Peter Day
Staff Writer
LUCERNE VALLEY — Lucerne Valley Unified School District board member Dawn Turnbull, who has been absent from meetings for six months, earlier this week responded to statements by district officials and its legal representative.
In a press release to the Lucerne Valley Leader "and other local media outlets" Turnbull claimed she has been denied district records that show district personnel "improperly drain public funds for private use."
"The Board has the records, which I believe may prove misconduct and self dealing by Board members," Turnbull said, "and the District has been withholding them (if they haven't been trashed) despite those records having been asked for by me through a lawful California Public Records Act request as a private citizen (something not mentioned by the District's attorney). The wrongful withholding of those records could expose the District to a lawsuit for fees and costs."
Turnbull did not say which specific records she had requested, however. "I have paid for those records copying with a money order," she said. "I am having to resort to a certified letter and check (now it's twice)."
LVUSD Superintendent said last week she expected the district to issue a response to Turnbull's press release at a later time, after the holidays.
Turnbull also was critical of the district spending funds on its attorney, Irvine-based Margaret A. Chidester & Associates, to write "a windy letter over a simple work off slip request and a demand from my lawyer that the District communicate through him.""What a waste," she said.
However, Turnbull defended her decision to hire Victorville Attorney Robert D. Conaway.
"The procedures are complicated when making claims against government entities. I don't apologize for taking legal steps when I have been wronged."
DISTRICT RESOLUTION
On July 8, with Turnbull absent — she has not attended official school board functions for more than half a year — the board voted 4-0 in favor of a 22-page resolution that answered more than 70 statements critical of the district by Turnbull. The resolution was supported by nearly 30 pages of district correspondence, financial documents and board meeting minutes.
According to the July resolution, Turnbull made her allegations, which the district contended were unfounded, at board meetings, in letters, in her own "evidence" packet and on public social media posts. The district responded to the majority of Turnbull's allegations but declined to comment on most of the personal attacks because the district doesn't want to "add to the chain of defamation," Davis said.
Despite the large amount of district data and documents addressing Turnbull's earlier contentions, Turnbull continued to level criticism at the school district in her recent press release. Ultimately, however, the Feb. 2 special recall election will be the arbiter.
"The recall election is set," according to Turnbull's recent press release. "Why don't these people act like leaders and respect the process?"
Turnbull's entire press release appears on page A4 of this week's Leader newspaper.