Schools foundations disestablished

Deirdre Newman

The $2-million Home Ranch education grant has been yanked back to

its familiar state of limbo after the City Council granted Mayor

Karen Robinson’s request for a re-hearing on how to best distribute

the money.

On Monday, the council voted 3-2 to reconsider how many

foundations should be set up to handle the funds and what kind of

roles they should abide by. The issue will come up again on Feb. 18.

Originally, the City Council voted 3-1 to approve the creation of

two educational foundations -- one for Costa Mesa High School and one

for Estancia High and TeWinkle middle schools. Robinson missed the

vote because of a planned trip to a mayor’s conference in Washington,

D.C.

Robinson’s main contention is that the foundation should be

governed by the Brown Act, an opinion some residents agree with.

“In order to get this money, the residents of certain parts of

Costa Mesa are paying a very high price,” said Sandra Genis, a

resident and former councilwoman. “I think it’s fair to know how the

money should be spent.”

The Segerstrom family offered the $2 million two years ago to

sweeten the deal for its Home Ranch project on the property bordered

by the San Diego Freeway, Fairview Road, Harbor Boulevard and

Sunflower Avenue.

On Jan. 21, the council decided the foundations would not have to

adhere to the strict open meeting rules governing city councils under

the state’s Brown Act, but their meetings would have to be open to

the public and publicized at the schools.

Robinson claims that there is legal precedent illustrating that

the Brown Act is required for these types of public meetings.

Council members Libby Cowan and Gary Monahan dissented, saying the

council’s previous decision was satisfactory.

“I think all safe-guards for the money are in place,” Cowan said.

“If the council had taken action in July, the money could have

already been in the process of being spent.”

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa and may be reached at (949)

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