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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/01/1996 - City Council Special Meeting - Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board" A76 SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND NEWPORT -MESA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD MAY 1, 1996 The City Council of the City of Costa Mesa, California, met in special joint session with the Newport -Mesa Unified School District Board on May 1, 1996, at 7:00 p.m., at the Neighborhood Community Center, 1845 Park Avenue, Costa Mesa. The meeting was called to order by the Mayor, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag led by Council Member Monahan, and invocation by School Board President Jim de Boom. ROLL CALL Council Members Present: Mayor Joe Erickson Council Member Mary Hornbuckle Council Member Sandra Genis Council Member Gary Monahan Council Members Absent: Mayor Pro Tem Buffa Officials Present: Acting City Manager Don Lamm Community Services Director Keith Van Holt Recreation Superintendent Chuck Carr Police Lieutenant Ronald Smith Fire Fighter/Paramedic Val Santo Deputy City Clerk Mary Elliott Management Analyst Donna Hinshaw School District Board Board President Jim de Boom of Trustees Present: Board Member Jim Ferryman Board Member Judy Franco Board Member Wendy Leece Board Member Edward Decker (arrived at 7:45 p.m.) School District Board Board Member Martha Fluor of Trustees Absent: Board Member Serene Stokes School District School Superintendent C. M. Bernd Officials Present: Director of Fiscal Services Mike Fine Secretary Virginia Pelletier Mayor's Opening Mayor Erickson announced that the agenda items were'provided by Comments both the City Council and the School Board, and that public comments would be limited to three minutes, unless a member of the Council or School Board requests that additional time be allowed for good cause. He introduced City staff, members. Board President's School Board President de Boom appreciated the opportunity of Opening Comments holding a joint meeting. He offered best wishes to School Board Members Fluor and Stokes, and retired Deputy Superintendent Loats, who are hospitalized. School Enrollment,. Board President de Boom announced the next Agenda item on school Facility Needs, and enrollment, facility needs, and surplus properties. Superintendent Surplus Properties Bernd stated that a comprehensive overview of these issues would be presented by the District's Director of Fiscal Services. 1 J:. The Director of Fiscal Services gave a detailed slide presentation on the Enrollment Prediction Process; Five-year Enrollment Prediction; 1996-97 Predictions; Determination of Capacity; Kindergarten Summary; General Approaches (add relocatable buildings, relocate special day classes, adjust school boundaries with grandfather provisions, reopen Rea School as a high performance/fundamental magnet, or another theme to be determined, continued evaluation of the need for conversion of closed schools). He also spoke on Capacity Utilization (elementary schools); Accumulative Cost of the District's Five-year Plan; and Enrollment Projections (closed and/or surplus school sites).. Board Member Decker arrived at 7:45 p.m. Responding to questions from Council Member Genis, the Director of Fiscal Services reported that kindergarten through 12th grade enrollment grew by approximately 700 pupils from October, 1994, to October, 1995; and prior to that, growth was approximately 50 to 150 students per. °year. He noted that this year's kindergarten enrollment increased significantly. In reply to additional questions from Council Members Hornbuckle and Genis, the Director of Fiscal Services and School Superintendent reported on class sizes and how they are determined, playground areas, and utilization of relocatable classrooms. Council Member Genis expressed concern about students being transported to Adams Elementary School from other areas and relocatable classrooms being brought to the site to accommodate the enrollment. The School Superintendent explained that there were not enough students in the neighborhood to fill that school, and those being transported to Adams School live within a two-mile radius. Council Member Genis asked why the cost to reopen Rea Middle School, approximately $5 million, was so high. The Director of Fiscal Services responded that Rea is in worse condition than any other school, one reason being the age of the facility. In regard to reopening Rea as a magnet school, Mayor Erickson reported that the City has been advising the tenants at the facility (Rea Community Center) that the City's lease with the School District will be terminating next summer. He wondered if the District would be using the entire site for school purposes, or if some of those tenants could remain. The School Superintendent responded that the School Board has not addressed that issue as yet. City's Master Plan of The Mayor presented the City's Master Plan of Parks/Youth Athletic Parks/Youth Athletic Facility Needs. The Community Services Director prefaced his Facility Needs presentation by reporting that most of the information being submitted this evening is contained in the City's Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan which was adopted by the City Council in January, 1996. The Director listed the five sections of his report: (1) Standards and Objectives; (2) Open Space and Recreation Inventory, a listing of parks, school sites, and open space; (3) Needs Analysis and Assessment, concerning existing neighborhood and community parks, public schools,;.vacant land, and potential surplus school sites; (4) Action Plan, identifying specific needs; and (5) Implementation Plan, identifying possible funding sources for recommended improvements. Referring to the Neighborhood Planning Map, he reported that the areas most deficient in neighbor- hood parks are Area 1 (the lower west side) and Area 3 (the east side) with very little open space available for development of athletic facilities. He stated that because of the deficiencies in these two areas, any sites being sold for development seriously impact the City's ability to meet the needs for athletic facilities. The Director mentioned that one of the stated objectives in the Master Plan is to . IL 77 establish with the School District, long-term planning for joint -use facilities that would serve existing and future community recreational needs. The Director provided a detailed review of the charts on "Existing Recreation Athletic Facilities in Public Parks"; "Existing Recreation Athletic Facilities on School Grounds"; "Potential Facilities in Public Parks"; "Potential Facilities on School Grounds",- and rounds";and the "Summary". He pointed out that the potential for facilities in public parks is rather limited. Board President de Boom asked why Fairview Park was not included in the inventory. The Community Services Director responded that the 210 -acre park was excluded because of the many areas outside the control of the City, such as, the archaeological site, three to five vernal pools which are under the control of the Army Corps of Engineers, and wildlife areas. Thereafter, the Community Services Director responded to questions from School Board Members de Boom and Decker on data contained in the aforementioned charts. Board Member Ferryman addressed the vandalism and abuse experienced at certain school sites, and feared that the addition of sports facilities at these schools may escalate the problem. Mayor Erickson understood that the Costa Mesa Police Department now has enforcement authorization on certain school properties. The Community Services Director confirmed that the police are now monitoring three school sites which have had the most problems, Victoria, Paularino, and Sonora. Costa Mesa High Mayor Erickson introduced the next Agenda item, Costa Mesa High School Farm Site School farm site. The Community Services Director announced that this item will be addressed by the City Council at its meeting of May 6, 1996. Mayor Erickson commented that the District and City initially discussed a joint -use agreement whereby the City would . develop the site and use it jointly with the District. He asked if the Board intended to pursue the same joint use now that the property is for sale; and would the Fair Board be involved in that joint use. Board President de Boom expected that the proposal to sell the property to the City would include allowing the Board to honor their original commitments, that is, providing parking for the Fair, the school using the facilities during the daytime, along with the City developing. the athletic fields. He explained that the School District must sell the site, rather than leasing it, because the funds are needed to renovate other school facilities. Mayor Erickson asked if the School District would participate in the cost of developing the site if the City decides to acquire the property, in that some of the facilities would be used by the District. President de Boom responded that the District is offering the site to the City for purchase and development, and would participate in the cost of developing the farm site only if there were funds available after the District has improved its other facilities. Board Member Decker commented that since students would be using the facilities, the District should attempt to participate in the costs if at all possible. Mayor Erickson stated that he too has a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens, and since both agencies serve the same people, the youth of the community should benefit. Board Member Ferryman was of the opinion that once the City purchases the property, it has the right to develop it as a recreational use in any way it sees fit, but he would like the City to follow the previous joint -use plan to some degree. He suggested that the football and track fields remain. at the same location and merely be 1°79 upgraded and fenced. He commented that if the District were to have the site available for student use, he would be willing to share some of the costs under a joint -use agreement. Council Member Hornbuckle asked if the District has certain standards for recreational facilities which must be provided at their high schools. The School Superintendent replied that there are no set standards, but it is highly desirable to have athletic fields and facilities for its physical education programs: a football field, a running track, two gymnasiums, a baseball diamond, and a swimming pool appropriate for CIF water sports. Council Member Hornbuckle asked if it would be possible to rework the entire area around Davis Middle School, TeWinkle Park, and the high school to accommodate more District and City needs, should the City decide not to purchase the property. Board President de Boom responded that there was that possibility. Council Member Monahan asked that whether or not negotiations commence for purchase of the farm site, would the Board be interested in immediately negotiating a joint -use agreement for a portion of Davis School. Board Member Franco recommended that staff members from both agencies begin to investigate that possibility. Board Member Ferryman suggested that these discussions also include'Estancia High School. He felt that it was imperative that the farm site be kept in the public sector for open space use. Board Member Leece commented that if the City decides to purchase the property, the District may be open to offering an extension of the payments. Council Member Genis asked about the parking arrangements for the Fair. The School Superintendent responded that in the past, parking requirements for the Fair did not depend on use of the farm property. He mentioned that the District.is not willing to make the football practice field nor the track available for parking because it has such a detrimental affect on the fall sports programs. He added that there are a number of other areas available for Fair parking. Mayor Erickson stated that making a decision on purchasing the farm site is difficult because the City does not know which other school sites may be available in the near future. Board President de Boom responded that this information would not be available until the end of June; nevertheless, the Board's sentiment is to sell vacant sites, not those with buildings. Board Member Franco commented that at this time, she would be reluctant to dispose of a site containing a facility. RECESS The Mayor declared a recess at 9:00 p.m., and reconvened the meeting at 9:10 p.m. Joint Use Agreement Mayor Erickson presented the Joint Use Agreement. In replying to several..questions from Board Member Ferryman, the Community Services Director reported that the Joint -Use Agreement covers all the sites in the City of Costa Mesa, and referred to the Site Specific Agreements for five school sites: Kaiser, Davis, Costa Mesa, TeWinkle, and California. He stated that under the Site Specific Agreements, the City is required to provide certain maintenance; however, the Joint -Use Agreement determines who uses the facilities, that is, the District has the right to use City facilities on a first -call basis if the City is not using them, and the same applies to the City's use of District facilities. Board Member Ferryman expressed concern about having adequate supervision at the specific sites, and suggested expanding on this issue in the future. The Community Services Director mentioned that the Site Specific Agreements deal primarily with development, rest room usage, cleanup, and maintenance. Mayor Erickson thought it would be preferable to allow the youth athletic groups to use the existing rest rooms at the schools without having to pay the high fees. Board President de Boom and Mayor Erickson agreed that staff should investigate the rest room issue. Board Member Franco believed that .staff from both agencies should review the existing agreements, and perhaps look at agreements between other school districts and cities to see how they have addressed the same questions. Council Member Monahan referred to a park ranger program which will be addressed by the Council during the budget study session. He asked if the program, would be used at the joint -use sites as well as at City parks. The Community Services Director responded that the proposal is to have the park ranger visit those school sites being used by the City, when necessary. Council Member Monahan suggested that when staff members from both agencies meet to discuss the existing District/City agreements, they could also address Site Specific plans for the sites discussed earlier, such as, Davis, the Costa Mesa High School track site, as well as Estancia High School. Estancia High School Mayor Erickson presented Estancia High School stadium/sports Stadium/Sports facilities. The School Superintendent introduced Jim Scott, Sr. and Facilities Jim Scott, Jr. who submitted their latest rendering of a sports facility which they are proposing for construction on the Estancia High School property. Jim Scott, Jr. gave a detailed explanation of the project as shown on the rendering. During discussion, Jim Scott, Jr. reported that the cost of the facility would be from $1.8 to $3.7 million depending upon which features are selected, and of that total, $:5 million will be used for preconstruction costs. Mayor Erickson stated that he would like to have firm figures before the project is presented at a Council Study Session. Council Member Monahan expressed interest in the Scotts' ideas for the Parson School site, and asked if the football field will be used by Estancia High School only. Jim Scott, Sr. responded that the field would be available for any School District function. Board Member Decker stated that all groups who have reviewed the project have been very supportive of the concept, and suggested that it may be an appropriate time to assemble a task force for fund-raising purposes. Facility Use Mayor Erickson introduced the first Informational Item on the Enforcement Agenda, Facility Use Permit Enforcement. Since this subject was briefly discussed earlier in the meeting, there were no questions for the Community Services Director. D.A.R.E. Program Mayor Erickson announced the second Informational Item, the D.A.R.E. Program. The Costa Mesa Police Lieutenant gave a brief history of the program; stating that in January of 1994, attempts were made to reduce' costs and a suggestion was made to reduce the number of D.A.R.E. officers from two full-time officers to one full- time and one part-time officer. The Lieutenant explained that the full-time officer spent 25 percent of his time on the D.A.R.E. program and 75 percent as a narcotics detective; but after review of the program; it was -determined that not enough attention was being paid to . the lower grades, and that the cutback was adversely affecting the program. He added that in September of 1995, two full-time officers were assigned to D.A.R.E., and now, more time is being spent with , younger students and interacting with high school students. He stated that it is his intention to retain two full-time officers utilizing 100 percent of their time on the D. A. R. E. program. Board President de Boom expressed his appreciation for the program and its positive impact on the students. Board Member Franco echoed the Board President's comments of support, and encouraged the Police Department to look into the high school portion of the D.A.R.E. program which some districts are now doing. She stated that it has been quite successful in Los Angeles, particularly by adding the anti -gang program and continuing with the anti-drug and anti -alcohol curriculum. Mayor Erickson suggested that Board Member Franco provide any printed information she may have available. CPR Concept The Fire Department Management Analyst reported that in 1992, Proposal there was a fifth conference on CPR and emergency cardiac care, and it was determined that there was a weak link in the bystander CPR giver. Based on this information, she indicated that the Fire Department would like to work with the Newport -Mesa Unified School District to educate the high school students on CPR, accessing 911, etc., designated "Project Wipeout". She reported that the cost of the program would be approximately $300,000.00 over a 20 -year period ($15,000.00 per year), and that donations are being solicited through the business community. The Firefighter/Paramedic related that this proposal, using all five high schools in the District, was presented to the Orange County Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMSA) as a pilot program for the entire County, and would be the largest program in the Country. Comments from the Ray Torre, 357 Esther Street, Costa Mesa, Board President for the Public/Open Space Newport -Harbor Baseball Association, thanked the City Council and Facilities the School Board for the two baseball fields at Kaiser School. He stressed the need for more youth sports facilities in the community. Tom Mason, 989 Arbor Street, Costa Mesa, thought that the City benefitted greatly by the Joint -Use Agreement, and felt the City should share more equitably in the cost of providing sports facilities for the youth of the community. Paulette Witt, 3054 Hayes Avenue, Costa Mesa, supported the joint meeting, and encouraged the Council and Board to work together to provide adequate facilities for the children in the community. Heather Somers, 427 East 17th Street, Costa Mesa, President of the East Side Homeowners Association, stated that she continues to be concerned about the serious deficiency of open space on the east side.: She urged the City Council to work with the School Board in determining the total availability of property for the entire district. She also voiced concern about ' the School District's projected budgetary shortfall which may occur in the next 3 to 5 years. Mrs. Somers noted that 8 of the 11 closed schools are located in Costa Mesa where the student enrollment is at its highest. Michael Dunlevy, 245 East Wilson Street, Costa Mesa, referred to the last item on Page 9 of the School District presentation, "Continue to evaluate need for conversion of closed schools on an on-going basis", and suggested developing a District policy on school closures so the City would have a better idea of what may a occur in the future. He suggested developing a "mission statement" which would protect the open space and park needs of the people, and guide the Board in its decision to sell or reopen school sites. School Board Board President de Boom thanked the City for the new trees which Comments line the street at Kaiser School. Mayor Erickson gave credit to Releaf Costa Mesa who were responsible for the improvement. The Board President Board President wished a speedy recovery to Board Members Fluor de Boom and Stokes. Board Member Board Member Ferryman encouraged the public to make their Ferryman opinions known concerning the farm property and the expansion of the Joint Use Agreement. He felt it was important to preserve the farm site for open space, and hoped an agreement could be reached. Board Member Leece Board Member Leece commented that the Board's desire to work with the City a year ago was sincere, but given recent projections, their priorities have changed. She suggested that if there are future questions, or if there is an area of concern, the Board would want to work with the Council to resolve the problems, especially regarding the farm site. Board Member Board Member Franco thought that the meeting was very productive Franco and perhaps each group has learned more about the other's needs. Board Member Board Member Decker thanked the School District staff and City Decker staff for compiling the information for the joint meeting. He indicated that most of the growth in the next five years will be at the elementary school level, noting that there is no growth problem at the high school level. He stated that the Board must be certain that arrangements are made to accommodate all students as far into the future as possible, and it would irresponsible of the Board not to do so. He could not foresee a need to construct a school on the farm site. Board Member Decker hoped the Council would take very seriously the potential that exists at the farm site, and that Council would open up all avenues of discussion in terms of price and future joint -use agreements. Council Member Council Member Monahan thanked the School Board for initiating Comments the joint meeting, especially Board Member Decker for the original suggestion. He also thanked the Scotts for their presentation and all Council Member their efforts in putting together the proposal for Estancia High Monahan School. Council Member Monahan announced that the farm site would be discussed at the next Council meeting on May 6, 1996, and invited public input. Council Member Council Member Genis stated that she initially was concerned about Genis the majority of school closures occurring in Costa Mesa, and that most of the relocatables were being placed in Costa Mesa, which seemed to be somewhat of a contradiction; but she was reassured by the Board's indication that they will move slowly and cautiously on selling any more sites. She expressed her desire to share each agency's overall needs and projections, urged the Board to move forward with the proposed redistricting as soon as possible, and expressed a desire to continue having joint meetings. Council Member Council Member Hornbuckle reported that the City has allocated Hornbuckle approximately $5 million to acquire park sites Citywide; and she was concerned about spending all of those funds on the purchase of the farm property and depleting the City's parks budget for some time to come. She stated that when Rea School is reopened, which is on 1 � } f the District's projection, she hoped the Board would consider retaining some of those programs because many of them serve the students as well as the citizens of Costa Mesa. She suggested that the Board consider relocating the programs to the Harper School site which will be vacated soon. Mayor Erickson Mayor Erickson mentioned that he and the City Manager discussed certain ideas that would provide revenue to the School District and open space to the City in perpetuity, such as, the City's purchasing school sites in today's dollars at a reduced fee, then leasing back those sites to the District for a nominal fee. He encouraged both agencies to be creative. Rea School Site Board Member Decker addressed the issue of reopening Rea School, and advised Council that at this time, it is merely a staff recommendation which has not been brought forward to the School Board as yet. ADJOURNMENT The Mayor declared the meeting adjourned at 10:20 p.m. ,4v, May of the City of Costa Mesa ATTEST: T Deputy City Cl fof the City of Costa Mesa