TVLC Debt Hit $3.5 Million; Teachers Have Been Laid Off the Debt on the Books for Liver- the Debt to $1.4 Million
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Thursday, September 15, 2016 VOLUME LIII, NUMBER 37 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN, LIVERMORE, PLEASANTON, SUNOL TVLC Debt Hit $3.5 Million; Teachers Have Been Laid Off The debt on the books for Liver- the debt to $1.4 million. There was by the Tri-Valley Learnign Cor- penditures, so teacher layoffs will more's two charter schools has no mention of the number of lay- poration (TVLC). The Livermore be necessary, says Lysko. "These amounted to $3.5 million. It will offs that will be required, or how School District maintains oversight are teachers I love and respect See Inside Section A be pared down in part with teacher much relief from the $3.4 million of the management. more than you can possibly know layoffs. debt may have occurred so far. Lysko expressed regret over for the work they have been doing Section A is filled with Acting CEO Lynn Lysko sent A teacher confirmed Tuesday to the prospect of losing teachers. in really difficult times," according information about arts, people, a letter last week to parents of all The Independent that the layoffs She said she had already cut 70 to the letter. entertainment and special events. students at Livermore Valley Char- occurred Friday after school. On percent of administration positions "Sadly, but to the point, if we There are education stories, a ter School (LVCS) and Livermore Monday, some reshuffling of fac- and scrutinized every expenditure. do not let some teachers go, the variety of features, and the arts Valley Charter Preparatory (LVCP) ulty took place to accommodate the However, there still remains a schools will not survive. It is that and entertainment and talking about the debt, and actions staff reduction. debt of $1.4 million, and no place simple. The Catch-22 of further bulletin board. she has taken or will take to reduce The two schools are managed to squeeze more money out of ex- (See CHARTER, page 12) Parents of LGBTQ Livermore Kids to Form Schools See Valley Group By Ron McNicoll Public school students in the Jump in Valley are able to join Gay Stu- dent groups at some schools for Enrollment emotional support among the LGBTQ students themselves. The The Livermore Valley Joint groups also promote a climate of Unified School District saw a larger more tolerance among the schools' influx of students, with 477 enroll- populations. ing in August. Currently, there is no group of The influx resulted in an in- sympathetic parents that can lend their support to LGBTQ students. crease in some class sizes. How- An organizational meeting will ever, none of the classes exceeded be held 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22 in the standard set by the board. the Amador Valley High School Assistant Superintendent Chris library for those interested in start- VanSchaack told the school board ing a chapter of Parents Families last week that generally the in- and Friends of Lesbians and Gays crease over projections is around (PFLAG). 1% of the total enrollment. How- Erik Scherer, teacher-librarian ever, this year the number exceeded at Amador, serves as the advisor projections by nearly 4%. The to the school's Gender Sexual- increase was largely the result of ity Alliance (GSA), formerly uncertainty felt by parents over the called the Gay Straight Alliance. future viability of the two charter Scherer said that some parents of Photo - Doug Jorgensen schools operated by the Tri-Valley LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Main Street Pleasanton was filled with flowers, butterflies, jelly beans, skeletons and other creatures Learning Center in Livermore. Transsexual and Queer -- for during the annual Soccer Parade last Saturday. Teams from Pleasanton Rage and Pleasanton Ballistic Of the 477 students, 183 were some people, the "Q" stands for United Soccer Club took part in the event. For another photo, go to page 8. at the TK-5 level, which Van- "questioning") have been going Schaack said presented challenges (See GROUP, page 4) only because such a large number enrolled close to the beginning to the school year. The largest increases in student Dublin Restructures Traffic Impact Fees enrollment were at the high schools By Ron McNicoll drop from $12,768 to $6759. and at Joe Michell K-8. In part, Based on the City Council approval of an update in fees, develop- The dramatic changes were based on a recalculation of the formula the increase at Michell is due to ers of residential property will be paying more into the West Dublin on which the fee is determined. Previously Dublin's traffic impact fee the popularity of the International Transportation Impact Fee (WDTIF) than they have been. However, was based on the average number of daily car trips. Now, the city has Baccalaureate Program. developers of some other types of construction will get a financial break. switched to using the volume of traffic measured in the peak afternoon Granada High saw an increase Some big future fee differences emerged when the council voted rush, which means that some uses contribute more to rush hour, and of 111 students and Livermore unanimously at its Sept. 6 meeting for the updated ordinance. some less. High 58 students. Building a single family home will now cost a developer $3969 per The logic behind the change is that streets are most stressed by traffic A slight increase in staffing was unit, compared to $2668 previously. Medium density residential fees at the highest local volume of the day in late afternoon. needed, with all positions filled. up from $1869 to $2461, and high density residential rises from $1600 Gas stations see a big increase in the new rate structure, because VanSchaack concluded that the to $2064. formerly they were counted with the traffic volume for an entire day. In district will continue to monitor Gas stations fees rise from $25,802 to $35,780. Auto and parts sales (See DUBLIN, page 6) student enrollment and make ad- justments to staffing, if necessary. Six Candidates Vie for Two Seats Pleasanton Council on the Livermore City Council OKs Mixed-Use Project The Pleasanton City Council proved rezoning the site to allow Livermore voters will choose i-GATE. He began to play more of has been built in the downtown has unanimously approved a mixed- for construction of a 2,229 square from among six candidates to fill a role in community organizations, very small or no yards. There is a use housing and retail develop- foot three story mixed-use build- two seats on the Livermore City joining the Community Group and need for open space where people ment at Old Bernal Avenue and ing with office/retail space on the Council this November. serving on the Livermore Valley can gather. He would not exclude Augustine Street. first-floor and three apartments Incumbents running for reelec- Performing Art Center board. some housing, but finds that the A small home built in 1895 on the second- and third-floors. tion are Stewart Gary and Laureen He said as he became more 260 proposed by Lennar to be way will have to be removed. Two of In addition there would be three, Turner. They are challenged by aware of issues, "I became increas- too many. the three heritage oak trees on the three-story detached single-family Bob Carling, Bob Coomber, Ches- ingly concerned with some of the His focus has been on a down- site will be saved.The council ap- ter Moore and John Stein. directions the city council was tak- town hotel. "I have wanted one for (See PLEASANTON, page 10) The Independent interviewed ing, particularly in the downtown." a long time. I think it would help each candidate. Questions dealt Carling said he would like to make both labs as they bring in visitors with the urban growth boundary, sure that the sense community to be able to have them stay where Relook at Scenic Corridor Impacts Set development in the downtown, and the vibrancy of the downtown they could walk to restaurants. City staff was directed by the for development if BART does not development in general, BART to continue to build through careful A hotel is the missing piece in Livermore City Council to further extend to Isabel. Livermore, medical marijuana, and downtown." planning. tweak the Isabel Neighborhood The plan for development is other issues. He believes his years of ex- Carling said he finds the city's Plan to protect views along 580. required by BART and MTC be- The interviews are in alphabeti- perience in leadership at Sandia, process with regard to planning Staff will also prepare an option cal order. where he brought together people for the old Lukcy site to be funda- (See ISABEL, page 6) with different points of view on mentally flawed. "It is 12 years re- BOB CARLING big projects and reached consen- moved from when the specific plan Bob Carling has lived in Liver- sus, would be an asset as a city was created. Attitudes and people more since 1976 when he began councilmember. "I was promoted have changed. The city's decision working at Sandia National Labo- to make decisions. Staff wanted to blindly send out a request for ratories. He and his wife Sue raised me to listen to what they had to proposal without input from the three children in Livermore. say. I heard and I listened. That is public was a mistake. I would At Sandia, he rose to the posi- a skill I have developed. I'm not start the process over, looking at tion of Director of the Transporta- sure that is true of the current city what residents want, not what a tion Energy Center.