Thursday, June 15, 2017 VOLUME LIV, NUMBER 24 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN, LIVERMORE, PLEASANTON, SUNOL Audit of TVLC Says There ‘May Be’ Fraud, Mismanagement An audit of Tri-Valley Learn- the audit. She was asked to do ships, diverted commingled and/or Other findings were that TVLC ing Corporation (TVLC) shows so by TVLC CEO Lynn Lysko in misappropriated public funds with “may have” misled independent that the operator of the two public November 2016. various private entities, including auditors, failed to fully disclose charter schools in Livermore may The FCMAT report is careful to tax-exempt public bonds totaling affiliated or related parties to the have mismanaged the corpora- say that mismanagement of funds over $67 million, and contributed school district and the TVLC audi- See Inside Section A tion’s finances, and may have “may have” occurred. It does not to an environment of significantly tor, and filed incomplete conflict of Section A is filled with committed fraud. make accusations against the deficient internal controls.” interest forms. information about arts, people, The report from the state’s central figure in the document, Bill Further, TVLC “may have” There may also have been entertainment and special events. Fiscal Crisis & Management As- Batchelor. diverted $2.7 million of public failure to file IRS Form 1099s for There are education stories, a sistance Team (FCMAT) went to Among the audit’s findings school funds as off-book transac- host families when LVCP hosted Alameda County Superintendent were that TVLC management tions, diverted and commingled foreign students, primarily from variety of features, and the arts of Schools Karen Monroe, who and entertainment and “may have” failed to disclose “nu- funds among three entities created China. Records show the families had made the formal request for merous conflict of interest relation- by Batchelor. bulletin board. (See AUDIT, page 6) Committee to A Look at Work on Plans Why Charter The Livermore Downtown Schools Failed Steering Committee will take infor- mation it has received at previous The two Livermore public char- meetings and use it to put together ter schools are nearing the end of development plans for the 8-acres the road, as the faculty members leave, and the school’s operator, in the core of the downtown. Tri-Valley Learning Corporation At the June 8 meeting, the com- (TVLC), prepares to surrender its mittee will be divided into three charters to the supervising Liver- groups. Each group will create an more Valley Joint Unified School option with the proposed hotel on District. the eastside of Livermore Avenue TVLC filed Chapter 11 bank- and one with the hotel on the ruptcy proceedings several months westside. Other elements to be con- ago in an Oakland court, with the sidered include parking, housing, intention of paying off what debts retail, open space and amenities it could and surviving to keep such as a museum and galleries. the schools open. The Livermore The meeting begins at 6:30 school district’s decision to with- p.m. in the city council chambers. draw charter authorization has led The agenda includes a presenta- to the closing. tion of concept plan prepared by Livermore school district As- Steve MacCracken for the Com- sistant Superintendent Chris Van munity Group and the presentation Schaack said that last week about of a hotel concept plan by Presidio 50 or 60 students transferred to the Companies. district from the K-8 Livermore The main charge of the com- Valley Charter School (LVCS) and the high school Livermore Valley mittee has been to devise a public Photo - Doug Jorgensen Charter Preparatory (LVCP), with outreach approach that can be The annual Livermore Rodeo Parade marched down Second Street on Saturday. It is hosted by the most coming from LVCS. implemented this fall when the Livermore Rotary Club. Local organizations, schools, businesses, politicians, performers and bands Van Schaack said that TVLC public will be presented with four planned to surrender its charters development options to consider. all participate. In one photo, a trick rope expert demonstrates his skill; in the other, a 4-H Club member rides in the parade. For another photo, go to page 10. after a TVLC board special meet- The four plans will be based on the ing, which was called for June 13, committee's input. after The Independent’s deadline. At the June 6 meeting, the Van Schaack said that the Liver- committee heard information on more school district is in the middle housing options, retail, open space, Pedestrian/Bike Plan Updated in Pleasanton of charter revocation procedures. and other amenities. Previous ses- That action is pursued on a pre- sions included presentations on a The Pleasanton City Council helping to reduce emissions. major destinations within the City, scribed timeline. Continuing the hotel, conference center, parking adopted the new Pedestrian and Bi- The plan update was spear- eliminating gaps and providing a procedure would be moot, if the and traffic. cycle Master Plan by a unanimous headed by the Bicycle, Pedestrian comfortable alternate travel mode schools give up the charters, he David Zehnder from Economic vote last week. and Trails Committee (BPTC). to driving. Specific examples of said. & Planning Systems provided Councilmember Jerry Pentin, Eighteen months in the making, a low stress network include pro- LVCS parent Carolyn Trinta background on key consumer who describes himself as a bicycle two new goals were added. The tected or buffered bike lanes and said that when students at the groups, downtown market trends, guy, comments, "This is a great first one aims to create a "Low separated sidewalks. school got the news about closing, development prototype analysis document. It gives us a place to go Stress" bicycle and pedestrian The addition of looking at the she saw middle school students and opportunities, constraints and and accomplish what we want to network that may be enjoyed by network through a lens of complete crying, even the boys. "They won- do. Roads were built for cars. Rid- all users and abilities. The second dered why anyone would take away recommendations at the June 6 corridors involved the creation of a ing bicycles represents a culture involves focusing improvements detailed scoring matrix. The matrix such a good thing from them,” she meeting. change." He and others brought on corridors in order to complete identifies 16 corridors in Pleas- said. Zehnder started his presentation up climate change. They said that them. anton’s bicycle and pedestrian Two people offered their views by noting that parking is 90% of the plan provides an opportunity Completion of these corridors network, along with an 18-point of what went wrong for TVLC. for people to get out of their cars, will allow all users to reach all (See PLANNING, page 6) (See PLEASANTON, page 5) New Global Health Effort From Hertz and Gates Foundations Livermore-based Hertz Founda- new Fellowship are Rebecca Carl- Global Health Fellowship. velopment Fellowship is getting and who invented the car rental tion announced the creation of a son, who will begin a PhD program Carlson hopes to create better underway during the Hertz Foun- business, founded Yellow Cab and Fellowship in Global Health and at MIT in the fall, and Alyssa Fer- ways to understand and prevent dation’s 60th anniversary year. created a company that became Development based on a $5 million ris, who is in a PhD bioengineering autoimmune diseases, while Fer- The Hertz Foundation was cre- Checker Motors. grant from the Bill and Melinda program at Stanford. ris’s research aims to increase the ated by John Hertz, an Austrian In 1957, he and his wife created Gates Foundation. Both are Hertz Fellows already nutritional content of food crops. immigrant whose careers ranged the Foundation to help support the The first two recipients of the – a prerequisite to qualify for the The Global Health and De- from news reporting to car sales (See HEALTH, page 3) LVPAC to Launch 'Amplify the Dubliners Sound Off to Council Arts' Fundraising Campaign About Schools Livermore Valley Performing the administrative and budgeting By Ron McNicoll Arts Center will mark the end of process with the theatrical season. Dublin residents told the Dublin its fiscal year, June 30, 2017, with The fundraising campaign City Council how strongly they feel about the need to make building a the “Amplify the Arts” fundraising comes as the Livermore Valley second high school the top priority. campaign geared towards the goal Performing Arts Center reaches More than a dozen speakers of reaching 150 gifts in the final the close of a successful 12-month addressed the council at the June 15 days. Gifts can be of any size. period that has seen positive mo- 6 meeting. Since the topic was not Board and staff donations at major mentum in show attendance, edu- an agenda item, the council did not milestones will work to amplify cational program participation, comment. the total giving. After the first 50 and major sponsorship commit- The school board has allocated gifts, Development Director Chris ments. The first show in the 2017 $15 million to Cottonwood Creek Carter will donate $1,000. After Summer Series, comedian Paula K-8 school in Dublin Ranch, and the 100th gift, Executive Director Poundstone on July 7th, is already $7 million for the engineering hub Scott Kenison will donate $5,000, sold out. Member presales for the extension building at Dublin High and at 150 gifts Board Chair Jean just announced 2017-2018 season School. Not funding has been King will donate $10,000. The at the Bankhead were nearly 70 specified for a second high school, Livermore Valley Performing Arts percent higher than sales last year because the board wants to deter- Center shifted to a June year-end in the same time period.