The citizens of San Bruno are facing a serious issue with regards to the Crestmoor site. There is little doubt that the 7-11 committee is planning to recommend to the SMUHSD board of trustees that the Crestmoor site is a surplus. During the public hearing on February 2nd, 2010 the citizens of San Bruno spoke to the many reasons they opposed the selling of the Crestmoor site. Although the recommendation of Crestmoor as a surplus site may already be a foregone conclusion, the citizens of San Bruno should take steps to demand the committee has done the proper analysis to make it’s decision.
A City’s Voice
As voiced by the many who spoke during the hearing, there are many reasons why the sale of the site is a bad idea. There are several hundred youth athletes that use the athletic fields in various leagues. Displacing them would leave them with no viable replacement alternatives. Local residents use the jogging track routinely and walk their dogs there. Many cited traffic and safety issues as a result of any new development in the area. Teachers and students of Peninsula High spoke of the importance of the Crestmoor environment to thrive. Mixing these students in with the general population will be detrimental to their learning needs. All in all, the Crestmoor site is a great asset to the city of San Bruno and it’s residents. Selling the site would be a blow to civic pride from which we may not soon recover. Moreover, as if to add insult to injury, the use of millions of dollars in Measure M bond funds sold to San Bruno residents as earmarked to renovate the site have now been reallocated. Oh I say and I say it again, we have been bamboozled!
It is clear that declaring the site as surplus and selling it off is not in the best interests of the Peninsula Students or the city of San Bruno. As many at the hearing pointed out, it sure feels like the decision has already been made. Are these hearings little more than a formality that the district is required to do by law?
It is important to remember that until the committee makes a recommendation no action will be taken by the SMUHSD board of trustees. It is up to the discretion of the board whether or not to follow any recommendations by the 7-11 committee. It is also important to know that the city of San Bruno is not in any position to play the role of an angel investor ready will swoop forward and save the site. The city has issues with declining revenues and aging infrastructure that will not soon go away. It is difficult to imagine that the city can prioritize the buying district land for public recreation above these issues.
Demand Further Analysis
The citizens of San Bruno should demand that the 7-11 committee does not rubber stamp the surplus findings. There has not been enough adequate information gathered by the 7-11 committee to make it’s decision. While the school district has provided enrollment projections at the district level, there needs to be further granularity to reveal the enrollment projections at the school level. Not only have the individual schools not been surveyed for this information, it would seem that the PTA’s aren’t aware their schools are possible targets for the Peninsula student body. The committee maintains that this information is outside the scope of its charge but that makes no sense. How can anyone claim to manage capacity when the capacity of the move targets is not known? Without these missing pieces there is simply not enough information to make the decision.
The citizens of San Bruno understand that the district may have already made its decision. We also understand that the city council may be unable to assist us in keeping one of San Bruno’s real assets. But the district owes it to the all stakeholders involved, including the target schools who may be receiving the displaced students of Peninsula high school, to get their feedback and input. Until all of the stakeholders are surveyed, all of that capacity information is obtained and analyzed there is no possible way a decsion can be made.
Understand the Process and Voice Your Demands
The recommendation process is far from over. A public hearing for the citizens of San Mateo must be done followed by a possible follow up public hearing in San Bruno. Then the committee with review and draft the recommendation in an open to the public forum. Finally, the committee will report it’s findings to the SMUHSD board of trustees. It is in these forums that we continue to remain vigilant and voice our needs for further analysis.
