Pomona Unified updates bond-program projects, details budgets, procurement and workforce plan

District staff presented a comprehensive bond-program update to the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee on June 11, detailing completed and in-progress projects across Pomona Unified schools and answering committee questions about budgeting, audits and procurement.

Completed and near-complete projects: Staff reported HVAC installations for the Ganesha and Pomona high school gymnasiums are now operational after commissioning; the HVAC package for those gyms carried an overall project budget of about $17.3 million (base bid ~ $10 million with roughly $1.2 million in change orders, ~12.4%). Staff also reported photovoltaic installations are energized at Ganesha and Gary high schools, and Emerson Middle School restrooms were modernized to be ADA-compliant (architect Y & L; contractor Nazerian Group; base bid reported around $1.8 million with a credit change order of -3.8%).

Current construction and near-term work: The Diamond Ranch Building B reroof was awarded May 13 to Letner Roofing (mobilized June 2) and is budgeted at about $1.3 million including owner-furnished materials. Lexington Elementary phase-one demolition of four portable buildings was awarded to Epsilon Engineering (base bid about $186,000) to clear the footprint for a new classroom building currently in DSA review.

Planning-phase and design issues: Board-approved architects are now onboard for HVAC work at Gary and Diamond Ranch (TB Architects and TVP Architecture referenced). Golden Springs modular replacement (22 portables) is in preliminary design with a conceptual budget of about $20.7 million. Staff noted Golden Springs sits in a DSA liquefaction zone and therefore will not qualify for expedited "over-the-counter" plan check; it will proceed through the standard DSA review and pre-application coordination with DSA disciplines.

Budgeting and warranty practices: When a committee member questioned allocating large conceptual sums (an example cited was $70 million) before approved construction plans, staff explained industry practice of establishing conceptual budgets that combine hard and soft costs (commonly expressed as roughly a 70/30 split), and of refining cost estimates at schematic, 50% and 90% document stages with third-party estimators. Staff said contractors on recent projects are providing a three-year warranty for work on these projects ("industry standard is 1 year, but here in Pomona, we ask our contractors to provide us a 3-year warranty").

Procurement, outreach and RFQ/RFPs: Committee members asked how contractors, architects and subcontractors learn about solicitations. Staff said public-works projects are formally advertised and awarded to the lowest responsible bidder and consultants are solicited via a Request for Qualifications process published in the Inland Valley Bulletin and posted online; the district shortlists and interviews firms before requesting proposals and seeking board approval.

Community Workforce Agreement and apprenticeships: Projects covered by the district's Community Workforce Agreement will include CWA contract language in bidding documents and contractors must comply or be deemed non-responsible. Staff said the CWA guarantees apprentice slots on applicable projects and the district is preparing curriculum pathways so students can qualify for apprenticeship programs.

Funding snapshot: Staff reported Measure PS was authorized at $235 million (issued to date $203.9 million; unallocated about $6.7 million), Measure P authorized at $300 million (issued $300 million; currently about $8.4 million unallocated for facility projects and $4.1 million for educational technology), and Measure UU authorized at $385 million (issued about $100 million; unallocated about $48.6 million). Staff also noted the state's School Facility Program provides modernization match funding (60/40) and that the district receives E-Rate federal funds for technology.

Community concerns and next steps: Committee members raised recurring concerns about audit sampling—asserting audits can rely on small samples of invoices—and asked for greater transparency; staff agreed to research and report back with the sampling percentage. Staff invited ICOC members to schedule site visits to recently completed gyms and noted vacancies on the committee for senior-citizen and business representatives.

The presentation concluded with scheduling discussion and adjournment.