The San Benito High School Board of Trustees held a special meeting April 26 to give an update on campus construction and discuss budget priorities for the district. Director of Finance and Operations, Roseanne Lascano, along with Joe Vela of Aedis Architects and Brad Fannin of Blach Construction, provided the board with an updated timeline on construction and modernization projects.
Vela informed the board that framing, electrical and plumbing in the Mattson Gym expansion was on schedule for the end of July. He also said the communications infrastructure had been turned over to another construction company and that work will start in the summer.
Vela also said he met with the city of Hollister to move forward with the planned closure of Nash Road where it bisects the campus. The city suggested having a pipe gate design when the gate is closed to allow pedestrians and cyclists to pass. Board of Trustees President Ray Rodriguez agreed, saying the district could work with the city to create a bypass road.
Superintendent John Perales suggested they work with the county because they wouldn’t be able to close Nash from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until the bypass south of campus has been built. “That’s the piece we’re stuck on right now,” Perales said. “The county wants to make sure the land they can use is county land and not city and county.”
“The goal is to close Nash road permanently, Trustee Juan Robledo said. Â
Vela also announced that initial work on a career technical education building for vocational education would begin on May 4.
While the board took no action at the meeting, trustees talked about what direction they should take in prioritizing modernization and construction projects with remaining bond funds.
Perales voiced his concern about using all of the voter-approved money before the district could get Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) approval, but suggested that the board prioritize the science classrooms. “We have science teachers and we are putting them in non-science classrooms,” he said.
Principal Adrian Ramirez agreed, saying, “we are prioritizing right now” and that chemistry classes need to be in a lab setting.
After reviewing the budget, Perlaes said, “our priority is the science building but the way it is now I would finish the 100-200’s,” referring to planned summer renovations to classrooms on the main campus, bordered by Monterey and West streets.
He said if the district were to float another bond, the district would prioritize science along with an aquatic complex, music room and a new track.
With the remaining current bond funds from Measure G, the board agreed to finish 100 and 200 classrooms modernization and get ADA compliance, special education and bathroom modernization, and finish the conversion of the Associated Student Body (ASB) and agriculture building.