8.1 Measure F Staff Report - Ty Williams

CBOC Item 8.1 March 14, 2005

Issues have been brought forward from members of the public as well as a member of the CBOC concerning potential expenditures of Measure F funds on potential commercial development and school consolidation costs. The following is a brief synopsis of the current status of these projects and the funding in support of them.

As many of the members are aware, there has been an opportunity to investigate the feasibility of building a small commercial space in conjunction with the Willow Glen Elementary School, 2 story classroom replacement building. This building is currently sited to sit on the northern end of the campus wrapping the corner at Minnesota and Lincoln. The commercial space, while designed to be integral to the structure, would share no access to the classroom area, nor the interior of the campus itself. All pedestrian traffic would come from the public right of way and no mixing of students and the public should occur. This is a highly visible location and has certain potential from a leasibility stand point. The area it was planned to occupy is currently a landscape buffer between the existing parking lot and the sidewalk and is not usable by the students or staff of the school. Staff was committed from the onset to insure no impact to the school operations and safety. The driving force behind the design of the overall project at Willow Glen is the reorganization of the site to increase and better supervise the area available for student play. The current design increases, by twice, the hardcourt area, and half again the turf area, while improving dramatically the supervision abilities of all areas. The current parking and parent drop off condition is difficult at best and presents some real safety concerns given the already congested traffic conditions in the area. Studies are being performed to determine the best layout for parking and drop off as part of this reorganization. Parking for the proposed commercial space was an issue to be addressed. The acreage of the site makes it difficult to justify providing any additional parking on site in support of this space and the District's intent was to pursue an accommodation by the City for off site parking. Much interest and public concern has come from this concept. It has been hailed as "progressive", and "forward thinking", from some parts of the community and "boneheaded", and "idiocy" from others. Regardless of which adjective more properly describes the concept, it has been shelved by the District, as many of the issues involving the City would be cumbersome and potentially delay the project from its current schedule. No Measure F funds were ever intended to be utilized for the construction of this commercial space. This District intends to study and pursue opportunities to develop its assets in new and creative ways to offset the decline in State funding we have experienced in recent years.

The costs for school consolidation can be categorized into two areas; "one time" relocation costs, and capital facility improvement costs. The first category would include teacher moving costs, etc. The second would include facility improvements necessary to the students and staff that are being relocated. Only items from the second group of costs would be paid for in whole or on part by Measure F and only those which fall within the allowable scope of work, based on the ballot language. This issue came up in relation to the proposed move of Allen and Randol students and staff, to the consolidated site at Steinbeck but is equally germane to the similar situation at Trace.

In keeping with the established protocol for the distribution and expenditure of funds recouped from the consolidated site budgets the funds are to first follow the students and support necessary improvements at the receiving sites. The scope identified to be performed at Steinbeck is primarily in support of the following broad brush categories;

Developing age appropriate play areas and structures.

Performing classroom modernization.

Develop safety related site control fencing.

Provide appropriate casework/storage, restroom facilities, etc.

As the scope is currently identified clearly falls within the ballot language for Allen, Randol, and Steinbeck, which states, "Classroom and instructional area upgrades, remodeling, addition or modernization, . . . " we believe it appropriate to expend Measure F funds for these improvements. The current budgets within the Implementation Plan for these sites far exceed all estimates for the work. If scope were to develop that is not within the allowable scope, we would pursue funding from remaining Measure C/State Building funds, and/or funding from the District's

Building Fund which is made up of revenue from the long-term lease of other facilities. As the design intent and cost estimated are refined in the coming months we will bring back to the CBOC a presentation of those details, including a detailed report on the proposed scope at each site and the intended funding sources.