Pomona Unified trustees review facilities master plan that lists more than $2.6 billion in needs; request more detail before approving projects

Pomona Unified School District trustees and staff spent a study session reviewing a facilities master plan and a proposed project list that the district said represents more than $2,600,000,000 in identified facility needs.

Superintendent Darren Knowles opened the presentation with consultants from LCC3 and SafeWork and told the board, "the need that was in the facilities master plan is over $2,600,000,000." He and staff repeatedly emphasized the list is a phased proposal, not a promise to complete every item.

The discussion matters because voters approved Measure UU to provide bond funding and the district is seeking state reimbursements under Proposition 2 to stretch local dollars. Brenda Garcia, program manager for LCC3, summarized the state program: "Proposition 2 was passed in November 2024 and this will allow us to continue, growing from the state bond program. And so to date, the district has been successful in obtaining $40,700,000 through that funding program from 2009 to current." Garcia also said the district has applications approved for about $78,000,000 more and that roughly $8,500,000 is expected to arrive before Dec. 30 of this year.

Staff laid out the district's near-term financial picture: Measure PS had a balance of about $8,500,000 and Measure P about $7,500,000; the district recommended a first Measure UU issuance of $68,000,000 and discussed asking the State Board of Education for a waiver to issue a larger amount (the waiver process staff estimated would take about four months). Consultants reminded trustees the full master-plan project list exceeds available funding and must be prioritized.

Trustees and staff focused questions on prioritization, project detail and implementation. Several trustees urged a program-driven approach to construction. "Our program should drive our facilities, not vice versa," Trustee (Dr.) Pearlman said. Board members asked for school-level condition data, photographs and renderings, clearer cost breakdowns by funding source, and timelines tied to state reimbursement deadlines.

Trustees raised site-specific concerns. Board members and staff spent extended time describing Lorber (Lower Bear) High School’s open-air cafeteria and whether to modernize the existing structure or build a new enclosed cafeteria/multipurpose building; staff noted both options were on the project list and that a new building could cost roughly $3,000,000 depending on scope. Trustees also discussed field lighting, turf, shade structures and soccer-field needs; one trustee suggested solar canopies as shade structures.

Board members pressed consultants about the facilities condition assessments underlying the plan. Staff said the full master-plan document includes Appendix B, a school-level facilities condition assessment that lists system-level condition indices (roofing, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, ADA, structure, interior). Superintendent Knowles assured the board the appendix and an executive summary would be provided and that staff would walk trustees through school-level data before a final project list is presented.

Trustees asked for more participation from the consultant Perkins Eastman, which produced the master-plan assessment; several trustees said they had not seen all promised deliverables and asked staff and consultants to provide any missing documents. Ed Cunningham (LCC3) and Brenda Garcia (LCC3) agreed to review the record and return missing materials.

On implementation and operations, trustees and staff repeatedly raised maintenance and operations concerns and asked for an integrated maintenance plan tied to the capital work. Trustees said warranties and ongoing upkeep for newly completed projects must be clearer in the plan.

Formal actions recorded or referenced in the presentation: Superintendent Knowles said the board had authorized the district to work with LCC3 and SafeWork on bond-program implementation and oversight. No formal project adoption, ordinance or budget appropriation was taken at the session.

Next steps and timeline: staff said they will provide the facilities master-plan executive summary, the school-level facilities condition appendix, photo/visuals and program-alignment recommendations; they also proposed a follow-up board working session. Trustees agreed to schedule a follow-up meeting for Aug. 15 at 3:00 p.m. (staff will confirm logistics) and asked staff to organize school-site visits for trustees before further approvals.

The study session closed with staff and the consultants committing to return with more precise cost breakdowns, program-driven prioritization scenarios and the materials the board requested.