Board Moves Closer to Bond Management Structure

After months of discussions, the school board moved closer to implementing a new bond management structure at its meeting Thursday night. 

Jonathan Barth, assistant superintendent of business services, recommended that the district hire a bond program director to oversee the Measure J building projects. The bond program director would oversee outside contractors Chevron, which is implementing the district's solar energy projects, and Swinerton, the bond program manager.

Under Barth's recommended plan, the district would also contract with a district architect to consult on design and develop the facilties master plan.

Firm SIM Architects, Inc., has served as interim bond liaison since December and has coordinated work on the bond up until this point. The board has extended SIM's original contract since it expired on June 30.

Barth said SIM Architects could continue to work on the bond as district architect, but the position would need to be put for a public bid. 

In the past, some school board members have hesitated about the idea of hiring a bond program director as a staff position, worried it could be perceived as improperly spending bond funds on staff salaries. But Trustees Judy Bush, Philip Weise and Liza Normandy agreed to put the item on the board's Oct. 20 meeting agenda.