Committee will monitor school bond spending

Seven Oak Park residents have been named to a committee that will oversee spending of the $29.4 million Measure R school facility bond passed by voters last November.

The Oak Park Unified School District Board of Education interviewed 12 candidates who applied to serve on the committee. The board chose Mike Green, Barbara Schwartz, Ann Waldman, Karen Washburn, Wayne Blasman, Mike McReynolds and Alan Toomayan.

"They are a real cross section of the community as a whole and have an extraordinary amount of talent and experience," Board President Jan Iceland said. "There are professionals in a number of fields represented on the committee whose expertise will be of great value."

Following education code guidelines, the committee was required to include a member who is active in a local business organization; a member active in a senior citizen group; a member active in a taxpayer's organization; a parent of a child currently enrolled in the district; another parent who is also active in a parentterm group such as PTA or school site council; and two atlarge members.

"It was wonderful that we had so many applicants for this committee and we hope that those whom we couldn't choose this time will continue to volunteer to help out at OPUSD," Iceland said.

Measure R was a pared down version of two earlier school facilities bond measures—one for $89 million and another for $71 million—that voters rejected.

The measure that passed in November seeks funding for roof, airconditioning and heating system repairs. Fire and safety equipment will be updated.

The committee will ensure that the proceeds of Measure R are used as required.

I have every confidence that they will do an excellent job of ascertaining that the Measure R funds are being spent appropriately," Iceland said.

The committee is expected to meet in the spring after the bonds are sold, but before to repair work begins, Superintendent Tonyt Knight said.