Land Swap Draws Residents' Ire

Monday's joint meeting between representatives of the school district and the city council served chiefly as a forum for several Redondo Beach residents to hash out their concerns regarding the proposed alterations to the Measure C bond, passed by city residents in February of 2008.

"Are you going to spend money on a site that was not listed on Measure C?" asked 33-year Redondo Beach resident Dr. Holly Osborne, summing up the theme of the evening. "That's the only question I want answered right now."

The city of Redondo Beach and the school board are currently in the process of reviewing a possible "land swap" transaction, an agreement that would vastly change the original purpose of the Measure C bond.

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Measure C proposes that the undergo nearly $3 million worth of improvements; however, the proposed land swap calls for the Adult School to be moved to the Franklin School site.

The South Bay Adult School Edison Center would then be torn down and replaced affordable housing, and the Measure C money originally appropriated for the Edison site would be spent at the Franklin site, which is not mentioned in Measure C as a location set to receive financial upgrades.

Superintendent Dr. Steven Keller revealed Monday night that the school board is currently seeking the opinion of the bond measure attorney as to if the proposed shift in funds would be legal.

Keller also revealed that the school board proposed the question to the attorney nearly a month ago and expects to receive an answer by Tuesday morning.

"The reason the lawyer's answer is taking so long is because they're trying to find a way to give you the answer you want to hear," said Roger Light, one Redondo Beach resident on hand.

"For them to just receive a legal opinion and then change their mind, it doesn’t hold up to scrutiny and integrity," said Ray Gedert, a 13-year resident of the city. "Just because it is legal doesn't make it right."

Gedert served as the most outspoken of city residents on hand for the meeting, questioning the school board's candor and motivation.

"Money spent on a place that is not currently a school and not part of the Redondo Beach school system, I just think is a bad move," Gedert said. "It seems to be a misappropriation of funds."

Residents also addressed concerns regarding the Memorandum of Understanding between the city and the school board, which outlines the possible building of affordable housing at Edison and the transfer of the Adult School to Franklin, the current home of the and a preschool.

However, school board President Jane Diehl and Councilman Matt Kilroy squashed any notion of validity associated with the current MOA document.

"The memo of understanding is not worth the paper it's written on," Kilroy said. "It has no legal ramifications whatsoever."

"Everything in government is part of a process," added Diehl. "The MOA is part of the process, you're part of the process, this is all part of the process. Nothing has been decided."

The school board also drew the ire of residents on hand when Diehl commented that each point outlined in the Measure C bond does not necessarily have to be accomplished, meaning that the $145 million is not required to be spent in its entirety.

Gedert called the suggestion "nefarious," and Osborne made it evident that if the school board and city continues with this process, she will continue to campaign against it.

"I want to know when we will know the bond attorney's answer, because I need to know if I need to practice more three-minute speeches," Osborne said.