TUSD board acts to buy land next to Tompkins Elementary School

Tehachapi Unified School District will move forward with due diligence after trustees on Feb. 13 approved an agreement to pay $489,500 for an 8.44-acre parcel just east of Tompkins Elementary School.

Hojat Entezari, chief administrator, business services, said the agreement allows for up to 150 days to perform surveying, geotechnical testing and other work. A $100 deposit would be at risk, and additional negotiations could be entered if a planned appraisal does not come in at or above the purchase price, he said. The district plans to engage Merriman Hurst and Associates, Inc., of Bakersfield, for the appraisal.

With little discussion, the board voted 6-0 to approve the agreement. All members were present except Deborah Du-Sorenson, who left the meeting near the end of a nearly 2.5-hour closed session to discuss student discipline that took place at the beginning of the meeting.

Tyler Napier, who represents Trustee Area 7 that includes Tompkins school, said the school is not currently a good neighbor.

The school has limited on-campus parking, and there is traffic congestion during student drop-off and pick-up times.

“It’s no one’s fault,” Napier added. “There’s too many people, too many cars.”

According to the real estate listing, the property on Pinon Street that the district plans to buy was zoned for multi-family housing.

If more housing is built on the property, he said, the school would be landlocked.

“Being a good neighbor shows the public that, yes, we’re going to invest in what is going to be good for the staff, good for the kids and also good for the neighbors.”

The board has not publicly discussed its plans for the property.

FACILITIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE

During the Feb. 13 meeting, the board learned that Napier had resigned from the Facilities Advisory Committee. The board established the FAC in late 2022. The bylaws call for two trustees to serve, along with 13 other voting members.

The board selected Vice President Tracy Kelly and Napier as representatives in 2023.

In January, the FAC recommended that the district prepare a new facilities master plan for the district. The school board took action in January to request proposals from consultants to prepare the plan.

Board President Paul Kaminski, who attended the Feb. 13 meeting, suggested that if another trustee wanted to join the FAC one could be appointed.

No other trustees indicated an interest, and Kelly, who was chairing the meeting, moved to the next agenda item.

The FAC meets monthly during the school year, and its next meeting is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 21. Meetings are open to the public. More information about the committee is online at tehachapiusd.com.