9-22-05 By Charles Brink. At her last board meeting, Superintendent Wagner pulled another disaster out of the continuing problems at Vasquez High.
She now claims that the Administration Building can never be approved by the state and we can only do two things. First lock the students and teachers out of the building and they, while standing outside in the wind and sun, can conduct their business through a window, or second, replace the building.
When Wagner was asked why the staff could be in the building and not the students and teachers, she claimed that DSA only had to protect the students and teachers. We assume the staff is expendable. When asked for documentary support of her position, she refused to provide any and all we have is her unsupported ravings
This is the same building that Wagner just renewed for a three-year lease that contains a huge termination penalty.
Ron Bird (Chairperson of the Facilities Committee and School Board Candidate) found that if we had properly made an application to use the building it would have cost $50. But the good news is that now, with an additional $400 late fee, we can still use the building through 2007 and possibly further.
Ron, unlike Wagner, did not have the benefit of thousands of dollars of consultants and attorneys, a doctor's degree in school administration, or a $118,000 a year salary to find the answer. He simply spent a few minutes on the Internet, finding the right answer (see below) that allows our students and teachers the continued use of the Administration Building.
This is an excellent reason why you should elect Ron Bird to the School Board and then turn him loose with all the files and records on the big failure, the Vasquez High gym, and see if he can find a solution for our kids.
Ron's 9-21-05 E-mail to the School Board
The Principal’s Office at Vasquez is not DSA approved, but is HCD approved. It was leased from Scotsman starting on 09/09/1999 (serial number ROS-07816). According to SB1469 we can use this building until 9/20/2007, but need to fill out a form and submit this form to DSA. Fees for late filing are $450.00 for reporting received after December 31, 2002. This building meets all of the following criteria see:
http://www.dsa.dgs.ca.gov/SB1469Certification/sb1469details.htm
Criteria for Buildings to Be Eligible for SB 1469 Certification
To qualify for SB 1469 certification a relocatable building must meet all of the following criteria:
Was in use for classroom purposes on or before May 1, 2000.
Constructed after December 19, 1979 and bears a commercial coach insignia of approval from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
Is a single story structure with not more than 2160 square feet of interior floor area when all sections are joined together
The bracing and anchorage of interior overhead non-structural elements such as light fixtures, and heating and air-conditioning diffusers comply with the requirements of the current California Building Code (CBC).
The foundation system complies with the current UBC or is a DSA approved foundation.
All other building construction, including associated site construction, except for the relocatable building itself, complies with Sections 4450 to 4458, inclusive, of the Government Code, and Section 13143 of the Health and Safety Code and the administrative and building standards published in Title 19 and Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations.
School Districts Need SB 1469 Certification to Comply With the Law
California law requires that all school buildings be certified by DSA. For various reasons relocatable buildings have been purchased or leased and placed on school sites without DSA certification. SB 1469 certification allows the buildings to remain in use until September 30, 2007. This will allow school districts time to plan for replacement of the buildings.
The DSA reporting form can be found at:
http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dsa/forms/sb1469cert_rev10-02-02.pdf