, asked district facilities staff for permission to conduct a no-cost, no-obligation feasibility study of current solar opportunities and energy options. Burdette said previous solar work for the district had not met expectations but that current market conditions and delivery models had changed.
"Importantly, what I'm proposing tonight is not a commitment to do anything," Burdette said. "What we're requesting is permission to perform a no cost analysis, a no obligation feasibility study." District staff responded that the senior director of facilities would follow up to gather contact information and coordinate next steps.
What the board heard
Salazar framed the CSEA role as partnership-oriented and said the new executive board will seek to cross "as many aisles and many groups as possible" to represent classified staff voices. Burdette's public comment prompted a staff follow-up rather than on-the-spot board deliberation; the board chair noted the board cannot act on non-agenda items during the meeting.
Next steps
Facilities staff will contact Burdette to discuss a potential feasibility analysis; CSEA and district leaders will continue collaborative discussions and staff indicated they plan to return to the board with routine updates on negotiations and operational items when appropriate.
