Districts reorganize their business office staff Districts reorganize their business office staff (December 10, 2003)

By David Boyce

Almanac Staff Writer

Action is expected this week on reorganization of the business office for the Las Lomitas and Menlo Park school districts.

From a five-person staff and a manager handling both districts, the new arrangement -- with each district having its own office -- will require a manager and staff for each district, said Business Manager De Modderman, who is employed by the Menlo Park City School District.

The staff of the shared business office -- all of whom are employed by the Las Lomitas School District -- are to be laid off at the next meeting of the district's Board of Trustees. The employees may reapply for positions in both districts, Ms. Modderman said.

The Las Lomitas district will employ a business office staff of one full-time employee and one half-time employee, Ms. Modderman said.

The Menlo Park City School District will hire two full-time employees for its business office staff, she said.

The Menlo Park board met Monday, December 8. Among the items to be discussed in closed session was which district Ms. Modderman will work for after the split, said Ken Ranella, the Menlo Park district superintendent.

"Her future is within the two districts," Mr. Ranella told the Almanac before the meeting. "De will have a choice. If she doesn't choose, then we will have a choice."

The meeting of the Las Lomitas district board is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 10, at La Entrada School at 2200 Sharon Road in Menlo Park.

In September, the Menlo Park district chose not to renew parts of the joint powers agreement with Las Lomitas that dealt with the shared business office, citing a workload grown too large and unwieldy for one office to handle.

An agreement between the two districts will continue in the areas of special education, maintenance operations and transportation.

The Menlo Park district is planning to house the new office on the campus of Encinal Elementary School.

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