Upfront
Ravenswood (continued from page 3)
would be next door to a proposed new building for the Ravenswood Family Health Center, which is currently raising funds for the facility. The school district met in closed session with Sobrato representatives Thursday, April 25, for a discussion described as negotiations about “price and terms of payment.” Neither Sobrato CEO John M. Sobrato nor Ravenswood Superintendent Maria De La Vega have responded to requests for comment. On Wednesday, a school district representative said the parties are “still in negotiations.” Three district-owned parcels on Euclid Avenue and three privately owned properties on the northwest corner of Pulgas Avenue and Bay Road are under discussion. The district-owned land — stretching a quarter-mile down Euclid from the corner of East Bayshore — currently includes the school district’s administrative headquarters, its transportation center and bus yard, a building that houses the federal lowincome nutrition program known as WIC (Women, Infants and Children), a school warehouse and receiving building, the district’s technology center and the nonprofit Foundation for a College Education. The addresses are 2110, 2120 and 2160 Euclid, which extends to Bell Street Park, home of a community swimming pool and the Lewis and Joan Platt East Palo Alto Family YMCA. The school district facilities are contiguous with a mostly vacant lot on East Bayshore, where Sobrato has posted a sign advertising “Phase II” of University Plaza, described as premier “Class A” office space. Signage for Phase I of Sobrato’s University Plaza is posted on a vacant lot a few blocks away on Donohoe Street opposite IKEA, describing a “Class A office campus” with 208,000 square feet and underground parking. The Sobrato Organization manages about 7.5 million square feet of commercial office space, with tenants that include Apple, Yahoo and Netflix, as well as 30 apartment communities with 6,700 units, according to Forbes magazine. Sobrato’s philanthropic arm has contributed to numerous programs in East Palo Alto including the Ravenswood Education Foundation and the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula. The Sobrato family has signed the Buffett-Gates Giving Pledge, asking billionaires to promise to give away 100 percent of wealth during their lifetimes or leave it to a foundation. The other three parcels listed for negotiation last Thursday are privately held lands across town. One of the parcels, 2519 Pulgas, is described in an Internet listing by real estate broker Greg DeLong of CBRE as 5 acres of vacant land with entitlements for 93,000 square feet of research and development space. The price is listed as $2.75 million. The other two, 1885 and 1891 Bay Road, are described in a similar listing as 0.59 acres with 2,040 square feet of existing industrial space for
a price of $750,000. The district’s new headquarters might be housed there, if the land swap goes through. Last Thursday’s closed-door meeting was authorized under a section of California law that permits a local agency to hold a closed session “prior to the purchase, sale, exchange or lease of real property by or for the local agency to grant authority to its negotiator regarding the price and terms of payment for the purchase, sale, exchange or lease.” Although state law authorizes the closed negotiations it requires publication of the identities of negotiators, the properties under negotiation and the persons with whom its negotiators may negotiate.
Listed as negotiators for the school district in Thursday’s talks were Superintendent De La Vega, Ravenswood’s Chief Business Official Megan Curtis and lawyer Marilyn Cleveland of the education law firm Dannis Woliver Kelley. Individuals negotiating for the Sobrato Organization were not specified. De La Vega is set to retire in June. Trustees of the K-8 Ravenswood district, which serves about 4,000 mostly low-income and Englishlearning students in East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park, are searching for a new superintendent. N Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can be emailed at ckenrick@paweekly. com.
Online This Week
These and other news stories were posted on Palo Alto Online throughout the week. For longer versions, go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news or click on “News” in the left, green column.
Leaders break ground at new Stanford Hospital Gesturing toward the hole that will become Stanford Hospital and Clinics’ new hospital, Board of Directors Chair Mariann Byerwalter said it holds the promise of medical care and discovery to come. (Posted May 2, 9:55 a.m.)
University Rotary Club marks 25th anniversary The Palo Alto University Rotary club will mark two major milestones at a gala on Saturday, May 4, at the University Club of Palo Alto, 3277 Miranda Ave. (Posted May 1, 4:59 p.m.)
Son testifies in Woodside murder trial
Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week CITY COUNCIL ... The council plans to have a closed session to discuss the construction of the Mitchell Park Library and Community Center and potential initiation of class-action litigation involving price fixing in foreign manufacturing of lithium ion batteries. The council also plans to review the guiding principles for revenues received as part of the Stanford University Medical Center expansion; approve the 2014 allocation for the Community Development Block Grant; consider authorizing issuance and sale of $20.7 million in bonds for the Measure N projects; and consider approving a new compensation plan for managers and professionals. The closed session will begin at 5:30 p.m. Regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). BOARD OF EDUCATION ... The board will hold a study session on a school district “action plan to create safe and welcoming schools.” The session will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 7, in the boardroom of school district headquarters (25 Churchill Ave.). The board will recess to closed session at 1:15 p.m. to discuss evaluation of the superintendent. COUNCIL INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to hear an update on the proposed public-safety building that is part of the Jay Paul development proposal for 395 Page Mill Road. The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to hear an overview presentation on the fiscal year 2014 budget and discuss the budgets for the offices of the City Attorney, the City Auditor, the City Clerk and the City Manager. The committee will also discuss the proposed budgets for the City Council, the new Office of Sustainability, and the Human Resources, IT and Administrative Services departments. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). BOARD OF EDUCATION ... The board will vote on union agreements whereby teachers and staff, including managers, will receive a 3 percent salary increase retroactive to the start of the 2012-13 school year as well as a onetime bonus equal to 1 percent of salary. The board also will discuss a statement of support for students and families in Buena Vista Mobile Home Park and proposed new or revised policies on the following topics: Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, guidance counseling services, high school graduation requirements, suspension and expulsion and fees and charges. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, in the boardroom of school district headquarters (25 Churchill Ave.) PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ... The commission plans to discuss the California Avenue/Fry’s Electronics area concept plan and the Sustainable Community Strategy. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). COUNCIL REGIONAL HOUSING MANDATE COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to discuss the city’s revised Housing Element and the city’s response to Plan Bay Area. The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to discuss the budgets for the Community Services, Library and Planning departments and review the recommended Human Services Resources Allocation funding for fiscal year 2014. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ... The commission plans to continue its learning series on affordable housing and hear updates on the Palo Alto Mediation Program and on the countywide HRC breakfast. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).
The son of a Woodside man who is charged with killing his wife in April 2010 testified today that his mother had been depressed and under stress in the months leading up to her death, leaving open the possibility that she committed suicide. (Posted May 1, 9:10 a.m.)
Stanford alum sentenced for ‘cyber stalking’ A former Stanford University student was sentenced to four months in county jail after she pleaded no contest to hacking her ex-boyfriend’s computer, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. (Posted April 29, 3:52 p.m.)
Palo Alto to try less-frequent street sweeping Residents of certain Palo Alto neighborhoods may notice their streets and sidewalks get a bit leafier in the coming months as the city cuts back on street sweeping. (Posted April 29, 9:40 a.m.) Want to get news briefs emailed to you every weekday? Sign up for Express, our new daily e-edition. Go to www.PaloAltoOnline.com to sign up.
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that proposals will be received by the Palo Alto Unified School District for: RFP # 13-P-04-M: Pool Chemicals Bidding documents contain the full description of the work, and may be requested via email to: dbuschke@pausd.org, or at the District Office, Purchasing Department. 25 Churchill Ave Palo Alto, CA 94306. There will be a mandatory Conference and walkthrough at 10:00 A.M. PTD on Wednesday, May 8, 2013. All questions concerning this request should be directed to Denise Buschke at (650) 329-3802 or emailed to dbuschke@pausd.org.
Interested parties must submit proposals to the Purchasing Department, Attn: Denise Buschke, 25 Churchill Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306, by 3 PM PTD on Tuesday, May 28, 2013. BY ORDER of the Business Department of the Palo Alto Unified School District, Palo Alto, California. Posted Legal Ads Dated April 26, 2013 & May 3, 2013 ÜÜÜ°*> Ì " i°V ÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊ >ÞÊÎ]ÊÓä£ÎÊU Page 7