Scott Mann sworn in as Menifee Union School District Trustee

New Menifee Union School District Trustee Scott Mann says he’s up for the challenges that the governing board will face in the next school year.

Sworn into office Tuesday night during a regular board meeting, Mann took the oath of office in front of school and county officials, family, and his friends from New Hope Community Church in Canyon Lake.

“I’m excited,” Mann, a former employee for the district and ex-Menifee councilman, said. “It’s great to be back here, albeit in a different setting.”

Mann’s first goal as a trustee will be to tackle the district’s budget, as “we’re in an austere fiscal environment.”

“It’s all about the budget,” he said. “I’d like to keep cuts away from the classroom as much as possible.”

Mann, who has a school business management certificate from the University of Southern California, as well as other business degrees and certifications, said he’d “like to keep the district fiscally sound.”

As a former district employee, Mann said he knows the impact of the state on the district budget. “I will rely on staff to make recommendations so that the budget stays liquid,” he said.

Although he feels his background will serve him well on the board, Mann knows that there will be difficulty.

“With the governor making more cuts this week, it’s going to be tough,” he said.

Also during the meeting, Bob O’Donnell was sworn in for his seventh term as a trustee, and the entire governing board was reelected.

Jerry Bowman will serve as President, Randall Freeman as Vice President, and Ron Ulibarri as Clerk for the upcoming school year.