Winsten, Mike
ABC slate ran on platform to reform CUSD corruption
Jan 02, 2007
Mike Winsten, Trabuco Canyon
News “The
ABC Reform Slate candidates ran on a reform
platform, vowing to restore honesty, integrity and
accountability to CUSD – a school district whose
leaders are involved in a number of high-profile
scandals and who are currently the subject of a
criminal investigation being conducted by the
Orange County District Attorney and Grand
Jury.”
Voters give ABC slate reform mandate in 3-way landslide victory
Jan 02, 2007
Mike Winsten, Trabuco Canyon
News “The
three "ABC Reform Slate" candidates -- Ellen
Addonizio, Anna Bryson and Larry Christensen --
won easy election victories over two incumbents
and five other challengers to become the newest
trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District
... All three reform candidates won by impressive
17% to 18% margins, clearly demonstrating the
voters' dissatisfaction with the current
leadership.”
Criminal defense lawyers for Fleming and trustees will be paid from general fund
Jan 02, 2007
Mike Winsten, Trabuco Canyon
News “The Trustees
unanimously approved the engagement of a $400/hour
criminal defense attorney to represent former
Superintendent James Fleming and a $395/hour
criminal defense attorney to represent themselves
in connection with the on-going criminal
investigation. These costs will come directly out
of the district’s General Fund.”
Draper voted to approve environmental reports prepared by daughter
Jan 02, 2007
Mike Winsten, Trabuco Canyon
News “Draper’s daughter,
Shawna Schaffner, works for CUSD’s primary
environmental consulting firm, Culbertson, Adams
& Associates. Schaffner was personally
responsible for producing numerous environmental
reports and documents that were submitted and
approved by Draper and the rest of the Board of
Trustees.”
Enormous salary increases paid to two of CUSD's worst offenders
Jan 02, 2007
Mike Winsten, Trabuco Canyon
News “CUSD provided three
enormous salary increases to two of CUSD’s most
controversial deputy Superintendents -- Dan
Crawford and David Doomey. ... Doomey (who many
believe is the person most responsible for
creating the CUSD portable classroom crisis)
admitted CUSD had provided “misinformation” to the
public as to how CUSD would fund the new
$52,000,000 administration office ... During the
recall, Crawford was roundly criticized for
publishing a letter in the O.C. Register that
grossly understated the total number of portable
classrooms actually utilized by CUSD.”
Trustees tried to conceal settlement involving millions in illegal, closed session
Jan 02, 2007
Mike Winsten, Trabuco Canyon
News “The minutes from the
illegal July 30, 2005 CUSD closed session meeting
which were published in the O.C. Register reveal
that Draper attempted to conceal the terms of a
multi-million dollar settlement with the
construction contractor for the infamous
$52,000,000 administration building. Despite the
fact that CUSD had a “Guaranteed Maximum Price”
contract with Valley Commercial Contractors to
construct the building, CUSD agreed to pay an
additional $3.8 million in settlement costs
without any public explanation.”