Santa Monica didn’t have it easy in 2007
The departure of former Chief Financial Officer Winston Braham in late November flushed out a series of issues concerning the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District during 2007, starting with questions as to why the former fiscal head was ordered to stay tight-lipped about the financial matters of the public school district.
Braham resigned amid speculation that he disagreed with the financial direction in which the district was headed, rumors fueled by the fact that the former CFO refused to certify a financial document that the district would be able to sustain a 5-percent teacher salary raise.
Following scrutiny of the district’s alleged lack of financial transparency and accountability, the district hired the Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT), which after an audit, concluded that the district could survive a teacher salary raise if it implemented a series of changes.
After the City Council raised some reservations about granting a $530,000 increase in aid to the school district because of concerns about the financial accountability, Talarico lifted the confidentiality agreement in Braham’s contract. Braham spoke at a City Council meeting in June, but his presentation revealed little.
But what did come out of the meeting was the City Council demanding that district administrators examine its policies in the special education program, after several parents complained to councilmembers about so-called secret deals being cut in the specific education plans for the special ed students.
The council approved the funding contingent on the district conducting a third-party audit on the special education program and its practices, and place a moratorium on confidentiality clauses in the settlement agreements.
“The outcome of the entire issue with Braham leaving and subsequently having FCMAT come in and look at the finances assured a lot of people and members of the board that the financial position of the district is very strong,” said school board member Barry Snell on Friday.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 29, 2007. Read the original PDF.