Longtime Board Member Honored by Hospital
Visalia - Forever, those young doctors who go through the residency program at Kaweah Delta Regional Medical Center will know the name Margaret Foley because that residency program is now called the Margaret Foley Graduate Medical Education Center.
More than 200 friends of Foley gathered last week to honor her for her more than 40 years of service to Kaweah Delta Health Care District, the past 20 as a board member. She resigned her position on the board March 1 after serving on it since 1990. She was the first woman to serve on the board and the first woman to have been elected president of the board.
Part of the ceremony included the official announcement that the residency program being developed by the hospital will forever carry her name. Also, those friends each waited several minutes in a line for a chance to thank her and wish her well.
“She's a gem,” said Nancy Schneider, who was hired by Foley as a nurse in the OB department in 1988. Schneider is now an instructor at COS.
The residency program, slated to begin in July of 2013, will eventually have more than 65 doctors finishing their training in several specialties, including family practice medicine, emergency medicine, psychiatry, general surgery and OBGYN. Doctors will enter the residency program for a period of three to four years, depending on specialty, after they have completed medical school.
“Margaret, you've been remarkable,” praised CEO Lindsay Mann after going through a lengthy list of accomplishments by the hospital over the past 20 years, including the residency program and the Acequia Wing where the ceremony was held.
Dr. Richard Pantera, chief of staff, said, “She's one of the youngest minds I've ever every come across,” calling Foley “insightful, a bulldog.”
Pantera said every member of the medical staff owes Foley a “thank you” for all she has contributed to the hospital.
Carl Anderson, president of the board who has served with Foley the longest, called her more than a board colleague. “Margaret's my friend. She really is,” he said, adding she was always a stabilizing force on the board and kept the board focused on patient care.
In his list of accomplishments, Mann said that several times Foley was honored for her service, receiving the Excellence in Governance Award in 1995 from the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, being named runner-up nationally for the Trustee of the Year award named by Modern Health and given the Rose Ann Vuich Ethical Leadership award in 2006.
Despite all the accolades, Mann said it was difficult to get Foley to have a ceremony honoring her. “I had to negotiate with Margaret to make tonight happen,” said Mann.
The announcement of the residency program named in her honor caught her by surprise.
“I can't believe it,” she repeated, but then got back to her caring for the hospital. “It's been a wonderful experience and I want you to remember this is your hospital,” said she before encouraging people to apply to serve on the board.
“I thank you and wish you well,” she added.
As of Tuesday morning, three people had applied to be appointed to the hospital board to replace Foley.
Tulare County - Although the process of digesting the massive Tulare County General Plan Update document has only begun, those who have seen it say they expect to closely scrutinize the growth policy.
Following a 60-day public review period, the 430-page plan and accompanying documents including a 900-page Environmental Impact Report, will go to county supervisors for potential adoption.
An indication of just how much scrutiny the General Plan Update, which has been a work in progress for nearly nine years, is a letter from 20 environmental groups sent to supervisors after the documents' March 25 release.
In addition, the Council of Cities, representing the eight incorporated cities in the county, will be studying the document closely.
Phil Vandegrift, Tulare's vice mayor and one of the leaders of the Council of Cities which waged an often tense battle with county staff over several key issues including growth policies and city fringe areas, expressed initial optimism.
“We are having our planners review the two thousand-plus page documents and intend to have a first glance report response in two weeks after a briefing with the Council of Cities members. It is encouraging that the county has indicted a desire to work with the cities to mirror each city's general plan land use designation within the UDB (Urban Development Boundary) 20-year growth pattern. The review will tell us what we need to do to make sure we all understand the rules of engagement for the management and implementation of development without our UDBs,” Vandegrift said.
The letter from the 20 environmental groups sounded the same refrain, one of general optimism and relief that the long-overdue General Plan Update has become reality after updates and revisions. The groups claim to have issued more than one-thousand pages of comments to the original draft plan.
The letter states “Over the coming weeks, we will be studying the new draft with great interest. Our review will focus on whether the plan now satisfactorily addresses the key concerns raised by those comments and by the general public. These concerns related to how the plan addresses and affects air quality, water quality and availability, protecting agricultural and natural lands from development and diversification of the economy-all while sustaining and protecting our natural and cultural diversity, agricultural and rural way of life, people and communities.”
Among those 20 groups is Center for Race, Poverty and the Environment, Sierra Club, Tulare County Medical Society, Visalia Friends Meeting and Tulare County Audubon Society.
County officials concede the probability that the General Plan Update will generate legal action once it is formally adopted by County Supervisors, but say that is normally the case with most long-term planning policies.
Key components in the documents, in addition to the growth policies around cities, include updated guidelines for development and growth in rural communities and hamlets. County officials say those guidelines are aimed at making those areas economically viable. Growth in small rural areas is a key in helping to support the cost of providing services as water, water quality, sewer and other needs.
The protection of prime agricultural land also is a major factor in the plan and EIR which incorporates Tulare County's Rural Valley Land Plan (RVLP). The RVLP, which dates to 1975, is highly regarded as a model for the protection of agricultural and rural lands and uses a point system which sets development standards.
The General Plan Update and companion documents are available for review online at http://generalplan.co.tulare.ca.us or by calling 624-7000.
Pluses, Minuses and What Ifs
Tulare County - Local health care officials have mixed views of the health care reform bill just signed into law by President Barack Obama.
The landmark legislation will eventually provide insurance to an estimated 32 million Americans who today don't have medical coverage, but much of the details of the bill are still to be known.
“I see it defined over the next few years,” said Lindsay Mann, CEO of Kaweah Health Care District. He added, “In principle, it's a positive thing because it will cover more people in this area.”
However, said Mann, until the insurance coverage kicks in for those uninsured in 2014, the cuts to hospital reimbursements will cost Kaweah Delta between $13 and $19 million a year.
“On the negative side, hospitals will help fund it,” said Mann. When those the hospital now covers who have no insurance, get insurance, that loss could be offset, but Mann does not know if that will be the case or not. Today, Kaweah Delta pays $13 million a year in what is called charity care - covering those who have no ability to pay for care.
Harry Foster, CEO of Family Health Care Network, agreed the coverage for the uninsured is very important to this area, but Rick Strid, CEO of Visalia Medical Clinic, feels the massive legislation could be a problem.
Strid pointed out that one misconception is that the 32 million uninsured Americans now have insurance. That provision of the $940 billion over 10 years bill does not kick in until Jan. 1 of 2014.
However, said Foster, many provisions do kick in almost immediately, including children can remain on their parent's health plan until age 26, insurance companies cannot set a lifetime cap on costs, people cannot have their insurance dropped because of a medical condition and there will be small business credits for companies with fewer than 50 employees.
Foster pointed out that the Central Valley has some of the highest percentage of uninsured in the nation - many who turn to clinics like Family Health Care for their care.
“I'm not sure how big a dent it will make,” he said of the coverage, explaining it depends on if the coverage is extended to undocumented residents. The legislation reportedly does not cover non-U.S. citizens. Still, said Foster, “It will double the amount of grant funds available to us.”
Estimates are that 2
million more Californians will be added to the Medi-Cal
rolls.
Foster and Mann were also pleased the bill increases funding
for medical schools and post graduate medical programs.
Foster said the bill has a provision that will pay off medical
and dental school loans if the person serves in an underserved
area - which Tulare County qualifies for. “That helps
us to have more availability of resources, he said.
Mann is pleased with that as well because Kaweah Delta will begin its residency program in three years.
Strid, who manages the Visalia clinic that has been around since 1941 and today has more than 50 physicians, sees many negatives in the bill.
He said the bill does not offer enough to encourage doctors to enter the medical field and that would only increase the shortage of doctors in this area and because reimbursements will be lower, fewer doctors will enter the field and many may retire in the next three years.
“It increases taxes and decreases income,” he said, adding that estimates that as many as 40 percent of general practice doctors may close their offices in the next few years may be not that far off.
Mann said physicians are concerned and he is concerned that many will decided to not participate (accept Medi-Cal patients) and some may stop taking Medicare patients. “It's going to take the next couple of years to see where it goes,” he admitted.
One reason Strid said doctors are concerned is that Congress did not address tort reform - efforts to reduce what doctors must pay to cover their malpractice insurance. “Premiums are so high some physicians work until May or June just to pay them,” Strid said.
But, Foster and Mann see positives. Reportedly, the reform will increase reimbursements for Medi-Cal coverage - which is what those now uninsured will be covered under. However, Mann pointed out that Medi-Cal funding from the federal government requires matching state dollars and with the state's financial situation, he worries it may not be able to match an increase in funding.
“We have to see how much water gets to the end of the row,” said Mann.
All agree the details will come out over the next few months and Foster hopes as people learn more they will be more acceptable of the legislation.
“I think it's very good for our improvised area. It is very clearly a first step, but there is still more to be done,” he said.
Tulare County - Mike Powell is not alone in his confusion. Many in ag are confused by the California Air Resources Board new regulation to reduce emissions from existing on-road diesel vehicles operating in California.
Even after a somewhat contentious meeting in Tulare last week, many don't understand the new regulations that were approved in December by the ARB without the need for the approval of lawmakers.
Basically, the new rule places limits on how many miles a diesel-powered farm vehicle can travel in a year, based on the age of the engine, or requires significant modifications to those engines. In some instances, it could be as few as 15,000 miles. The maximum is just 25,000.
“We knew we were going to have to meet the regulations. We did not expect it to be so broad,” said Powell of Brush Control Inc. in Visalia.
Ironically, Powell's business is almost a direct result in regulations to clean up the Valley's air. He removes and shreds trees and vineyards that used to be burned.
Now, he finds his business facing heavy regulation to further clean up the air.
However, many are confused by the lack of clarity in the new rules, and most are upset to find that the mileage limits began the first of this year.
Affected vehicles include on-road heavy-duty diesel fueled vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 14,000 pounds, yard trucks with off-road certified engines and certain diesel fueled shuttle vehicles. Out-of-state trucks and buses that operate in California are also subject to the regulation.
Diesel pickups with a GVWR of 19,500 pounds or less with the originally equipped pick-up beds used exclusively for personal use, non-commercial, non-governmental use are exempt. Diesel pickups over 14,000 GVWR with utility or flat beds are included in the rule. Any vehicle with a diesel engine older than 2010 falls under the rule.
Vehicle owners had to file with the ARB by Wednesday the vehicles they owned to get them designated as ag-exempt from having to retrofit the engines. However, Powell said there is so much confusion, truck owners are concerned they will not file the correct information.
By April 30, fleet owners must permanently affix or paint an AG identification label on each low-mileage, limited-mileage, and specialty agricultural vehicle. Enforcement begins in January.
According to the ARB, an ag vehicle is one that is used exclusively to deliver fertilizer or pesticides to a farm; owned by a farming business that is used exclusively in agricultural operations or by a beekeeping business used exclusively to transport its own bees; a truck that is designed for in-field operations that is used exclusively in agricultural operations on the farm; or a truck used exclusively to transport unprocessed agricultural products to the first point of processing.
Powell said last week's meeting in Tulare was the first time many got specifics of the new rules. “We had no idea at all we would have a threshold limit as to miles than can be driven a year,” he said, adding most of his vehicles fall in the 15,000 cap, far less than the miles he puts on the vehicles.
“Bottom line, we're going to have to buy at the very least newer engines,” he said of his fleet of 12 trucks.
The mileage threshold is based on the age of the engines, although Powell pointed out that heavy-duty diesel trucks are built to last several hundred thousand miles and are very costly to replace.
The rules apply in most counties in the state, but not all. Exempt are most far northern counties and several along the coast below San Francisco.
“Surprising, that
grower that grows the same crops in some other areas of
the state won't have to comply. It is obviously going to
make it tougher to compete,” he said.
And, he added, he thought rules to clean up the air were
not just limited to certain counties. “I thought the
rules were to affect the whole world, not just a particular
area.”
Without the ag exempt, vehicle owners will have to replace or retrofit their engines must sooner than 2021. “An exemption delays us purchasing new engines or filters by years,” said Powell.
Agricultural vehicles that drive fewer than 10,000 miles each year may delay the filter and replacement requirements until January 1, 2023.
More information on the rule, fact sheets, compliance tools and regulatory documents are available at www.arb.ca.gov/dieseltruck or by calling the ARB's diesel hotline at (866) 6DIESEL (634-3735).
May be on the Way Out
Tulare County - Tulare County officials say despite the odds, they are doing all they can to convince the state to restore Williamson Act subvention funds to the county's revenue stream.
But some members of the county's farming community contend the county, despite its public proclamations, already is preparing to jump ship and end the agricultural land preservation tax advantage program.
And, they say, the staff of the county's Resource Management Agency is continuing to push for an alternate revenue-producing system linked to production values as a way to off-set reduced ag land taxes. That plan would involve assessments based on the land's production, but still reduce property taxes on farm land.
That plan, which surfaced last year, was overwhelmingly rejected by the Tulare County Farm Bureau yet is still being considered as an alternative to replace the Williamson Act.
Last week, a number of counties held a Williamson Act summit in Fresno to map out their continuing fight for reinstatement of the subvention funding in the state's May revised budget. A contingent of Tulare County officials, Farm Bureau members and others attended that session.
Trish Stever, executive director of the Tulare County Farm Bureau, is seriously concerned that the county is engaging in double-talk.
“We have grave concerns that Tulare County's officials are trying to still develop an alternative funding mechanism to keep the Williamson Act in place, although officially they are giving lip services to the statement that they are supporting the CSEA (California State Association of Counties) coalition of counties to fight for the reinstatement of subvention funds.”
She also points to last week's Board of Supervisors meeting when RMA staff was directed to consider additional options in addition to initiating non-renewal of contracts for non-conforming parcels of less than-40 acres. Supervisor Pete Vander Poel voted against the motion because it included beginning to plan for the potential of non-renewal of all Williamson Act contracts although he supports the non-renewal of non-conforming parcel contracts.
Tulare County has 1,107,886 acres in land preserved under 6,611 Williamson Act contracts. Over the last nine months contracts covering about 42,000 acres have not been renewed. Most all were non-conforming parcels.
The Farm Bureau Land Use Committee has called a meeting of stakeholder groups and landowners regarding the county's intention. Tentative dates are April 5 and April 14 at the Farm Bureau office at 737 N. Ben Maddox Way. County supervisors and RMA staff are invited.
Stever and Farm Bureau member Craig Knudson said except for casual conversations with RMA staff and limited updates at County Ag Advisory meetings in recent months, there have been no meaningful comprehensive discussions on the county's plans.
Knudson, who along with Stever attended the Fresno summit, said an attempt of Tulare County Chief Administrative Officer Jean Rousseau to bring up Williamson Act alternative plans indicated Tulare County is not totally focused on the push for saving the current plan. Discussion of that issue was rejected because it was not in line with the key issue of the summit, the push for subventions, Knudson said.
Knudson told the Voice that Tulare County, the second ranking agricultural production county in the nation, should be taking the lead in supporting farm and ranching land owners, not jumping ship in the fight to reinstate subvention funds.
He also said the county has become dependent on the state's Williamson Act reimbursement, pointing out subvention reimbursements were not originally part of the Williamson Act and that counties have grown to rely on them.
Supervisor Chairman Steve Worthley adamantly denies that is the case, saying subventions have allowed counties to not only preserve land but not suffer significant financial hardships in doing so. Without financial protection, Worthley said, Tulare County and others wouldn't have entered into contracts in the first place.
He pointed out that message needs to be reinforced to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger who shouldn't want to be remembered as the governor who killed California's land preservation mechanism.
Worthley, who along with other officials from agricultural based counties who met with Schwarzenegger in the mission to save the subventions, said the governor admits the Williamson Act is important but must wait until state budget woes are solved, something which is a long ways off, if it ever happens.
Like practically all county officials, Worthley says the $35 million the state gives back to counties is just “budget dust” in the state's overall financial disaster.
Tulare County has received from $3.1 million to $3.5 million annually in recent years from the state. That money goes to the county's general fund which helps cover public safety costs.
The financial ramifications of halting subventions and the potential of landowners opting out of contracts to pay the penalties allowing land to be sold for development lead to another plus for the state, Worthley points out.
Landowners voluntary opting out of contracts are penalized 12.5 percent of the assessed value. The state gets that money.
That, Worthely said, is wrong. By keeping the subvention funds and collecting any penalty fees, the state wins and the counties “take in it the shorts.”
SECOND FRONT PAGE
What's New
The city of Visalia is getting ready to refurbish a four-plex to turn it into housing for homeless couples, reported city Housing and Economic Development Director Ricardo Noguera. The apartment complex was purchased with funds the city is using to purchased foreclosed properties, fix them up and then re-sale them. However, the city will make the four-plex available through a non-profit group as an effort to help homeless couples “get back on their feet.”
Buffalo Wings appears more solid on coming to Visalia. The company was in town recently inquiring with building officials on building its new restaurant in the Packwood Creek Shopping Center.
Maurices, a leading national specialty store for savvy, fashion-conscious customers with a 20-something attitude, has named Christy Lappe as store manager in Visalia. Lappe is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the store, including sales performance, visual presentation, and personnel recruitment and training.
Tulare County's unemployment rate is inching closer to what it hit after the big freeze of 1991. State officials said last week that the jobless rate in February hit 18.7%, up from 18.4% in January and higher than the 16.1% in February last year. After the freeze in 1991 that wiped out the county's citrus crops, the county jobless rate topped 20%. In Kings County, the jobless rate dropped just slightly, from 18.3% to 18.2%. The state reported the jobless rate in Visalia hit 11.9 percent. Over city rates: Tulare, 16.1; Porterville, 17.3; Dinuba, 26.9; Exeter, 12.5; Lindsay, 22.5; Hanford, 16.1, Lemoore 16.1 and Corcoran 18.9.
Even though the H1N1 pandemic never really materialized, Kaweah Delta Regional Medical Center has been filled to capacity the past several months, prompting hospital officials to begin to consider finishing the fifth and sixth floors of the new Acequia Wing. Hospital CEO Lindsay Mann said they are beginning to study the process to add 24 acute care beds to each of the unfinished floors at a cost around $32 million. The expansion would give the hospital district 629 total beds. Mann said it is still two to three years away before the wings, which are now just a shell, will be completed.
The city of Hanford is promoting Deputy City Manager Hilary Straus to city manager, the Hanford City Council decided last week. He will begin his new position May 3, replacing City Manager Gary Misenhimer who is retiring May 1.
The dedication of the Santa Fe overcrossing will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 10. The dedication will include recognition of the two time capsules – one 50-year and the second 100-year – that are being placed in the pillars on the crossing.
Farmersville - When community events
require a venue with a stage, in the near future Farmersville
will be ready.
Thanks to a Fresno Regional Arts and Cultural Foundation
$35,000 grant, the city of Farmersville will be able to
add a stage to the community center being constructed
at Avery and Ash.
Farmersville City Manger Renee Miller is excited about the grant, and the city's first community center.
“We'll have a nice, functional building,” she said of the 20,000 square foot building that will include a library, an indoor gym floor for basketball, a large commercial kitchen and meeting rooms, including a computer center for children.
There will also be a nice courtyard.
The center will also be home to the Farmersville Boys and Girls Club. That organization will get use of the building in exchange for maintaining it, said Miller.
Farmersville has not had a community building, like a Veterans Memorial building, that could accommodate large groups or community events.
Work will begin soon on the project with construction expected to take about nine months. The city has $2.9 million towards the goal of $3.5 million to complete the project - “with all the bells and whistles,” said Miller. She said the city is continuing to seek grants to fund the rest of the project, but for now there is enough to get the building constructed and open for youth.
“We'll have the basic building,” she said.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias purchased the land for the center. The local club serves 800 youth in Farmersville.
Some of the money for the project came from a California Department of Housing and Community Development grant.
The community center will be constructed in two phases. The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias (parent to the Farmersville Boys & Girls Club) and the City of Farmersville will construct a two-story building which will include a gymnasium, computer lab, kitchen and courtyard.
Phase one of the project includes building the shell and completion of the first floor. Included in that plan is the city library. Phase two would include the completion of the second story.
By Miles Shuper
Tulare County - Finding the right agency to help deal with financial, substance abuse treatment, housing, job training, shelter assistance concerns and more is now much easier and certainly less frustrating for Tulare County residents.
County residents can now dial 2-1-1, the information, referral and disaster assistance system already serving about 35 counties in California. It has been in development and use for about five years in some other states and is spreading county-to-county.
The free system is available around the clock, seven days a week under the administration of United Way which contracts with Interface which operates a central call center in Camarillo in Ventura County. Interface is the on-line server for most 211 systems in California.
The same referral and information is available online at www.211tularecounty.org.
Emy Blankenship of United Way said the goal of the new system “is to provide a sustainable, statewide calling network similar to both the 4-1-1 and 9-1-1 systems and uses local and regional operators trained to help people with everyday information and referrals. There's even help in the event of a disaster,” she said. “It's for just about everyone, from those looking for simple answers or services to more in-depth assistance, like getting help paying rent or assistance with an aging parent,” she said.
The 211 system replaces and updates the county's First Call program offering much wider and more comprehensive referrals in addition to around the clock access, according to Brandi Clark, financial development director of Tulare County United Way. First Call services were on an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekday basis until December, 2008 when it began around the clock service. Clark said there was a 59 percent increase in calls in the first year of around the clock operation. Clark expects to see a significant increase in calls with the new system.
Nearly all the 211 systems across the nation are administered by the United Way.
Referral and informational services are provided in practically any language through the central call center which not only has a multi-lingual staff, but has quick access to translators, said Clark
Dahl Cleek, Tulare County undersheriff who spoke at the 211 system start-up ceremony, noted the cooperation of the United Way and numerous other individuals and organizations to get the system in place will pay big dividends to county residents.
Later, Cleek said 211 will provide “another great tool” for the Tulare County Sheriff's Office community policing program (COPS) which places officers in rural communities.
Cleek said deputies responding to calls currently hand out cards providing information and referrals to those needing help. With 211, Cleek said, deputies can provide the phone number to those needing immediate help with no language barrier and an even broader amount of services and information.
COPS, funded by a federal grant, provides for 12 deputies to be placed in the communities of Goshen, Ivanhoe, Strathmore/Plainview, Woodville/Poplar, Terra Bella/Ducor/Richgrove, east/south Porterville, Earlimart, Tipton/Pixley, Alpaugh/Allensworth, Orosi/Monson-Sultana, Cutler/Yettem/Seville and Traver/London.
Visalia - Dr. Craig Wheaton, who has been with Visalia Unified School District for eight years, was named interim superintendent of the district through at least next year.
Wheaton will follow Stan Carrizosa who is leaving the district in June to become superintendent of the Burbank school district.
His appointment will take effect on July 1, although he will be acting superintendent when the school board meets in June.
The VUSD board made the decision last week to appoint Wheaton as interim superintendent as a cost-saving measure, but also because it has confidence in him and the team of administrators to continue the progress the district has experienced under Carrizosa's leadership.
“There are at least three other people here who could have stepped in,” said Wheaton last week. “All of us are really committed to Visalia.”
Because of severe budget cuts the past two year and the uncertainty with the state's fiscal situation, the board felt it was best to hold off on a costly and lengthy search. Also, Wheaton's slot in administration is being eliminated, meaning the district will function with one less administrator.
The decision came after several weeks of discussion by the board.
“They (board) acknowledge that we face a difficult time over the next 12 to 24 months as we struggle to cut another $10 million from the district's general fund by 2012 and strive to maintain the highest quality in our educational program,” noted Carrizosa.
He said the typical process for replacing a superintendent includes numerous steps and can cost up to $20,000.
The board invited eight administrators to consider the interim appointment, settling on Wheaton.
“Craig has served in VUSD for the past eight years as the district director of State and Federal Projects, the administrator of Curriculum and Instruction, and most recently, as an area administrator for secondary education,” commented board President Jim Qualls.
“Prior to serving in VUSD, he has been an elementary school principal, high school assistant principal and high school guidance counselor. He holds a Pupil Personnel Services Credential, Administrative Services Credential, and earned his doctorate from Pepperdine University in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Instructional Technology.
He currently serves as chair of the ACSA State Committee on Curriculum and Instruction and has an in-depth understanding of district and categorical budgets and all aspects of state and federal accountability laws related to program improvement,” he added.
Wheaton is pleased to have the opportunity and glad he will have at least a couple of months to work closely with Carrizosa.
“It gives me a chance to do that monitoring, shadowing and for a transition,” he said.
Wheaton began teaching at Corcoran High School in 1979, although he lived in Visalia. He was an elementary school principal in Corcoran for 11 years before coming to VUSD.
He has served the past four years as area administrator in secondary education – grades seventh through adult school. Prior to that, he was an administrator in the curriculum department. He earned his doctorate in 2001.
Wheaton knows he has a tough act to follow. “Stan has been such an asset to the community,” he acknowledged.
However, he also knows the district faces many challenges in light of the budget cuts.
“This is a time to take stock in what we want to maintain,” he said, explaining it will not be a time to implement a lot of new programs, especially if there is no funding for them.
The board decided to offer Wheaton the position
through June of 2011, with the option to extend that a
second year.
Qualls said it is the intention of the board to eventually
conduct a full-scale search for a new superintendent.
“Dr. Wheaton's interim appointment will not be extended beyond two years, at which time it is the board's hope that the state budget will be more stable and the district will have completed all actions necessary to reach a balanced budget,” Qualls said.
Wheaton said becoming superintendent of Visalia Unified is an honor.
While he has never applied to be superintendent, he said it is a goal he has considered. “I have always thought that someday I'd be a superintendent,” he said.
Other appointments made for next year:
-Angela Sanchez was named principal for Green Acres School. She is assistant principal of Curriculum and Instruction at Redwood High School.
-Victoria Porter was named teaching principal for the Visalia Technical Education Center (VTEC). She is currently a learning director at Charter Alternative.
-Jody Magill-Rivera was named Special Education director. She is presently the head school psychologist.
The above stories are the property of The Valley Voice Newspaper and may not be reprinted without explicit permission in writing from the publisher.
April 1, 2010
