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Santa Paula Unified board appoints county budget official to fill Trustee Area 5 vacancy
Summary
After interviewing four candidates at a special May 19 meeting, the Santa Paula Unified School District Board appointed Mike Kumazawa, a County of Ventura budget official, to fill the Trustee Area 5 vacancy; the appointment passed on a roll-call vote following a tied prior nomination for another candidate.
The Santa Paula Unified School District Board of Trustees appointed Mike Kumazawa to the vacant Trustee Area 5 seat at a special meeting on May 19.
Kumazawa, who works in the County of Ventura executive office’s budget and finance division, told the board he moved to Santa Paula about five years ago and said “my priorities as a board member would be the needs of the students.” The board took public comment and interviewed four candidates before the vote.
The board first considered another nominee, Matt Kleinfelter, a former principal and Rio School District board member, but that motion resulted in a 2–2 split at roll call and did not carry. A subsequent motion to appoint Kumazawa passed on roll call. Trustees discussed each candidate’s strengths during the deliberation: several trustees cited Kleinfelter’s direct school-administration experience and program work, while others highlighted Kumazawa’s county budget background and ability to network with outside agencies on fiscal matters.
Board members said the short-term appointment keeps a trustee seat filled while avoiding the expense of a special election before the regularly scheduled contest next year. “We’re taking away the power of the voter, right, to save $50,000,” Trustee Sandaval said during closing remarks, noting the district’s fiscal constraints and the board’s policy that allows appointment in these circumstances.
Kumazawa told trustees he would review district data and studies cited by board members, including local analyses, to identify root causes of underperformance and to work with staff on solutions. “Do you agree with the conclusions in that study?” he asked rhetorically during his interview, describing his data-first approach.
The board said it will notify the other applicants of the decision and asked Kumazawa to be present for a swearing-in at the May 28 board meeting.
Outcome and next steps: The board selected Mike Kumazawa by roll-call vote to fill Trustee Area 5. The appointee is expected to be sworn in at the May 28 meeting and will serve until the electorate chooses a replacement in the next scheduled election.
