Structural Information on WCCUSD Schools: seismic.html

Portola and Adams Middle Schools could collapse during an earthquake
EXCERPT: "The seismic deficiency issues at Portola Middle School have been known to the district for a long period of time, including by virtue of the 2002 Structural Evaluation conducted by WLC Architects and DASSE Design, Inc. That seismic inspection conducted at the WCCUSD's direction found that Portola Middle School faced severe seismic deficiencies, including risk of 'building collapses, partial building collapses or life-safety hazards" and that the condition of the school's facilities poses "serious life safety hazards" absent correction of the substantial seismic deficiencies identified. In August 2006, the WCCUSD Facilities Subcommittee discussed the earthquake danger at Portola Middle School and recognized the likelihood that children would die in the facilities under current conditions if an earthquake strikes...." from page 2, Morgan Lewis (Civil Law Attorneys), Williams Complaint sent Jan. 29, 2008 to WCCUSD, Principal Enos

School Board Pfeifer discussed loss of life and hiring PR at Facilites meeting, then directed Superintendent Harter to send a letter to the attendence area of Portola saying students were safe based on the Field Act of 1933
"...This short note is informational only. On September 6, 2006, at the direction of Karen Pfeifer, Dr. Bruce Harter, Superintendent, sent a letter to all Families in the Portola Middle School Attendance Area. In his letter, Dr. Harter stated that Portola Middle School was safe.? Although Dr. Harter's representation was directly contradicted by all of the professional engineering reports obtained by the District, which state that Portola is unsafe, and directly contradicted by the State of California's May 19, 2006, determination that Portola is unsafe, Karen Pfeifer later praised Dr. Harter for his letter, stating it spread oil on the waters.? Thus, your proposed waiver should include a waiver of negligent misrepresentation and fraud of any cause of action against the District, Dr. Harter, and Karen Pfeifer. ..."
wccusdtalk/message/9535

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Adams and Portola are nonductile concrete buildings, they were identified in 1999 in the top five most at risk schools of collapsing by WCCUSD Superintendent. Then in 2001 to 2002 the District hired DASSE Design to complete structural reports. They identified 6 schools with severe seismic deficiencies and life safety hazards, Portola and Adams were in the top 6 to be the first schools fixed (2002) with Bond funds.

The Field Act of 1933
Excerpt: What is it? On March 10, 1933, scores of brick school buildings collapsed in the Long Beach earthquake. One month later, California Assemblyman Charles Field spearheaded legislation that still requires all new schools to adhere to building codes in effect at the time of construction.

State authority: The Field Act and subsequent revisions also authorize the Division of the State Architect to review and approve all public school plans, taking that authority away from local jurisdictions.

Code strengthened: The act is not a fail-safe, however, according to structural engineers who focus on earthquakes. Codes are continually revised to make structures safer. As a result, buildings that complied with codes when they were built sometimes are deemed vulnerable later. An example is nonductile concrete buildings constructed prior to major code revisions in the mid-1970s. Although they complied with codes when they were built, many do not have enough steel in their columns and beams to allow them to bend and twist in earthquakes. Instead, . Building code changes demanded more steel reinforcement in and around beams and columns, and stronger walls. Therefore, buildings with concrete beams are considered safer if they were constructed after 1978.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/24/MNKM12G5I3.DTL&h

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“...Nearly one-third of Pfeifer’s money – $30,000 – came from The Seville Group, a Pasadena-based construction management firm that works on the school district’s
$1 billion bond school rebuild program. The same firm contributed $20,000 to West Contra Costa board member Madeline Kronenberg’s campaign in 2006... ...Kronenberg
and board member Charles Ramsey took heat in 2006 when they collectively raised more than $200,000 in contributions– more than any candidates in the district’s history. ...” Excerpt above is from the West County Times, August 6, 2008, Page A3,
For complete article see: www.contracostatimes.com/ci_10109351?IADI

Facts: $94,100 of the $95,1000 raised by school board member Karen Pfeifer came from architects, construction management firms, a security firm, and unions who were not selected based on the lowest bid! California Law specifically exempts these types of services from competitive bidding requirements! *Gov. Code Sec. 53060.

FYI: Karen Pfeifer has raised $95,100 for her school board re-election based on campaign statements filed Oct. 6, 2008 with the County Election Department.

Robert Studdiford raised $33,595 of which $31,750 was from architects, construction managers and unions that do business with the school district.

The Seville Group (construction project managers for the district) gave $30,000 to Pfeifer and $5,000 to Studdiford. Powell & Partners, Architects (architect for the district) gave $7,500 to Pfeifer and $10,000 to Studdiford. Of the total raised by Pfeifer and Studdiford $112,750 or 88% came from sources outside the district.

These are the same groups in the past that made large contributions to current school board members Charles Ramsey and Madeline Kronenberg. Ramsey and Kronenberg have both endorsed Pfeifer and Studdiford. Ramsey has encouraged contributions from vendors and unions doing business with the district to support Pfeifer and Studdiford in order to maintain majority control of the school board.

For the same reporting period Antonio Medrano raised $7,135 and Tony Thurmond raised $3,470.

In my opinion it is unethical and a conflict of interest for school board candidates
to accept contributions from architects and constructions managers who are doing
business with the school district’s $1,000,000,000 bond construction program.

Anton Jungherr,
Retired Associate Superintendent Berkeley USD,
Retired Deputy Superintendent San Francisco USD

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At this hearing the petition was denied. Over 1,700 disenfranchized voters signed petitions in favor of having this put on the Ballot. The reason given was that they thought it would conflict with the parcel tax in November. If that is the case, then it also could have been tabled for later election or voted in.

 

Hearing on WCCUSD Trustee Areas

LOCATION: Lovonya De Jean Middle School, 3400 Macdonald Ave., Richmond
DATE: July 2, 2008, Wednesday • TIME: 6 p.m.

CPEC would like to inform you of the hearing that will be held by the Contra Costa County Board of Education to determine if our WCCUSD Trustee Areas measure should be placed on the November 2008 ballot. Interested members who have been involved as well as any other interested party should be encouraged to attend the hearing and voice their opinions.

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Proposed Trustee Areas for WCCUSD
Currently, West Contra Costa County School Board members can live anywhere within the district and through at-large elections they are elected to represent the entire school district. Citizens for Positive Education Change is proposing the creation of trustee areas. It requires school board members to live within a designated subarea of the school district and enables them to provide direct representation for the schools within the subarea.

Citizens for Positive Education Change is a group comprised of local residents, parents, and political advocates. For more information please contact Michelle Chenault (510) 778-9098 • Email: trusteeareas@aol.com

• For more info visit: Trustee.html
• One page summary of Trustee Areas: CPECsummaryEnglish.pdf
• Una página de resumen de Áreas Fideicomisario en español:
CPECsummarySpanish.pdf
• Complete 22 page Report on Proposed Trustee Areas & Maps:
TrusteeReport22rr.pdf (file is over 2 MB)

Group targets at-large districts
Members gathering signatures to change way school board members are elected
By Kimberly S. Wetzel 04/01/2008 • Contra Costa Times

If the group Citizens for Positive Education Change gets its way, the West Contra Costa school board one day could be made up of members who represent specific areas of the multicity district rather than serve at-large. The group, aiming to put the matter before voters in November, held its first large petition drive over the weekend at grocery stores and other public places to gather signatures and talk to people about the proposal. "I was really encouraged by the folks I talked to," said Anton Jungherr, an organizer. "They were really supportive. ... ...Proponents of the idea say candidates would need less money to run in district-specific elections, trustees would serve areas that might otherwise not have representation and voters may feel more connected to the political system because they have their own representative. Three of the five current school board members live in El Cerrito. ...
contracostatimes.com/ci_8768240?IADID

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Group aims to alter district election
Community activists push to begin selecting school board members by area
By Kimberly S. Wetzel 02/23/2008

Since its inception, the West Contra Costa Unified School District has held at-large elections for board members, meaning that candidates can live anywhere in the district and stand before all voters who reside within its boundaries.
...A community group is interested in changing that...Members of the group Citizens for Positive Education Change are looking into whether the cities and communities that make up West Contra Costa would be better served with board members who represent specific areas rather than the district as a whole.
..."Basically, we want to start a dialogue of the advantages and disadvantages, and whether people are interested in doing it," said Anton Jungherr, a member of the group....The idea has been floating around for years, but nothing has ever come of it. Support grew after the last election in which current board members Charles Ramsey and Madeline Kronenberg collectively raised about $200,000 for their campaigns, Jungherr said. ....In addition, trustees would serve areas that might not have representation otherwise and voters may feel more connected to the political system because they have their own representative... Complete article: contracostatimes.com/ci_8345119?IADID