CUSD Hires Second Chief Finance Officer in As Many Months

The just hired its second head of finance in as many months.

After a Pasadena Unified administrator , the district said Friday it had offered the post to Clark Hampton, assistant superintendent of business services from the Westminster School District.

He starts as deputy superintendent for Capo on May 1, smack in the middle of budget planning for the 2012-13 school year. 

CUSD is facing one of its worst budget crises in years, .

The hiring follows an offer made to John Pappalardo, chief financial officer for Pasadena-area schools, who first accepted and then declined CUSD’s offer. The contract called for him to make $198,000 but could be subject to cutbacks other administrators may take for the 2012-13 school year.

Hampton's salary is set at $191,000 and, according to the contract, may be pared back as early as July 1.

“The base salary shall be adjusted to reflect any cost-of-living increases or decreases given to other members of the Capistrano Unified Management Association (CUMA), anytime [sic] after June 30,” the contract reads.

Hampton has been with Westminster since 2007 and previously worked as chief financial officer for the Cal State San Marcos Foundation and University Corp., chief business officer for the Jamul-Dulzura Union School District in San Diego County, controller and risk manager for United States International University and director of studio finance for Paramount Pictures in Hollywood.

Hampton earned his master's of business administration from Cal State Northridge and his undergraduate degree in finance from Southern Illinois University

“Clark is a great addition to our senior administrative team,” Superintendent Joe Farley said in a news release. “His diverse public and private sector experience will be invaluable as we find solutions to our fiscal challenges while moving this district from great to extraordinary.”

The Westminster School District serves 10,000 students in 13 elementary schools and three middle schools and is facing a possible $8.5-million shortfall in the coming year, according to the Garden Grove Journal.

It plans no teacher layoffs and has a budget of about $75 million, according to its website.

By comparison, Capo Unified has a $372-million budget this year and has sent .