CornucopiaFlag.jpgRecently, an unpaid “contributor” for the local newspaper, who is an avid reader of The Beacon, “discovered” that local residents are questioning the Santa Clarita Valley Facilities Foundation and its connection to the William S. Hart Union High School District.

A quick trip to the lining of a bird cage reveals that the self-absorbed columnist wrote a three-installment summary of an examination into the foundation’s public financial filings way back in 2005; more than four years ago!

This immediately brings two things to mind. First, that local unpaid columnist is wallowing in his past under achievements and second, he reveals himself as an uninformed and gullible history buff.

In fact, what it also reveals is a need to question the 11-year-old foundation, its mechanisms for operation and whether or not it is truly serving the needs of the Hart School District. Is the purpose of the foundation for the “maximization of state matching funds for school construction” a just and moral reason for it to exist?

Buying land, developing it for a school site then selling it back to the school district in order to squeeze extra money out of an already cash strapped state smacks of greed.

It also smacks of favoritism in that the sites the foundation purchases will be the sites pushed hardest for the district to except regardless of whether or not that site is appropriate, safe, or the best possible location for the communities needs. That is only reinforced by the fact that several Hart School Board members are on the Foundations Board which raises the question as to whether there are conflicts of interests.

Claiming that the district may get a “windfall” operating this way falls on deaf ears when the district apparently can not account for $45 million dollars of the $190 million of the Measure V bond money. It’s despicable to try and work the system for gain at the expense of other school districts while apparently squandering local taxpayer dollars.

But that local neophyte ”writer” seems to think that it’s alright to “bypass certain local planning rules like a ridgeline ordinance” or that it’s okay that “contractors who may receive slightly more for their work than otherwise” because they are apparently in cahoots with an insider.

That’s not okay in my book!

What if a similar foundation were to buy a large piece of property out of a bankruptcy proceeding and gets a few acres across town in that same transaction as well? And just suppose for a minute if those few acres get passed off to another entity or individual and then inconspicuously sold making a little or even a lot of money for someone other than the Foundation? Something that might be easier to do with an organization that is neither accountable to the voters nor transparent enough. Heck that would be okay too, right?!

I don’t think so!

The bottom-line is that there are legitimate questions being raised in the community and there are no real forth coming answers. There is $490 million in school bond money “sloshing about” and no new Castaic High School after nearly a decade.

All we really have are lots of unanswered questions, some over crowded schools and a bunch of angry residents. We have every right to ask those questions and to seek out clarity on any matter related to the school district.

The unpaid Signal contributor feels compelled to mock that fact and write a smug, vapid piece of fluff in a vain attempt to be relevant on the serious topic of the Hart School District. What a poor unfortunate soul to make light of such a important local school matter.

Further, the local newspaper chooses to publish this type of excrement instead of doing any real investigative reporting on the school foundation or school board. (By the way, the real reporting on this topic is being done by the Los Angeles Times which apparently picked on this issue right here at The Beacon!)

The flaccid “five-year” review of the Facilities Foundation by that local amateur columnist, who’s real job is a CPA for a landscaping company, leaves a lot of questions and a lot to be desired.

What is needed now is a lot more transparency, a lot more honesty, and a lot more action from the Hart School District along with a comprehensive plan to build a new high school in Castaic. After ten years of bull-crap so far that is the least our community should be asking for!

Dave Bossert- Commentary

Dave Bossert is a community volunteer who serves on a number of boards and councils. His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon.