HBCSD Corruption

Proof of the lie:

 February 6, 2013 – Hermosa Beach City School District North School Planning Studies (TL-2013Feb06a BCA NS Planning)

(1)       In 2013, the Facilities Planning and Advisory Committee was given an estimate of $14.9 million and 30 months by the district’s hired expert Paul Bunton of BCA Architects to completely reconstruct North School.  In the same report, Paul Bunton gave the FPAC members an estimate of $10.9 million and 20 months to modernize North School.  (TL-2013Feb06 BCA NS estimates) The FPAC used these estimates to make their recommendations to the school board in April 2013.  Given the small difference of approximately $4 million dollars that the FPAC was given between completely reconstructing North School and just modernizing the campus the FPAC recommended to school board members that they completely reconstruct North School.

(2)       It is believed that Paul Bunton did not tell the FPAC members that North School was in the Coastal Zone and if rebuilt would require and expensive and lengthy Environmental Impact Assessment and approval from the Coastal Commission that would add to the delay when rebuilding North School.  (TL-2017Feb EIR Initial Study).  The Coastal Commission did not approve the reconstruction of North School until August 2019.

NOTE: It seems that HBCSD blamed the "delay" caused by the EIR and Coastal Commission for the five years it took to build the new campus at North School. (TL-2022 Measure S fictional delays) It is likely that school board members were aware of the need for a EIR and Coastal Commission approval before it decided to rebuild the campus. Reminiscent of HBCSD blaming residents for delays and cost overruns in building the gymnasium at Valley School from 2005-2008, HBCSD used the same playbook to blame "litigation" for "delays" in rebuilding North School too. (TL-2022 Nextdoor delay comments)

NOTE: The Division of the State Architect did not approve HBCSD plans for North School until January 17, 2019. It is believed that the Coastal Commission will not rule on approval of a plan until the building plans have been approved. The Environmental Impact Report was passed by school board members in early 2019. The Coastal Commission held hearings on the EIR for North School in early July 2019 and gave the go-head on the project in late August 2019. (TL-2019Jan17, DSA NS Approval)

NOTE: The Community Center is NOT located in the coastal zone and therefore would not have needed Coastal Commission approval for changes in the campus there.

 (3)       According to an estimate by independent construction firm, Juge Construction, North School would only cost $6.2 million to renovate including building a brand-new additional administration and classroom building.  (TL-2017 Juge NS reno estimate)

(4)       In 2013 the estimate given by Paul Bunton, the district’s hired expert, to fully reconstruct North School was $14.9 million dollars.  In 2014 the Long Range Facilities Master plan authors GKKWorks estimated that the average cost to completely rebuild North School as being $32,378,954.  (TL-2014Jun6 GKK Works exec summary 2014) 

(5)       The reality in April 2021 was that North School cost approximately $29 million dollars and took approximately 54 months NOT $14.9M and 30 months to completely reconstruct.

(6)       This report was given to FPAC members at their second meeting in February 2013.  However, Paul Bunton’s consulting agreement was not agreed to by school board members until March 13, 2013.  (TL-2013Mar13 FPAC Consultant), (TL-2013Mar13b Consultant Agreement)  When did Paul Bunton have time to examine the North School campus to produce these estimates before he was hired by HBCSD in March?

How thorough was his examination of North School to create these estimates that conveniently supported the school board’s desire to build a brand-new campus at North School for only $4 million more than renovating North School?