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To Our Community
We are pleased to present the Westminster School District (WSD) Measure O Citizens Oversight Committee 2nd Annual Report. Your Citizens Oversight Committee operates under bylaws established by the District on May 27, 2009 in compliance with Sections 15278 of the State Education Code. The Committee consists of seven members representing key stakeholders from the community serving the district.
Measure O is a $130 million bond measure presented to the voters through the state's Proposition 39 program under which a measure is passed with 55 percent voter approval. On November 4, 2008, Measure O was passed with 63% voter approval. The Citizens Oversight Committee has the responsibility to watch over the expenditure of these funds, as designated by the Bond Resolution Project List, through public meetings held at least four times per year.
The Measure O Citizens Oversight Committee meetings have been held at the Westminster School District Board Room various school sites and each agenda calls upon representatives of the construction manager, architects, engineers, the district staff and school administration to provide updates to their plans and school sites progress.
Your Citizens Oversight Committee reviewed projects funded by Measure O money. The independent accounting firm of Vavrinek, Trine, Day, & Co., LLP completed an audit of the District’s financial practices regarding the Measure “O" Building Fund. The audit found no exceptions and made no recommendations. Anyone may review the completed report on-line at www.wsd.k12.ca.us
Proposition 39 includes a number of requirements the sponsoring school district must meet before a measure can go before the voters. The Westminster School District had to provide in advance of the election a complete and detailed list of all
projects to be undertaken with bond funds. Proposition 39 also includes a number of requirements the sponsoring school district must meet after a measure is approved.
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Phil Anthony,
Committee Chair
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2011 Citizens Oversight Committee |
Phil Anthony
Chairperson |
Robyn Sottile
Vice Chairperson,
Westminster Chamber of
Commerce |
Paul Fukumoto
Community Member at-
large |
Victor Gutierrez
Westminster School District
PTA Unit 7693 |
Hoa Binh (Nany) Nguyen
Parent of a Student
Attending a District school |
Don Anderson
Senior Citizens
Representative |
Mark Woodhouse
Community Member at-
large |
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CITIZENS' OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Proposition 39 requires the sponsoring school district of an approved measure to establish a Citizens' Oversight Committee to oversee, monitor and inform the public concerning the expenditure of general obligation bond revenues. The Citizens' Oversight Committee must provide annually, a report of how bond funds were used in the past year. The committee is to consist of at least seven members to serve for a term of two years without compensation, and for no more than two consecutive terms.
At the March 12, 2009 meeting of the Board of Education, the Board received a report and appointed the following individuals to the Westminster School District School Facilities Improvement Measure O Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee:
The Westminster School District's Measure Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee met on the following dates:
WEBSITE
Proposition 39 requires the sponsoring school district of an approved measure to establish a website dedicated to bond matters. All documents received by the Citizens' Oversight Committee and all reports issued by the Committee are a matter of public record and are made available on the District's website.
That website can be found at the Westminster School District homepage at
http://www.wsd.k12.ca.us/. By clicking on "Measure O Information", visitors will find:
- Meeting agendas
- The "Bond Project List" of all bond projects required prior to Measure O going before the voters
- California Education Code Provisions for Citizens' Oversight Committees
- Reports and other documents prepared and presented to the Committee
CONCLUSIONS
Each COC board member has brought valuable experience and insight to our meetings, which over the past year has helped provide valuable guidance and input to the Measure O implementation team. I would like to personally thank the committee for their hard work and dedication. The members of the Citizens Oversight Committee would also like to commend the Westminster School District (WSD) Board members and staff for their support, dedication, and vision in accomplishing the Measure O program requirements. The benefits to our students, teachers and community will be appreciated for many years to come.
The Westminster School District's Measure O Citizens' Oversight Committee has reviewed the
report of the audit of bond expenditures conducted by Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Co. for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011.
As the Committee Chair, I am pleased to report that careful review and discussion was applied to the management of Measure O funds, to ensure all of the dollars were dedicated to the long-term benefit of our district students and expended according to the voter approved Bond Project List. The Oversight Committee finds the Westminster School District to be in compliance with the requirements of Article XIIIA, Section 1 (b)(3) of the California Constitution.
The members of the Committee join me in welcoming you to review this annual report and we invite your attendance at each of our meetings. Our meeting announcements and agendas are available through the district web site at
www.wsd.k12.ca.us. We look forward to meeting you.
Sincerely,
Phil Anthony
Committee Chair
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