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GUHSD’s Prop 39 bond will
be on November ballot
By Lori Bledsoe
The Alpine Sun
EL CAJON — Tensions were high at the
Grossmont Union High School District special meeting called by
Larry Urdahl, Aug. 4. The board members convened to revisit the
hasty 5-0 decision to support the amendment made by Jim Kelly,
to the bond language, at the July 31, board meeting to put
conditional enrollment triggers on the construction of the 12th
high school in the Alpine/Blossom Valley area.
The Grossmont Union High School District board of
trustees had until Friday, Aug. 8, to submit the bond language
for a bond to be placed on the upcoming ballot for $417 million
in funds. The bond is meant to finish up all of the Proposition
H promises, upgrade existing school campuses with more
technology, and build the 12th high school in Alpine. This bond
will require taxpayers in the GUHSD area to pay an additional
$29 per 1,000 square feet of home, on their property taxes.
This is a huge step for the district to take, and one
that the board members are very thoughtful about, even though
many of the supporting attendees at the meetings are very
excited about winning that bond. Superintendent Collins himself
is singing the praises of this new bond that will fall under the
Proposition 39 heading.
A glitch in the last board meeting, held July 31,
brought tensions that had been previously contained, back out
into the open. When the bond language was up for a vote, Kelly
made an amendment to it, placing an enrollment trigger on the
current existing district population. This trigger allowed that
the enrollment would have to grow by another 500 students.
Kelly’s reasoning behind this proposal was that in the current
declining enrollment environment, it would be foolish to spend
millions on the construction of another high school.
His proposal was met with opposition from Priscilla
Schreiber as well as Larry Urdahl. But he argued that his
amendment was not striking the construction of the new high
school, it was just delegating it to a time when there was a
real need for another facility. He also argued that if his
amendment was not added to the bond, he would not support it,
and it would likely not be placed on the ballot. Kelly’s weighty
proposal was presented as a do or die amendment.
When the board reconvened, Priscilla Schreiber
apologized for what was to take place, before a vote even took
place. She was clearly uncomfortable with what was happening.
When the vote to accept the bond amendment passed 5-0, there
were many unhappy people leaving that meeting, which is why
Larry Urdahl immediately asked to meet again to revisit the
issue.
On Aug. 4, Alpine residents filled the room, and spoke
vehemently to the board about their unanimous decision of the
prior week. Many found the decision shocking and disappointing,
saying that they voted for the previous bond, supported the
district and believed in what they were being told. Now they
felt betrayed.
Ann Pierce from Alpine Union School district said, “I
was not surprised with the decision made by the board, but I was
profoundly disappointed and extremely exasperated by it.” Then
she asked the board to please reconsider their decision.
Al Haven, who has been working for an Alpine High
School for more than 25 years pointed out that the numbers of
Alpine students that GUHSD had accounted in their study were
wrong. He said that if the numbers were correct, they would see
more than 1,090 kids, without counting the possible Blossom
Valley Students, Harbison Canyon, or Crest students. He said,
“Don’t cut Alpine out.”
Richard Hovarstock told the board that if the bond goes to the
ballot as amended, it will fail.
Lisa Campbell was also shocked and disappointed by the
amendment. She became emotional when talking about the way Kelly
proposed his amendment calling it a “minor” amendment. She
indicated that the students in Alpine were not to be thought of
as minor. Collin Campbell specifically told the board to take
this opportunity to redeem themselves.
Amy Lawrence told the board that with this amendment,
the current board will be looking into the faces of all the
Alpine children and future high school students and say to them
that they don’t matter.
Mindy Adkins pointed out that Robert Shield said
specifically, “who cares about Alpine, they’ll be mad, but in
four days they’ll get over it.” She told him, as well as all in
the room, that she wasn’t over it. She told the board to
remember that new construction of schools is not based on
student growth, but rather by the number of students who are
inadequately housed.
Greg Fox, last year’s Alpine Honorary Mayor, questioned
the credibility and honesty of the current board members. He, as
well as Pat Cannon asked that the board adopt Superintendent
Collins’ plan as it was presented and not to disregard Alpine
again.
Bill Weaver uncharacteristically showed his irritation
when he approached the board. He has to date supported this new
administration and told the board that they have made a liar out
of him. He read many of the statements by both Shield and Kelly
during their board candidacy, when they voiced intense support
for the Alpine High School. Weaver said Shield’s and Kelly’s
statements during their candidacy were a farce.
After the many speakers from Alpine spoke their mind at
the podium, Superintendent Collins strongly advised that the
board make a decision on this issue.
Larry Urdahl then took the time to try and explain his
actions and vote at the previous meeting. Jim Kelly interrupted
several times; siting parliamentary rules, saying that his
speech should be placed in the discussion after the motions was
made. Urdahl and Kelly tersely addressed each other, until
Schreiber interrupted asking that the motion be made.
Urdahl, after Kelly’s bullying, made his motion to
return to the original bond language that was presented to the
board by Superintendent Collins. This motion passed 3-2 with
Kelly and Shields voting no.
Kelly then proposed that they re-amend the bond
language to contain his amendment as previously stated.
Schreiber then added to Kelly’s amendment lowering the
enrollment trigger to the current district enrollment.
When the vote took place, Urdahl, Schreiber, and Hoy
immediately voted yes. Kelly immediately voted no. Shields
visually struggled for minutes before he dramatically agreed and
cast a vote of yes, making Kelly’s amendment seemingly moot.
Despite this apparent victory, and lowering of the enrollment
threshold, the language still imposes an enrollment that does
not dip below the current GUHSD enrollment before an Alpine high
school can be built.
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