February 10, 2004

Wiseburn School District Board of Trustees
13530 Aviation Boulevard
Hawthorne, CA 90250

RE: Request to Reconsider Budget for Dana and Cabrillo Rebuilding Project

Dear President Meath and Members of the Wiseburn School Board:

The members of the Hollyglen Homeowners Association (HHA) School Rebuilding Committee are concerned about the School Board's January 8, 2004 decision to allocate $22.1 million of the remaining Measure E bond funds to rebuild Dana School (including a new gym), $1.8 million to add a wing onto Burnett School, and defer rebuilding Cabrillo school indefinitely (pending receipt of $10.5 million in uncertain future funding from state matching money and developer fees). We ask you to review the information and comments below, and consider reprioritizing your allocation of the remaining $29 million of Measure E bond funds.

Background:
Wiseburn voters approved a total of $49 million in school bonds for the purpose of rebuilding and refurbishing schools in the Wiseburn School District. Prop. W ($14 million) was approved in 1997 to rebuild Anza and refurbish Burnett School, and Measure E ($35 million) was approved in 2000 to rebuild Dana and Cabrillo schools, and to study the possibility of a Charter High School.

Only $29 million remains of the $35 million Measure E bond funds, which were earmarked for rebuilding Dana and Cabrillo schools. Residents have expressed concern over the $3+ million in cost overruns for the Anza rebuilding project. The community has advised the School District to be cost conscious and live within the existing budget for rebuilding Dana & Cabrillo schools.

Budget / Priority for Measure E Bond Money:
We are concerned by the School Board's decision to defer rebuilding of Cabrillo, and spend nearly all the remaining Measure E bond money on Dana and Burnett, with very little discussion and no input from the community. The stated objective of Measure E was to rebuild both Dana and Cabrillo schools. We are concerned that Cabrillo school will not be rebuilt as promised by the School Board. (See attached copy of "Argument in Favor of Measure E".) We feel the $29 million in available funding should be divided appropriately (60 / 40) between Dana and Cabrillo to ensure that both schools are rebuilt as promised.

We request the School Board consider the following and reevaluate the budget for the remaining $29 million of Measure E funds:

1. The community approved Measure E to rebuild Dana and Cabrillo schools. Therefore, priority for Measure E funds should be given to rebuilding Dana and Cabrillo. The existing $29 million in available funds should be allocated to building new classrooms for both Dana and Cabrillo. The auxiliary facilities (gym, multipurpose rooms at Dana and Cabrillo, and daycare center at Cabrillo) can be deferred until additional funding is received from the state and developer fees.

2. Funding for additional upgrades to Burnett School should come from another source (state matching money, developer fees, or the general fund) instead of Measure E (Dana & Cabrillo rebuilding) funds.

3. Building a new wing at Burnett in time to accommodate the “bubble” of additional students coming from Cabrillo would be rushed. A permanent new wing at Burnett should address a long term rather than a temporary need. To accommodate the temporary "bubble", the School Board should evaluate alternatives such as:

  • Portable classrooms (a short-lead-time solution for additional classroom space at Burnett, that can be removed if no longer needed)
  • Redirect the excess students to Anza (built with excess capacity)

    The voters were promised three new schools: Anza, Dana, and Cabrillo. We are concerned that the School Board is setting a budget that depends upon uncertain future funding and may not fulfill the promise made to the voters of rebuilding both Dana and Cabrillo Schools.

    We would appreciate if the School Board would reconsider its allocation of the $29 million of Measure E funds, and provide a written response to the HHA School Rebuilding Committee by March 1.

    Thank you. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

    Sincerely,

    Cindy Parsons
    Chair, HHA Wiseburn School Rebuilding Committee

    cc: Dr. Don Brann, Wiseburn School District Superintendent
    Mr. Michael Goodsen, City of Hawthorne Planning Department

    Copyright © 2004 Hollyglen Homeowners Association