La Canada Unified board approves teacher and staff pay increases, developer fee hike and emergency gas-line repairs at Palm Crest Elementary

The La Canada Unified School District governing board on Tuesday approved tentative agreements with its certificated and classified bargaining units, adopted updated developer fees, and authorized emergency repairs to a failing gas line at Palm Crest Elementary.

The board approved tentative agreements with the La Canada Teachers Association and the California School Employees Association that include a 3.11% ongoing salary increase effective July 1, 2026. "The total cost of this projection is $1.54 million per year," Melissa told the board during the AB1200 disclosure item, referring to the combined first-year budget impact of the bargaining agreements and associated employer costs. Melissa presented the AB1200 public disclosure document required by the county and noted the county has already approved the submission.

Board members also adopted Resolution 142526 to align local developer fees with the State Allocation Board's recent increases; staff said a supporting nexus study by Jack Shredder & Associates justifies continuing the assessments and that the new rates would take effect July 1 after a required 60-day notice period.

On facilities matters, the board approved an amendment to the district's contract with Premier Inspection Services to extend inspection coverage for upcoming construction projects and update hourly rates; staff said the revised contract authority will be $1.1 million, an increase of $450,000 from the 2023 amount. The board also approved a change order to increase the PCY modernization contract allowance from $300,000 to $500,000 to address unforeseen plumbing, framing and concrete repairs discovered during demolition.

While discussing construction at Paradise Canyon Elementary (PCY), staff reported that crews uncovered "severely deteriorated segments of the campus's main gas line" during excavation. Melissa said the district had temporarily shifted meal preparation to the high school while the site operated without gas. The board made a four-fifths finding of emergency and approved Resolution 172526 authorizing immediate repairs without going through a competitive bidding process in order to restore service and avoid rework at sites scheduled for demolition and reconstruction.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the LCTA tentative agreement, the CSEA tentative agreement, the Kimza memorandum aligning managerial pay steps, the AB1200 disclosure, Resolution 142526 to adopt developer fees, the Premier Inspection Services amendment, the Practice A/E agreement for the PCY library, Change Order No. 1 for the PCY modernization project, and Resolution 172526 authorizing emergency gas-line repairs. In most roll-call items the board voiced "All those in favor?" and the motions passed as recorded in the minutes; individual vote tallies were not specified on the public audio for many items.

Next steps: several items—most notably the comprehensive safety plan updates—were continued for additional review and a May return; construction-related budget adjustments will be incorporated into the district's bond cash-flow and contingency tracking as projects proceed.