Discussion lasted into the late evening at the Yosemite Unified school board meeting Monday, with several teachers expressing concerns over the length and cost of the ongoing investigation of Superintendent Bill McCabe. At the same time, the district's budget is expected to fall short $700,000 and layoffs were proposed to balance it before March 2.

No information has been released as to the nature of complaints regarding the superintendent nor any action taken. McCabe was place on paid administrative leave four months ago.

Documents pertaining to McCabe's employment, the current investigation and and at least two other investigations requested by the Star under the public records act had not been disclosed by the district at the time of publication.

In response to one teacher who stood up to question the board on the price tag of the ongoing investigation -- a situation she referred to as the "big elephant in the room" -- chief financial officer Srini Vasan said he would conservatively estimate that legal fees had cost the district $100,000.

Yosemite High School Principal Steve Raupp added that the 30-minute closed session held early in the meeting likely cost $100.

McCabe, whose employment agreement from 2006 totals an annual salary of $127,062 through June of this year, remains on paid leave. No action was taken at Monday night's meeting.

A closed session to discuss the investigation was moved from the end of the agenda to just after the staff reports. Discussion of the proposed layoffs was saved until last.

When one teacher criticized the board for the change of agenda, saying the move sent a negative message, board member Greg Schoonard responded, saying the board had hoped to resolve the McCabe matter and report to the teachers and that "no disrespect was intended."

Yosemite High School teacher Deborah Brown told the board that the district had, "an issue of trust."

"We have to have trust from you that the money garnered [from layoffs] is spent wisely," she said, "You have to promise us you will be accountable. We want to see the numbers."

Another special, closed session meeting was called for tonight at the district office.