City, School Officials Map Out Issues

The Redondo Beach City Council and Board of Education gathered at the on Wednesday morning to discuss various issues facing the two parties, including a proposed and parking next to .

The "planning retreat," which lasted about four hours, allowed councilmen and school board members to brainstorm priorities and come up with a roadmap for working through the issues.

At the beginning of the session, officials agreed that collaboration provided more advantages than disadvantages.

For one, working together "helps to dispel the rumors and innuendo" surrounding issues like the land swap, said Councilman Pat Aust.

All agreed that the two governing bodies had a common purpose.

"We both serve the community," Councilman Matthew Kilroy said.

The main issues discussed involved the property transfer of the Franklin School site and 200 Pacific Coast Hwy.; joint use agreements for athletic fields, parking, use of school facilities and sewer fees; and use of school properties, with parking being the main concern. The two groups set deadlines for actions that should be taken (e.g. the two groups should finalize a transfer of property by June 1, 2012), but ultimately, no decisions were made on any of the issues.

The next joint meeting was set for Jan. 18, 2012. In the meantime, the "two by two" committee—which consists of two school board members and two councilmen—will continue to meet on an "as needed" basis.

School board member Drew Gamut was absent.