INSIDE SCOOP
EDITORIAL
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CRASH DOESN’T FAZE LOCALS PAGE 3 SCHOOL LEADERS NEED LESSONS PAGE 4 DOING THE MATH PAGE 13 Visit us online at smdp.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2007
Volume 6 Issue 229
Santa Monica Daily Press WILD NIGHT OUT SEE PAGE 3
Since 2001: A news odyssey
DEVELOPMENT
ALMOST A GHOST TOWN Life at a once lively complex is a lonely existence STORY BY MELODY HANATANI PAGE 14
THE LEARNING THE ROPES ISSUE
Board of Education adds one Mechur, an architect, named replacement for Bloomfield BY MELODY HANATANI I
Daily Press Staff Writer
SMMUSD HDQTRS Ralph Mechur always entertained thoughts of running for a seat on the Board of Education, but kept putting the idea on the backburner because of work and other obligations. Today, Mechur will finally get his chance. The school board is expected to formally approve and swear in Mechur as its newest member, replacing Emily Bloomfield, who vacated her seat last month when her husband accepted a job offer in Washington D.C. A long-time district volunteer, Mechur will finally be able to add “Board of Education” to his extensive resume, having served on various committees over the past 25 years, including the Education Foundation, the Facilities Master Plan and Measure BB Advisory committees. “It just seemed like a good opportunity and the right time for me to put my name in,” Mechur said. Mechur will serve on the dais until the next general election, in November 2008, even though Bloomfield’s term wouldn’t have expired until 2010. If Mechur runs for election in 2008, which he has expressed interest in doing, he would not be able to declare himself an incumbent. Bloomfield, who vacated her seat on June 28, was about three months into her second term when she announced her resignation. Two applicants responded to a call for new school board candidates in July — Mechur and Nicole Picard, a former PTA president. The board subsequently interviewed the candidates during a special meeting on July 19, rating each candidate based on how they answered questions, which covered topics including district priorities, the achievement gap and finances. When the scores were tallied following the interview, Mechur emerged the winner. “Ralph had so much more experience inside the district since he worked with the foundation and had been on the BB committees before, and he was very knowledgeable about the district and where we stood,” said school board member Barry Snell. “I was looking for someone who could come right into the role without too Christine Chang news@smdp.com
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