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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-29-1999 Joint Study Session CityLE/LEUSD MINUTES JOINT STUDY SESSION CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE/LAKE ELSINORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT LAKE ELSINORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 545 CHANEY STREET LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1999 ************************************************************* CALL TO ORDER Board President Knight called the Joint Meeting to order at 3:04 p.m. ROLL CALL CITY COUNCIL: PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: BRINLEY, METZE, SCHIFFNER, KELLEY ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: PAPE - DISTRICT BOARD: PRESENT: BOARDMEMBERS: CORRAL, MARTINEAU MC CLINDON, KNIGHT ABSENT: BOARDMEMBERS: WILSON Also present were: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lindsey, City Manager Watenpaugh, Assistant City Manager Best, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Young, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel and Special Education McCarthy, Executive Director of Administrative Services and Personnel Wise, Community Services Director Sapp, Administrative Services Director Boone, Community Development Director Sapp, Deputy City Clerk Bryning and Administrative Assistant Wise. DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. City-Wide Development Proiect. (F: 142.1) This item will be continued to later in the meeting to allow City staff to provide a map from the GIS system. 2. School Facilities Needs Analysis. Superintendent Lindsey gave an overview of the requirements of SB50 for School Facilities Needs Analysis, which must be up-dated PAGE TWO - JOINT STUDY SESSION - SEPTEMBER 29, 1999 on an annual basis. She stated that this is based on annual growth and provides 50% of the necessary funding to build new schools. Superintendent Lindsey gave an overview of the funding mechanism necessary to build new schools and noted the various levels available through the State of California. Assistant Superintendent Young gave an overview of the School Facilities Needs Analysis for School Facilities and noted the student generation factors necessary to analyze the current and future needs of the District to provide education. There was general discussion regarding the attitude of developers regarding the projected school fees that will be set by the Analysis and it was noted in the discussion that only one developer responded to the Analysis. Superintendent Lindsey stated that factors change each year and that is the purpose of an annual update. Councilwoman Brinley asked who the developer was. Assistant Superintendent Young stated that it was TMC and they had two concerns that were addressed by the District. He noted the problem with developers, who come into the District with large products, then find that they have to downscale, which changes the formula. Councilwoman Brinley asked how the fees are calculated. Superintendent Lindsey explained that square footages and the economy playa major role in establishing fees. Councilman Schiffner asked how the fees for the Lake Elsinore Unified School District compare to other districts. Assistant Superintendent Young stated that the District's fees are comparable to other districts. Boardmember Martineau stated that they are substantially lower than Temecula. There was general discussion regarding the funding of schools and necessary fee calculations. Assistant Superintendent Young and Superintendent Lindsey gave an overview of the current facilities and the future facilities planned for the District. Superintendent Lindsey noted the building of a new school in the Lincoln area and gave an overview of the three funding alternatives and how they work. There was general discussion regarding the current condition and overcrowding of some of the schools in the District and the qualifications for funding. Superintendent Lindsay noted that the District has funding for restoration and expansion of 5 schools in the District and funding for 9 new schools. She explained that the District uses similar designs for elementary schools to save money. PAGE THREE - JOINT STUDY SESSION - SEPTEMBER 29, 1999 Mayor Kelley requested clarification of the information the City needs to provide to assist the School District in their efforts. Superintendent Lindsey stated that it is necessary to gain information on future development to better know where to locate new school sites. She explained that in this way they would have a better idea how to best serve the community. Board President Knight noted the problem with overcrowding and placement of students during construction. Councilwoman Brinley questioned the student population proposed for each school site. Board President Knight stated that the State looks at about 10 acres for an Elementary School, 20 acres for a middle school and 40 acres for a high school. He stated that they are currently looking for a 50-acre site to build a new high school. Superintendent Lindsey stated that elementary schools are designed for 750 students, Middle Schools are designed for 1,200 and a high school is designed for 2,700. Boardmember Corral stated that the District does not want the students to be packed into classrooms like sardines and it is necessary to meet the increased students needs. - Boardmember Martineau stated that while the additional schools are being build, the District can keep adding portables, however there is a need to consider the infrastructures and noted that additional portables along with an increase in student population is not adequately covered by the existing infrastructure; which can become a safety and health concern. President Knight noted that the mandatory class reduction has created a problem not only on a personnel level but also on the "housing of students" issues. Mayor Kelley asked if the District would be reducing class sizes at all grade levels or only at the elementary level. Superintendent Lindsey stated that at this time it is at elementary school level only. She noted the difficulty in implementing such a program at the middle school and high school levels, due to the lack of classrooms and the lack of land to place more portable classrooms. She addressed the school site on North Lincoln and stated that the District has received 100% funding and will break ground after January 2000 and will be finished and ready to open in July 2001. There was general discussion regarding the funding sources and the use of funds. There was further discussion regarding the student population of the existing schools and the future increase in students and the general locations that are anticipated. PAGE FOUR - JOINT STUDY SESSION - SEPTEMBER 29, 1999 3. Mutual Safety Issues. Superintendent Lindsey presented an overview of the traffic issues such as sidewalks and crosswalks as well as their placement. She noted safety issues that directly affected students and their wellbeing. Executive Director of Administrative Services and Personnel Wise addressed the training and use of crossing guards and noted the only areas that warrant their use should have stoplights and crosswalks. He further noted the stop sign issue in Tuscany Hills. City Manager Watenpaugh explained that it is a matter of understanding the requirements. He noted that it is the City's responsibility to meet safety needs and still be within the laws. He noted that the traffic engineer has made a review of the stop sign request and explained that the City must follow the program and guidelines of the State. Boardmember Corral noted a number of incidents that have occurred in the Tuscany area and explained that it is necessary to find a way to address street safety and parking issues at all the school sites. She noted that it is necessary to find some way to work jointly. She further noted that the State does not fund for parking lots on school sites. Mayor Pro Tern Metze addressed the signal on Central and the difficulties the City had with the installation of that signal. Councilwoman Brinley noted that it was through a cooperative effort between the School District, the City and Cal Trans. She agreed that the safety of the students must be addressed. Councilwoman Brinley suggested a joint Public Safety Committee between the City and the School District to address these issues and perhaps develop ordinances to address the issues. Boardmember Martineau stated that this action would have to include the City of Canyon Lake and Wildomar and all the other County areas. Councilman Schiffner stated that there was a need to identify the problem areas, work together with the other areas to identify the problems and then address the issues at the State level. He indicated that the State needs to recognize the differences between the City and the individual needs of the Schools within the City and the other surrounding areas. He stated that it was important to define the differences. Superintendent Lindsey noted that there is an effort to design more than one area of ingress and egress at the new school sites to address the safety issues. She noted that she felt that there had never been enough parking at any school. PAGE FIVE - JOINT STUDY SESSION - SEPTEMBER 29, 1999 There was general discussion regarding the possible implementation, how it could be facilitated, and how cooperative the County is in regard to working with the City and School District regarding safety Issues. Councilman Schiffner questioned the cooperative funding for traffic signals and asked if there was some way that the District could participate. Assistant Superintendent Young noted that a school would have to be close to a proposed signal before the District could participate in joint funding for a signal. City Manager Watenpaugh explained that there are regional traffic fees and they are addressed on a uniform basis for City and County and could be addressed in that manner. He stated that staff could move forward in contacting the County and setting up meetings to address safety issues. Mayor Kelley recapped the identified problems at Tuscany, and Terra Cotta Middle School where illegal parking is a major problem, and the synchronization of the Signal lights at Dexter/Central. 1. City- Wide Development Project. - Community Development Director Brady presented a GIS map, which gave the locations of the different Residential, Industrial/Commercial and Potential Industrial/Commercial Projects. He gave an overview of the Residential and Industrial/Commercial projects that are in process or have recently broken ground and the status of each project. Board President Knight asked if the City could provide a copy of the map that was presented. Community Development Director Brady stated that the map presented was for the School District's use. There was general discussion regarding the number of units that are proposed for each residential project; as well as defining the boundaries of the City. President Knight asked that the rest of the meeting be brief, since the School Board has a previous commitment and must leave by 5 :00 p.m. 4. Transportation. Councilwoman Brinley stated that she had asked to have the subject of Transportation added to the Agenda to provide information regarding bussing. She noted the success of the Val Verde Project and explained that she wished to see the School District and RDA work together on the project to provide bussing for children outside the PAGE SIX - JOINT STUDY SESSION - SEPTEMBER 29, 1999 area. She noted that this would include proper bus passes with lower student rates. She assured the School District that R T A was trying to work out the problems that the students have had in gaining transportation to attend Continuation School. She noted that RTA will try and bring the educational part of busing to the different schools to encourage use of public transportation. Boardmember Martineau noted that Boardmember Wilson could not attend, however she wanted compliments passed on for collaboration between R T A, City and the School District. Councilwoman Brinley stated that the Video the City, RTA and Students from the District produced won an award from AFT A. She stated that the same type of information from the video is being looked at to do on a National level. Superintendent Lindsey stated that there is time for only one more item and asked the Board and Council to choose which item they wished to review. 7. Recreation Opportunities. Mayor Kelley stated that she had special interest in Recreational Opportunities and wished to point out that the City would like to work with the School District on the Crew Program which is getting bigger everyday. She noted the City's desire to be involved in a swimming program. Boardmember Martineau stated that the District has worked with Extreme Aquatics, which originally worked through Ortega Trails. She noted the activities and size of their program, which includes several hundred kids, and she does not want to see those kids shoved aside. She suggested that the City might want to work in cooperation with Extreme Aquatics. She noted that Extreme Aquatics has their own insurance now, and doesn't need Ortega Trails to present their program. She further noted that the proceeds over and above the cost of the program go to the School District and she explained that she did not want to see the District loose the program. Mayor Kelley stated that she would not like to see the District loose that program or income, however as the District builds new schools, she asked that the District keep the City in mind. - Boardmember Corral stated that as all the new tracts come on line, consideration should be given for acreage for schools as well as parks. - Boardmember Martineau stated that she would like to see the City and District work cooperatively to expand recreational uses of available facilities through a joint effort. She noted the loss of the after-school day care, which includes park and recreation. PAGE SEVEN- JOINT STUDY SESSION - SEPTEMBER 29, 1999 Councilwoman Brinley stated that she would like to see the School District and the City work on bringing back Kids on Track. She noted the value of the program and how it contributed to the community. Mayor Kelley stated her appreciation for the opportunity to meet jointly and expressed a desire to have additional meetings on a regular basis to share information. ADJOURNMENT The Joint Study Session adjourned at 4:38 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, - ATTEST: 2LC}~bJ VICKI KASAD, CITY CLERK CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE