MARIN COUNTY CHAPTER, CALIFORNIA GRAND JURORS ASSOCIATION

(Minutes of the Membership Meeting April 20, 2006)

Meeting Called to Order by President Haxton at 10:35 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors room in the Marin County Civic Center.

Attendees: -- Bob Abeling, Dennis Brown, Gene Dyer, Ted Freeman, Owen Haxton, Joan Holmes, Betty Mattea, Catherine McKown, Irwin Taranto, Walt Johnson, Don Graff, Connie Kloh, Stu Brown, Lowell Smith, and Shelly Wolff

Speaker: Lowell Smith introduced the speaker, Mary Jane Burke, the Superintendent of Marin Schools. She received an M.A. from Dominican College and has been the Superintendent of Schools here for 12 years.

At the beginning of her talk, Mary Jane Burke emphasized that although many departments are wary when they hear that the grand jury is studying them, she says this does not reflect her attitude toward the reports. She finds them useful – their impact on her area has been good and continues to be so.

She provides an initial response and then follows it up in the next year. Thus her responses and interaction spans two years and bridges two grand juries. She has found the reports to be very helpful and is very supportive of the grand jury.

She then fielded questions from the floor. She pointed out that she had no authority over private schools, but when she has emergency announcements she sends them to the private schools as well as to the others. She considers the private schools as part of the family.

She also pointed out that she provides business support to 7 school districts, and that although it is cost effective to combine some efficiency aspects, real consolidation of districts is out of her control.

When asked about proposition 82, which would provide support for preschooling, she indicated she was in favor of it.

At 10:30 Owen Haxton opened the business part of the meeting. He proposed that action items of the agenda be given first priority, which would be followed by some of the informational items on the agenda, and then by an off the record discussion of a letter published in the CGJA newsletter.

Agenda: - the modified agenda was approved.

Minutes: - The minutes of the March 16 meeting were approved.

Election Committee: -Ted Freeman reported that a slate of officers and members of the BOD has been completed. Betty Mattea has agreed to stand for president, Shelly Wolff for vice president, Irwin Taranto for treasurer, and Catherine McKown for secretary. Ted is willing to continue on the board. Gene Dyer and Dennis Brown are also willing to serve on the board.

Report of current grand jury: Catherine McKown reported that two more reports are forthcoming. One already is in the hands of the judge. The IJ has a story on Planning that in many respects contains information first presented in one of the 2004-2005 grand jury reports.

Off the record discussion: A discussion of a letter published in the newsletter of the CGJA ensued.

Adjourned at 11:25 AM

Sheldon Wolff

Secretary