School board signs on again with Futbol Club
The Los Angeles Premier Futbol Club will be playing on La Cañada High School’s new turf field through June 30, 2020, after the school board unanimously approved a new license agreement at its Feb. 15 meeting. The license will end the current agreement with the club, and the new one will generate $3,000 per month with an annual inflation index.
The lease agreement for the stadium was first established when the original artificial turf was installed. After replacing the turf in 2016, an interest rose from the school district and LAPFC to reconsider the existing lease. According to the school board, the existing lease generated little revenue, and extending the agreement through 2020 will aid replacement of the turf at the end of its lifespan, in about 10 years. The current lease amount was $1,500. The field is primarily used by programs at the high school.
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At the Jan. 31 board meeting, the president of a Pasadena-based sports nonprofit, F.C. Golden State, made a counter-offer during public comment, claiming the current agreement with LAPFC was “woefully” low. He was not present at the Feb. 15 meeting.
“The gentleman at the last meeting made it seem like we’re grossly underselling,” said board member Ellen Multari. “Maybe he was overbidding to have more access to the field.”
LAUSD Chief Business and Operations Officer Mark Evans said about one-third of participants from LAPFC are La Cañada residents. In addition, many high school players have come through the LAPFC program. Also, F.C. Golden State did not factor in certain costs currently in the contract with LAPFC, Evans said.
“And by going this route it ends a very convoluted contract,” Evans said. “The license works out very well.”
The license requires communications scheduling, and Evans said the district could reassess it “a couple years” after the contract ends in 2020, as well as look at a request-for-proposal in the future. LAPFC separately pays lighting fees, which amount to about $8,000 to $9,000 annually, depending on spikes due to Daylight Saving Time.
“Maybe this isn’t the most financial win, but it’s about community and living together,” Evans said.
LAPFC Executive Director of Coaching Barry Ritson said the club eclipsed the fees under the current contract when factoring items like lighting, maintenance, preparing goals and the security deposit.
“The actual payment to the district eclipses what was proposed as the going rate,” Ritson said. “We’re really happy with the boys and girls soccer seasons. Sixty percent of the boys and 61% of the girls are (at) La Cañada. Boys’ junior varsity is even higher. We’re very proud of the high school.”
In other Feb. 15 agenda items, Supt. Wendy Sinnette said that as part of the facilities master plan update, a committee has been assembled to look at long-term technology needs as part of its own section of the revision proposal.
“The master plan is looking at hardware, access and Wi-Fi needs,” she said.
Technology subjects such as types of devices and programs should be promoted and sustained, funding and classroom strategy, such as assessing effectiveness of students using Google Sheets in preparation for the real world, which predominantly uses Microsoft Excel.
The board received first readings of the school safety plans to take effect for the 2017-2018 school year and interim financial reports. Evans said the safety plans are a fluid document. There are some proposed site changes in disaster plan policies. Multari said they are also looking to replace the security cameras at the high school and purchase ones of higher visual quality. Other components of the plan include assessing current school or school-related crimes, child abuse reporting procedures, policies related to suspensions and expulsions, teacher notification procedures of dangerous students, sexual harassment policy and hate-crime-reporting procedures.
In finances, Evans pointed to rising pension costs, no cost-of-living-adjustment for adult education, no new funding for home-to-school transportation programs, flat special education transportation numbers for some years, no funding to close the “gap” in the local control funding formula, upcoming retirements and a teacher shortage on the horizon.
“There are not too many new teachers in the pipeline,” Evans added.
Sanderson is a contributor to Times Community News.
Twitter: @MattySandz