Laserfiche WebLink
Mayor Kerr and Councilmember Jones and noted his opposition to forwarding the <br /> redistricting resolution to the County. <br /> Larry Russell, Los Altos Hills resident, expressed his opposition to redistricting. He <br /> applauded the progress that had been made by the negotiating team and explained that he <br /> did not want to see artificial deadlines imposed on the discussions and encouraged the <br /> Council to delay sending the resolution to the County. <br /> Milt McCall, W. Sunset, explained that he was pleased with the education program at <br /> Covington School and in the upper grades. He suggested that the redistricting proposal <br /> was a radical solution and encouraged the Council to delay forwarding the resolution and <br /> continue the discussions. McCall believed there were many residents in Town that <br /> favored more moderate efforts for a negotiated agreement. <br /> Fred Gallagher, resident, commented that he believed redistricting was the best solution <br /> for the Town. The Council had agreed to a thirty day delay in delivering the resolution in <br /> favor of a signed term sheet. This had not come to fruition. He wanted a solution that <br /> worked not promises. Gallagher suggested that Council reflect on what had brought them <br /> to the point of considering the redistricting option and offered that any additional delays <br /> could be divisive. <br /> Marlin Miller, Bullis Charter School parent, resident, supported granting additional time <br /> to the District to review the term sheet and respond but he favored moving forward with <br /> redistricting in parallel. He hoped the District clearly understood the Town's resolve to <br /> return public education to the Hills. Miller relayed his attendance at the recent meeting <br /> called by the "Citizens Against Redistricting". He noted the many senior citizens support <br /> redistricting and felt betrayed by the actions of the Districts. All schools in Town have <br /> been closed and over 40% of the children in Los Altos Hills now attend private schools. <br /> Linda Swan, Burke Road, noted that the School Districts had been given an opportunity <br /> over the thirty day period to sign an agreement but to date the Town only had a"maybe". <br /> She noted that there was no guarantee that a geographic waiver would be granted by the <br /> State and suggested that any agreement could be rescinded by a new school district board. <br /> She favored Council moving forward with the redistricting process and securing schools <br /> for the residents now. <br /> Jill Jensen, Purissima Road, questioned what would happen to the all-day kindergarten at <br /> Bullis. She offered that she would believe that the solution was a reality when <br /> construction on the Bullis campus was underway and the kindergarteners had been <br /> relocated. Jensen commented that the residents the Town provide the District with <br /> money, test scores and volunteers and now it was time for the Town to take command of <br /> public education and have control ontrol over their own destiny. <br /> Allan Epstein, Ravensbury Avenue, applauded Mayor Kerr and Councilmember Jones for <br /> their efforts with the negotiations. He commented that not all Town residents would <br /> benefit from returning a school to the Bullis-Purissima site. Epstein viewed Town <br /> residents in the Palo Alto Unified School District enrollment area and those in the <br /> 13 <br /> City Council Meeting Minutes <br /> April 27,2006 <br />