All of my colleagues on the Foster City City Council and I have recently received a great number of emails from constituents urging us to resume talks with the San Mateo – Foster City Elementary School District over the issue of how we can help the School District with its issue concerning school overcrowding. Some of us were perplexed as to where this perspective was coming from in light of the fact we never severed communication in the first place. After speaking with some parents, I learned where this “misunderstanding” originated.
After the May 7, 2009 School Board meeting, many parents left with the distinct impression that the Foster City City Council broke off further meetings with the School District. Parents somehow even got the impression that my letter dated April 22, 2009 to the School District asking for facts was written because the Council did not wish to meet with the School District any longer.
To be perfectly clear on the matter, the purpose of the letter was to compel the School District to return to the discussion table when Superintendent Pendery Clark severed discussions between City and School District elected officials after our first meeting, which took place on March 27, 2009.
Allow me to present the recent facts in a time line so that there is no misunderstanding on the topic of discussions between the City and the School District.
March 2, 2009: The City Council directs the City Manager to work with me to prepare a letter to the School District incorporating the Council’s concerns also identifying our sub-committee of Council Members Frisella and Koelling. The letter requests the School District form a similar sub-committee of Board Members and join us in a collaborative effort to find a long-term solution to the projected increases in student enrollment in Foster City.
March 5, 2009: The letter identified above is sent to the School District.
March 27, 2009: The two members of the City Council and the two members of the School District and their respective senior staff members meet as requested in the City’s letter of March 5, 2009. Representing the City are Council Members Frisella and Koelling and City Manager Jim Hardy. Representing the School District are President of the Board of Trustees Rincon, Board of Trustee member Sullivan, and Superintendent Pendery Clark.
What occurred at the conclusion of that meeting is the source and crux of the issue. When the meeting ended, Council Members Frisella and Koelling as well as City Manager Jim Hardy were informed by Superintendent Pendery Clark that in the future the meetings would not need any elected persons to be present and that only the respective staff members of the City and School District should attend.
What disappointed the City Council most is we felt the meeting had progressed well. We could not understand why after only one meeting, Superintendent Pendery Clark would advise us that elected public servants no longer needed to take part. We can only assume the School Board concurred with Superintendent Pendery Clark since Trustee Rincon and Trustee Sullivan were present when this announcement was made.
This, of course, prompted the letter I sent to the School District on April 22, 2009 seeking the answers to many questions. My letter also stated clearly that our future meetings would include two members of the City Council.
It seems the School District later changed its mind since Council Members Koelling and Kiesel have had another meeting with them on May 21, 2009.
What this tells me is the public needs to start asking direct questions of their elected officials and not let any of us equivocate nor provide misleading partial answers.
The problem with some elected public servants giving straight answers is it’s hard to do. Straight answers might get you the support of one group at the cost of losing the support of another group. If you stand pat in the middle and wait long enough it may blow over. Somehow, I do not believe the issue of overcrowding in our schools will blow over. I truly hope the voters press on with this issue and demand answers. If they do not, you will see a continuance of the politics as usual scenario that has existed with the School District in Foster City for decades.
Remember that the City Council is not in the school business. We are in the business of making Foster City the best place to live. We do, however, care so much about our City; we are more than willing to involve ourselves in a highly charged issue that is legally none of our business. That issue is making certain that our children’s education comes first.
Even though our City Council does not always agree, we still put aside our differences and put our children, their parents and all of our residents first. I am very proud to serve with my colleagues on the Council. I have never had a greater honor. Right or wrong, we do not hide from our duty and we will look you in the eye and tell you honestly what it is that we believe.
The consequence of how the Foster City City Council conducts its business is why we have a magnificent city we can all be proud to call our home. Perhaps it explains why Forbes Magazine recently named Foster City as the tenth best town in which to live well in the entire United States. What that means to your City Council is we need to try even harder.
If you have any questions or remarks please feel free to call me at (650) 349-2316 or email me at jkiramis@fostercity.org. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you.
print 