By Brittany Hanson/Garden Grove Journal
The Garden Grove Unified School District school board held its meeting last Tuesday, but with a full show of board members. Dr. KimOanh Nguyen-Lam had stated in a previous meeting that she would not return unless an issue involving the board and the Brown Act was resolved.
According to board president Bob Harden, the issue had been resolved with the aid of their legal counsel
The issue was whether or not board members Lan Nguyen, Harden and George West had violated the Brown Act, which ensures that public issues be disclosed in public, on Jan. 5.
Nguyen-Lam had alleged that Nguyen had asked West to second a vote for Harden to be nominated as board president for the year moments before the meeting began.
Nguyen had said that he had spoken with Harden but had not realized that informing him of a decision to nominate him could be construed as a violation.
West, Harden and Nguyen could not say for sure whether or not West had been involved in the exchange or exactly what had been said.
As a result of Nguyen-Lam’s allegations and walk out on Jan. 5, the board members agreed to seek legal counsel on the matter.
“We were not in violation of the Brown Act,” said Harden, “[found] after a review of the transcripts of the minutes.”
Also at the meeting, members of the Lincoln Education Center Mac booster club spoke to the board about continuing adult education.
The courses offered at the Lincoln center have been traditionally low priced as a service to adults, educators and to the elderly as a way for adults to learn, refresh or hone their skills.
According to the boosters, the Lincoln Mac lab is the only one of its kind in Orange and Los Angeles County.
As the result of the recent budget crisis, the course prices have risen drastically and funds to keep then open have been dissipating.
Carol Gray, from Whittier said that she and another student are more than willing to make the 53-mile both way strek to attend the classes because of their quality.
“Mac users, well, they’re a different breed,” said William McKinney.
