Letter: Gonzalez an ‘excellent boss’

I worked for Ed Gonzalez for three years, directly and indirectly. For me, he was an excellent boss. I worked harder than I ever had in my life. I never felt like I was not accountable. He pushed me to deliver but always treated me fairly and well.

I had the pleasure of working with all of the current district administrators (except for the individual who replaced me). They are smart, professional and hard working. If Mr. Gonzalez is protecting them, it’s probably because they need it.

While I was with the district, my department had an open position that a board member’s relative was interested in. The board member in question contacted me beforehand to ask about the relative’s chances. When we did not select this relative for the opening, the board member contacted me again to find out why and then proceeded to barrage Mr. Gonzalez with a series of angry text messages and phone calls.

When Mr. Gonzalez started in 2013, the district’s relationships with MUTA and the Transportation department were very contentious. MUTA members and Transportation employees seemed to be at every board meeting, lining up to air their grievances. Under Mr. Gonzalez, those complaints became fewer and farther between.

Mr. Gonzalez inherited a lot of problems, many of them related to the continuous turnover in the superintendent’s role. He leaves behind a district that is much better off but haunted by a board that is determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

— Steven Alexander, Madera