If one assumes the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District's increase in enrollment projections for the next few years are correct (500 students for K-5), they would appear to have a housing problem. I don't know if the District has considered the impact on Bowditch Middle School (6-8) or not but that is not my focus at this time.
In what I would consider a back door attempt to get the City of Foster City to solve the School District’s problem, the District has indicated that unless a new school facility is built they will be forced to bus Foster City students to schools in San Mateo.
While I do believe the School District, if their projections are correct, will have a problem solving the increased in enrollment projections by themselves, I do not believe it is the problem of the City of Foster City. I believe, as has been said by our City Council, it is problem we are concerned with and would be willing to assist the School District in attempting to solve their problem.
Where the major stumbling block to progress lies, I believe, is the School District's apparent unwillingness to consider options other than a new site or bussing. Requests on the part of Foster City to have the School District provide completed staff work on the various options have, for all practical purposes, gone unanswered. It is not Foster City's responsibility nor within our expertise to do completed staff work on the School District's area of responsibility and expertise. That falls within the responsibilities of the School District.
At a recent City Council meeting the City Council was taken to task by the spouse of a member of the School Board for not getting out of the way of staff so that they could solve the problem. Well, I can't speak as to how the School District operates, but in the City of Foster City the Council sets policy and directs staff to carry it out through the direction of our City Manager. The Council is not directed by or dictated to by our appointed City Manager. We, as the elected representatives of the citizens and business communities, will establish policy and give direction.
The point I’m trying to make is that the City has indicated its willingness to attempt to work with the School District to help them solve their problem. We are not prepared to make policy decisions without completed staff work from the School District. The School District is the governmental entity with the expertise and knowledge to provide completed staff work on all of the options they had to consider.
It is my belief that the School District staff would understand more clearly than the City staff the cost/benefit analysis, the impact on the public and the land cost, construction cost and maintenance and operation costs of all the options.
I, as one member of the Council, am not prepared to enter into any meaningful policy discussions with the School District regarding options without all the information.
I represent 30,000 residents plus the business community and I owe it to all of them to know the facts before I contemplate a decision which may have a significant impact on our park system or our finances. I say this due to indications that the San Mateo-Foster City School District seems to expect the City to donate parkland or vacant land owned by all the citizens of Foster City, upon which, if they had the resources they would build a K-5 school. I do not believe that this is the only solution to the problem.
If the District staff needs some assistance I’m sure the City staff, at Council direction, would be happy to assist.
Vice Mayor Rick Wykoff can be reached via e-mail: rwykoff@fostercity.org.
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