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    BOARD VACANCY

    The Western Maricopa Education Center No. 402 is seeking candidates to fill the District 3 vacant seat on the Governing Board.  The term of the appointment will be until the canvas of the November 2024 elections is complete. For more information, please contact the Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent, Steve Watson. 


    West-MEC is governed by a seven-member board. These board members are elected from the geographic area in which they reside. West-MEC is a districted system, meaning that the seven elected members represent a specific land and populace area. 

    The West-MEC Governing Board is a policy setting board following the same rules and regulations as all public school district governing boards in Arizona.


    Public Meeting Notices

    Board meeting agendas are available online 24 hours prior to the meeting. Notices of public meetings are posted on our website and on a bulletin board at the West-MEC District Office at 5487 N. 99th Ave., Glendale, Arizona. The bulletin board is located outside the entrance of the District Office. The District will give additional public notice as is reasonable and practicable as to all meetings.

    Meeting Schedule

    The Governing Board meets at the West-MEC District Office located at 5487 N. 99th Ave, Glendale Arizona on the second Wednesday of every month at 4:30 p.m. (with the exception of February, March and April of 2024, or unless noted on the agenda). Study Sessions are held as needed for the purpose of studying one or more specific issues in depth. No action is taken during a Study Session. Occasionally, a special meeting is held to take action on specific Board business. Executive Sessions are also scheduled as needed for discussion of confidential matters and are closed to the public. No action, decision, or vote will be taken while the Board is in executive session, except as permitted by law.

    Agendas and Minutes

    Agendas and minutes for West-MEC Governing Board meetings are available in BoardDocs, an online agenda management system used to collect and distribute board meeting materials. To see the agenda for a meeting, go to Public Meeting Notices and Agendas/Minutes and select the meeting in which you are interested. If it is not one of the featured meetings that appear first, select the "Meetings" navigation tab; all meetings in that year will appear in the left column. Agendas and minutes from July 2022 to June 2023 can be accessed by clicking on the “Public Meeting Notices and Agenda/Minutes” link located on this page. Agendas and meetings prior to July 2022 can be requested through a public records request.

    Public Participation

    Members of the public are welcome to attend each meeting of the Governing Board. By law, the board members may only address items on the agenda. Individuals are welcome to address the governing board by completing a Call to the Public form before the meeting has begun. Forms are available in the meeting lobby.

    Persons with a Disability or Who Need an Interpreter 

    Persons with a disability or who need an interpreter may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a translator or sign language interpreter, by contacting the Governing Board Secretary at 623-738-0000.  Requests should be made at least 48 hours in advance to arrange the requested service.

     
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Public Meeting Notices, Agendas, Minutes, and Policies

GOVERNING BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE

Click Here to Join the LiveStream Meeting or Watch Past Meetings

  • Juan Ramirez
    Vice-Chairman, District 1
    Began Serving: 11/8/21
    Current Term Expires: 12/31/26
    juan.ramirez@west-mec.org

    Juan Ramirez is an Arizona native. He grew up in San Luis and Yuma before moving to Tempe to attend Arizona State University. He has three siblings, all of which work in public service.

    Juan earned a bachelor’s of science in electrical engineering. Following graduation, Juan worked as a project engineer at the Yuma Proving Grounds testing military vehicles during the Iraq conflict. Subsequently, Juan returned to Phoenix to work as a communications engineer for Arizona Public Service. Life experiences and community involvement motivated Juan to pursue a law degree. While in law school, Juan was an active member and officer of several student organizations. After becoming a licensed attorney, Juan’s desire to serve drew him to several community and professional organizations, including Valley of the Sun Kiwanis, Catholic Phoenix, Tepeyac Leadership Initiative, and the St. Thomas More Society of Phoenix.

    Since 2014, Juan has provided legal advice to hundreds of client’s who have suffered serious bodily injury. He is passionate about educating his client’s about their rights and constantly works to provide his client’s great service. In his leisure time, Juan enjoys spending time with family and friends. He also enjoys exploring local hiking trails and locally owned restaurants.

  • Linda Busam
    District 2
    Began Serving: 1/1/23
    Current Term Expires: 12/31/26
    linda.busam@west-mec.org

    Linda hails from Chicago, Illinois, a stronghold of iconic Blue Collar industries. She sees a bright future for hardworking tradesmen and tradeswomen in Arizona's continuously growing economy.

    Linda has committed herself to engaging and inspiring others to participate in their community through faith-centered volunteerism and civic duty.

    She welcomes all West-MEC students to fulfill their own dreams, by assuring West-MEC is centered on developing the skills, disciplines, and trades needed to achieve their own goals as well as the needs of Arizona's workforce of the future.
  • west-mec district office building


    Open Board Position
    District 3 

     

  • Barbara Wyllie
    District 4
    Began Serving: 1/1/15
    Current Term Expires: 12/31/24
    barbara.wyllie@west-mec.org

    The house/family that built me was in a small farming community consisting of 400 people in Middle America. I was the oldest of six children. My education was in a Catholic school next to the Catholic Church in my hometown. We had two and three classes in one room and one teacher per room. High school was 10 miles away and attended by children from five or six other small towns. There were 47 students in my high school graduation class. I did go off to college but I was kicked out after the first semester.

    My husband and I with our 2 small children moved to Arizona in 1970 and have been involved in the real estate business ever since. I have owned companies, sold real estate, provided mortgages, and participated in organizations that work to improve the industry.

    Personally, I am an activist. If I see something that I feel is wrong, I say something. If something can be done to make life better, I do it.

  • Robert M. Garcia
    District 5
    Began Serving: 1/1/23
    Current Term Expires: 12/31/24
    robert.garcia@west-mec.org

     

    Robert Garcia is a 4th generation Arizona Native from south Phoenix and a resident of Goodyear for over 20 years. His education includes many classes, courses, and training while in the military, including a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, an undergraduate Diploma in Project Management, and a graduate diploma in Public Policy Management.

    Robert is a former Marine Gunnery Sergeant. His 22 years of service span from 1989-2011, where he deployed to Kuwait during operations Desert Shield / Storm, to LA during the Compton Riots, to Somalia during Operation Restore Hope, Peru during UNITAS, Africa during operation Global War on Terror, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Afghanistan during operation enduring freedom. Robert held many roles, including Platoon Sergeant, Team Chief, Company Gunny, Detachment Chief, Operations Chief, School Instructor, Recruiter, and Career Planner.

    Robert’s civilian career includes experience at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, the City of Phoenix, The Amazon Corporation, and the State of Arizona. Robert was also a franchise business owner. 

    Robert has been appointed by the Arizona Governor to serve on the Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board, the pre-9/11 MERF Board, support to the Workforce Arizona Council and Robert was appointed by the City of Goodyear Mayor to serve on the board of adjustment. Additionally, Robert volunteered with the Marine Scholarship Foundation, Tun Tavern Business Group, Honoring Americas Hero’s foundation, Arizona Latino Republican Association, Bunkers Lab, Arizona House Veterans Caucus and the Arizona Veterans Council.     

    Robert currently works as a Workforce Business Strategy Consultant for the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity / Arizona Commerce Authority. He is a statewide workforce expert that provides counsel and guidance to companies, organizations and government officials.

  • Jim Migliorino
    District 6
    Began Serving: 1/1/15
    Current Term Expires: 12/31/24
    jim.migliorino@west-mec.org

    Mr. Migliorino has 56 years of background experience in education, spanning Washington State, Ohio, and Arizona. During this time, Migliorino has served in the following roles: Teacher, Business Manager, and Assistant Superintendent for Business Services.

    Additionally, Mr. Migliorino has served for 10 years as the Executive Director of Mohave Education Services Purchasing Co-Op as well as 25 years of membership in Arizona School Business Officials Association/ Board of Directors.
  • Frank Straka


    Frank Straka
    Chairman, District 7 
    Began Serving: March 2007
    Current Term Expires: 12/31/26
    frank.straka@west-mec.org

    Frank Straka has been a member of the West-MEC Governing Board since 2007. Over the years, Mr. Straka has watched West-MEC grow into a State and National leader in Career and Technical Education (CTE).

    Having been a long-time advocate for the West-MEC Strategic Plan, Straka is looking forward to championing the third Strategic Plan for the district. Throughout this process, West-MEC has evolved into an organization that serves students while being flexible for today and investing in serving students in the future.

    Professionally, Mr. Straka has more than 20 years of working in the technology field and over 25 years of experience working in the banking and insurance industry. He is an experienced leader of large and small teams within professional and community groups.

    Mr. Straka is a married father of four who attended the public school system. He enjoys the outdoors and competing in endurance events, including marathons and Ironman triathlons.