School Board Passes Measure J Master Plan With 5-0 Vote

Following a long, contentious discussion with its audience, the South San Francisco School Board voted to approve Phases II and III, with some amendments, of the $162,500,000 Bond Measure J on Thursday night by a 5-0 vote.

Measure J was passed by South City voters in Nov. 2010 to upgrade science classrooms, replace portables, improve energy efficiency, building security, plumbing, heating, technology, restrooms and athletic facilities. The measure was passed with the highest estimated tax rate needed to fund the bond issue at value.

Thursday's meeting, which lasted nearly 4 hours, was punctuated by outbursts from both the full house inside the South San Francisco High library, most wearing El Camino High colors, and from board members.

A vote on the bond measure was actually taken at the board's Oct. 25th meeting, but it was later determined that the deciding vote in a 3-2 split came from the student representative on the school board, which is against the rules.

That gave the community and board members another chance to work through the proposed plans, which will lead to major improvements at every level of the school district.

A major sticking point was the more than $6 million allocated to fixing the football fields at both South San Francisco and El Camino high schools.

Shirlee Hoch, the longest tenured trustee, suggested the priority be placed on academic buildings, which drew the ire of the audience. It led to a heated discussion between Hoch and community member John Jacobson, who was allowed to speak.

"We've been put off too many times," said Jacobson, who read from a 2009 column by San Mateo county sports guru John Horgan on the dilapidated field at El Camino.

Hoch kept trying to interrupt Jacobson and at one point even made a motion to use all $162,000,000 on athletic fields. It was seconded by Philip Weise and put to a vote, where it was rejected.

"Before Measure J was passed, we were asked to rally together to pass it," El Camino supporter Ken Anderson, Sr. said. "We voted for it because we thought the athletic fields would be upgraded."

Hoch said she was more concerned about how the money was spent, while trustee Liza Normandy wanted to make sure science classrooms for Westborough were built within Phase II instead of Phase III, the plan proposed by Superintendent Alejandro Rogan.

With the comprises worked out among board members, the measure passed.

A minor entanglement occurred when it came time to award the contract for the buildings. In the end, ProjectFrog, based in San Francisco, won the contract over American Modular Systems.

In other news, the board voted to retain the Merimont subdivision, which is inside San Bruno city limits, within its jurisdiction.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Skyline Elementary School fifth-grader Yara Currier-Herzallah and Skyline Principal Milissa Banister was on hand for a formal presentation on the school.

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