There has been some recent concern about the “shortfall” of funds to complete the Proposition X Building Program at Malibu High School (MHS). My name is Mark Benjamin and I am the CEO of Morley Builders, a moderately sized construction firm based in Santa Monica. I have lived in Malibu for over 20 years and have two sons, 19 and 15, who have been educated at Cabrillo and MHS. I have been involved with the District’s facility improvements for 10 years. I am the former Chair of the Prop X Oversight Committee and the current Chair of its Financial and Contract Compliance Sub-committees.
Currently the budget to complete the new MHS Gym, convert the Cafetorium into a Theater and complete the specified Modernization is about $3.7 million. The District asked its Design/Build Contractor, Jacobs Engineering, and an outside consultant to estimate the construction cost of the remaining work. The two estimates were $6 million and $5.5 million respectively. If we assume the higher estimate is more likely, then there is a $2.3 million “shortfall.”
Prop X funds are split between Santa Monica (72%) and Malibu (28%). There are three unused line items in the Prop X Budget to which these percentage allocations would apply. The first is “Unforeseen Conditions” ($450,000 for Malibu) and the second is “Unidentified Projects” ($1,680,000 for Malibu). While these funds are for all the Malibu schools, one could make a strong argument that MHS deserves special consideration. These two funds total $2.1 million.
The third Budget Line Item is the “Transportation Facility” ($945,000 earmarked for Malibu). The Board may purchase the Santa Monica bus yard it currently leases. The Oversight Committee alerted the Board that this fund may need to be tapped for school sites rather than the bus yard. The Board has made no decision yet, waiting for the results of the bidding on MHS and Cabrillo Elementary.
The plans for MHS are out to several bidders. The bids are due back by late June. Jacobs and the District will analyze the results and deliver a report and recommendation to the Oversight Committee on July 9. The Oversight Committee intends to hold that meeting at MHS. The Oversight Committee will then make a recommendation to the Board, to be discussed and acted upon at the following Board Meeting on July 12th.
The MHS principal, MHS Governance Committee, Prop X Oversight Committee, the District staff, several assistant superintendents, both the outgoing and incoming Superintendents and the Board, have spent many hours looking at ways to achieve the goals of Prop X. I am confident this effort will be successful.
The next Oversight Committee meeting is on June 25 at the School District headquarters at 4 p.m. All Oversight Committee meetings are open to the public and have published Minutes for those that are interested.
Mark Benjamin
Chair, Prop X Finance Sub-Committee
CEO Morley Builders