ORANGE : Closed School to Be New District Offices
Despite continued opposition from neighbors, the Orange Unified School District board voted 6-1 this week to relocate the district’s administrative offices to the closed Katella Elementary School.
At two public forums on the matter this month, neighbors argued that the district had made up its mind about the site before presenting the proposal to them.
Board Vice President Barry Resnick, who opposed the measure, said he agreed with the residents.
“We have an issue that we make a decision on, or get close to a decision on, and then after we realize what we’ve done, then we get public input,” he said.
Residents had hoped to reopen Katella as an elementary school, but officials said the classrooms wouldn’t be needed for at least five years.
District officials must move from their offices because the building at 370 N. Glassell St. does not meet state earthquake safety standards. The district is expected to relocate this summer to Katella Elementary at 1459 N. Handy St. Nick Arhontes, spokesman for a neighborhood opposition committee, argued that since the current administration building is not used for teaching, it does not need to meet strict safety requirements outlined in the Field Act.
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