Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox shared with the Sweetwater Union High School District board of trustees Monday the results from her community conversation, an effort to help solve some of the district’s problems.
The discussion at the May 28 forum revolved around bringing Sweetwater a culture of effective leadership, ethics and building fiscal stability.
“In my first community conversation we turned negative sentiments into constructive conversations about what the community wants from the district’s next board and superintendent,” Cox said.
Cox said among the things that the community has expressed are that they want a clean slate with its board members and superintendent, a better understanding of the district’s true financial condition disclosed through an independent audit, and a financial plan that would get the district back on its financial feet.
The community, Cox said, also expressed a desire for ethics, transparency and openness.
Sweetwater board President John McCann said he has been fighting for the community’s needs.
“That’s exactly what I’ve been fighting for and working to improve at the district,” McCann said.
He also said he supports the mayor’s input because the community needs to work together to support the children in the district.
McCann said the district is on the way up with a “brighter future” because it is becoming financially stable.
Cox said as mayor she has been asked repeatedly by community members to intervene with Sweetwater but declined because she didn’t have jurisdiction to get involved.
“But as time went on, I believed it would help to convene community members to talk about district problems that affect our city,” she said.
A second community conversation is to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on July 16 in City Hall’s council chamber.
