NEWS
DATE: May 5, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Susan E. McCarthy, City Manager, 458-8301
John E. Deasy, Superintendent,
450-8338, ext. 241
City Manager,
Superintendent to Propose
School Funding
Agreement to Elected Officials
Santa Monica--After several months of
discussions, City Manager Susan E. McCarthy and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified
School District Superintendent John E. Deasy, Ph.D., announced today that they
have reached working consensus on terms of a potential agreement that would
increase the City of Santa Monica's payments to the school district for
community use of school facilities to $6 million effective July 1, 2004.
The working draft terms envision a
five-year agreement which includes escalator and renewal clauses. The potential terms will be presented to the
School Board at their regular meeting on Thursday, May 6, and to the City
Council on May 11 for discussion.
"I believe that the proposed
terms represent a fair exchange of value and preserve the ability of the City
Council to respond to broader community needs," said McCarthy. "If the elected officials concur, the
city and district staff will work with their legal counsels to develop a formal
agreement for execution."
"Support for our public
schools by the City Council has never been in question," said Deasy. "This mutually beneficial agreement,
should it be approved by both the Council and Board, will provide the certainty
and predictability the district needs to plan for the future while being mindful
of the city's many other fiscal responsibilities."
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