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Surplus-property committee urges 99-year leases for six closed sites; community warns of lost fields
Summary
A board-appointed surplus-property committee recommended surplusing six closed campuses and using phased 99‑year leases to raise general-fund revenue; trustees accepted the report and referred revenue-split policy to the finance committee amid community concerns about field access and rental fees.
The board received and accepted a unanimous report from its 7/11 Surplus Property Committee recommending the district surplus six closed school sites and pursue phased dispositions that would prioritize long-term leases for revenue generation.
Patty Sisco, the committee chair, said the panel's method paired technical analysis with community input and public hearings, and that the body's recommendation was to offer four properties immediately in a first phase (Brookhill, Steele Lane, Santa Rosa French American, and Lewis Early Learning Academy) for long-term leases of up to 99 years without an option to purchase, and to reserve two properties (Hilliard/Comstock and Herbert Slater) for 3–5 years to explore community uses.
"We recommended long-term leases because they allow unrestricted general‑fund revenue without triggering onerous state restrictions that can come from an outright sale," said vice chair Hugh Futrell, who explained how lenders can structure development loans against lease revenue rather than district title.
The committee proposed that 80% of lease revenues go to unrestricted general-fund purposes and 20% be set aside for reserves and deferred maintenance until the board-designated reserve reaches 10% of operating expenses; after that, the 20% allocation would revert to fund 40 for facilities.
Public comment was robust and nearly all speakers opposed rapid surplusing or higher field fees, saying the district's moves could deprive youth sports and community organizations of affordable playing time. Athletico Santa Rosa, the Redwood Empire Baseball League and several local coaches and parents urged the board to retain field access, adopt MOUs for long-standing partners, and adjust custodial and rental charges.
The board voted to receive the committee report and directed staff and the finance committee to develop a policy for lease‑revenue splits, reserve rules and implementation steps before any disposition decisions are finalized.
What's next: each surplus recommendation will return to the board for formal surplusing procedures; staff and the finance committee will prepare revenue-use policy and detailed terms for any lease/offer process.
