School Board  is Scheduled to Vote This Tuesday, February 19th!

The School Board of the Huntington Beach City School District is scheduled to vote Tuesday, February 19th, regarding what to do with our community’s 4 school sites.  This meeting will be at 7:00 pm, at the District Office (20451 Craimer Lane, HB). 

The School Board will be voting on the following:

1) Whether to begin negotiations with Brethren on leasing Gisler and with HCS on leasing Burke. 

2) The sale of the LeBard school site. 

3) To hold off on any action, at this time, regarding the Kettler school site.

The LeBard school site is the current location for the Seaview Little League fields.  Over 600 children participate in Seaview Little League.  The LeBard school site could be leased for at least $360,000 a year. 

As a result of the School Board’s choice to not do anything with Kettler, since it was closed, the District has already lost approximately $825,000 in possible lease income.   In light of the fact that the school district is anticipating a budget cut of $2.5 million in State funding, and may not give teachers pay raises, it is imperative that the School Board determine what they are going to do with the Kettler school site as soon as possible.  The Kettler school site could be used for the District Office (since is has recently modernized) or it could be leased out for at least $360,000 a year. 

Please help us encourage the School Board to do the following:

Now is the time to make sure the School Board knows that the Community is supportive of negotiating leases for both the Burke (HCS) and Gisler (Brethren) school sites.

It is also important to let the School Board know that the Community wants the District to negotiate in good faith, keeping in mind that both schools have been good tenants, and that other school districts (e.g. Ocean View) are willing to lease to these schools (for less than the current leases with HBCSD) if HBCSD is not willing to offer lease terms that are a ” Win-Win” for both HBCSD and the 2 tenants.

If the School Board leases out 3 of the 4 school sites (Burke, Gisler and Kettler or LeBard) and then uses the 4th site for the District Office, the District will earn a minimum of $1.3 million a year in lease income, which will increase with each passing year, for years to come!

Please send an email to the School Board and let them know your position on these issues. The email address for the School Board is:

Board@hbcsd.k12.ca.us

Also, please attend the meeting on Tuesday the 19th, and “Speak Out”, before it is too late!  Even if you do not feel comfortable speaking in public, just your presence at this meeting will let the School Board know that the Community is interested and concerned about what happens to these school sites. 

The agenda for the School Board meeting on the 19th is attached.  

Thank You for YOUR support of OUR Community!