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Trustees debate $150,000-a-year consultant contract and vote to table decision
Summary
After more than an hour of public discussion, the Perris Union High School District board debated renewing a $12,500-per-month consulting contract with HYA, heard conflicting views on cost and transparency, and voted 4–1 to table the item to Sept. 10, 2025.
PERRIS, Calif. — The Perris Union High School District Board of Trustees spent much of its Aug. 13 meeting debating whether to continue a consulting services agreement with HYA, listed at $12,500 per month ($150,000 per year). Trustees split over cost, oversight and confidentiality before voting to table the contract until the Sept. 10 meeting.
Trustee Anaya moved to require monthly, itemized invoices showing the activities and dates for services; the proposal prompted a lengthy discussion about whether such detail could conflict with confidentiality or the Brown Act. "I want a generic itemization because there are confidential subject matters we do discuss with this firm," Dr. Williams said during the debate, noting legal invoices are handled confidentially by business services.
Opponents of the current arrangement raised fiscal concerns. "$150,000 a year — that's another employee," one trustee said, arguing the cost is hard to justify without clearer evidence of services provided. Other trustees defended the consultant, saying HYA has helped the district identify assets and streamline work during a transition in leadership. "Without this consulting services, we would have never found out that we own Panther Park," Trustee Garcia said, citing recent investigations and hires that he said were assisted by the consultant.
Trustees discussed alternatives such as converting to an open purchase order (pay-as-billed) and limiting how often the board considers the contract if it remains month-to-month. After debate, the board voted 4–1 to table the item to Sept. 10, 2025, directing staff to provide updated contract documents and additional information before the matter returns to the agenda.
The tabling leaves the district operating under the current month-to-month arrangement until trustees revisit the contract. The board also asked for clarity about how invoices will be presented so trustees can see that services billed align with district needs without disclosing confidential content.
Next steps: the item will be brought back for action on Sept. 10 with updated contract documents and invoices for review.
