Contentious Board to Meet at Retreat

Those who frequent the Simi Valley school board meetings and have witnessed trustees bickering, rolling their eyes and getting red in the face could be in for more tension-filled drama later this week.

On Friday, the five often-acrimonious board members will meet in public for a four-hour, self-evaluation retreat at the Wood Ranch Conference Center.

A facilitator from the California School Boards Assn., which charges $800 per session, will help board members build team spirit and learn to work better with each other. At least one additional session is likely to be scheduled.

“It’s like we’re going on the ‘Jenny Jones Show,’ ” said trustee Carla Kurachi.

Several months ago, outgoing Supt. Albert “Bud” Marley noticed the board’s struggle in interpreting education code policies. Specifically, trustees have clashed over how much power the board should have and how much power should be given to a superintendent.

Marley suggested the group get some professional help.

All but board President Norm Walker and trustee Caesar Julian agreed to the retreat; they argued the sessions would be a waste of time and money.

“Grown people ought to be able to work out their differences on their own,” Walker said. Plus, he asked: “How do you open up your innermost feelings in front of the public?”

But Walker promised he wouldn’t “doom the process” before it began and added that he is pleased that Supt. Dan Flynn, who was hired last week to lead the 19,500-student district, will be able to join the trustees in “flagellating” themselves.

Flynn was hired despite a bitter 3-2 split in which Kurachi and trustee Diane Collins argued in vain that he was not qualified for the job. Also, they were upset that no other candidate was interviewed for the post.

“The timing [for the retreat] is perfect,” Collins said. “I think this will end up being more like a getting-to-know Dr. Flynn than us working out any problems, though.”

Kurachi said she is both looking forward to and dreading the self-help session.

“I have mixed feelings about it. I’m still disappointed about how we went about the selection process of the superintendent.”