Lemon Grove board rejects lease renewal offer after closed‑session vote

The Lemon Grove Governing Board voted 5-0 in closed session on Dec. 14 to reject the lease renewal offer presented by Literacy First Charter Schools, the board reported when it reconvened in open session at 6:21 p.m.

The action was reported to the public without a named speaker and was described by the board as grounded in the district’s operational needs. The board said the renewal decision reflected what it termed the district’s pressing needs for Lemon Grove learners rather than strictly financial considerations.

Before the board went into closed session, Steve Robinson, identified in the record as chief business officer for Liberty Charter High School, addressed the board and asked members to accept a pared‑down, one‑year lease proposal. "I'm returning with a paired down version for just one year and I appreciate the board considering that," Robinson said. He added that if a one‑year term was not acceptable he wanted the board to explain the minimum terms that would be acceptable or to state that there were no acceptable terms.

The meeting agenda listed real property negotiations under Government Code Section 54956.8 and personnel actions under Government Code Section 54957 as topics for closed session. The board did not identify in open session who moved or seconded the closed‑session action; the report recorded only a unanimous 5‑0 outcome.

No further public details or conditions attached to the rejection were released at the meeting. The district did not specify next steps for the property or whether it will reopen negotiations with any charter operator or other potential tenants.

The board's decision followed a period in which the district signaled operational priorities for its facilities; the rejection means the offer from Literacy First Charter Schools will not move forward under the terms presented to the board at this meeting.