A closer look -- New faces set to take over school work

Deirdre Newman

NEWPORT-MESA -- As the maestro orchestrating the school district’s

massive campus repair project prepares to depart this week, those who

step in and fill the void of his vacancy will become crucial in ensuring

that major milestones along the way are met.

Assistant Superintendent Mike Fine has been in charge of the program

since the $110-million bond measure was passed in June 2000. He is

leaving the Newport-Mesa Unified School District this week for a similar

post in the Riverside Unified School District.

His departure comes as construction is set to start on the first group

of schools in December -- four months later than originally scheduled

because the state has taken longer than anticipated to approve the

designs, Fine said.

And while the rest of the plan is on schedule, there are some

outstanding issues that still need to be resolved. These include deciding

whether to modernize or replace some buildings at Ensign Intermediate and

Newport Elementary schools and whether voters approve two major state

bonds that should complete the Measure A financing with an additional $63

million.

“It will be incumbent on the voters in November and March 2004 to

approve that statewide school bond,” Fine said. “That’ll be key to our

success.”

STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE

Now stepping in to oversee the program will be Rob Ragland, project

director, and a district-level oversight committee.

“Mike has been a major cog in the whole process; he’s been a critical

player,” Ragland said. “But we and all the other team members are willing

to step up to the plate and put in more effort as needed.”

Five teams are working on the designs for the first group of schools

that will undergo construction. There are four groups altogether.

The drawings are expected to go to the state for approval in June. To

expedite approval, the architects have been meeting with various agencies

to familiarize them with the plans and any special needs or requirements.

Trustee Judy Franco said patience throughout the design process will

pay off.

“It’s been a long, lengthy process but I believe the community will

see as it progresses through the sites that it has been well worth the

wait,” Franco said.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS PARAMOUNT

The citizen oversight committee has been meeting for more than a year

and close to half of the school’s review committees are involved in

design discussions, as well. While a few others have formed, the

remainder have to come together before June, Fine said.

“A few of them [that are meeting] are taking too long todecide what

kind of input to give the architects,” Fine said. “It’s one of those

things that someone will have to pay attention to.”

In terms of funding, the district is banking on the two statewide

bonds in the amount of $25.35 million that will be placed on the November

and March 2004 ballots.

The district is eligible for $63 million, but may not see it all. Even

if it doesn’t get 100% of that, the program will be fully funded through

March 2006 if the district sticks to its schedule, Fine said.

“There’s always that fear that [certain] schools won’t get their

money, but it’s my understanding that the citizens oversight committee

will get the same level of work done,” said parent Jill Money, who is on

the TeWinkle site committee.

LINGERING QUESTIONS

Some issues still need to be ironed out.

The question of modernization versus replacement of buildings depends

on whether the district can qualify for replacement funds, which would

come out of a different category of the state bonds. If the district does

qualify, then the funds they receive for modernization will decrease.

“Right now, the budget supports modernizing, not replacing, because

that’s what we built the program on,” Fine said. “But we’re two years

smarter -- that’s why we get these questions. So we’re setting down and

doing our due diligence to say: ‘What is the right thing? what is the

best thing?”’

The questionable buildings at Ensign, for instance, include the

library and administration building, which would represent a net

difference in replacement funds of more than $4 million.

At Newport Elementary, the district will open up some walls in the

1946 annex this summer to check for water and dry rot damage. Replacement

of the annex would equate to a net difference of more than $1 million.

The school board will ultimately decide on whether to modernize or

replace the buildings.

Another issue still up in the air is how much each school will get for

heating and ventilation. Right now, about $9 million is available.

Engineers working at the various schools have been investigating

options and discussing solutions to make the ventilation more efficient.

Eventually, two or three ideal solutions will be selected that can be

applied to all the schools, Fine said.

Still, as Fine passes the baton to his team, he is confident that the

various aspects of the program will coalesce in a crescendo of activity

that will make up for lost time.

“We believe once things are running full blast, we’ll pick up the

little bit that we’re behind on,” Fine said.

* Deirdre Newman covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 deirdre.newman@latimes.comf7 .