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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-11-15 City Schools Liaison Committee Summary Minutes Page 1 of 10 Special Meeting November 15, 2018 Chairperson Holman called the meeting to order at 8:32 A.M. in the Community Meeting Room, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, California. Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives Karen Holman, Council Member, Committee Chair Eric Filseth, Vice Mayor Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager, Staff Liaison Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives Todd Collins, Board Member Ken Dauber, Board Member, Board President Jim Novak, District Chief Business Officer, Staff Liaison Absent: Oral Communications None. Minutes Approval 2. Approval of Minutes for the October 18, 2018 City/School Liaison Committee Meeting. Chair Holman requested the time of adjournment be corrected. MOTION: Board Member Dauber moved, seconded by Chair Holman to approve the City School Liaison Committee minutes, with the correction to the time of adjournment of the meeting. MOTION PASSED: 4-0 3. Review Recent City Council / PAUSD Board Meetings. a. CITY i. Public Safety Building ii. Referral to Identify $4 Million in General Fund Savings iii. Study Session With Senator Hill iv. Study Session on Traffic City/School Liaison Committee Special Meeting Draft Minutes DRAFT MINUTES Page 2 of 10 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Working Minutes: 11/15/2018 b. PAUSD: i. Update on California Voters Rights Act ii. 2019 Calendar Vice Mayor Filseth reported the Council was reviewing its structure with two fewer Council Members beginning in 2019. A Study Session with the Youth Council resulted in a number of ideas. Many of the concerns raised by the Youth Council involved school issues. The Council discussed a new residential development on San Antonio. Staff was struggling to find structural changes that could fund a $4 million savings, and the Council directed Staff to return to the Finance Committee in November with proposals. The Study Session with Senator Hill focused on grade separation and transportation in the Bay Area with some mention of housing. The Council approved the financing of the California Avenue garage project through the use of Certificates of Participation (COPs). Chair Holman added that the Council discussed methods to integrate the Youth Council into some City processes and to obtain input from the Youth Council. Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager, noted the Youth Council was involved in the community debate regarding bicycling versus driving. Chair Holman advised that the Council discussed housing mandates and wildfires with Senator Hill. The Council approved the design of the Public Safety Building. Housing would be a Council agenda item in the next few weeks. Board Member Collins inquired about the anticipated market price for the City's COPs. Vice Mayor Filseth seemed to recall it would be 3.5-4 percent. The Council discussed replacing COPs with General Obligation (GO) bonds; however, that would not be practical in this instance. The Council also considered a mix of taxable and non-taxable bonds, but that would limit refinancing the bonds. Board Member Dauber disclosed that voters approved Measure Z, the $460 million bond measure, and term limits for members of the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education (Board). PAUSD received a letter regarding the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) and responded with a request for additional information regarding the basis for the claim. A draft calendar for the 2019-2020 school year was being circulated to bargaining units and could be adopted in December. DRAFT MINUTES Page 3 of 10 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Working Minutes: 11/15/2018 4. City and District Staff Comments and Announcements. Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager, reported that the Rail Committee was currently focusing on the Charleston Road and Meadow Drive rail crossings in its discussion of grade separations. A technical and cost analysis of three alternatives for the crossings was underway. Renderings and details of the alternatives would be shared at a community meeting scheduled for November 28 and with the Council on December 17. Vice Mayor Filseth and Council Member DuBois were re-elected, and Allison Cormack was elected to the Council. Voters approved an increase in the Transient Occupancy Tax. Staff would meet with Superintendent Austen and Assistant City Manager Shikada following the meeting. Board Member Collins inquired whether a tunnel alternative for rail crossings remained under consideration. Mr. de Geus answered yes. The Rail Committee was investigating seven options for the four crossings. The only Citywide alternative, a tunnel, was being evaluated. Board Member Collins inquired regarding a potential timeframe for the increased frequency of trains through Palo Alto. Mr. de Geus expected an increase in Caltrain's service level would occur in 2022. The planning and construction of grade separations were a ten-year process; therefore, the soonest grade separations could be complete was 2028. He did not have details regarding the impact of increased train service on traffic circulation. Board Member Collins noted the school commute would be challenging for about five years. Mr. de Geus added that construction of grade separations would add to the challenges. Ed Shikada, Assistant City Manager, expected the frequency of trains to increase incrementally based on service needs and demand and on the availability of labor and equipment. Caltrain's electrification project could begin construction in mid-2019. Discussions with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) were ongoing regarding the use of funds for grade separations within Santa Clara County. Vice Mayor Filseth requested the status of the reverse hybrid alternative. DRAFT MINUTES Page 4 of 10 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Working Minutes: 11/15/2018 Mr. de Geus explained that the reverse hybrid looked very similar to the trench option; therefore, Staff combined the two. Don Austen, Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Superintendent of Schools, reported he would attend the California School Boards Association conference in San Francisco, where he hoped to gather information regarding the methods other school boards had utilized to address housing. The PAUSD Board of Education (Board) would discuss PAUSD's budget in December. In January, the Board would hold a Study Session to discuss the future of PAUSD and priority areas. Board Member Dauber was re-elected to the Board. Jim Novak, PAUSD Chief Business Officer, noted air quality was an issue of concern, and PAUSD had moved students' outdoor activities indoors and issued respirators to PAUSD staff who routinely worked outdoors. Council Member Holman asked if outdoor activities for all grades had been moved indoors. Mr. Novak responded yes. Council Member Holman inquired about the possibility of closing schools for the week of Thanksgiving. Mr. Austen advised that schools were closed for the week of Thanksgiving. Council Member Holman asked if housing mandates would be a topic of discussion at the California School Boards Association conference. Mr. Austen disclosed that topics would include financing methods. Board Member Dauber clarified that the topic would be financing of teacher and staff housing. Mr. Austen suggested the City continue to host the City/School Liaison Committee meetings rather than the City and PAUSD alternating years as host. Mr. Shikada related that the City would be happy to host the meetings. Chair Holman did not know of a reason to alternate years, but City and PAUSD Staff could work out the details. DRAFT MINUTES Page 5 of 10 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Working Minutes: 11/15/2018 5. Stanford University General Use Permit (GUP). Board Member Dauber reported the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education (Board) held a Study Session with Supervisor Simitian and adopted a Resolution requesting the Board of Supervisors seek Stanford University's compliance with PAUSD's priorities when negotiating a Development Agreement. PAUSD needed operational funding and real property to support students who may live in the housing that Stanford University proposed through the General Use Permit (GUP). Ed Shikada, Assistant City Manager, advised that City Staff participated in a meeting with the County of Santa Clara (County) Board of Supervisors, and the Board of Supervisors directed staff to proceed with the Development Agreement process. Board Member Collins noted that County Planning Staff were beginning community outreach related to the Development Agreement. Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager, recommended the City and PAUSD coordinate their efforts regarding the GUP and Development Agreement. The City and PAUSD had several common interests. Board Member Dauber urged the City to view the quality of public education as a component of the GUP's impact on Palo Alto. Based on property tax exemptions, the GUP could have a $60 million impact on PAUSD. Board Member Collins related that the community was becoming aware of and taking an interest in the GUP and Development Agreement as evidenced by public participation in the Board meeting the previous night. Board Member Dauber understood negotiation of the Development Agreement was intended to conclude in February, and the approval process for the GUP was set to conclude in June. Because of the short timeframe, making the County aware of the City and PAUSD's joint message was important. Chair Holman remarked that the City and PAUSD should announce one another's meetings to the community when meetings affected both the City and PAUSD. The property tax exemption would affect the City as well as PAUSD. Board Member Collins reiterated that the current timeframe to approve the GUP was June or July. DRAFT MINUTES Page 6 of 10 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Working Minutes: 11/15/2018 Chair Holman suggested Supervisor Simitian's staff could inform the City and PAUSD of upcoming meetings regarding the Development Agreement and GUP. 6. Cubberley Master Plan Update. Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager, reported that attendance at the November 1 community meeting was good. Bob Golton, Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Bond Program Manager, advised that the third and fourth community meetings were scheduled for January 24 and May 9. Kristen O’Kane, Community Services Assistant Director, explained that the meeting activities built on the activities and results of the first meeting. The first activity explored programs and services raised in the first meeting as needs and wants of the community. Adult education rose to the top as a community priority with theater and performance space, green space, maker space, senior/multigenerational programs, and a wellness center and café following. Green space, whether a park or a natural area, needed refining. The consultant developed three scenarios based on comments from the first meeting, and participants rated the three scenarios for parking and safety, circulation through the site, balance of buildings and green space, being a good neighbor, landscape, and program organization. Results included the need for two entrances and exits and an improved drop-off area. The independent campus scenario separated a school from community facilities. The shared village scenario provided more integration through some shared spaces; classrooms and the primary facilities would remain separate. The building in a park scenario included a four-story building in the center of the site with parking interior to the building and the majority of the site being green space. Most participants favored the shared village scenario. Information from the November 1 meeting would inform activities for the third community meeting. Mr. Golton noted participants consistently expressed interest in maintaining the field area. Board Member Collins inquired whether Greendell and 525 San Antonio had been added to the project. Mr. Golton related that Staff continued to consider adding both sites. 525 San Antonio was zoned residential; could accommodate the PAUSD office; and house several school uses. The consultant's contract would have to be revised to incorporate both sites into the project. DRAFT MINUTES Page 7 of 10 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Working Minutes: 11/15/2018 Chair Holman commented that not including the surrounding neighborhoods and Charleston Shopping Center in the drawings caused people to focus on the site only. The master planning process could go awry if the context was not presented to the public. Mr. Golton agreed to incorporate the surrounding community into drawings. Chair Holman suggested reports of the meetings be posted to the City's and PAUSD's websites. Ms. O’Kane indicated the project website was housed within PAUSD's website and linked to the City's website. All meeting materials and summaries were posted to the project website. Chair Holman requested opinions about presenting an item to the Council and the PAUSD Board of Education (Board) to determine whether the two sites should be included in the project and whether to revise the consultant's contract to include Greendell and 525 San Antonio. Mr. Golton advised that PAUSD Staff presented any contract change to the Board. Board Member Dauber requested Staff provide details of their discussions around including Greendell and 525 San Antonio. Mr. Golton reported Staff believed Greendell should be taken into consideration in the planning of Cubberley. The questions were whether to revise a conceptual design of Greendell and whether to develop a conceptual design for 525 San Antonio. Board Member Collins understood 525 San Antonio and Greendell would be part of the project and was expecting a revised contract to be presented. If the two sites could provide a richer solution set for the project, they should be included. Board Member Dauber requested the potential disadvantages of expanding the consultant's contract. Mr. Golton explained that the use of the Greendell site had been determined. Board Member Dauber clarified that including Greendell would not benefit the project. Mr. Golton reiterated that Staff was comfortable with moving forward. Staff had obtained the estimated cost for including the two sites. DRAFT MINUTES Page 8 of 10 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Working Minutes: 11/15/2018 Board Member Collins did not believe use of the Greendell site was permanent in that the Board had discussed moving the current Greendell programs to individual school sites. Vice Mayor Filseth concurred with including both sites into the project because of the infrequent nature of master planning projects and the limited availability of real property. Chair Holman wanted to consider the two sites prior to the master planning process progressing to the point that the two sites could not be considered. Board Member Dauber believed adding the two sites was logical and worthy of investing additional funds. However, incorporating the two sites could create a larger discussion that was difficult to manage. It was unlikely but possible that the Board would consider placing community-focused activities on the two sites. Vice Mayor Filseth inquired regarding the date of construction of Cubberley. Mr. Golton related that Cubberley was built in the 1950s and closed in the 1970s. Vice Mayor Filseth remarked that presumably the lifespan of the project would be 100 years. Mr. Golton advised that Staff would proceed expeditiously. Chair Holman noted a pedestrian/bike path was contained entirely onsite in the building in a park scenario. This feature highlighted the need to consider connectivity between Cubberley and the surrounding community. A community meeting regarding the North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan would be held later in the day. 7. School Resource Officer Agreement Update. Board Member Dauber reported the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education (Board) discussed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and would probably take action on it in December. The Board raised concerns regarding insight into School Resource Officer (SRO) activities on campuses and a potential disproportionality in the race or ethnicity of students experiencing police contacts. Zach Perron, Police Captain, advised that he had provided PAUSD with statistics regarding the race and ethnicity of students experiencing police contacts. From August 1, 2017 to May 31, 2018, the Police Department DRAFT MINUTES Page 9 of 10 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Working Minutes: 11/15/2018 received a total of 811 calls for service to all five secondary schools, and those calls resulted in 19 arrests of students, 18 of whom were juveniles. This was a remarkably small number of students who were impacted by an arrest. In most cases, an arrest was the last resort. The Police Department could continue to provide data to PAUSD and would discuss SRO on-campus activities with PAUSD officials. Board Member Dauber requested a characterization of the 811 calls for service. Mr. Perron explained that the vast majority of the calls were probably not criminal in nature. SROs handled mediations and meetings with students to resolve issues. Calls ranged from a stolen backpack or bike to students threatening or bullying another student to an administrator requesting assistance with a student or staff member. Board Member Dauber understood SROs initiated contacts with students based on their observations and relationships with students. Mr. Perron indicated the vast majority of SRO contacts resulted from calls for service. PAUSD requested statistics regarding how often the Police Department was called to schools to take enforcement action. Board Member Dauber requested the demographics of the students who had been contacted. Mr. Perron reported of the 19 arrested, six individuals were classified as other, five as white, three as Asian, two as Black, two as Hispanic, and one as unknown. From his perspective, this was a normal distribution across ethnicities. Board Member Collins commented that PAUSD overwhelmingly supported the SROs' work with the community and students. Chair Holman inquired regarding auctions of stolen items. Mr. Perron reported the Police Department had not held an auction in many years. Police Department Staff made every attempt to return identifiable property to its owner. After a specified time period, unclaimed items were purged in compliance with State law and procedures. Bicycles were auctioned, but auctions were not open to the public. Chair Holman questioned whether unclaimed items could be donated to nonprofit agencies. DRAFT MINUTES Page 10 of 10 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Working Minutes: 11/15/2018 Mr. Perron advised that items were donated on occasion. 8. Future Meetings and Agendas. Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager, reported the community meeting for the North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan was scheduled for 5:30 at the Downtown Library. Council Member Holman requested Staff solicit Committee Members' availability for a December meeting. Kimberly Lunt, Administrative Associate III, advised that a meeting was tentatively scheduled for December 13 at 8:00 a.m. Chair Holman added the North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan to the list of standing items and updates regarding the May Fete Parade and Job Shadow Day to the list of future agenda items. The item regarding ways for the City and PAUSD to work together more effectively should be a primary agenda item. Emergency preparedness was scheduled for the December meeting. Board Member Dauber suggested Staff invite someone from Supervisor Simitian's office to provide an update regarding Stanford University's General Use Permit (GUP). Chair Holman indicated the GUP and the Cubberley Community Center Master Plan were ongoing agenda items. Mr. de Geus expressed concern that the number of agenda items would limit discussions. The GUP and North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan appeared to be the most time-consuming items. The emergency preparedness item could be continued to a future meeting. Council Member Holman noted the City held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 7.7-acre addition to Foothill Park. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 9:44 A.M.