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Board approves 'blanket' contract authority for superintendent with reporting safeguards
Summary
Trustees voted 5–0 to delegate emergency/ex between-meetings contract authority to the superintendent and designated staff under Ed. Code §35035, with commitments for follow-up reporting and notification to the board to address transparency concerns.
The board approved item 1.14e, an annual organizational delegation that permits the superintendent (and designated designees) to execute contracts between regular board meetings when time-sensitive or emergency work is required. The motion passed on roll call 5–0 after trustees requested clarifying language and assurance that staff will notify the board of dollar amounts used under this delegation.
Trustee Adriana Quinones said she had been "very concerned that the agenda item did not have a dollar value on it" and asked for month-to-date expenditures to be provided in future agenda materials. Superintendent Dr. Jimenez and Associate Superintendent/Chief Business Official Manoj Roy Chowdhury explained that the delegation is used for emergencies and time-sensitive operational needs (pipe bursts, gas leaks) and that normal bid processes apply when time permits. Staff described vendor vetting, facilities oversight, and independent auditing as safeguards; the superintendent agreed to provide executive-summaries and expenditure updates when emergency authority is exercised.
