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Board names Measure O oversight committee members, schedules special meetings
Summary
The board appointed members to the Measure O Citizens Bond Oversight Committee and set a Sept. 11 first meeting; the board also scheduled a Sept. 12 workshop to form a separate 7‑Eleven committee and discussed delaying activation until a full‑time CFO is in place.
The Newark Unified Board on Aug. 19 moved to populate the Measure O Citizens Bond Oversight Committee and scheduled an initial meeting for Sept. 11.
Board appointments announced during the meeting included Ena Tavasulli as a parent/guardian representative, Daniel Costen as the business representative, Cindy Parks as the taxpayer‑organization representative, David Frink as the senior citizen representative (pending the district attorney’s confirmation on conflict questions), and community members at‑large Havana Nthi and Terry Marzano.
Superintendent said Measure O is a multi‑year bond program; the oversight committee will review the allocation and stewardship of funds. The board noted that Measure O carries a $40 million allocation for the current term and that the committee’s first responsibility will be to meet and review bylaws and schedules.
Separately, the board scheduled a special meeting/workshop for Sept. 12 to discuss formation of a separate committee (referred to in the meeting as the "7‑Eleven" committee). Member Hill suggested delaying activation of some aspects of the committee’s work until a full‑time chief financial officer is in place to support execution.
Why it matters: Citizens bond oversight committees provide public transparency for bond spending; appointments and a clear meeting schedule are a key early step in implementing Measure O projects such as HVAC repairs the district identified as priorities.
Next steps: The board moved and seconded the appointments and took a roll‑call vote to confirm the members; staff will convene the oversight committee Sept. 11 and adjust appointments if legal counsel identifies a conflict for any nominee.
