Schools Race Has Winner, 4 in Runoff

Former high school football coach Robert Dunivant scored a surprise victory Tuesday over seven other candidates for three seats on the Burbank Board of Education. Four candidates, including incumbent William Abbey, won places in a runoff election in April for the other two seats.

Dunivant, a real estate agent who retired from his 25-year football coaching career at John Burroughs High School last year, received 53% of the 14,913 votes cast.

Abbey and former PTA Council President Elena Hubbell received 44% each, putting them in a runoff against neurosurgeon S. Michael Stavropoulos and businessman Joe Hooven. Stavropoulos got 34% and Hooven 26%.

All candidates ran at large and a majority--50% plus one vote--was required for election outright.

Most of the challengers had said during the campaign that the board--including Abbey--had been negligent in repairing schools and involving citizens in solving school problems. They also accused board members of having an arrogant, insulated attitude, saying they do not encourage or solicit input from citizens and parents on district issues.

Abbey and other candidates called the charges nonsense. They blamed the state for the poor conditions of the schools, saying it had failed to provide mandated state funds to the district. Officials said the state in recent years had not provided funds equal to one-half of 1% of the district’s general fund as required by law.

Abbey added that board members have traditionally sought input from parents and residents over district issues.

Among the other candidates was S. Michael Stravopoulos, who was a sponsor of Measure C, which would restrict the sale or lease of school property and parks to private developers. The school board, Burbank City Council and most of the school board candidates had opposed the measure.

Although none of the district’s 11 elementary schools, three middle schools and three senior high schools have major structural damage, officials said the schools overall are not in good shape physically.

More than $110 million is needed to bring all of the schools back into adequate condition, officials said.