The search for an Orange Unified School District superintendent is off — at least for now.

School Board members recently decided to table hiring a search firm for a new superintendent — with most trustees offering different reasons for their decisions. It’s unclear when they will take up the matter again.

The district has been without a full superintendent since Jan. 5, when the board fired its superintendent on a split vote in a surprise move that has since spurred two lawsuits from parents and talk of recalls against those who voted for the firing.

The board is again divided, this time on their reasonings for not hiring a search firm at this time.

Trustee John Ortega said he was concerned about confidentiality and potential leaks during the process, referring to recent letters from the District Attorney’s office citing “significant evidence” that one trustee violated California’s open meeting laws by disclosing information from a closed-door session. Board President Rick Ledesma voiced the same concerns, adding that superintendents may not want to work for a divided school board.

And Kristin Erickson, the trustee named in the letters, said it might be difficult to attract candidates for the post when some of her colleagues may soon be facing a recall election.

During the Thursday, April 13, meeting, several board members expressed concern about the time needed to find a new superintendent and whether an immediate search would preclude some, especially those who are currently working, from considering applying.

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“This isn’t the best time,” said Trustee Angie Rumsey.

Some trustees, including Erickson and Andrea Yamasaki, have argued that the board should have moved quicker to find a replacement for its top administrative job and not delay its search by months.

As the board decided whether to put off hiring a search firm, Ledesma asked the acting superintendent, Ernie Gonzalez: “If we do not move forward, what are your plans?”

Until recently, Gonzalez was the assistant superintendent in charge of human resources. He stepped into the interim role after the educator who previously was tapped to temporarily fill the position left.

Gonzalez did not commit to continuing as acting superintendent past August or September, saying he would consult with his family.

As part of that discussion, and at other points in the meeting, board members referred to a recent investigation from the Orange County District Attorney’s office, which found that the board as a whole had not violated California’s Ralph M. Brown Act rules related to open meetings, except for Erickson.

In April 6 letters to Erickson and the Orange Unified School Board’s attorney, a senior deputy district attorney said Erickson disclosed information from a closed session to the Register. The letters did not offer specifics.

Ledesma has pointed to her comments in a Jan. 12 article, specifically highlighting how Erickson said at the time that she asked for more information about the interim superintendent and was told by the board president to “Google him.”

During the recent meeting, Erickson spoke about transparency and truthfulness in good governance and in building public trust.

Her alleged improper statement, Erickson said, “was the opposite of disclosing confidential information about an employee.”

“I had nothing confidential about the candidate to disclose because the Ledesma majority intentionally withheld it,” Erickson, an attorney, later said in a text message.

Erickson was one of three board members who voted against Hansen’s firing, along with Yamasaki and Ana Page.

The board was scheduled to choose between two firms: Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates for $50,000 or McPherson & Jacobson for $28,000 to $34,400, depending on the services provided.

Edward Velasquez, who the board originally appointed as its interim superintendent in January but who has since resigned, is listed as a consultant on the McPherson website, but officials said he would not be involved with the search should the school board select that firm.

Other costs to the district since Hansen’s firing include a payment of $43,030.50 to Velasquez during the approximate six weeks he flew in weekly from his home in Idaho. That included $6,000 for hotel, car and flight reimbursements, which were capped at $1,000 weekly.

The largest expense so far was the payout to Hansen: a lump sum of $498,970.06 for a year’s salary, medical expenses and other coverage, including over $60,000 for accumulated vacation time, according to records released last week by the district in response to a public records request.

Last month, Hansen was hired as superintendent for the Westminster School District.

Meanwhile, Orange Unified continues to pay Cathleen Corella, the assistant superintendent of educational services who the board majority placed on paid leave in January without an explanation. Her monthly salary is $18,973.90; with medical and other expenses, that adds up to nearly $25,000 per month.

Orange Unified is scheduled to meet next on May 4.

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