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Board appoints citizen "7‑11" committee after extended debate over representation
Summary
After lengthy discussion about city and ethnic representation, the ABC Unified Board appointed a 11‑member advisory panel to review the use and disposition of district properties. Trustees emphasized both expertise and geographic equity as they filled categories.
The ABC Unified School District Board of Education appointed community members to a newly formed "7‑11" committee to advise the board on the use and disposition of district real property after an extended, hour‑plus session of nominations and roll‑call votes.
The committee—required to include at least seven people from prescribed categories such as business owners, landowners, teachers, parents and persons with environmental or land‑use expertise—was formed after staff told trustees they had received 51 applications by the April 30 deadline. President Noyola summarized the final slate after the roll calls: "From our business community, Meng Gong; landowner/renter, Victor Farfan; teacher, Catherine Pascual; district administrator, Paul Andre White; parent, Jim Giordano; environmental/land‑use expertise, Celia Spitzer; ethnic/age/socioeconomic representative, Alexander Perez; plus Kenji Inouye, LaMonica Bryson, Jennifer Willeford and Stein Bang," he said as the board read the roster aloud.
Trustees debated how to balance technical qualifications and neighborhood representation. Board clerk Leticia Mendoza pressed for stronger representation from smaller cities in the district, saying, "I will always advocate for my city" and urging colleagues to ensure Lakewood, Artesia and Hawaiian Gardens residents had a voice on the panel. Vice President Tatiana Yokoyama Bui responded that the board should also weigh applicants' written qualifications and availability, noting many candidates checked multiple category boxes in their applications.
Staff explained the committee process: members will be appointed by category, discuss an exhibit listing candidate properties, and present recommendations to the board. Trustee Nishi emphasized the need for real‑estate and financial expertise on the panel; other trustees highlighted the value of "fresh faces" and historical knowledge, with several supervisors saying they hoped a mix of institutional memory and new perspectives would guide deliberations.
The nominations were carried out category by category by roll call. Several nominees received unanimous or near‑unanimous support; others were chosen amid split votes. The board said it would begin the committee's work immediately.
The committee will advise the board on potential reuse or disposition of district property; staff stated the first tasks will include identifying priorities and evaluating the feasibility of candidate sites.
What happens next: the 7‑11 committee will convene under staff direction to review listed properties and return recommendations to the board. The board did not adopt any disposition or sale at the May 5 meeting.
