With the school year over, business at the Culver City School Board at its meeting Tuesday night was mostly concerned with the budget and safe routes to school.
The budget presentation by Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Ali Delawalla, gave a view of the budget that although serious, offered some positives.
This is the fourth year in a row that Culver City Unified School District’s (CCUSD) budget has been impacted by the economy.
The state budget had just been signed on the afternoon of June 28, hours before Delawalla’s presentation. As expected, the budget report noted in its core assumptions that the deficit has increased, with the COLA (cost of living adjustment) factored into the deficit, bringing it to 19.754 percent.
Class size is at an increase of 11:1 for K-3 and will stay that way until Fiscal Year 2014-2015.
There will be parcel tax revenue for the next four years, bringing $1.2 million to the District. Redevelopment revenue is expected to increase by $100 K to $1.3 million (this is pending what happens to redevelopment agencies as per the Governor’s intent to eliminate them). Six furlough days in 2011-2012 will save $1,105,000 in the General Fund. There will also be a cash deferral of 4.5 percent or $11 million.
“Cash flow is the biggest challenge,” said Delawalla. “We have to make sure we have enough cash available to operate.”
Good news for the Board was that CCUSD is filing its 2011-2012 Adopted Budget with a positive certification as the District meets the state required reserve for economic uncertainty of 3 percent for Fiscal Year 2011-2012 and 2013-2014
Delawalla noted the state budget was approved with “no new taxes” which might mean mid-year reductions for CCUSD.
The outlook for the next few months sees revenues climbing by $4 billion between now and January 2012. It is expected that the budget will impose payment deferrals. A change in state law will allow school districts to reduce the school year by seven days. Funding for home to school transportation will also be eliminated.
Later during the meeting, the Board officially adopted the 2011-2-12 budget.
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a program that encourages students to walk or use bikes to get to school and also creates safe walking routes. Culver City Traffic Engineer Gabriel Garcia gave a presentation on the process toward a grant for the SRTS program.
Several community meetings have been held for SRTS, with parents, school district employees, City employees, and other community members discussing the proposed routes.
However, Garcia told the Board that after several meetings, there was a lack of agreement among community members regarding a proposed safe walking and biking plan for the area that includes Farragut, Elenda, and Coombs Streets (where the Middle School, high school, and Farragut Elementary are located). Locals could not agree on traffic plans and were concerned about student safety regarding alleys between streets.
As a result, the grant application has been postponed. (It was to be filed on July 15). The next community meeting on SRTS will be held August 20 from 10 a.m. to noon at City Hall Mike Balkman Council Chambers.
The problems with the SRTS proposed plan became more obvious during Public Comment. Les Greenberg said he thought the plan would have conflicting results-although it is supposed to encourage kids to walk and use bikes, it would in reality result in more parents dropping their kids off and driving away. Paula Greenberg added that she and her husband had seen increased traffic over the years on their street, Farragut. Both Greenbergs urged that children be part of the dialogue, since the plans affect them.
While Board member Karlo Silbiger suggested that a “multi-pronged” approach should be taken to educate people and also encourage walking and biking, Steven Gourley had more specific concerns that he expressed to Garcia.
“Between now and the new grant proposal, what happens? Are we going to get traffic enforcement?” he asked Garcia.
Garcia replied that the Traffic Department is taking a “systematic” approach involving “education, engineering, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation.”
Gourley continued to press Garcia for more specifics. He noted that the City Council had been unable to get three votes to enforce traffic laws. He wanted to see a “Traffic Enforcement Day” scheduled and wanted to know also when the next grant application would happen.
Garcia at first said it would not be possible to apply again until July 2012. Then he admitted that it might be possible to apply in September 2011, at which Gourley expressed relief.
Board chair Scott Zeidman brought the discussion to a close by mentioning that, as the father of a boy who was hit by a car two years ago while on his way to school, he could not be more in support of SRTS and wants to see the program get going.
The Board also said a goodbye and a hello to two members of the District. Gwenis Laura is leaving her post as Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. Board members thanked her for her five years of service and humorously compared her departure to the end of the Mary Tyler Moore TV show. Laura will be replaced by Eileen Carroll whose appointment was approved by the Board.
The Board also officially approved the appointment of Reginald Brunson as principal of El Rincon Elementary. Brunson served as Assistant Director of Watts Learning Center for three years, during which time he was credited with greatly reducing the suspension rate. He “maintains a strong technology background” said Superintendent Patricia Jaffe.
Brunson thanked Jaffe for her introduction and the Board for approving him and said he was happy for the opportunity to work in the CCUSD District.
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