BELMONT LACKS PROPER APPROVAL, LAWMAKER SAYS.Byline: Terri Hardy Daily News Staff Writer Los Angeles schools The Los Angeles School of Urbanism is an academic movement emerged during the mid-1980s, loosely based at the University of Southern California and UCLA, that poses a challenge to the dominant Chicago School of Urbanism. did not get proper approval to break ground on the controversial Belmont Learning Complex at a ceremony planned this morning - possibly jeopardizing the district's chance to receive state funding, a state lawmaker said Tuesday. In a letter to Los Angeles-area lawmakers, Assemblyman as·sem·bly·man n. A man who is a member of a legislative assembly. assemblyman Noun pl -men a member of a legislative assembly Noun 1. Scott Wildman Scott Wildman was a California State Assemblyman from 1996 until 2000. That year, he lost a State Senate primary to Dr. Jack Scott, an Assemblyman from a neighboring district. Wildman received 46.7% of the vote. , D-Glendale, said ``it would be decidedly premature'' for the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. to begin construction on the $155 million high school. ``By starting any construction activity in the absence of the appropriate approvals, the LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) may put the project's eligibility for reimbursement Reimbursement Payment made to someone for out-of-pocket expenses has incurred. at risk and may be in direct violation of state law,'' Wildman said in his letter. Richard Mason Richard Mason may refer to:
``We believe that under state law we are proceeding lawfully law·ful adj. 1. Being within the law; allowed by law: lawful methods of dissent. 2. Established, sanctioned, or recognized by the law: the lawful heir. ,'' Mason said. ``What we've done is appropriate for the project at this point, and the groundbreaking will go forward.'' Board of Education President Julie Korenstein said the district wants to ``fully cooperate'' with Wildman and the state, but the groundbreaking could not be halted because invitations had been sent. ``We obviously would like to get the State Allocation The apportionment or designation of an item for a specific purpose or to a particular place. In the law of trusts, the allocation of cash dividends earned by a stock that makes up the principal of a trust for a beneficiary usually means that the dividends will be treated as Board to fund 50 percent of the project,'' Korenstein said. Wildman said he is not sure of his course of action if the district proceeds with the groundbreaking ceremony. But as the chairman of the state's Joint Legislative Audit Committee - which is investigating Belmont - his findings will carry political clout and could lead to an audit. The probe is looking at several concerns, including the selection of developer Kajima International. Instead of competitively bidding the project, the district used a method called ``design-build,'' where Kajima was selected by its conceptual plans, not by estimated costs. Wildman said while the district did receive the go-ahead for work already begun to level the 35-acre property at Temple Street and Beaudry Avenue, permits necessary to continue work at the site were not issued. Those authorizations include approval from the State Allocation Board on Belmont's cost and eligibility for state funding. Also, the state architect has not approved the school's plans. Mason contends that plans in a design-build project are not completed and submitted for approval before construction is begun. Rather, they are drawn up ``as you go'' in conformity with state laws. Wildman believes the district is misinterpreting the education code and that design-build schools are not exempt from getting approval before building begins. ``There is no doubt that a school is needed in the area,'' he said, ``but the district needs to follow the strict standards of school construction.'' |
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