Schools

Two Newcomers Declare CUSD Candidacy

The race to fill four trustee seats in Capistrano Unified has begun.

In a trustee area without an incumbent, a race may be taking shape.

Earlier this year, they represent. In doing so, they left one area, which includes parts of San Juan Capistrano, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores and Coto de Caza, without a trustee.

This November will be first time trustees – who have always had to live within certain areas – will not be elected at large but .

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

So far, two potential candidates have declared their candidacy in the as-of-now unrepresented trustee area, known as Area 2. They are Michele Taylor-Bible of Ladera Ranch and Jim Reardon of San Juan Capistrano.

According to the Ladera Times news website, Taylor-Bible was one of the founders of the Ladera Ranch Farmers’ Market.

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The only online news item connecting Taylor-Bible to CUSD was another Ladera Times article in which she and her two sons were among 18 speakers who supported then-superintendent Woodrow Carter at a January 2009 special board meeting. He was eventually fired two months later.

Reardon’s recent involvement with the school district includes speaking out against the 2012-13 budget, and a civil lawsuit he filed last year, alleging the trustees violated state open-meeting laws when they .

Reardon’s in January.

Reardon is associated with a new group, Hold CUSD Accountable, which launched its website in June. The group’s spokesman, lawyer Wayne Tate, represented Reardon in his 2011 lawsuit against the city.

There are three other trustee areas that will see trustee campaigns this November. So far, incumbent John Alpay is the only one to declare his candidacy in Trustee Area 3, which encompasses most of San Clemente.

The other two areas, Nos. 1 and 5, do not have any official takers yet. Area 1 includes Capo Beach, San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point and is currently represented by Jack Brick, whose term expires in November.

Area 5 is primarily Aliso Viejo, which is currently represented by President Gary Pritchard. His term also expires in November.

Stay tuned to Patch for more CUSD election updates.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here