Board passes over Salvador for president
In a departure from the tradition in which the clerk of the school board is elected to the presidency, Madera Unified trustees passed over its clerk, Michael Salvador, to give the president’s gavel for a second year in a row to Ricardo Arredondo. The action took place in a 4-3 vote during Tuesday evening’s board meeting.
The vote came after Superintendent Gustavo Balderas, unaware that Arredondo would remain president of the board for another year, presented a plaque to the “outgoing president.”
The board then turned to selecting its leadership for 2013, and Trustee Lynn Cogdill took the floor to nominate Arredondo for a second term as president. He was seconded by Jose Rodriguez.
Cogdill, who has had numerous verbal, public battles with Arredondo over the rigidity with which Arredondo was perceived to govern the board meetings, said he favored Arredondo for the stability he has brought and would continue to bring to the school district...