BOARD RETREAT PLANNED DISTRICT TO DISCUSS THE FATE OF EXTRA SCHOOL FACILITIES.

Byline: Angie Valencia Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - School board members plan a retreat in May, when they will discuss the district's surplus property and lay out a plan for the facilities - including three campuses that were closed in 1982.

Simi Valley Unified School District members are debating whether to continue to lease the closed campuses, sell off the property or hang on to the facilities in case they're needed to handle increasing enrollment.

Belwood School is currently being leased to private preschools and a church. The Arcane and Walnut Grove elementary schools are being leased to Grace Brethren High School.

``We've got the closed schools and we've got to start making decisions,'' said board member Greg Stratton. ``They've been closed for so long they're no longer functional as a school. If we were to reopen them you have to almost build them from scratch.''

Stratton noted that when the district reopened Arroyo Elementary two years ago, it didn't underestimate the cost - $4 million - to repair and modernize the campus.

By selling off the closed schools, officials said, the district could generate money and use it to build new schools to handle growth from residential development.

``It'll be an interesting discussion,'' Stratton said. ``You've got a lot of decisions to get there. The district has never had a long-range plan and that's one of the problems.''

Board member Janice Di Fatta said the May 1 discussion has been a long time coming.

``This is a time set aside to look at our property and identify those we feel we might sell, or maybe no decision will be made - it could just be a status report,'' she said. ``We have to sit down and look at all of the issues that come along with growth but it has to make sense.''

But closed schools aren't the only concern for some.

Board member Carla Kurachi wants the district to dispose of its Wood Ranch conference center, which costs $30,000 to $50,000 annually to maintain, although the district occupies one room.

``It's too expensive to keep when we only use the one room - pretty soon we'll be looking at doing the roofing,'' she said. ``In today's high market, we will be able to get a good price for that property.''

The district also owns some industrial areas, as well as equestrian land south of Long Canyon.

The equestrian center was part of the property that the school district received to build Wood Ranch Elementary, according to Lowell Schultze, assistant superintendent of business services.

Selling any kind of surplus property could make for quick fixes, but it may not always be the most appropriate alternative and board members are cautioned to look at the pros and cons.

``Selling provides one-time funds, but if years down the line we decide to open up a school, we'll have to purchase the land and build,'' Schultze said.

A projected $6 million deficit in the 2004-05 Simi Valley schools budget has prompted school officials to rethink several issues - including this one.

Presently, district officials are activating a budget reduction committee as well as setting up meeting dates for budget workshops to address the shortfall.

Kurachi and Stratton are at the forefront pushing for changes and action involving the district's surplus property.

``The equestrian center is a piece of property the park district would love to have because that piece would finish off a trail,'' Kurachi said, adding that years ago they were approached to sell.

``I would love to see the school district and park district getting together and coming up with an agreement.''

Angie Valencia, [phone]

angie.valencia(at)dailynews.com