In The News
SCHOOL DISTRICT SETTLES BROWN ACT LAWSUITS
PVUSD must pay upward of $9500; trustees must attend training
Friday December 12, 2008
Posted: Friday, Dec 12th, 2008
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District has settled two lawsuits claiming it violated open-government laws, the attorney who filed the suits announced Thursday.
Luis Alejo, local attorney and newly elected Watsonville City Councilmember, filed the first lawsuit on Feb. 20, and the second on May 9. He said the PVUSD failed to share public information when it allegedly refused to share its response to a 2007 grand jury report in a timely manner. He also accused the district of approving four assistant superintendent contracts in a closed-session meeting.
As part of the settlement, the board of trustees will attend a full-day training on the Brown Act and the Public Records Act. The PVUSD will also post background information on upcoming school board meetings on its Web site. The district agreed to approve future contracts in open meetings , and to provide requested materials to the public in a "timely manner."
In addition, the PVUSD must pay the attorney's fees for the first lawsuit of more than $9,500. Alejo said he waived his fees for the second suit.
"It's unfortunate that we had to resort to litigation," Alejo said. "We had no option than to file a lawsuit. These are very clear laws that were violated."
The board of trustees agreed unanimously Wednesday night to approve the settlement .
"It's a big victory," Alejo said. "We feel we're completely vindicated ."
COASTLINES - WATSONVILLE
Deal reached in Brown Act suits
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District board of trustees was to consider Wednesday a settlement reached in two open government lawsuits filed by Watsonville lawyer Luis Alejo.
The lawsuits dealt with the timeliness of the release of the district's response to a critical Santa Cruz County grand jury report in February and with the approval of contracts for several administrators behind closed doors.
Alejo argued both instances violated open government provisions found in the state's Ralph M. Brown Act.
Under the deal, the school board would receive a full day of training in Brown Act requirements, would approve future contracts in public and would post back-up documents for board meetings on the district's Web site. The board reconsidered and reapproved the contracts last summer.
The district also would pay $9,582 to cover fees charged by Alejo's lawyer in the first lawsuit. Alejo said he would waive reimbursement in the second case. District leaders could not be reached to comment, but the settlement says they admit to no wrongdoing, and are settling to avoid further litigation.