Trustees seated to 2006

Marisa O’Neil

Not much is likely to change on the school board in the next two

years, as the three incumbents up for reelection in November will run

unchallenged.

As of Friday’s filing deadline, no one had filed a petition to run

against incumbents Martha Fluor, Clerk Dave Brooks or President Dana

Black. That means the usually agreeable board, in its current form

since Linda Sneen and Tom Egan came aboard in 2002, won’t change

until at least 2006.

Brooks, a trustee since 1998, credited the board’s performance

record for the lack of interest from outside candidates. He has yet

to face a challenger as an incumbent.

“Since 1998, the district has made a real turnaround,” he said.

“The seven of us work well as a team, and we have good leadership.

One thing is our hiring. We have [Supt.] Dr. [Robert] Barbot and our

assistant superintendents. And we’ve implemented some very good

programs. I think people are very pleased.”

Costa Mesa resident Dick Carroll’s name appeared as a challenger

for Brooks’ district on the registrar’s filing log Friday. But his

wife, former Harbor Council PTA Co-President Ellen Carroll, said he

intends to run for the City Council and not the school board.

“All he wanted to know are what the requirements are,” Ellen

Carroll said. “He’s a staunch supporter of Dave Brooks. There’s no

way he’s going to run against him.”

Fluor, on the board since 1991, was challenged once as an

incumbent in her three terms, she said. The cost of running for

office may make some people shy away, she said. But she also credited

the board’s teamwork with the nonexistent turnover.

“This board has done an outstanding job of keeping people informed

and in the loop of decision making,” she said. “There’s a great deal

of satisfaction on the part of constituents. We’re representing them

well.”

Fluor and Brooks said they wanted to stay on the board to continue

work on their five-year strategic plan, which they will vote on in

October. They also hope to see the completion of the multi-school

Measure A facilities improvement plan, set to wrap up in late 2006.

The Coast Community College District, which includes Orange Coast

College, has three trustees up for reelection.

Jerry Patterson is running uncontested.

As of 2 p.m. Friday, incumbent Paul Berger was running

uncontested, but Alice Saltzman, a businesswoman and educator, was

considering a run for the position. Diane Lenning, a former

Huntington Beach City Council candidate and Orange Coast College

graduate, will run against incumbent Armando Ruiz.

Lenning said she wants to help see the college district through

its budget shortfalls and help it prepare for higher-achieving high

school graduates.