The Use of Measure U Funds at Carpinteria Main Campus

Conclusions 1

• CL1
  The 2017-18 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury found the leasing of the Main Elementary School in Carpinteria to the Hutton Parker Foundation complies with the California Education Code. The Jury also found that the use of funds from Measure U to remodel the Main Elementary School is within the parameters of Measure U.

Observations 1

• OB1
  In 2007 the Main Elementary School was closed due to declining District enrollment and budget concerns. In 2003, CUSD student enrollment was 2,919 and by 2007 it was down to 2,660. In 2017 the 1 The Carpinteria Valley Economic Profile, Volume 2, Page 6, July 2015. 2017-18 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury THE USE OF MEASURE U FUNDS AT CARPINTERIA MAIN CAMPUS enrollment was 2,269. When the decision to close the school was made in 2007, the CUSD sought legal advice on options for either leasing or selling the MES property. The options were presented to the CUSD District Advisory Committee (DAC). On January 28, 2008, after reviewing applications from various entities, the DAC’s governing board endorsed the proposal of the Carpinteria Nonprofit Collaborative sponsored by the Hutton Foundation (now the Hutton Parker Foundation). A memorandum of understanding for a proposed joint use agreement was developed. Approval was needed from the City of Carpinteria as it would constitute a nonconforming use not in compliance with existing zoning requirements. Because the proposed use for education and related support services was consistent with its former elementary school use, final City approval was received August 25, 2008. A CUSD master joint use agreement was negotiated and finalized with the Hutton Foundation in September 2008. The renewed agreement expires in October 2018. The CUSD, in considering the use of the facility, looked at the California Education Code2 and made the determination that the anticipated uses met the code. The MES facility is now called the Carpinteria Children’s Project (CCP). The CCP is a nonprofit entity that serves as the principal sub-lessee to the Hutton Parker Foundation and administers the scheduling and other support for the many tenant organizations. During a site visit to CCP, the Jury learned that only a small fraction of the facility is utilized directly by the CUSD: one small office in the auditorium houses CUSD IT staff; CUSD uses one modular classroom several afternoons a week; and one-third of the pre-school students in one pre-school classroom are CUSD students. All other occupants and activities are non-CUSD and include a range of non-profit organizations and County entities. Occupancy of the facility at the time of the Jury’s site visit is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Occupancy of Carpinteria Children’s Project Facility (formerly Main Elementary) Room # Occupant Type Occupant/Activity Main Building 100 Non-profit CCP Director’s Office 101 County 1st District Supervisor’s Office 102 Non-profit CCP Pre-school 103 Non-profit CCP Early Childhood Education Director’s Office 202A Non-profit Family Service Agency 202B Non-profit Child Abuse Listening Mediation (CALM) 203 Non-profit CCP Infant Center 204 Non-profit CCP Pre-school 205 Non-profit Community Action Commission (federal Head Start Program grantee) 206 County Santa Barbara County Education Office (infants and toddlers program) 207 Non-profit Community Action Commission (Head Start) 208 Non-profit Community Action Commission (Head Start) 209 Non-profit Community Action Commission (Head Start) Modulars 310 Non-profit CCP Family Resource Center (provides referrals to a range of services) 311 Non-profit Carpinteria Education Foundation (fundraising) 312 Education Adult ESL offered by Santa Barbara City College (CCP pays for room) 2 California Education Code Sections 17527 (a); Article 9, Joint Use. 2017-18 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 2 THE USE OF MEASURE U FUNDS AT CARPINTERIA MAIN CAMPUS 313 Conference Rm Used for unspecified support groups 314 County Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program (nutrition) 315 Non-profit Day care for children of adults taking ESL classes 316 County Workforce Development Board (public-private partnership staffed by County) Auditorium Office CUSD Houses CUSD IT Staff Main N/A Largely unused; CCP uses one night a week; occasional use by other schools Pre-Measure U Planning The FFMP of June 10, 2014, states, “In early 2013, the CUSD Governing Board voted to prepare a plan that analyzes the District school facilities, to identify needed improvements and upgrades. The FFMP is a planning document that lays out the facility improvements and new construction needed to improve Carpinteria’s public schools and better serve our students.” The Board of the CUSD approved the FFMP after input was received from over thirty public and staff meetings. The FFMP included a proposal for the use of the MES and the Jury found that the plans for the MES were sufficiently detailed, including budgets and investment plans for each sub-project. Measure U On November 4, 2014, voters in the City of Carpinteria approved Measure U, which read: To improve schools, attract and retain quality teachers, and prepare students for college and careers by repairing deteriorating classrooms, bathrooms/leaky roofs, removing asbestos and lead paint, upgrading electrical wiring and classroom technology, repairing, constructing, acquiring educational facilities, sites/equipment, shall Carpinteria Unified School District issue $90,000,000 in bonds at legal rates, requiring annual independent audits, citizens’ oversight, no money for administrators’ salaries or pensions, and all funds used locally? Measure U requires that oversight committees be formed, including a Measure U Bond Oversight Committee and a site committee for each school property. Using the FFMP as a guide, the CCP at Main Site Committee forwarded its recommendation to the CUSD Board. The CUSD Board approved the recommendation at its meeting of September 22, 2016. The Carpinteria Unified School District Board approved a budget, allocated from Measure U funds, of $7 million for renovation and improvements of the Carpinteria Children’s Project (CCP) at the Main Elementary School in Carpinteria. As noted on the Measure U website, carpmeasureu.com, the project states: Unique to this site, CCP at Main has a large support network of programs, agencies, and resources on-site to assist children and families. New offices and classrooms are planned to accommodate the need. The campus is also reconfigured to provide dedicated, 2017-18 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 3 THE USE OF MEASURE U FUNDS AT CARPINTERIA MAIN CAMPUS enclosed outdoor playground areas. A new 1,000 sf infant/toddler center is planned. Renovations include classrooms, restrooms campus-wide, kitchen and pantry remodel for additional storage. A new parking lot, preschool entrance gate and entry court will be located off Palm Avenue. Budget $7 million Project List Phase 1  Replace 7 portable classrooms all in failing condition with new modular classrooms. These portables are currently used for family counseling and a resource center for the school district.  Construct new parking lot Phase 2  Renovate existing building  Convert 2 classrooms to preschool classrooms  Remodel kitchen  Renovate multi-purpose room  Remodel restrooms The CUSD supports a “cradle to career” philosophy that includes infants, preschool children and entire families. Several CUSD staff and board members interviewed by the Jury strongly feel that the children attending CCP are “district kids” even though they are not currently enrolled as district students. The education that they receive in conjunction with the support services offered to parents will prepare them to succeed once they become district students. Those interviewed stated their belief that maintaining and upgrading the MES facility is necessary to this philosophy. Project Update The Project Update on the CUSD Implementation of Measure U funded projects dated October 10, 2017, referred to the “Carpinteria Children’s Project [CCP] at Main School” and included new preschool classrooms, playgrounds, parking, a stage, and staff facilities. Although the Measure U website and the billboard on the campus list a $7 million budget, the Project Update lists a budget of $5,052,850 for the CCP, which is 5.6% of the total Measure U funds. The CCP budget is shown in Figure 2. Very little of the budgeted total had been committed or spent by the end of 2017,. Figure 2: Carpinteria Children’s Project, Budget Status (dollars), October 10, 2017 Category Budgeted Committed Spent Unspent Fire Alarm 162,736 18,793 14,124 148,612 Site modernization 383,521 0 0 383,521 2017-18 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 4 THE USE OF MEASURE U FUNDS AT CARPINTERIA MAIN CAMPUS Campus modernization 1,100,325 305,843 28,498 1,071,827 Modular classrooms 3,406,268 165,609 16,250 3,390,018 Total 5,052,850 490,244 58,871 4,993,979

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.