School Board to discuss whether to proceed with new theater construction

Even as the STEAM building project continues to move toward completion on time and on budget, on Wednesday night PUSD School Board members will consider whether or not to proceed with the second phase of H1, the construction of the new performing arts / Alan Harvey theater building. In a memo prepared by Supt. Randall Booker for the Board, he addresses concerns about cost and the need to preserve the 10s building for probable social distancing requirements during the next school year (pending Alameda County health guidelines), but also outlines the significant financial and logistical implications of putting the project on hold per an assessment by the Facilities Steering Committee. (See item VIII.B Consideration Whether to Proceed With the Performing Art Center/New Alan Harvey Theater Project)

According to the memo, the Committee recommends that the project move forward “without delay.”

The Board is expected to discuss the assessment and make a decision soon regarding whether or not to move forward.

The Facilities Steering Committee meets regularly to discuss the District’s capital projects and bring diverse community viewpoints and professional expertise to the oversight of these projects. Current members are: Angel Fierro; John Gibbs; Grier Graff; Brad Hebert; Robert Hendrickson; Doug Ireland; John Lambert; Jonathan Levine; Jane Lin; Stacey Merickel; Jason Meil; Bernard Pech; Rebecca Posamentier; Rick Raushenbush; Clark Thiel; and John Welch.  Board of Education members Andrea Swenson and Cory Smegal serve as liaisons to this Committee.

You can read the PUSD School Board agenda in full here. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.; this item is scheduled for 8 p.m. All Board meetings are now held via Zoom, the links can be found here.

Residents should know there are two ways to make public comment at the prescribed time near the beginning of the meeting, or in extended public comment after each agenda item. The Board President will introduce the allotted period of time for Public comments, organize the comments, and indicate who will be speaking next.

• To comment by video conference, click on the Participants button at the bottom of your screen and select the “Raise Your Hand” button to request to speak when Public Comment is being asked for. When called upon, you will be unmuted. After the allotted time, you will then be re-muted.
• To comment by phone, you will be prompted to “Raise Your Hand” by pressing “*9” to request to speak when Public Comment is asked for. When called upon, you will be unmuted. After the allotted time, you will then be re-muted. Instructions of how to raise your hand by phone are available at: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362663 -Joining-a-meeting-by-phone.