15 Candidates Seek Position on Scandal-Riddled School Board

Fifteen candidates are competing to replace the disgraced Joe Hooven on the scandal-plagued Burbank school board, and members who will choose today know what they want.

Board President Mike McDonald said Hooven’s successor will be a person who can “help us rebuild some of the community’s trust.

“I think this whole process has proved to the community that this board is responsible, and we’re not going to sweep anything under the rug. If there is misconduct, we’re going to deal with it and clean it up,” McDonald said.

Hooven resigned Feb. 13 amid allegations he covered up the Salle Dumm sex scandal, in which an adult fund-raiser is facing prison if convicted of charges that she seduced a 16-year-old Burbank High School football player with a promise of financial support for his team.

The four remaining board members will pick from a list of lawyers, merchants, a clergyman and other applicants who will serve out Hooven’s four-year board term, which expires in April 1997.

“I personally am looking for somebody who has a history of involvement in the schools, and an impeccable record of community involvement,” said board member Denise Lioy Wilcox.

“I think trust is a major issue, considering all we’ve been through recently.”

Hooven stepped down after admitting he had been informed of the Dumm allegations but did not report them to authorities. Hooven was not required by law to do so, but he later admitted that “ethically and morally,” he should have relayed the information to police or district officials. The scandal has rocked the school district and its football program.

At Thursday’s meeting, each board member will vote for one of the 15 candidates, narrowing the field down to no more than four contenders. The board will then vote again until a consensus is reached, said Supt. David Aponik. At least three votes are needed.

Several board members said they are not concerned if the appointee seeks a four-year board term next year. But McDonald said he favors a candidate “who intends to work hard and hold onto the job.”

“I don’t think what the person does for a living is as important as how much they care about kids. We need someone who is going to contribute, and be held accountable for their actions next February. I don’t want us to put someone in the seat with no aspirations, who’s going to just sit there,” he said.

In applications and interviews, some candidates pointed to the Dumm scandal and its effect on public perceptions of district leadership.

“Generally, people who live here and are involved here realize this was a series of isolated incidents that hit us simultaneously,” said Connie Lackey, 49, a nursing supervisor at St. Joseph Medical Center who graduated from local schools and now has two children attending.

“Unfortunately it’s the bad news and the unfortunate situations that make the headlines, and the people who only know what they read in the papers don’t know about all the good stuff going on. So we have some work to do.”

Anthony De Felicis, executive pastor of the Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church of Burbank and former Burroughs High assistant varsity football coach, cited the trust factor as paramount.

“They need someone who can cast influence, someone who is an encourager, listener and influencer. The school district has been receiving a lot of bad press, and the whole issue of leadership and integrity has been speaking to me, personally,” De Felicis stated.

Several candidates said they will not seek election to the post next February. Carolyn Jackson, a management analyst for the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and a member of the Burbank Child Care Committee, said she wants to “focus on the problems and forget the politics.”

“I just want to have some input and help the school district regain the public trust,” said Jackson, 41.

Other applicants are:

* Michael M. Bergfeld, an attorney and past member of the school district’s GATE advisory committee.

* Allen J. Budzichowski, a certified public accountant and past president of the Toluca Lake Chamber of Commerce.

* Marisa T. Doche, a senior risk management analyst with Southern California Edison and a member of the Burbank High and Muir Elementary School PTAs.

* George P. Fallon, owner of a computer networking business and an instructor at Cal State University, Los Angeles.

* Norman A. Furman, sales manager for a data systems company in Burbank and a member of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

* David A. Hermans, a retired teacher with 22 years at Burroughs High, where he was faculty chairman for four years.

* Henry B. “Bud” Hunt, a former two-term Burbank school board member from 1973-81. Hunt, the only candidate with prior experience in an elected public position, is a dentist and a 33-year member of local PTAs.

* Kevin B. Jenkins, a sales representative for an aerospace firm and a member of several school site and district-wide committees since 1989.

* Kevin Muldoon, a television engineer at Warner Bros. and owner of a neon art business.

* Laurence D. Nelson, a telecommunications engineer and volunteer with local youth sports and Scouting programs.

* Howard Rothenbach, a machinist with Southern Pacific Transportation Co. and vice chairman of the Burbank Civic Pride Committee.

* Vincent Yanniello, a staff attorney for the State Compensation Insurance Fund.