4 | June 7, 2017 | Malibu surfside news Malibu malibusurfsidenews.com
malibusurfsidenews.com News Malibu surfside news | June 7, 2017 | 5 Board envisions path to district separation Barbara Burke Freelance Reporter “All politics is local,” the late House Speaker Tip O’Neill once said. However, decisions about how school districts are operated are “even more local,” said one attendee at the Santa Monica- Malibu Unified School District Board of Education’s special meeting May 30 at Malibu City Hall. The board, the Malibu Unification Negotiations Committee, and attendees met to discuss how to fairly divide the SMMUSD into two districts. “We understand the strong desire of the Malibu community to separate from SMMUSD,” SMMUSD Superintendent Ben Drati said in a statement emailed to the Surfside. “The School Board is continuing to look for a path toward separation that will not have significant negative fiscal effects on the Santa Monica portion of the existing district. That was the charge given to the Malibu Unification Negotiations Committee, which that committee continues to pursue.” Drati’s comments followed the special meeting during which the board considered discussion items for staff direction about MUNC’s recommendations concerning the proposed financial terms for the proposed district split. MUNC, a voluntary citizens’ committee doing yeomen’s work, consists of representatives from Santa Monica and Malibu. In a March study session, MUNC presented its report regarding negotiated terms and conditions intended to resolve financial concerns associated with the unification of a separate Malibu Unified School District. At that special board meeting, board members considered various aspects of the report about: the operating budget impact of reorganization, the division of the SMMUSD’s assets (fund balances, land/buildings), bond-related items and other liabilities, environmental liability issues, and the implementation of the committee’s recommendations. MUNC also made presentations on the report in each community in March. At the May 30 meeting, board members heard a report from MUNC which noted that, after its initial presentation to the board, MUNC considered additional input and information and revisited some of the assumptions underlying its recommendations. MUNC’s report informed that new information has led MUNC to reassess the impact of reorganization on revenues relative to making it fair for all students in Malibu and Santa Monica. Specifically, a previous MUNC report focused extensively on Malibu’s ability to pay Santa Monica for cost differentials. MUNC ultimately reported that a more detailed analysis of Malibu’s costs resulted in additional funds being available for payment to Santa Monica. This resulted from a reconciliation of data provided by the consulting firm West Ed, which had suggested that the method of revenue splitting for district separation should focus on average daily attendance of students, and the School Services of California, Inc. report and district administration forecasts. Now, annual RDA funds estimates from the county show a materially higher recurring revenue from the wind down of RDA’s, a reality mostly attributable to the impact of the resolution of the LAUSD lawsuit which challenged the way funds were being distributed back to the schools. “Simply stated, when we look at current conditions, the original approach to how to calculate the required revenue based on an ADA split will no longer work as it will either make Malibu not financially vi- Please see District, 7 Ordinary people achieving extraordinary outcomes. IF YOU'RE A MALIBU HOMEOWNER LOOKING TO OFFER YOUR HOME AS A VACATION RENTAL, NOMADNESS IS YOUR GO-TO. • Ranked #1 under "Best Vacation Rentals" on Yelp, also rated 4.5 stars from 100+ reviews • Direct payment for your rentals (within 3 business days of booking) • Highest occupancy rate • Innovative marketing & large social media following • Worldwide travel partnerships (with VRBO, Airbnb, Booking.com, and more) • Custom management options & lowest commission in the industry • Over a decade of service Call or email us for more information: 888- 472-5777 | info@nomadnessrentals.com