San Benito High School Superintendent John Perales asked trustees to give direction to staff to explore a second bond, even though the topic was not part of the agenda for the special meeting Tuesday night.
Under the Brown Act, trustees are forbidden from talking about items not listed on the board agenda. The act’s goal is to allow citizens to have the opportunity to speak on topics of personal interest, and to give the general public an idea of what to expect for the meetings.
Perales asked the board to have staff look into petitioning the public for a second bond to fill some of the school’s “desperate” needs.
“Would that direction also include building a second high school?” Trustee Juan Robledo said.
The district’s current bond—called Measure G—is a $42.5 million general obligation facilities bond narrowly approved by voters in June 2014 to modernize and upgrade the campus. With the current bond, many critics said the district didn’t need a bond issue, but a second high school, Robledo said.
The trustee and superintendent discussed two types of bonds, which require different percentages of voter approval. Perales added the district would need $120 million-130 million to build a new school.
Board President Ray Rodriguez and Trustee Evelyn Muro cut in to say the discussion was not part of the agenda for the special meeting called to determine a list of priorities for the current bond money.
