COMMUNITY COMMENTARY:

One of the most important facts to know about Huntington Beach City School District and its current property deliberations is there is no plan to sell four district properties.

The board of trustees has affirmed in open meeting discussion on several occasions, the most recent being the Sept. 4 study session, that even if a decision is made to sell property, at least two school sites would be retained against future potential school use.

So the “selling four school sites” phrase is inflammatory and inaccurate.

The board may lease any or all properties, as noted in the Request for Proposal that was approved by the board in August. The “RFP” invited proposals for sale, lease or trade of any of the four school properties not in current public school use. Notice this is an RFP process, not going out for bids. Our RFP is worded to allow the district to consider and follow up on any or none of the proposals that come in.

Termination of current leases allows equal review of proposals on each property. The district board of trustees is in the midst of an extensive study and discussion of property and facilities issues. Decisions have not been made yet. Much has been written about the fact that two-year notices were given to the two private schools leasing our properties. Those notices simply serve to make an even playing field for any proposals — including renegotiated leases with the current tenants — to be considered as we develop a comprehensive plan.

The board must consider many factors in determining how to best serve the needs of our students and schools. Figuring out a long-term “best use” plan for Huntington Beach City School District’s properties is not a simple task. Four sites are not in use as district schools. Three were closed more than 20 years ago and went through our last population bulge without being needed as schools; the fourth, Kettler, was closed two years ago and remains vacant, awaiting a board decision for its use.

As trustees of these capital resources of the school district and as elected officials duty-bound to maximize the educational opportunities for our district students, we are faced with a number of interwoven issues regarding district properties. Among the questions we face are the following:

?What school facilities are most likely to be needed as district schools 10, 20, or 50 years from now?

?What improvements to the education and safety of our students and to the effectiveness of our district can be made with more capital funding?

?Is the best way to preserve sites we might potentially need in the future to lease them to private schools? To lease to other interested entities? To use as a central district office?

?For sites unlikely to ever be used as public schools again, how do we get the best financial return for current and future district students, and for our taxpayers? Lease — short or long term? Trading property for sites more suitable to continuing district needs? Sale and use of the proceeds for other facilities needs?

?How much should the current youth sports use of fields, granted by the district at 11 district sites, factor into decisions made by the board about any one site?

?What kind of additional agreements might be reached between our school district and the city of Huntington Beach regarding public athletic facilities and parkland, functions of city government?

There is a lot more to say on these issues, but I want to leave you with this message: We take our responsibility to the current and future students of Huntington Beach City School District and to the community in which we live very seriously, which is why we are examining all options and issues before proposing a long term course of action.

CELIA JAFFE is governing board vice president of the Huntington Beach City School District.