Story Created:
Sep 8, 2010 at 8:58 PM PST
Story Updated:
Sep 9, 2010 at 8:44 PM PST
LYNWOOD — Bill Agopian, Lynwood Unified School District’s longtime chief financial officer and business manager, has submitted his resignation, Superintendent Ed Velasquez confirmed this week.
The effective date of the resignation is Sept. 30.
“All I can tell you is that Bill [Agopian] has submitted his resignation for health reasons,” Velasquez said.
Velasquez said he received Agopian’s letter of resignation within the last couple of days. However, it must still be accepted and filed with the school board at the next regularly scheduled board meeting Tuesday.
“It should be on the next school board meeting’s agenda,” Velasquez said.
Asked if he could further comment on Agopian’s resignation, Velasquez said that he could not because it is a personnel matter.
In the meantime, Velasquez has assigned Peter Wong, the district’s new director of fiscal services, to assume Agopian’s duties until a replacement is hired.
“I had a conversation with Peter and he thinks he can handle both positions right now,” he said. “See, right now, I don’t want to [open] positions because it’s not the best time. … I would rather do it in the springtime when people are looking for … advancement.”
Wong will be working out of classification as director of fiscal services so that he could do both jobs for about six months. That can be renewed one more time, but because Agopian’s position is a cabinet position, “it will be [opened] at some point, just not right now,” Velasquez said.
Wong was the controller in the Montebello Unified School District about three years ago. While Velasquez has hired a few individuals from Montebello (his previous employer) in the last couple of months, Wong had been brought in by the previous administration.
“I didn’t even know he was here,” Velasquez said. “He was brought in by Eric Hall.”
Hall reports to the county as a fiscal adviser who oversees the district.
Agopian’s departure from the district is bittersweet for one community activist, who asked not to be named.
“There are a lot of speculations out here right now, on why he’s leaving,” said the activist, who revealed she has known Agopian for more than six years. “He’s the last good person from the old, old administration that we had left. He knew everything about everyone and he was always trying to help people. But the rumors are bad. People are saying that he’s not leaving for a health reason.”
The activist said she has heard that Agopian’s resignation has something to do with the district attorney’s office’s current investigation in the district.
Asked if he knew about the rumors, or about Agopian leaving for reasons other than his health, Velasquez said he had no comment.
He said he understands that reporters have to ask certain questions, but added that it’s his job to protect people’s rights.
“I’m sorry, but it’s a personnel matter,” he said.
Agopian could not be reached for comment.
“Bill was probably the best people person the district had,” said the community activist. “Whatever he is leaving for, we’re all going to miss him. He was always there when people needed something. He wore a lot of hats at the school district and for parents, he was like our district liaison. Every time we needed anything, he had the answers. I hate hearing that somewhere, somehow, he may have crossed the line.”
Three school board members reached this week said they did not want to comment on Agopian’s departure.
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