Oversight Committee

Rose is a long-time resident of Highline. Her three children and two grandchildren graduated from Highline schools. She volunteered in local schools and was district employee for 21 years. She was PTSA president at the North Hill, Riverton Heights, and Tyee schools and served on the district PTSA Council. Rose worked with the state health department to conduct the first health study related to SeaTac Airport in 1997. She helped craft the first Burien Comprehensive Plan adopted in 1997, and was a City of Burien councilmember from 2000 to 2013. She is the Burien Lions president and the founder and president of Des Moines Memorial Drive Preservation Association. She co-chaired the Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) in 2015-2016, 2017-2018 and 2018-19 and serves as a CFAC member in 2019-20.

Dave Hawthorne is the president and owner of Hawthorne & Co. Certified Public Accountants. He joined the firm in November 1981 as a staff accountant, was admitted as a shareholder in 1987, and acquired the firm in 1991. His previous experience includes working with the Washington State Department of Revenue as a revenue auditor. Dave has a wide variety of experience in accounting, management and tax services dealing with closely held companies, individuals, estates, trusts, and not-for-profit organizations. Work experience includes auditing, accounting, business advisory and tax services for businesses, and more. He attended school K-12 in Highline, graduated from Highline High School (class of 1975), and has lived and worked in the Highline area since 1962.

Elizabeth Leavitt serves as Principal, Climate Response, for Jacobs, where she is guiding clients on how to address climate change in their organization. She worked at the Port of Seattle for more than 31 years, retiring as senior director of engineering, environment and sustainability. Elizabeth is a dedicated environmental advocate whose business acumen and leadership skills have helped the Port of Seattle balance of its triple bottom line of environmental, financial and social goals. She also served on Highline's Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) in 2015-16 and helped recommend the successful 2016 school bond.

Stuart Mathews was appointed assistant director of aviation project management at Port of Seattle in 2022. A mechanical engineer with a degree from the University of Washington, Mathews previously served as director of aviation maintenance and senior manager of mechanical systems since 2007 with the Port of Seattle. He was appointed to Highline's Capital Projects Oversight Committee in October 2022.

Erik Ruffing has spent over 35 years in the construction/design industry and is currently the virtual design & construction manager for Swinerton Builders. He held similar positions over the last 25 years for Skanska and PCL Construction. He has a diverse background in public and private projects in the U.S. and internationally. Erik is a proud product of the Highline School District. He attended Hilltop Elementary, Sylvester Middle School and Highline High School, as well as Highline College. His daughter attends Marvista Elementary School. He is happy to be back in Burien after many years working around the country and says he is committed to the belief of "build it once and build it right." Erik was elected by our Capital Facilities Advisory Committee in spring 2023 to fill an open seat on the Oversight Committee.

Mika Sundberg's service on the Oversight Committee stems from several hats she wears. Mika is a parent of young children and a Highline resident. She is also a designer at Sundberg, Kennedy, Ly-Au Young Architects and her name was drawn by lottery to become a member of our Capital Facilities Advisory Committee in fall 2018. She was elected by CFAC members in 2018 to fill a open seat on the Oversight Committee.

Committee Charge 

The superintendent appoints an seven-member citizen oversight committee to provide oversight of implementation of capital construction projects included in capital bond ballot measures.

This committee shall focus on program revenues as well as expenditures, planning for future capital bond measures, providing fiscal oversight and advising on issues of best practice in construction and real estate areas. The focus will also be to assure that the capital projects program supports academic achievement in the schools.

Responsibilities and Scope of Review: 

The committee will receive periodic briefings and be asked to comment upon and make recommendations for progress of the capital projects program, and the district’s other capital programs, to the extent they affect the capital projects program. The committee will oversee the planning, prioritization and implementation of current and future bond programs, etc. The committee will monitor the implementation of all approved projects and make recommendations for compliance with goals, priorities, scope, budget, schedule, revenue and other significant factors.

Meeting Schedule: Quarterly meetings (or more often as required). Because this is a volunteer committee and vacancies occur and are not always promptly filled, the requirement for a quorum is reduced. A quorum shall be at least 50 percent of the active membership of the committee, but not less than three members.

Manner and timing of expected work product: Regular comments and recommendations to staff regarding conduct of the capital program, with semi-annual reports to the superintendent and school board, more often as appropriate.

Term of Committee: As long as the capital projects program continues in effect.

Length of term of individual members: 2 years

Staff support required: Regular attendance by executive director of Capital Planning & Construction and the chief operations officer, with additional staff attendance as necessary. Staff will provide copies of documents and prepare reports as requested.

Reporting relationship: To Superintendent.

Staff Contact: Regular contact is the executive director of Capital Planning & Construction. Contact superintendent or chief operations officer as necessary.

Member Selection and Qualifications

Qualifications of committee members: Familiarity with large capital program activities such as planning, budgeting, cost estimating and controls, organization and management of public agency capital programs, and public and media relations skills are desirable. The committee should not include any district employees, although staff are welcome to attend meetings. 

Individuals should represent one (1) or more of the following areas: local government, capital managers and planners, architects, construction managers, attorneys, realtors, parents, and others as appropriate. At least two members will represent the district’s Capital Facilities Advisory Committee.

Ethics: Members shall not have any direct or indirect financial interest, except a remote interest, in any contract, purchase of materials, or activity financed from district capital funds. Members shall decline to vote on or participate in official district business in which the individual has a remote interest as defined by state statute, as amended from time to time. 

Selection Process: The Superintendent appoints the seven to eight members of the oversight committee. 

2025

• Tuesday, February 11, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 13, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 12, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 11, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

2024

• Tuesday, February 13, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 14, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 13, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 12, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

2023

• Tuesday, January 10, 6:00-7:00 p.m. - cancelled
• Monday, February 13, 6:00-7:00 p.m. - rescheduled from January
• Tuesday, May 9, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 8, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 14, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
  • Rescheduled: Tuesday, December 5, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

• October 11, 2021
• January 10, 2022
• April 11, 2022
• July 11, 2022
• October 10, 2022

There was a pause in meeting schedule due to the COVID pandemic between April 2020 to January 2021.

• January 11, 2021
• April 12, 2021

• Monday, November 4, 2019
• Monday, January 27, 2020
• Monday, March 23, 2020
• Monday, April 27, 2020

• Monday, February 18, 2019
• Monday, April 15, 2019
• Monday, June 17, 2019

• June 14, 2017
• August 23, 2017
• October 11, 2017
• December 13, 2017
• February 28, 2018
• April 25, 2018
• June 13, 2018