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Board approves real-estate and routine contracts; hears phone-system and microgrid proposals and defers major spending
Summary
The board approved a contract with DCG for surplus-property real-estate services and the routine consent calendar. IT staff presented a proof-of-concept for an internet-based phone system (Zoom favored), and Optera presented microgrid backup options (estimates $12M'2M); trustees requested further analysis and timing/priority information and did not authorize large expenditures at the meeting.
The Ventura Unified board approved several contracts and heard two infrastructure presentations that staff said could affect future budgets.
Business services presented a professional-services agreement with DCG Strategies to help the district manage surplus real-estate assets and RFPs. "We are a public benefit corporation supporting public school districts on all things real estate," said Landis from DCG, describing market analysis, RFP design and transaction management. The board voted to approve the DCG contract by roll call, 5-0.
On technology, IT Director Thomas Cranler presented results of a multi-vendor proof-of-concept for moving the district away from aging POTS phone lines to an internet-based phone service. He said the current annual cost for the legacy system (vendor contract + POTS/PRI lines) was roughly $263,000, while an internet service proposal (Zoom) would cost about $153,000 per year; implementation would also require buying physical phones for sites. Cranler described redundancy options (secondary data center, cell-phone endpoints, Wi-Fi-capable phones) and recommended phased rollout and careful porting of existing numbers.
"The current system runs on plain old telephone service lines... now those protections are gone," Cranler said, describing the FCC's 2022 deregulation of some legacy services and the operational and cost risks of continuing with POTS lines.
On energy resiliency, Optera (formerly NG) summarized the district's solar rollout (4.7 MW across ~25 sites, several sites already granted permission to operate) and presented three microgrid scenarios that would add batteries and generators to back up either three high schools or six campuses. Optera gave rough, high-level cost ranges: about $12—3M to back up three high schools, about $14—5M for mixed high-school and generator-only elementary/middle coverage, and roughly $20M+ for full microgrids at six sites. The vendor noted possible offsetting incentives such as the state's Self-Generation Incentive Program (SJIP) and special "equity resiliency" funding potential for certain high-school locations, but warned the incentives were diminishing.
Trustees asked staff about procurement paths, potential bond-plan substitutions, and the trade-offs of redirecting bond funds to resiliency projects. Several trustees voiced concern about moving large bond dollars at this stage; the board asked staff to return with more refined cost estimates, circuit-impact analysis and recommendation on priority sites rather than approving any major microgrid expenditure at this meeting.
What happens next: the board approved DCG's contract and the consent calendar; IT staff will continue vendor testing and prepare a phased implementation plan for the phone system; staff and Optera will refine microgrid scenarios including eligibility for incentives, priority sites and a procurement path for board consideration.
