Leece again overlooked for leadership post

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT-MESA -- Results of the Newport-Mesa district school board’s

leadership vote Tuesday night were not a surprise to anyone, including

conservative member Wendy Leece, who was passed over for the board’s top

position for the third straight year.

As expected, vice president Dana Black was unanimously elected president

of the board and clerk David Brooks was named vice president, also by a

7-0 vote.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Black said. “We have an exciting year ahead

of us.”

Although Brooks nominated Leece for the clerk position, longtime board

member Judy Franco was elected clerk by a 5-2 vote, with Leece and Brooks

dissenting. Brooks’ nomination was seconded by Leece herself.

“I knew it was going to go this way -- I’m not surprised,” Leece said

after the vote, adding, “I’m a team player.”

Last year, Leece was in line to be named vice president of the board, but

her colleagues broke the traditional rule of succession and instead chose

Black for the post.

Brooks said Leece’s support of Costa Mesa’s West Side is what motivated

him to nominate her.

“I felt it was important we have more representation of the West Side [in

the board’s leadership],” Brooks said.

Other board members did not elaborate on why they opted not to choose

Leece for the clerk’s spot, although Black alluded to it.

“I’m a public education advocate, as is Wendy Leece, but I think there

are some conditions on that,” she said.

Black also said that Franco, who has served multiple times in nearly

every leadership capacity during her tenure on the board, expressed an

interest in the clerk position a month ago. Leece only threw her hat into

the ring on Monday, Black said.

In 1997, Leece was bypassed for the clerk’s post in favor of then-member

Ed Decker because of his experience with superintendent searches. But

after Decker decided to apply for the superintendent job himself and

stepped down, the board voted for Leece to fill the clerk position.

When Leece was again passed over last year, she expressed her

frustration, saying she deserved to move up the chain of command just as

other school board members have.

At the time, board members said they were concerned about Leece’s

conservative views on issues ranging from the creationism vs. evolution

debate to her anti-tax stance, which some feared could derail the

district’s attempt to pass a bond to repair crumbling facilities.

In an attempt to end any future tension, Brooks said the board decided to

abandon the notion that members will move up for positions in sequential

order. He said this will ensure the job is done by the person who is best

suited for the position.