Winston Braham, who left the district last November, says school board members’ accusations could be damaging to his prospects for future employment. Superintendent Dianne Talarico says the Braham saga has plagued her tenure with the district.
By Jonathan Friedman / Assistant Editor
There were few fireworks at last Tuesday’s Santa Monica City Council meeting during the highly anticipated testimony of former school district Chief Financial Officer Winston Braham. But comments made by Braham and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education members in the days following the meeting did reach a more heated level.
Board member Emily Bloomfield, who is resigning at the end of the month to move to the East Coast with her family, was visibly shaking and spoke nervously at a school board meeting the following night, talking about what she said was an unfair City Council meeting in which Braham was able to speak about financial issues, and the board members in the audience were unable to respond. Bloomfield named three statements made by the former CFO that she said were lies, including that the board members had seen a document detailing the district’s financial plan for a proposed 5 percent teacher salary raise, called an AB 1200, prior to it being sent to county education officials for approval.
Board President Kathy Wisnicki then thanked Bloomfield for her “courage,” and said, “I felt that I also shared your sense that our integrity was attacked as a board, and the integrity of our staff [was also attacked].”
Any person can comment on any issue to the council if one fills out a slip. When asked in an interview this week why she and Bloomfield did not speak about Braham’s alleged lies at the council meeting, Wisnicki said it was not the appropriate place to do so, while SMMUSD headquarters was.
Board member Jose Escarce said at the school board meeting Wednesday night that he believed Braham made no effort to develop a budget plan based on a proposed 5 percent raise for the district’s teachers, which Braham did not support.
The former CFO was not in attendance at the Wednesday meeting, but he did see it on video. He said this week, “They took pot-shots. Those shots were totally off the mark. They need to focus on the district and stop thinking of me. They have a district to run and the district is in [financial] trouble.”
Braham resigned in November following a dispute with Superintendent Dianne Talarico over the proposed teachers’ raise. It was never officially stated by anyone that he left because of the dispute, but it was assumed, Braham said; and he had to leave “the venomous atmosphere.”
The downward spiral of the board’s relationship with Braham began in October when the district AB 1200 form was sent to the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Talarico signed the document stating the district could handle the proposed raise, while Braham checked a box next to a statement saying he could not endorse the plan. In a letter dated Nov. 1, which was sent by a LACOE official to the district, it noted Braham’s lack of support among many concerns about the SMMUSD’s plan. The district eventually revised the document after Braham’s departure under an interim CFO and a consultant. It was approved by the LACOE officials on the second try.
School board officials complained last Wednesday at their meeting that they never saw the original AB 1200 document before it was sent to the LACOE. Braham said otherwise at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, and again in an interview this week, saying the board members either have mental blocks or selective memory.
“But let’s assume I’m senile and I didn’t show it to them,” Braham said. [“Dianne] Talarico had it. Talarico reviewed it. [Deputy Superintendent Tim] Walker saw it. Walker reviewed it. Why don’t they ask them about it?”
When asked about Braham’s comment in an interview this week, Wisnicki said The Malibu Times should speak to Talarico about it. Talarico said in a separate interview she did not want to get into a debate with Braham.
“I would prefer that this entire situation be behind us,” Talarico said. “I feel it’s plagued my entire tenure here.”
Braham said he, too, was trying to get his ordeal with the SMMUSD behind him, and had avoided the situation for several months while speculation and rumors floated through the media and other circles. The speculation began when it was revealed that Braham’s resignation agreement contained a clause stating he could not discuss the district’s financial situation with any third party. Santa Monica City officials, upon learning about this earlier in the year, took issue with the clause because they believed the district needed to have financial transparency as part of its agreement with the city to receive an annual donation. Eventually, this led to the district removing the clause, and Braham’s testimony last week before the council.
He told the council at the meeting that the clause “as a matter of public policy had no business being there.” But he said he agreed to it anyhow because he never had any intention of speaking about SMMUSD issues with anyone. Braham said he decided to break his silence because he wanted to clear up some of the rumors. But he said this week he is concerned the board members’ accusations could hurt his chance at finding new permanent employment. Currently, he is working at an interim job with another district.
“Boards don’t like to hire people with baggage, or people that don’t get along with school boards,” Braham said. “I just have to hope that some people believe what the truth is.”
Braham said he would prefer the board “forget about Winston” and instead concern themselves with the financial difficulties they face. With declining enrollment, the district revenue is decreasing. It has been forced to go into its reserve to make up the shortfall, and by the 2009-10 school year it will be facing a deficit of more than $7 million. And this does not count the contract for classified employees (those who aren’t administrators or teachers), which expires at the end of the month, and that some administrators are also looking for raises. Also, a $6.5 million parcel tax approved by voters in 2003 expires in June 2009, and would need to be renewed by voters.
Wisnicki said this week that last Wednesday’s meeting was the first time the board members mentioned Braham since he left. When asked if this would be the last time he was mentioned, she said, “Correct.” Braham had similar thoughts about the district.
“I’m done,” he said about appearing in public ever again to discuss the SMMUSD. “This is it. I’m not a talker. I don’t need to promote myself.”