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Cloverdale trustees weigh selling South Cloverdale parcel to free Measure H funds
Summary
Trustees split over whether to begin the lengthy surplus‑land sale process for a South Cloverdale parcel tied to Measure H, with the superintendent advising a formal process would take consultants and up to 18 months and some trustees urging retention for future program expansion.
The Cloverdale Unified School District board spent a substantial portion of its meeting debating whether to start the formal process to sell a surplus parcel in South Cloverdale that staff said is tying up Measure H funds.
The superintendent (speaker 2) framed the choice bluntly: "Either we start looking at possibly selling the property or we don't," and warned the surplus‑land process is "pretty involved" — potentially taking up to 18 months, requiring consultants and mandatory offers to other public entities. He said proceeds from a sale would return to Measure H and remain subject to the bond's parameters.
Trustee Garrison (speaker 5) argued the district should begin the sale process to recover funds, noting the district has limited reserves and the property is not generating operating value. "My vote is to start looking on the option of selling," the trustee said.
Trustee Jackie (speaker 4) opposed selling. "I feel like it's an asset ... the purpose of purchasing that was to expand," she told colleagues, stressing possible future program uses, including agricultural program expansion and opportunities if grant funding materializes. She and others raised fire‑mitigation and liability concerns for vacant land near existing housing and construction projects.
Board members pressed staff for practical details: how much consultant and transaction costs would be, whether the district could offset fees from sale proceeds, and how long the sale timeline might delay use of Measure H funds. Staff agreed to research estimated consultant fees, costs of the surplus‑land process, and options such as in‑kind trades (developers providing housing or facilities in exchange for land) and return with cost estimates.
Why it matters: the parcel represents a capital asset acquired using Measure H proceeds. A decision to sell could free restricted funds for other district needs but would start a formal public process the superintendent warned is time‑consuming. A choice to retain the land preserves future expansion options but also keeps the asset off the district’s operating ledger while fees and site maintenance continue.
