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Gary Scherr, left, Mario Baron, center, and Ed Klipfel move a filing cabinet Monday from the Galt Joint Union High School District office in downtown Galt to the administration building at Liberty Ranch High School, the district office's new home. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)
Galt high school district office moved despite trustee dispute
Galt Joint Union High School District trustee Kathleen Amos is questioning the cost-savings behind moving administration offices this week while still paying on the former site's lease through the end of the year.
She is also taking issue with the cost to move the office's Internet connection from the west side to the east side of Highway 99, although it is required before the new Liberty Ranch High School opens next month anyway, district officials said Monday.
The district was locked into a three-year contract with Bill Spaans, owner of Spaans Cookies in Galt, for offices at 417 C St. The rent is about $6,000 a month for the 4,482-square-foot space located in downtown Galt.
It has been occupied by the district since December 1999 and until this week housed eight employees. Most of their desks and documents were moved Monday.
During its budget hearings in the spring, the board decided to temporarily relocate staff into unused offices in the new Liberty Ranch High School to save roughly $72,000 in annual lease fees for the next three years, although they will continue to pay through the end of the year since property will remain on site.
Moving costs are expected to tally between $3,500 and $5,000, but the cost to relocate the district's cable Internet lines from its downtown office to the new high school on the east side of the city is estimated to cost about $50,000, although final figures from Comcast have yet to be received.
The school's administration building is located at 12945 Marengo Ranch Road.
Audrey Kilpatrick, the district's chief business official, said the move was originally set for the end of the year when the lease expired.
However, Monday's date was chosen with coordination from Liberty Ranch principal Brian Deis, the district's information technology department and district office staff.
"All determined this date was the best time for all included in the process," she added.
"The decision to move in July instead of waiting until the lease ended in December was because we felt we would not be disrupting the Liberty Ranch school site and staff as much if we moved before school started instead of during December," she said.
Amos, however, feels the decision was done as soon as fellow trustee Diann Kitamura was chosen by her peers to oversee the superintendent's office after Tom Gemma resigned last month. At Monday's meeting, trustee Art Oelsner defended Kitamura and said the move was not a "drastic decision."
For 2009-10, the district will save $36,000 in lease costs (Jan. 1-June 30, 2010), and for future years $72,000 annually. In addition, Kilpatrick pointed out, the district will be saving a bit on utilities since staff will not be using the leased office building and the offices at Liberty Ranch will already be receiving power and water/wastewater services.
"It's a huge mistake," said Amos, who first publicly brought up her concerns at a regular school board meeting earlier this month.
"This office is three miles from Galt High School," she said Monday, adding that those who rely on public transporation and live on the city's west side will not be able to access the district office.
Amos is also taking issue with the spring vote to move the offices and said she was unaware a final decision to move had been made. Kilpatrick said there was no date attached to that board approval. The April 20 decision to move was made with a 4-0 vote with trustee Art Oelsner absent, according to board minutes.
However, before he left, Gemma, too, questioned whether it was cost-effective to move to one piece of district-owned property just to be bumped in a couple of years when the school is built out to its full capacity. It opens next month to just ninthand 10th-graders.
At a March meeting, Gemma said he was against a hasty move and instead wanted to examine a two-year phase out plan. He was, however, able to negotiate with Spaan to break the lease at the end of this year.
That same month, a board committee was assembled and the relocation search began.
The current site of the Galt Adult School was one option, but Kilpatrick said at the time that using any existing portables as office space would require renovations, including adding restrooms and upgrading technology. That could cost roughly $385,000.
It is unclear how long the district offices will remain at Liberty Ranch; however, administrators have said it will likely be until the school is at full capacity.
Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.
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Gus Prouty wrote on Aug 4, 2009 8:26 AM:
I found where I got on the mentioning of younger days experiences.......It was from YOU!
"Gus: You were in Ag...is THIS how they taught you to debate?"
So I guess its YOU that started us down that path.
Regardless, not MY intent to go personal. "
Gus Prouty wrote on Aug 4, 2009 8:05 AM:
Not an attack on your education or childhood. My apologies if it came off as that.
My point was grade school or college. "
Pat Maple wrote on Aug 3, 2009 7:24 PM:
Argue the numbers...mine are here where are yours? Maybe Jimmy can help you?
So you attack my education and where I grew up...why not my military service, or my successes in the pool, or that my brother had polio, or maybe that I saved eight people's lives, or that...grow up Gus. Your arguments are baseless BS. Show me where I'm wrong.
When it goes in and when it goes out Gus...$50K Nope...that argument doesn't wash Gus...I support the kids...just not the METHODS USED by people like you and former Bored members to support THEIR program.
You are USING the students to get what YOU want. That is not supporting THEM.
Kathleen sees things differently than I do...we do not always agree. Contrary to many of those standing in with you, we can come to a compromise and/or understanding. "
Gus Prouty wrote on Aug 3, 2009 5:09 PM:
How prepared is Kathleen to question a network connection at LRHS for 30 minutes? Its a NETWORK ya know? Ya, fifty g's that had to go in with the NEW SCHOOL. BTW-You pay for those monthly so that's why it goes in near the end.
Thanks for confirming your skeletons with old board members. Did you learn the two wrongs make a right math in Arkansas or Woodbridge? MAYBE someday you can get EVEN!!!!! Gonna get those ag kids yet aren't you??? Maybe Karen can help you with the two wrongs math, she is pretty good at adult ed I agree.
As to your numbers, they don't even agree with your close friend Amos. Your debate tactics are the same but your math isn't. Hummmm
If your so balanced by the way, why don't you jump and scream about closed session issues when Amos starts down that path? Any other board member and you'd be screaming censure right? "
Pat Maple wrote on Aug 2, 2009 10:16 AM:
Weezie: NO they are not going to save ANY money. The plan...even when I was still on the Board was to move to the old EHS campus and set-up shop. It still should be. Adult Ed can move into the old classrooms that won't be used and could even expand its hours and offerings...Karen Liu is doing a great job with adult ed. Gus: did you even know about adult ed? "
ksamos wrote on Jul 31, 2009 11:26 AM:
Pat Maple wrote on Jul 28, 2009 8:55 PM:
No my first first years were at the Univ of Arkansas...the next two years were Univ of US Army...then back to college and into the Masters program.
The sooner a child sees a pathway..the sooner they will complete it. "
gusprouty wrote on Jul 28, 2009 6:38 PM:
These political games are counterproductive to the students and her actions are an embarrassment to the community. "
gusprouty wrote on Jul 28, 2009 6:29 PM:
High school transcripts matter little in your eventual career path other than GPA. There is no HIGH SCHOOL MAJOR, just a degree. Cover the entrance requirements for CSU or UC or institution of choice and you can choose your path. Heck the first two years of college are GE remember????? "
Pat Maple wrote on Jul 28, 2009 8:59 AM:
How much of that $180K is going to come out of the repairs, renovations and re-invigoration of the Old Galt High?
Answer: ALL of it...
It IS about the kids...ALL of them...
Where is the same regard for the kids who want to be an engineer, physical therapist or nurse. $7M for one building? "
Pat Maple wrote on Jul 28, 2009 8:45 AM:
weezer wrote on Jul 28, 2009 8:17 AM:
Bottomline: With the relocation, is the district saving money or not?
That's the only question that matters in this time of financial woes. "
Gus Prouty wrote on Jul 28, 2009 8:07 AM:
Amos's continued attempts to pit East vs West is a disservice to the students and community.
There are plenty of community members on the East side with the exact same challenges as on the west. Board members are elected to represent the "District" not just their area of concern.
We are a community and should work together to advance opportunities for the youth in total.
Her comments make for good print but bad flavor in the community. "
Comments on this story are now closed.