Site transfer approved!

Yesterday evening, the AVUSD school board voted unanimously in favor of transferring ownership of the AV Community Park area to the AV Community Services District (CSD) -- for the explicit purpose of developing a skatepark on the property.

More than 90 AV community members showed up to the public hearing to show their enthusiastic support for the Skatepark Project . Many sported hand-printed AV Skatepark t-shirts and buttons (made by SLT students), purchased at the door. 14 Jr/Sr High Service Learning Team students participated in the formal presentation (along with their facilitator Noor Dawood, AV Skatepark Project Grant Coordinator Jamie Umble and Donna Pierson Pugh on behalf of the CSD Rec Committee), and several community members were invited to speak on behalf of community groups with an interest in the skatepark.

The Board's commitment to transfer the property is a huge step forward for the AV Skatepark Project! Skatepark development would not have been feasible on school district land, so sealing this transfer was critical for the project's viability..

Here is a copy of the slideshow presentation.

Check out our photo gallery for photos from board meeting.

THE TECHNICAL DETAILS

The school board voted to approve that "Anderson Valley Unified School District file an application with the State Board of Education seeking a waiver under Education Code section 55030 to permit a land transfer to the Anderson Valley Community Services District for development into a skate park." What this means is that as a result of this vote, the school district's attorney will file an application with the California Department of Education to waive regulations that would normally make it very difficult for a school district to transfer ownership of its property. The waiver process is easy and straight-forward (the state is obligated to approve our application once our school board has given its blessing), but it will take three to four months for the process to be completed. Once that waiver process is completed (hopefully by March 2023), we will work out the property transfer details with the school board and county and complete the transfer of ownership. In the current meeting, one school board member brought up the possibility of the board imposing contingencies on this transfer (for example, a requirement that certain development take place by a target date or that a certain standard of maintenance be upheld), which could result in the property being returned to the school district if certain expectations are not met. We will return to this question after the waiver process is completed, in the process of finalizing the transfer.

HUGE THANKS to:

• AVUSD board members for generously volunteering your time and energy to serve our community; for thoughtfully considering our proposal over these many months; and for enthusiastically supporting this transfer for the betterment of our community.

• Superintendent Louise Simson for investing so much time and care to provide counsel and facilitate the many technical aspects of our proposal.

• The AV Community for SHOWING UP when you were needed, and for showing your support in the many ways that you did at the meeting. It was hard not to feel pride in our little community last night.

NEXT STEPS:

Now that we have the site secure, we can move ahead with NEXT STEPS:

• expanded local fundraising campaign

• grant applications

• a community-centered custom design process

The AV Skatepark Project Working Group will resume biweekly meetings, and AV Jr/Sr High Service Learning Team students will continue to meet weekly.