News: Claims Related to PVPHS Lights Project
September 12, 2011
September 12, 2011 Press Release
On July 14, 2011, the Board of Education of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) voted to discontinue the capital campaign project to install stadium lights at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. Recently, the District has been served with two claims alleging that in terminating this project District leaders misled committee members and violated its own policies and the Ralph M. Brown Act (open meeting law).
The District rejects these claims as unmeritorious. The District has complied with its policies and practices and the laws related to conducting Board of Education meetings. The July 14th agenda item was properly agendized and posted as an action item and the discussion/decision took place in public in front of several hundred people, in full compliance with the Brown Act. The meeting was also televised and over two dozen people spoke for or against the proposed project. Leaders of the Stadium Lights Committee were present at the meeting and addressed the Board.
The PVPUSD realizes that supporters of the Peninsula High Stadium Lights project are very disappointed over the fact the project was terminated. Unfortunately, the Stadium Lights Capital Campaign was dividing the community and taking time and attention away from the District’s primary purpose of educating students. There were also some real concerns over lack of parking, traffic congestion, and the fact that nearly a quarter of a million dollars would be spent on an Environmental Impact Report just to determine feasibility of the Stadium Lights Project.
Ultimately, the Board of Education concluded that the detriments outweighed the potential benefits, and that the project was not viable. It is unfortunate that attempts are being made to pressure District leaders to change that position. The District will now be forced to defend itself and expend scarce resources on attorney’s fees and other legal costs that could have been spent on students and educational programs.
Feel free to contact Walker Williams, Superintendent of Schools, at (310) 378-9966 x404 if you have questions about this matter.
