The Paso Robles school board ambushed by opponents to a plan to close Georgia Brown elementary school.
Several said that the 7-11 Measure M oversight committee did not represent the community because there were too few neighbors of Georgia Brown on the committee. Elena Garcia called the recommendation by the committee “illegitimate.”
Trustee Chris Bausch said that the 7-11 committee was legal, and that the district encouraged people to join the discussion on how to manage the remaining revenue created by Measure M. Much of it was spent by the previous administration of Chris Williams and Jennifer Gaviola.
William Krum is chair of the 7-11 committee. He says their revised budget calls for spending $108 million, but Measure M only raised $95 million. The committee is trying to ascertain how to manage that short fall. Because of declining enrollment in the district, one option is to close an elementary school.
He says it may cost as much as $25 million dollars to renovate the Georgia Brown elementary school. That’s why the 7-11 committee voted 8-3 to close the school. Not because of its location or proximity to the Hispanic population of Paso Robles.
The board voted to receive the report, although that does not mean they endorse closure of Georgia Brown. Trustee Lance Gannon voted against receiving the report.
The board will revisit the issue in upcoming board meetings.
