LAKEPORT ? The Lake County Board of Supervisors urged the Lake County Board of Education and school districts to work together to preserve education and autonomy while cutting costs Tuesday night at a meeting about district unification.
Supervisors told education board members they didn”t think the district reorganization report prepared had enough information for them to decide whether to unify the seven school districts.
The Board of Education planned to meet again to discuss the issue of unification and what the districts want to do, Dave Geck, Lake County superintendent of schools said. The Board of Supervisors asked the education board to create a task force in January to consider cost savings and effects of unifying all or some of the districts.
Supervisor Jeff Smith challenged the districts to get together to find a solution to funding and curriculum difficulties.
“Look at the big picture in the county ? we”re all in it together, whether we agree to unification or not,” Smith said to the crowd that didn”t agree on much.
Lowell Grant, task force member, told the two boards that unification of the seven districts would save at least $1.3 million, he said.
If districts stayed separate and worked together to cut costs they would only save nickels and dimes, Grant said.
“We”re way past nickels and dimes,” Grant said.
“Nickels and dimes make quarters and dollars,” Smith said.
Smith asked the education board and interested parties to continue the process of working together and come back to the supervisors with suggestions.
The task force presenting the report gave three options for unification: one, to unify all districts; two, to unify Kelseyville, Lakeport, Lucerne and the Upper Lake districts into one and Konocti and Middletown into another district; and third, to unify Upper Lake Elementary, Upper Lake High and Lucerne.
Chairwoman Denise Rushing pushed the Northshore school districts to get together and all districts to get creative to save money, she said.
Many of the people who spoke to the boards at the meeting said the districts don”t work well together.
Supervisor Anthony Farrington said communication needs to improve on all levels, possibly with a summit discussion with all boards, districts and interested parties present.
Mark Cooper, president of the Lake County Board of Education, said he thought the dual meeting was valuable and that curriculum should be coordinated throughout the county.
“I learned a lot tonight. I think you have given us directive,” Cooper said to the supervisors. “I would like to see what we can do at our level.”
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
