The merit system, first institutionalized in the United States with the passage of the Civil Service Act of 1883 and later in California's school systems in 1936, is, simply stated, a fair and equitable personnel management system for Classified employees of a school district. Incorporating a system of rules and procedures, similar to civil service, the Personnel Commission is the mainstay of the merit system. It is an independent body composed of three persons appointed for three-year staggered terms. The fundamental purpose of the merit system and the Personnel Commission is to insure that Classified employees are selected, promoted and retained without favoritism or prejudice, but rather on the basis of merit and fitness. The California Education Code empowers and sets forth the responsibilities of Personnel Commissions. In addition to it's responsibility for setting policy with regard to the Human Resources management function for all Classified Employees, the Personnel Commission has the responsibility for serving as the body which hears appeals of disciplinary actions taken against permanent Classified Employees by the Board of Education.
Judy Alexandre has served on the commission since 1990 as an appointee of the Board of Trustees. Judy has been a resident of Ventura since 1970 and served on the Board of Trustees from 1985 - 1989, Judy is a psychotherapist in private practice since 1983 and teaches social work at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. She is also an active community volunteer and elder at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Ventura.
Barbara Hudoba, a resident of Ventura for 25 years, was appointed to the Commission in 2004 by the Ventura Classified Employees Association. She retired from Ventura Unified School District after 20 years of service primarily as Administrative Assistant to the Director of Pupil Services. She was in the original group that brought NEA to represent the classified employees. She served on ever bargaining team for Ventura Classified Employees Association (VCEA) since it's inception. She also served as VCEA's President and Co-president (from 1989 - 1999), Bargaining Chair, Vice President and member of the Grievance Team. Barbara has been the recipient of the California Education Support Professionals (CAL/ESP) Employee of the year Award in 1996 for her "contribution in bettering the lives of all school employees in the state of California" and the California Teachers Association (CTA) local We Honor Ours (WHO) award in 1997. She has been married over 43 years, and her son is a pilot and her married daughter has three gorgeous daughters
Ed Lacy - Joint appointee, has served on the Commission since April 1985. He is a recently retired attorney, with experience in employment law, personal injury, and criminal defense. He has previously served as a Board member of the Ventura County Bar association as president of the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association. He has also taught para-legal classes for UCSB. Prior to becoming an attorney, he was a special education teacher for 13 years in the Santa Paula School District. He is married to former Ventura County Supervisor susan Lacey. Ed and Susan have lived in Ventura since 1968.
