BOARD RESOLVES TO HASTEN BUILDING OF MOBILE UNITS FOR NEEDED CLASSROOMS.

Byline: Angela M. Lemire Staff Writer

Facing a space crunch in the coming 1999-2000 school year and declaring an emergency need for portable classrooms, the William S. Hart Union High School District will forego the bidding process to award $750,000 in construction contracts.

Additional space is needed at 11 schools by the fall to accommodate an additional 1,000 students, according to Assistant Superintendent Michael von Buelow. He projected enrollment to increase from about 15,000 to 16,000 students districtwide.

Portable classroom contracts through state-approved vendors so far have been awarded for four of the 11 schools, but plans for 41 units at the remaining seven schools will not be completed in time to conduct the normal bidding process and construct them before the fall, according to a memo submitted by Superintendent Robert C. Lee to the school board.

Pending approval of the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools office, Lee this week recommended the awarding of $750,000 in contracts for the construction of the 41 portable classrooms without soliciting bids. The school board unanimously approved the emergency resolution Wednesday night in the absence of one member.

``You got to do what you got to do,'' said board President John Hassel of the emergency resolution on Friday. ``We're in a position now where we have no choice.''

An estimated 35 to 40 percent of the student population in junior and senior high schools within the Hart district is housed in portable classrooms, Hassel said. According to von Buelow, the district now has 204 portable classrooms that accommodate 6,100 students.

Schools haven't been able to match student enrollments with facility space for several reasons, but residential development has had the greatest impact, Hassel said.

``Primarily it's residential development that is out of control,'' said Hassel. He added that state-mandated class-size reductions three years ago, as well as inadequate local and state funding for school districts, have intensified the impact of the increased citywide population.

Two new units are planned for the Bowman High School; eight for Canyon High School; 12 for Valencia High School; 10 for the new Passport Academy; and nine are yet to be assigned, according to school officials. Construction costs would also include a retaining wall at Canyon High School, expanded parking at Valencia High School and plumbing and restrooms at the Passport Academy.

The Hart board this week also unanimously awarded contracts for portable classrooms that had undergone a ``normal'' bidding process in recent months.

Based on the lowest bids received on June 11 for portable classrooms at La Mesa Junior High, Placerita Junior High, Sierra Vista Junior High and Saugus High, the board Wednesday night awarded contracts to R.C. Becker and Sons, for site preparation, grading and paving, for $232,300; and Newhall Electric for the electrical construction bid for $136,522.

Of the $750,000 the district would allocate for portable classrooms to be constructed at the remaining seven schools by September, a significant amount would include a contingency fund, since plans remain in development, according to Lee.