DISTRICT MULLS OFFER TO POLISH ITS IMAGE.

Byline: CONNIE LLANOS 

Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- The last two years have been streaked with controversy for the Hart school district, which hopes to improve its image with a new $90,000 public relations campaign.

A new partnership between Scott Wilk, who ran the city's successful open-space assessment campaign, and Tim Whyte, a former local newspaper executive, is offering to orchestrate a makeover for the Hart Union High School District.

Last week the board eagerly asked the duo to come back with more information. Board members, who have coped with financial struggles several times over the last year, barely flinched at the five-figure price tag.

But trustee Steve Sturgeon said Friday the offer needs more review.

Sturgeon remembered how much scrutiny a local youth counseling group faced when it asked the board for $90,000 to offer its services to students.

"We made the SCV Youth Project come back three times and made them show us exactly how that money would be spent and how it would serve the district," Sturgeon said.

"When I saw this proposal, I thought it needed the same level of detail and support."

Sturgeon said he would not be surprised if more bids are reviewed by the district before it commits to any public relations firm.

From racial scuffles at two high schools to construction budget overruns that peaked at $40 million and a couple of messy lawsuits in between, the Hart district's reputation has taken a number of beatings in the last year.

Hart board member Paul Strickland explained that the district's rapid growth has created different communication challenges and member Dennis King said improving the district's image was "critical."

The plan that Wilk and Whyte brought to the district includes a $30,000 media audit and $10,000 in monthly service fees for six months.

Wilk has worked as an aide to U.S. Rep. "Buck" McKeon for several years. Wilk's newly formed P.R. firm, Liaison Communications LLC, has worked for Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in its controversial move to expand. Wilk also was responsible for much-criticized brochures for the open-space campaign that showed a chalk outline, indicating crime would rise if parkland wasn't preserved.

Wilk, a member of the College of the Canyons board, said he hopes to improve the community's perception of the Hart district.

"There are a lot of great things going on in the district that nobody knows about," he said.

Whyte, the former general manager of The Santa Clarita Signal, would be working alongside the district he once criticized in editorials. But Whyte said that could work in the district's favor.

"Who is in a better position to help the district than a former critic?" Whyte said.

Whyte said he's hoping his communications company, Whytehouse Media, gets the contract with Hart for personal and professional reasons.

"I have a kid starting the eighth grade next year so I'm looking at it as a parent, and I want the district to be well regarded in the community," Whyte said.

"They have a great story to tell. I want to help them tell that story."

He also said he looks forward to working with Pat Willett, who has been the district's full-time spokeswoman for the last six years. Willett is responsible for writing all of the district's communication pieces, including a monthly newsletter, a bimonthly report of positive district news and all press releases. She also plans all of the district's special events, spends 40 hours a week at district meetings and handles community comments and complaints.

Willet said the school board has been unhappy with the press it has received in the last few months but she was unaware of plans to hire an outside P.R. firm.

"There has been a lot of negative publicity and a lot of it has been based on erroneous information," Willett said. "I worked hard to get the correct information out there. I don't know what more I could have done."

In response to a media audit proposed by Wilk and Whyte, Willett said she had planned to suggest such a study via the nonprofit National School Public Relations Association.

Rich Bagin, executive director of the NSPRA, said such an audit would look at how information flows to the media from the district. But Bagin said what Whyte and Wilk were describing was a more comprehensive communications audit to look at all communications, from internal memos to press releases.

Bagin said his agency usually charges $12,000 to $25,000 for that type of study.

The Hart board has yet to sign a contract with Wilk and Whyte and is expected to see a more detailed contract from the team Aug. 15.

[e-mail]

[phone]