Foothills Sentry - January 2024

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Residential and commercial buildings. 714.244.6567 CA LICENSE #663983 PROFESSIONAL SERVICE DIRECTORY CLASSIFIEDS ARCHITECTS ATTORNEYS INVESTMENTS TAXES OUSD Board moving forward on 50m pool for Villa Park High By Tina Richards The Orange Unified Board of Trustees agreed to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for a 50m swimming pool at Villa Park High School in a 5-2 vote, Dec. 13. The board has not yet voted to approve the pool, and dissention among board members is palpa- ble. The final vote will take place after bids are received in Febru- ary. The estimated cost of the pool has been substantially reduced from an early prediction of $28- $30 million to the $15,891,204 submitted by PBK Architects, the firm contracted to develop a conceptual design and cost esti- mate. The district has opted for a Myrtha pool (prefabricated) instead of concrete, because it will have lower lifetime costs. The estimated construction costs have been reduced by shrinking the size of support buildings, pro- viding materials separately and using a lease-leaseback procure- ment system. Practical procurement Under a lease-leaseback agree- ment, the district leases the con- struction site to the contractor, who then takes responsibility for the entire process. The contractor works directly with the California Division of the State Architect (DSA), the agency that approves all public construction, under- stands state requirements and makes changes at its cost. “It is a partnership,” Deputy Superin- tendent Dave Rivera explains. “It saves the district time and money and reduces change orders. That way, we can guarantee the maxi- mum price.” When the pool is completed, the district then leases it back from the contractor for 5% (or a negotiated price) of the overall cost. The lease-back continues for six months, after which time ownership reverts to OUSD. Despite the lower price tag, the three minority board mem- bers – Kris Erickson, Ana Page and Andrea Yamasaki – contin- ued to express their concerns that the money could be better spent on district elementary and mid- dle schools. When voters passed Measure S for new high school science buildings, they were promised that the lower schools would be upgraded using district funds. A 2021 facilities assess- ment indicated that moderniza- tion of all district facilities would run about $1 billion. Those im- provements included earthquake retrofitting and safety require- ments, upgraded heating and air conditioning, playgrounds, roof- ing, structural integrity and class- room technology. Practical priorities Those needs were prioritized by urgency; a 50m pool was not on that list. Additionally, the pools at Orange and Canyon High Schools, like the one at Villa Park, are 50 years old and failing. Everyone agrees that Villa Park’s pool is in terrible condition (fail- ing filters, heaters and uneven decks) right now, but the other two pools are not far behind. When the VPHS pool discus- sion first came up, the board got estimates to refurbish all three pools. Each one could be refur- bished with a five-year life expec- tancy that would meet all DSA re- quirements for $3.5 million each. Andrea Yamasaki has several times suggested that they refur- bish the pools and invest in a sin- gle Olympic-sized aquatic facility on the district’s Peralta site. “That could be used by all four high schools, as well as the commu- nity,” she insists. “There is a lack of community involvement here; stakeholders have had no input. We haven’t talked about this with our cities. I’m concerned about traffic, noise and lights impacting Veterans honored by Orange Elks In celebration of the annual “Salute to Our Veterans,” one of the Elks Lodge’s key programs, the Veterans Committee gave the 1475 Heroes Scholarship Award of $1,475 to Corp. Nicholes Mo- rales of the U.S. Marines. The Lodge was also a Silver Star Sponsor ($2,500) for the Left to right, Exalted Ruler Janine Storm, Stephanie Fitzpatrick, Nich- oles Morales with his son Jack, and Brian Fitzpatrick. Field of Valor, which displays 1776 flag honoring veterans and is sponsored each year by the Com- munity Foundation of Orange. The Elks also collected food, sundries, toiletries and small games for the Adopt a Ship pro- gram, specifically for the sailors and Marines on the USS America. the neighborhood.” Ana Page asked if the lower Villa Park pool price would leave enough money in the district’s de- ferred maintenance fund to deal with the structural issues at the elementary schools. The answer was no. The district could apply for state matching funds for that work, if available, and get reim- bursed 60% of its construction costs. OUSD, however, would have to spend the money up front and wait for the state to eventu- ally pay it back. Too good to be true? Kris Erickson questioned the veracity of the numbers being presented. “The original draft we saw said it was $18 million, now its $15 million. You’re saying the building is going to cost $514 a square foot. That’s less than what we paid at El Modena, and that building is smaller,” she pointed out. “And there are deficiencies in the building itself (no windows, so separate locker rooms for boys and girls); I assume that will cost money. I’m just making sure we are dealing with real numbers.” Yamasaki said that if she be- lieved the pool was really going to cost $15 million, she’d “vote for it right now.” But remember- ing that the El Modena pool dou- bled in price from start to finish, she has doubts about this one. Angie Rumsey, who favors the 50m pool at Villa Park, pointed out that having a first-class pool would attract and retain students. John Ortega added that the ma- jority of the board “wants this to move forward. We’re at less than $16 million for a 50m Myrtha pool. We’re saving money. We can sell property to provide for the other school sites.” Erickson and Yamasaki voted no on the RFP. Recording artist and songwrit- er Allan Rich will be the speaker at the January Celebrity Series, sponsored by the Crescendo Chapter of the Guilds of Seger- strom Center. Rich is an Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe and Emmy-nom- inated songwriter whose record- ings have sold over 65 million copies. His clients include Bar- bra Streisand, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross, Gladys Knight and Whitney Houston. He is execu- tive producer of “Viva Verdi,” a film about the Verdi House, left for retired opera singers by the composer. The program takes place Jan. 11 at 10 a.m. at the Bowers Mu- seum, 2002 N. Main Street. Tick- ets are $40; Bowers members may buy one for $35. Parking is $6. For information, contact Maggie Hart at (714) 356-6770. Hit songwriter featured at Celebrity Series Allan Rich Members of Girl Scout Troop 1156, aided by the Santiago Creek Greenway Alliance (SCGA), planted native seed- lings along the banks of Santia- go Creek near Palm and Handy Streets, Dec. 2. The plants were raised by members of the Gre- enway Alliance. All are native to the area, and include California live oak (quercus agrifolia), Toy- on (heteromeles arbutifolia), and Bladderpod (peritoma arborea). The new plants will be watered by the Girl Scout Troop for two years, after which they should no longer need watering. Ulti- mately, they will become a dis- play of yellow blossoms and red berries along the bikeway. SCGA is a nonprofit organization that has worked for over 30 years to make the path along Santiago Creek beautiful.