by Parnia Mazhar
and Ryan McDonald
After a hard-fought election in which fiscal transparency emerged as a key issue for opponents, the Hermosa Beach City School District is forming a committee to oversee funds from a school facilities bond measure.
In June, voters approved Measure S, a $59 million bond that will be used to relieve overcrowding in Hermosa schools. As required by state law, the district is now establishing a Citizens’ Oversight Committee to ensure that the district is properly spending the proceeds of Measure S and sharing how the funds are dispersed with the public.
Applications for a spot on the committee are due by 4 p.m. on Aug 9, and can be completed on the district’s website.
Although committee members will be involved in the spending process, they will not have the power to make spending decisions.
“The purpose of the committee is to provide oversight regarding the spending of the bond revenues,” Superintendent Pat Escalante said in an email. “It is not a decision-making committee.”
Measure S garnered approval from 59.72 percent of voters in June 7 election. But despite the margin of victory, the election produced a bitter opposition, with many in the community concerned that the measure represented a misuse of funds.
Some skeptics now hope to join the oversight committee to influence expenditures.
One woman, a Hermosa resident who asked not to be named so as not to derail her chances of being selected, said she was “ambivalent” about Measure S during the campaign. (The application does not ask whether the applicant supported Measure S, and Escalante said all submissions would be considered.) The woman, who’s grown son previously attended Hermosa View and Valley schools, said she recognized the overcrowding in the district and agreed with the need for facilities upgrades.
But she was disappointed with how the district used the proceeds of 2002’s Measure J, the last school construction bond voters passed. She said that she would prefer to to see spending on existing facilities, rather than on new construction, and said that if selected for the committee she would demand greater specificity from the district.
“The reason I want to be involved is because this school district has not even said what the bond is going to do,” the woman said. “To the extent that there may be an opportunity to influence exactly how the money is spent, that’s why I would like to be involved.”
Supporters of Measure S are also hoping to fill slots on the oversight committee. Heather Baboolal, a founding member of Hermosa Educational Renewal Operation and member of the Yes on S campaign, has applied. She hopes her experience in construction auditing will be of use.
“There’s really a lot of things that have to happen to get to our goal of easing overcrowding through reopening our North and modernizing our other schools,” Baboolal said. “It’s absolutely critical to the future of our community.”
Escalante said that there has been a “good amount” of interest in the positions so far. Proposition 39 imposes certain requirements on the seven-member board’s composition
One member must be an active participant in a taxpayers’ association, one must be the parent or guardian of a district student, and another member must be the parent or guardian of a district student while also a member of member of a parent-teacher association. One member must be involved in a district-related business organization, and another member must be involved with a senior citizens’ organization. The final two members will come from the broader school community.
Each of the five board members will be responsible for selecting one member of the committee, and Escalante will select the two members that are required to be part of the school community.
James Scott, a Measure S supporter who has also applied for a board position, has previously advised HBCSD on expenditure requirements. He said that bond funds can pose difficult questions for the district, and that the advisory committee can provide an important sounding board.
“There are a lot of gray areas. The criteria to always look at is the money going to benefit kids, rather than adults. Ask, How is it going to improve student achievement?” Scott said. “I have confidence in our school board that they’ll do the right thing. But it’s good to have eyes and ears on what they’re doing.”
