The View From The Hill/Lew Tremaine
The Ross Valley School District is in a “damned if you do damned if you don’t” situation when it comes to the Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center at Deer Park School. They could sell the school property to the Children’s Center for a nominal fee. Even one dollar. But they have been put on notice that such an action would invite a lawsuit for giving away public land.
So, we have a truly “public good” asset, in the Children’s Center, imperiled by the threat of eviction. Thankfully, the school district has yet to pull the trigger on that option. But the school board is stuck between a rock and a hard place. If they were to declare the Center as a public good, and sell it for a nominal fee, a move that I believe would prevail in court, they would likely face hundreds of thousands of dollars in lawyer’s fees defending the decision.
If they choose to evict the Center, they will be hated by a mass majority of the communiity for crushing a 50 year-old institution that has helped thousands of under-privilaged children and their working parents.
I knew and was friends with the founders of the Center, Ethel and Stan Seiderman. The vision that they brought to early childhood education and day care was astonishing. Not only did they provide early morning daycare, but they provided transportation to the local schools. They even had a place where children who were sick could be cared for. All so the children’s parents could keep working, knowing their children were safe, schooled and cared for. The Seidermans were a blessing for the community.
Fast forwarding to today, Deer Park School is in disrepair. And, it sits in a potential fire zone. The school district has a real liability problem. But the fingers that are pointing at the district for failing to maintain the property are not entirely justified. The Children’s Center was offered a discounted rent so that it could invest the rent savings into repairing the buildings. Well, that didn’t happen. And for their forbearance, the school board has been accused of racism (most of the children who attend the center are children of color).
That’s not fair.
When I was on the Fairfax Town Council, we made a number of decisions that were thought to be legally risky. Never once did those decisions come back to bite us in the butt. We took on The State of California, we took on PG&E. We always prevailed. And at little legal cost.
If I was on the school board, I’d take the risk and transfer ownership of Deer Park School to the Children’s Center. It’s the right thing to do. Just saying.
I invite letters of input on this topic.
Long ago, in a world of wonder and creativity, my young son thrived. Supported by an exceptional staff, working on a shoe-string budget, he learned arts and crafts, went on nature hikes and make-believe adventures through forests in covered wagons, looking for gold as a pioneer. As families, we went on camping trips to the Russian River and had our dinner and breakfast prepared by the men’s group (who also assisted with tent assembly upon arrival). My son proudly rode on the float in the annual Fairfax Festival, attached to a child-constructed computer (the theme), personifying “the mouse” with his Mickey Mouse ears. This is a small sampling of the imaginative world created by the Fairfax San Anselmo Children’s Center (FSACC).
To fast forward my story… because of his belief in himself, fostered by a supportive community, this young “mouse”, now age 31, is a top earner in his age group in the tech industry. He is a Marin County resident and his tax payments help support the Ross Valley School District.
As a single parent, we never would have been able to achieve these goals without the support and sense of extended family provided by the FSACC. My son spent six years there, transitioning from the Preschool to the Afterschool programs. I never had to worry about him while I worked. He was safely picked up from school by their vans, given food and snacks, plus a complete full-day program during summers and vacations.
The FSACC strongly supports diversity. The friendships developed during my son’s time at the Children’s Center lasted throughout high school, bridging the gap for others who are often judged by race or family income level. This life-long educational benefit is intangible in terms of dollars and cents.
FSACC provides full-fledged community support. Any attempt to frame it otherwise for the purpose of saving tax-payer dollars, is untrue. FSACC’s community support has come full circle. As property owning taxpayers, my son and I pay district salaries.
Whether it is accomplished through the purchase of the property or lease extension, please let it go on record that as Fairfax residents, we fully support the continuation of the exceptional community services provided by FSACC at their current location in Deer Park.
Do the right thing give the center and keep this vital school for children who need it most that’s the vision of the original center do the right thing is taking the high road trey have the $$$$ so stop thinking about what ifs help children the next generation Amen
There are a total of ZERO judgements across CA regarding gifts of public property relevant to this case. CA and the feds have designated childcare as critical infrastructure. Losing this critical resource would be a forever stain on RVSD and alienate a lot of community members, not to mention what would happen at this site if FSACC and s no longer there. The liability to the district would be far greater. They have come to the Fairfax community a total of zero times to discuss what the alternative plans are. Hoard to argue for them as a responsive and responsible
Community partner? Just get back to the table and get a deal done. How are we going to teach our kids about compromise, mediation and rising above squabbles and posturing to create better solutions for the public good and for the resolution of things that threaten peace and a safety net?