City Section facing ‘bumps’ ahead in post-LAUSD setup
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On July 1, the City Section will officially become its own entity, separating itself from being run by the Los Angeles Unified School District. It’s unknown territory, with lots of difficulties ahead.
‘We’re trying to do something that hasn’t been done before but needs to be done,’ Commissioner Barbara Fiege said. ‘There will be bumps in the road.’
Even more challenging, Fiege is retiring as City Section commissioner, and if anyone wants to apply for a job with a salary that starts at $120,000, I’d recommend attending an Interscholastic Athletic Committee meeting to understand what you would be getting into.
On Monday the IAC, made up primarily of coaches and administrators who act as a board of directors for the City Section, debated a proposal to reduce the number of league commissioners from 13 to three while putting in a requirement that commissioners can’t be an athletic director or coach.
Many IAC members didn’t seem to understand that currently, there’s a conflict of interest, with league commissioners having a vote on the IAC while also being paid by the IAC.
The proposal was tabled after an hour of discussion, but it was an example of the many issues that must be resolved in the coming months.
Applications to apply to be the new City Section commissioner close Feb. 15. The length of contract will be two years, with a performance review at the end of the period. A final decision will be announced March 22.
Whomever is chosen will need many qualities to help run a section that will need a strong leader during a challenging transition period.
— Eric Sondheimer