3 future study sessions canceled as district, city engage in negotiations
Future study sessions in relation to the Santa Clarita Elementary School property disposition have been canceled as the Saugus Union School District continues its negotiations with the city of Santa Clarita.
During Tuesday’s governing board meeting, district Superintendent Colleen Hawkins and governing board President Matthew Watson stated that the special meetings in relation to the property set to take place on Feb. 25, March 25 and April 22 would be canceled.
“We’re still working with the city and our representatives are still doing that. But in speaking with our team, these were originally set in case we were doing sort of board study sessions,” Hawkins said in response to Watson when he asked if there were any new updates on the matter.
“Now that we’re engaging with the city in a negotiation, there’s really not a purpose to have these open session meetings,” Hawkins said and recommended that rather keeping the special meetings on the calendar and have the community anticipate them, it would be a better option to remove them altogether.
Moving forward, if a special meeting needs to be held, the district will schedule it, Hawkins said. Watson then asked the rest of the board if they were in agreement with the change, and they confirmed they were.
Earlier in the meeting, board member Christopher Trunkey brought attention to a letter to the editor published in The Signal that mentioned the possible demolition of property.
“‘The district has expressed interest in demolishing several outbuildings on the site,’” Trunkey said, reading an excerpt from the letter, to the board.
“The site is referring to Santa Clarita Elementary. I was hoping that you might be able to address that,” he said, speaking to Hawkins. “As far as I know, there have been absolutely no discussion whatsoever in that regard.”
Hawkins then responded and said, “We haven’t discussed dismantling or demolishing anything. We have removed some 30-plus-year-old portables.”
District Assistant Superintendent of Business Nick Heinlein added that there’s still one portable on campus and a few wooden sheds. The only portable on the school site has already been declared surplus property by the board, he added.
“Depending on what happens with the property, somebody will have to determine what happens with the building, but the district has not made any decisions whatsoever,” Hawkins added.
The next regular board meeting is scheduled to take place on March 3 at the district’s education center, 24930 Avenue Stanford.
