In the spotlight

Angelique Flores

Confrontational letters and a Web site, angry community meetings and

threats of recall have hailed upon the Ocean View School District

superintendent and board of trustees in the wake of several controversial

decisions.

The latest controversy concerns proposed middle school gymnasiums with

the residents most opposed to project coming from the Spring View

neighborhood.

“We do have a lot of concerns, and there are a lot of angry people,”

said Spring View resident Fred Frangente. “Spring View people are up in

arms over this.”

But the district’s problems with residents date back much further than

the recent Spring View problems. Supt. James Tarwater, who has felt the

brunt of the criticism, came under fire in 1995 over his agreement to

lease the closed Crest View site to Wal-Mart and the district’s decision

to allow youth soccer groups to use the Meadow View School site has

resulted in complaints and vandalism at the school.

“You develop a thick skin,” Tarwater said. “The superintendent of any

district will be the lightning rod.”

Having jumped on the bandwagon later than the other communities, the

Spring View neighborhood group is now the most vocal during meetings,

echoing many of the same concerns previously raised by other residents.

“These other groups are caving in, but we won’t,” Frangente said. “Our

main goal is to prevent the gyms.”

While the gyms have gained support with some residents -- as long as

the district works with the neighbors to iron out the details -- each

neighborhood has a faction that is keeping its arms closed to whole idea.

None are as adamant as the Spring View neighbors.

“We’re not open to anything except complete abandonment of the

project,” said Frangente, who calls the project “flawed.” “We want no

compromise.”

Other residents are also opposed to the project. However, they feel

that it shouldn’t be a priority.

“We think there are a lot of other needs,” said Stefan Rubendall,

spokesman for the Spring View residents group. “We want to be assured

that all 15 schools have everything they need for educational purposes

before they go off on the gym venture. If everything is perfect, and

they’ve got this extra money sitting there, then a gym is a good thing

for the children if done in a proper way.”

Residents in other areas agree.

“The priority should be modernizing all schools before building the

gyms,” said Mesa View Middle School parent and resident Ed Falzon. “We

need to modernize first, then build the gyms.”

Tarwater argues that the district does have its priorities straight

and said the district is and will remain on track in its repairs and

modernization projects, in which they have spent $19.6 million over the

past six years.

“Modernization will always continue to be a priority,” Tarwater said.

“We’re not going to stop doing modernization.”

Because the process of repairs and improvements will remain ongoing,

the district cannot wait for until all the work is done before beginning

the gymnasium project.

Besides the gym project, Spring View neighbors have put the district

under a magnifying glass in looking at Proposition 1A, a $9.2-billion

bond measure passed in 1998 that earmarked state matching money for the

repair and construction of schools.

In letters to the district and addresses to the board, community

members have questioned why the district didn’t receive more than the

$1.28 million for three schools and an additional $987,144 from future

bond cash.

“If you see a pile of money with a free sign on it, you don’t pass it

by,” Falzon said. “We’re all upset that the district passed up this

money.”

According to Chris DeLong, project manager for the California Office

of Public School Construction, the district was eligible for $22.8

million in state funds for modernization at all 15 schools.

But Tarwater argues that district was diligent in seeking the funds,

but was tripped up by the state guidelines.

Under the state guidelines, districts have 18 months to submit a form

certifying that it has entered into a contract for 50% of the work and

also has the 20% matching funds.

From the date the state releases the funds, the district has another

18 months to have the work substantially completed, which could be a

least 90% of the work under contract or 50% of the construction

completed, DeLong said. If the work is not complete under these time

constraints, the state takes back the money.

“A lot [of districts] do stagger,” DeLong said. “It’s difficult to

have modernization projects at all 15 schools at once.”

Because Ocean View did not qualify for money under the funding program

prior to Proposition 1A, they did not have any plans or bids approved for

modernization projects, as other districts such as Westminster School

District.

“Unless you had a bond, and had projects and money lined up, you

couldn’t do all 15 school sites in 18 months,” Tarwater said. “Look at

what we’ve spent, not what we haven’t spent.”

And the community is looking at the district very closely. So closely,

that some residents have created a Web site to inform their neighbors

about Proposition 1A and the gymnasium project.

Residents who were active in Crest View United have also chimed in

board meetings in support of these community efforts. Left over fervor

over the lost Wal-Mart issue has been transferred over to the Spring View

community.

Some residents are so upset that they’ve threatened to recall some

board members.

“Nobody’s really serious about it yet,” Falzon said.

Serious or not, the rumors continue to fly.

Board President Carol Kanode hopes to mend the rift over a lack of

trust between the district and the community. She hopes to hold a public

hearing and study session before the board makes any decisions about the

gyms.

“We’re not going to make everybody happy,” Kanode said. “The goal is

to have a process that we could make an intelligent decision based on

children in the district and the community.”