Board certifies Measure S election and approves bond-prep actions for $278 million program

The Redondo Beach Unified School District Board of Education on Jan. 14 formally certified the Nov. 5, 2024 general obligation bond election for Measure S and approved a slate of actions to begin implementing the roughly $278 million program. The board adopted a resolution certifying election proceedings, adopted an intention-to-issue resolution for tax-exempt bonds and approved formation of an independent Citizens Bond Oversight Committee to monitor spending.

The actions clear administrative steps that will allow the district to begin project planning and, where appropriate, spend district funds that can later be reimbursed from bond proceeds. Dr Alurn, speaking during discussion of the bond documents, said the district will sometimes pay for work out of existing accounts and then reimburse those costs once bond proceeds are received in order to keep critical safety and DSA-dependent projects moving.

Board members also approved a three-year consulting agreement with District Advocate Group (DAG) to provide bond-program setup support including communications, contract and procurement assistance and finance-related guidance. Randy Merritt, DAG’s representative, told the board his organization has contracted with 10 districts in the current bond cycle and described a team built from former practitioners and construction specialists to advise school districts in the early stages of large bond programs.

Why it matters: With Measure S approved by voters, the district’s immediate steps — certification, reimbursement authorization and establishment of independent oversight — make it possible to sequence high-priority safety work and to prepare for the competition for State Division of the State Architect approvals. Board members emphasized speed on safety projects and the value of experienced advisory support during an unusually large regional bond cycle.

What the board did next: The board moved to advertise and appoint members for the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee to ensure compliance with the bond measure’s language; staff will solicit applicants from the Redondo Beach community. The board also directed staff to continue negotiating the precise contract terms with DAG and to return with any additional contract details or amendments as needed.

Votes and process notes: The measures were adopted by voice vote during the Jan. 14 meeting. The record in the meeting transcript shows the motions were seconded and approved by the board; the transcript does not record a roll-call tally in the text. The board recorded standard student advisory votes where applicable.

Next steps: Staff will forward the certified resolution to the Los Angeles County officials as required, advertise for CBOC applicants, and proceed with procurement and DSA scheduling. The consulting agreement will be submitted for any final clearance and implementation per contract terms.