CALEXICO — The Imperial County Office of Education superintendent is concerned that Calexico Unified School District employees are authorizing expenditures without board approval.
ICOE Superintendent Anne Mallory wrote a letter addressed to the Calexico Unified board and superintendent regarding a $10,000 check signed by Calexico Unified Superintendent Richard Fragale to a consultant.
She writes that the check was issued and drawn from the district’s revolving fund more than a month before the board was asked to approve a consulting agreement with Angelica Tellechea.
The check was dated Dec. 9, according to the letter, while the proposed agreement was an action item on the Jan. 12 meeting agenda.
The proposed agreement was that Tellechea would be paid a $30,000 flat fee with the first disbursement of half the amount payable Jan. 1 and the second half payable on Feb. 1 plus additional expenses for consulting services related to earthquake waivers.
Tellechea announced at the Jan. 12 board meeting that about $3.7 million in waivers for penalties stemming from the 2010 earthquake school closures had been approved.
Mallory also wrote she wrote Duarte and Fragale Jan. 11 exercising her stay and rescind authority on the agenda item about the agreement but was denied.
Calexico Unified officials were in mediated negotiations with the teachers’ union Thursday, and Fragale said he received Mallory’s letter shortly before the school board’s regular meeting Thursday.
He said he would readily comment on the issue once he had a chance to more closely review the letter.
Mallory further wrote that during a Jan. 30 meeting with CUSD officials, she questioned the use of a consultant when the district’s attorney was doing the work.
Mallory requested a written response to the letter from the Calexico Unified board as well as what efforts will be made for repayment of funds and steps to prevent further payments without board authorization.
Read about the district’s response in the Imperial Valley Press’ Saturday edition.
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
ICOE Superintendent Anne Mallory wrote a letter addressed to the Calexico Unified board and superintendent regarding a $10,000 check signed by Calexico Unified Superintendent Richard Fragale to a consultant.
She writes that the check was issued and drawn from the district’s revolving fund more than a month before the board was asked to approve a consulting agreement with Angelica Tellechea.
The check was dated Dec. 9, according to the letter, while the proposed agreement was an action item on the Jan. 12 meeting agenda.
The proposed agreement was that Tellechea would be paid a $30,000 flat fee with the first disbursement of half the amount payable Jan. 1 and the second half payable on Feb. 1 plus additional expenses for consulting services related to earthquake waivers.
Tellechea announced at the Jan. 12 board meeting that about $3.7 million in waivers for penalties stemming from the 2010 earthquake school closures had been approved.
Mallory also wrote she wrote Duarte and Fragale Jan. 11 exercising her stay and rescind authority on the agenda item about the agreement but was denied.
Calexico Unified officials were in mediated negotiations with the teachers’ union Thursday, and Fragale said he received Mallory’s letter shortly before the school board’s regular meeting Thursday.
He said he would readily comment on the issue once he had a chance to more closely review the letter.
Mallory further wrote that during a Jan. 30 meeting with CUSD officials, she questioned the use of a consultant when the district’s attorney was doing the work.
Mallory requested a written response to the letter from the Calexico Unified board as well as what efforts will be made for repayment of funds and steps to prevent further payments without board authorization.
Read about the district’s response in the Imperial Valley Press’ Saturday edition.
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
