Board approves pool of architects and names citizens oversight committee as Measure C planning advances

The East Whittier City School District board voted to create a pool of architects to support design work for Measure C projects and appointed initial members to the district’s Citizens Oversight Committee for Measure C.

During discussion, the superintendent said the district is finalizing its facilities master plan and noted that identified needs across the district exceed the Measure C funding total of approximately $97,000,000. The board approved three architects to form a pool that staff may call on for design and ground‑breaking work; board members said firms were selected for K–12 experience and for familiarity with district sites when relevant. Board members asked whether the firms were local and were told they are Southern California firms with K–12 experience.

The board also approved the initial COC membership, selecting parents and community members to ensure the oversight committee includes the categories required by the ballot measure. The COC will review Measure C expenditures and help confirm proposed projects align with the ballot language.

Both actions were approved by the board (vote recorded as five‑zero on the pool of architects and five‑zero for the COC appointments). The superintendent said Orcharddale is being considered for early Measure C work, including possible murals and campus improvements, and said nutrition services would help celebrate recent site achievements.

District staff said the architect pool will provide flexibility to engage firms that match the specific needs of individual projects once the facilities master plan priorities are finalized; the board said a final project list will be presented at the May 12 meeting.