RANCHO SANTA FE — In May 2016, with a heavy heart Superintendent Lindy Delaney accepted the resignation of longstanding board member of the Rancho Santa Fe School District, Richard Burdge. Since the resignation, the board has appointed new member Scott Kahn, whose seat will be up for reelection in November.
While Delaney is grateful the seat has been filled, she remembers what an important role Burdge played in the school district for a total of 11 years.
“I think we owe Richard a huge debt of gratitude. He started working for the school district on the 2004 bond measure. He single-handedly put a $4.8 million bond together with Dan Vinson, the then-superintendent,” Delaney said. “He did all the advertising. He paid for all of the fees and it was a successful bond.”
The bond was called the “Prop K GO Bond Measure” which modernized the school district’s facilities. According to Delaney, $2.8 million was also utilized in the 2010 renovation of the new school.
And Burdge’s list of school district accomplishments has been robust over the years.
Delaney said she became superintendent shortly after Burgde became a board member.
“And throughout my tenure as a superintendent, Richard was there every step of the way — for leading the board as president, giving advice to me, helping with the financials in terms of bond sales, and refunding bonds,” she said.
Delaney continued, “Richard did a tremendous amount of work on behalf of the district.”
Delaney said every decision Burdge made was thoughtful ensuring that it was in the best interest of the students.
Describing him as an exceptional board member, Delaney said Burdge underscored the characteristics of intelligence and diligence.
“And Richard did not micromanage the school district. Richard was a good governing board member,” she said, adding how he had high integrity and strong focus.
While working with Burdge through the years, Delaney admits that she learned a great deal from him both professionally as a superintendent and also on a personal level.
She came to learn that there’s a solution to every problem if one just keeps working at it.
“You just don’t give up,” she said. “You just keep moving forward.”
