Writing a council corner each month allows me to share my thoughts and opinions about issues facing our community. It is a forum from which I can offer answers or suggestions to questions residents have raised. Recently, I received an email from a resident who wanted to know if I supported a high school in Foster City and it was his opinion that we should build one. I expressed the following to him:
Fiction: The City Council has not been supportive of the efforts of the Foster City High School Foundation.
Fact: I’m not sure what more the Council can do than what we have already done. No one on this Council is against education nor would any of us deny a student the opportunity for educational choice. As requested by the High School Foundation, 4 acres of land was set aside while its members attempted to solicit a provider and apply for a charter.
On several occasions, City staff and Council have met with individuals from the current High School Foundation as well as the previous group attempting to create a charter school in our City.
Fiction: The City is not willing to provide some funding for a school for the community.
Fact: It should be noted that the acreage set aside is worth several millions dollars and could produce revenues to the City in the hundreds of thousands per year. In addition, the City Council has expressed a willingness to consider in minimizing other fees as well. This to me is a significant monetary contribution from the City.
I think it is time we clear up the misconceptions that may be circulating around this community. I invite anyone reading this column to attend the September 17th Council meeting or watch it on Channel 27 as the Council will be hearing from the Envision School. I believe we will be able to clear up any misunderstanding the public may have about the Council’s action referencing this project.
Councilmembers are faced with critical and challenging issues that affect the lives of all the residents and businesses in our community. Our focus must remain on sound financial management, the effects of the planned redevelopment projects, public transportation, environmental issues and emergency planning to name a few.
Change to our surroundings is inevitable and it will require strong and determined leadership to plan wisely and preserve our planned community vision. We must be cognizant of the needs of the entire community now and for the future.
I look forward to comments on this or other issues to lkoelling@fostercity.org.
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