The coast news, july 29, 2016

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THE COAST NEWS

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VOL. 30, N0. 31

JULY 29, 2016

SAN Baird’s travel sheds light MARCOS -NEWS on district’s conflict policy By Aaron Burgin

Like a champ Surfer Coco Ho is carried out of the water after winning the Paul Mitchell Supergirl Pro on Sunday in Oceanside. See full story on page A14. Photo by Promise Yee

‘No Rail Trail’ member withdraws from rail vision committee By Aaron Burgin

ENCINITAS — The lone opponent of the previous alignment of the Cardiff section of the Coastal Rail Trail has resigned from a working group to assist with the creation of a long-term vision a week after its membership raised concerns about the group’s selection process. “No Rail Trail” member Chris Swanner tendered his resignation from the Coastal Mobility and Livability Working Group at the July 20 city council meeting. The No Rail Trail Group was the group whose campaign prompted the city to abandon the trail’s original alignment on the TURN TO RAIL VISION ON A18

A member of the “No Rail Trail” group resigns from the Coastal Mobility and Livability Working Group at the July 20 city council meeting. File photo

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ENCINITAS — Encinitas Union School District Superintendent Timothy Baird attended conferences in Massachusetts, San Diego, Carlsbad and other locations all on the dime of two organizations linked to the district’s yoga program. But Baird did not report the travel payments — considered gifts under state law — on his statement of economic interest forms, commonly known as “Form 700s.” Baird said he didn’t report them because he didn’t have to — the school district’s conflict of interest code doesn’t require him to, he said. Citing the school’s code, Baird said that the superintendent or board only have to report investments in and income (including travel and gifts) from three types of entities: groups buying or selling real property within the district, contractors or subcontractors who have worked with the district within a two year period of the income or manufacturers that sell books, supplies or machinery to the district. The Sonima Foundation and the University of San Diego Center for Educational Policy and Law, which paid for Baird’s travel, meals and lodging associated with several of these conferences, don’t fit any of the categories, Baird said. “They have only given resources and support to the Encinitas Union School District,” Baird said. “They have not been a factor whatsoever in our

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current decision to fund our Enrichment Te a c h e r THE Program. They are VISTA not reNEWS ceiving any paym e n t s Tim Baird from the District and they are not expecting any in the future for this work.” But a review of the district’s conflict of interest code and state rules governing such codes sugRANCHO gests that Baird and the SFNEWS board for years have operated under an incorrect set of rules, and should have been disclosing more information to the public — including all gifts and travel. For the most part, the state allows for local jurisdictions to set their own conflict of interest policies, with the exception of one bright line: State law require that any elected officials and administrators in organizations that manages public investments are subject to broader reporting requirements that are laid out in the Government Code 87200. The state lists positions that automatically fall under this category — judges, commissioners, county supervisors, city council members, pension board members, city managers, city attorneys, district attorneys, county counsels, county treasurers and chief administrative officers of counties are

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TURN TO TRAVEL ON A18


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