FROM MEASURE BB PAGE 1 Secondary schools get some loving, Edison too
SMMUSD HDQTRS Dr. Stephen Hodgson came in with some good news for the school board Tuesday — the sale of the first $60 million for Measure BB bond money.
The announcement was met with a round of applause. As the money is expected to be available to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District on Oct. 16, school officials will have to tackle a few key important decisions — determining which schools will receive a good chunk of the estimated $268 bond money.
The board convened in a joint meeting with the Measure BB Advisory Committee on Tuesday, both bodies receiving reports on site visits conducted over the past few weeks, possible budget scenarios and next steps to be taken as the district gets rolling on improving the school facilities in Malibu and Santa Monica.
Senior staff and Measure BB consultants stressed the need to act in an expeditious manner, given the escala-tion in construction costs, reducing the number of projects that can be tackled under the ballot initiative that passed last year. It is estimated that delays are costing the district approximately $1 million a month in cost escala-tion. Staff added that a decision on Measure BB projects is needed soon to continue with the process for the program’s environmental impact report.
The board was presented with three possible Measure BB budget scenarios — Scenario A, which would assume the district would receive additional state funding; Scenario B, which would maintain a heavy focus on the secondary schools; and Scenario C, which would still stress an emphasis on the secondary schools while allowing more additional projects to occur than in the second option. The staff recommended the second option.
Scenario B would reduce the scope of projects for Juan Cabrillo Elementary School and defer several projects at John Muir Elementary School and Point Dume Elementary School.
Under all three scenarios, the total project costs for the secondary schools comes out to around $105.9 million.
The secondary schools that would be covered include Santa Monica and Malibu high schools, John Adams and Lincoln middle schools and Olympic High School — the lone continuation school in the district.
One of the biggest problems with the first budget option is the risk of over-promising and under-delivering, said Hodgson, the district’s interim chief financial officer.
“I think if we get people’s expectations to a certain level, then they’ll be disappointed if they are not achieved that way,” Hodgson said.
Several parents spoke in support of funneling some money toward the Edison Language Academy, a Spanish and English language immersion school in the Pico Neighborhood. The school, which is mainly comprised of portables, has been plagued by problems with its facilities, the paint chipping on buildings and wooden stairways rotting.
“I’ve come to ask (you) to help us for things we need with the school and, specifically, with the resources we need to maintain,” said Maria Cortez, an Edison parent who spoke through a translator. “I know that most of you have children like I do and understand the children are the future of this community and I hope for this reason you can help Edison.”
The pleas from parents during the past few Measure BB discussions seemed to have paid off as the school board threw its support behind providing more funding to Edison along with the secondary schools.
“Edison is the most disturbing of all schools with their specific needs,” said school board member Barry Snell. “I feel that it’s really important that we give to our children a school that is safe.”
The board could see a final proposal for approval from senior staff at its board meeting on Oct. 18.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 4, 2007. Read the original PDF.