TVUSD Trustee Accused Of Placing Listening Device Under Colleagues' Desk: Sheriff's Department

TEMECULA, CA — Temecula Valley Unified School District Board Trustee Melinda Anderson is facing a criminal investigation following allegations that she bugged the dais near two fellow board members before a recent meeting.

The district's camera used to record school board meetings captured footage that appears to show her placing an object beneath two fellow board members' desks. Days later, board members said they were informed that the Riverside County Sheriff's Department was investigating allegations that Anderson planted a listening device.

Anderson has not responded to Patch's request for comment.

The first video shows Anderson talking with Trustee Jen Wiersma before Anderson takes her purse and kneels in front of the vacant desks of Trustees Steven Schwartz and Emil Barham. She appears to reach beneath the desks, then returns to her seat and continues her conversation with Wiersma.

The second video shows the end of the meeting as people leave the room. Superintendent Kimberly Velez can be seen watching as Anderson again approaches the desks, kneels and appears to remove something. Moments later, Schwartz and Barham re-enter the room.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department said deputies were called to the TVUSD offices four days after that Sept. 22 meeting to investigate a report of surreptitious recording, according to Lt. Dierdre Vickers.

"Upon arrival on Sept. 26, deputies spoke with the reporting party, who reported that a subject had recorded surreptitiously at the location," Vickers said. "The Southwest Sheriff’s Station’s Investigation Bureau was contacted and assumed the investigation. This is an ongoing investigation, and no further details are available."

The TVUSD Superintendent's office released a statement saying it is aware of the video and that law enforcement is investigating.

"Any related questions can be directed to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department," the district said.

Schwartz told Patch he was "stunned" when he was called to the district office several days later to review the footage.

Temecula Valley Unified School District Board President Joseph Komrosky and Director of Public Safety Brian Pastor were also in the room, he said.

"It's not often that I can't find the words, but I was flabbergasted," Schwartz said.

Schwartz was called in to the TVUSD offices out of the blue, he said. "I was worried a child had been injured, or something had happened at a school." Then, he was shown two videos: one appearing to show Dr. Anderson placing something beneath his desk as Ms. Wiersma looked on, and another showing her returning later and reaching back underneath.

"Then, I blurted out, 'I will never sit with either (Anderson or Wiersma) again. They have to resign,'" Schwartz said.

Schwartz said he learned through conversations with others involved that the object was believed to be a listening device. He said that he heard Anderson say, "Nothing got recorded," outside the district offices.

It was not immediately clear who filed the police report, and the Southwest Sheriff's Station investigation is ongoing.

Schwartz added that watching someone crawl under a desk with no witness saying anything about it "was disturbing."

"I can only say for myself, but if I saw someone (putting something under someone's desk) like that, I would go to the director of security. What if it was a bomb?" he said.

Barham also issued a statement to Patch criticizing the incident.

"I'm shocked and in disbelief. Our great school district does not need to be embarrassed by the likes of this potentially illegal but certainly unethical behavior," Barham said. "The actions of Dr. Melinda Anderson and Mrs. Jennifer Wiersma are a betrayal of the public trust that is supposed to be representative of a school board."

Both Barham and Schwartz have asked Komrosky to call a special meeting to review the allegations against Anderson.

"He wasn't sure as to his availability," Schwartz said. "Both Emil Barham and I want a meeting."

Barham questioned Komrosky's decision not to immediately schedule a special meeting after two trustees asked for one.

"Our Board President will not call for or participate in a special meeting to hold these trustees accountable before the public," Barham said. "I continue to ask myself why he will not call the meeting. Does he have something he is hiding, himself?"

However, Komrosky told Patch he could potentially attend a special meeting before the board's next regular meeting.

"I may be available for a special meeting before the regularly scheduled school board meeting on Oct. 13," Komrosky said. "That remains to be seen."

Schwartz said that if Anderson or Wiersma are seated on the dais at the next board meeting, he plans to attend but will not take his seat as part of the quorum.

"I cannot sit on the dais with someone who betrayed me as a fellow board member. It's disgraceful and unnerving," Schwartz said. "I don’t even know what she hoped to get from it. During meetings, Emil and I talk about our kids and grandkids. We talk about the agenda. We don’t know what her aim was."