Common ground sought on city, school issues
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

City and school district representatives have formed an ad hoc committee to discuss and seek solutions to issues of common concern.

The advisory panel will tackle joint issues but it does not have the power to make decisions. Representatives will report their findings to the school board and the City Council, said City Manager Steve Kueny.

"The communication is important because what the district does impacts the city and vice versa," Councilmember Keith Millhouse said.

The collaboration will enable school and city leaders to seek ways to fulfill the needs of the community, said school trustee Ron LaGuardia.

Common interests include land and park use, library services, traffic around schools and campus safety. Graffiti and drug prevention matters also surfaced during the talks.

"Many Moorpark residents have expressed concerns about the poor relationship that the city and school district have had, but that's no longer true," said Councilmember Mark Van Dam. Everyone is now focused on future collaboration and dealing with issues when they arise, not allowing petty differences of opinion to become divisive, he said.

Van Dam, Millhouse and Kueny represent the city on the committee, which has met twice since the beginning of the school year. Superintendent Ellen Smith and board members Greg Barker and LaGuardia represent the school district.

School and traffic safety

To date, ad hoc committee members have shared information about safety in and around school campuses, including how the district's new security camera system might be useful to the city and police department as a monitoring tool, said Smith.

They talked about traffic and parking patterns, which are still problematic around some schools. Areas of concern include the Arroyo Vista Park access road bordering Moorpark High School and the areas surrounding Mesa Verde Middle School. Parents have recently been stopping on Miller Parkway to pick up their children- an unsafe practice, said Kueny.

Traffic officers routinely visit school sites to encourage safe driving habits, and the district is working continually to educate parents on the matter.

"We both agreed that safety is the number one issue. But the situation has improved since last year," said LaGuardia.

Shared use of Arroyo West Park and parking arrangements at Poindexter Park next to Chaparral Middle School were also brought up.

Graffiti, drug prevention

School officials updated city leaders on the progress of the DARE drug prevention program offered to fifthgraders throughout the district. They also talked about the efficacy of a school resource officer who is stationed full time at Moorpark High.

The city and the district share costs for the on-site officer, but the city is paying all expenses associated with the DARE program. Since those funds may not be available next year, committee members will continue to review the effectiveness of current programs and evaluate replacement programs, they said.

The committee is also reviewing the issues of concern to the Graffiti Coalition, a group recently formed by city, school and community representatives to address vandalism in Moorpark, Smith said.

Moorpark Highlands site

How a 20-acre parcel in the Moorpark Highlands that is owned by the school district should be used may also come up

NO for discussion. The site had been slated for a new school, but declining enrollment now makes a new campus unnecessary.

Even so, said Larry Brown, superintendent of business services for the school district, the district can't just give up the land because it may need it in the future.

"I've seen a lot of districts do quick sells of property they didn't anticipate they would need to generate some revenue, but then five or six years down the line they regret having sold the land," he said.

"Properties are one of the things they don't make any more of," he said. Brown hopes the ad hoc committee can offer some solutions to make use of the vacant site until the district needs it for a new school.

"Were evaluating the options for interim uses of the property," said Kueny.

Residents in the Pardee Homes development are paying a special assessment for the parcel, so use is restricted, he said.

"We're looking at what uses could be made with the site without jeopardizing the bond issue," he said. City, school leaders and the developer don't want the site to remain vacant, Kueny said.

Library services

At a recent school board meeting, Anna Merriman, superintendent of instruction, suggested that schools and the city should share library services to take advantage of the database resources offered by the Moorpark City Library.

"The library database is a true gift from the city," said Merriman. Every student and teacher should have a library card to access the information provided by the Moorpark City Library online, she said. Free online homework tutoring is also available for young patrons.

The city and school librarians have already been collaborating to enhance programs and services for Moorpark's youth, said Kueny. The ad hoc committee has not yet discussed library services but may in the future.