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Hermosa Beach school board approves 2‑year contract with District Advocates Group to manage Measure HV work
Summary
The Hermosa Beach City School District board voted to hire District Advocates Group for two years to support implementation and program management of the Measure HV facilities bond, endorsing a fixed‑fee model and a two‑track project strategy.
The Hermosa Beach City School District Board of Education voted to approve a two‑year consulting services agreement with District Advocates Group (DAG) to assist district staff in implementing and managing the Measure HV bond program. The motion passed by voice vote at the Jan. 8 meeting.
Brett McFadden, DAG’s managing principal, told the board the firm is a division of ISIM Advisors and that it uses a fixed annual fee rather than charging a percentage of construction costs. “We assess a fixed fee annually so that you know what you will receive in terms of a fixed amount,” McFadden said, arguing that a fixed fee avoids incentivizing enlarged projects and helps the district budget predictably. He described a two‑track strategy: immediate, fast‑track projects that need minimal DSA review (playgrounds, HVAC, some solar work) and longer‑lead projects that require Division of the State Architect (DSA) approvals.
Board members asked how DAG would work with the district’s existing project manager, how often the firm would meet with staff and how potential conflicts would be handled if DAG worked for neighboring districts. McFadden said he would be the district’s point of contact and that the firm would assign other staff when there were direct conflicts: “If there are areas of direct conflict, then we’ll make sure that someone else from the firm is servicing that client,” he said.
Staff recommended approval of the contract to support timely delivery of Measure HV projects; the board approved the agreement in a single voice vote. The contract length is two years; details of the scope and fee are included in the board packet. The agenda item followed DAG’s presentation earlier in the meeting and board members indicated they expect weekly check‑ins with staff during early phases.
Next steps: the district will execute the contract and DAG will work with staff and the board to bring specific project contracts (including summer projects) back for board consideration and to begin community engagement on larger DSA‑review projects.
