Carlsbad officials, superintendents outline budget, facilities and crossing‑guard investments

City Manager Jeff Patno opened updates by highlighting the recently passed general fund budget ($243,000,000) and several public‑safety and facility investments: restored Sunday library hours, almost $1,000,000 for fire mitigation/fuel management, a multi‑year staffing initiative converting some EMT positions to paramedic/firefighter roles, and six added police officers.

Patno provided project updates affecting schools: the Monroe Street pool replacement adjacent to Carlsbad High School is under construction with an estimated total cost of about $19,000,000 and expected to finish late next year; the city allocated $270,000 to resurface all nine tennis courts at Carlsbad High; and the budget includes nearly $500,000 to fund school crossing guards at 14 local schools.

Carlsbad Unified Superintendent Andy Norman said the district will continue implementing MTSS and universal design for learning, develop school‑level professional development plans, and advance several capital projects: a two‑story building at Aviera Oaks (front office, counseling spaces, six classrooms), a pending eight‑classroom approval at Pacific Rim Elementary, interim housing to allow Buena Vista campus modernization and HVAC work at Valley. Norman said the facilities master plan will be presented later this year and noted staffing updates including a recommendation for a new assistant superintendent of instruction.

Encinitas Union School District’s Dr. Andre Gray described student‑led conferences and a reimagined enrichment "wheel" funded in part by Prop 28; he said Measure Z will fund a complete rebuild of Central (a community hub) starting in 2026 with temporary relocations to nearby campuses.

San Dieguito Union High School District Superintendent Anne Stifieri highlighted high AP enrollment at La Costa Canyon (about 4,500 students taking roughly 10,000 AP exams) and career technical education partnerships with local industry, and thanked the city for continued collaboration on sustainability and school resource officer support.

San Marcos Unified Superintendent Johnson summarized his district’s strategic plan and said Measure JJ will deliver about $324,000,000 in facilities funding and is estimated to qualify the district for roughly $94–$96 million in state matching funds for Prop 2.

Committee members praised interagency collaboration, raised questions about construction timelines for Aviera Oaks parking and other projects, and asked staff to provide more detailed timelines for site‑specific work ahead of the school year. The chair requested that staff bring back implementation timelines and continue coordination between city departments and district leaders.