Ruling From the Political Grave: How a Defeated Laguna Beach Trustee Left a District on Autopilot

Key points

• Argues former Trustee Jan Vickers's pre-departure delegation policies continue to 'rule from the political grave' by transferring board authority to administrators.
• Documents delegation allowing assistant superintendents to sign contracts, select delivery methods, and obligate district funds 'without board votes or legal review.'
• Cites the high school pool preconstruction agreement with CW Driver signed 'the day after the board approved funding' — board 'never voted on it, never reviewed the contract, never saw a fee proposal.'
• Frames FUEL as 'a district-aligned advocacy group' whose op-eds 'echo staff memos and regularly defend administrative decisions while discrediting reformers.'
• Reports the new board majority is working to roll back Vickers-era delegations; calls for legal review for all contracts over statutory thresholds.