BHUSD Discovers Mismanagement of Measure K Bond

The Beverly Hills Unified School District has discovered that some construction completed with funds from the Measure K bond—a $90 million bond passed by voters in 2002—was deficient and will need to be redone with money.

BHUSD chief facilities manager Nelson Cayabyab said at last week’s Board of Education meeting that a planned renovation of the auditorium would cost $3.3 million, several times the initial estimate of construction.

Upon questioning from board members, Cayabyab said he had not proposed tearing down the auditorium because a considerable amount of money and effort had been invested in the structure during a previous Measure K-funded renovation. However, problems with asbestos, lighting issues and handicapped access still remain. 

Board president Lisa Korbatov asked Cayabyab what he would do if a previous investment had not been made in the auditorium.

“I would tear it down and rebuild,” Cayabyab said.

The board then voted to direct Cayabyab to present options for demolishing the auditorium and building it anew. He was also asked to look into similar renovations for other school auditoriums.

Vice President Brian Goldberg told parents this week to expect more news of further mismanagement of Measure K funds.

“As many of us know living in Beverly Hills, once you begin to open walls on older buildings, you often find additional work must be done,” he said in his monthly email to constituents. “That is no different for our schools and this can dramatically increase the cost of what we thought was a straightforward project.” 

Complications from the  case is adding to the district’s budgetary woes. Christensen is  for four counts of conflict of interest related to charges that she secretly negotiated a deal to be an independent BHUSD contractor while performing her duties as facilities director for the district. Her trial has been postponed several times and is now scheduled to start next month.

“We have the added complication that our previous facilities consultant, Karen Christensen and her company Strategic Concepts, mislead and misrepresented the work they were doing as part of the Measure K Bond,” Goldberg wrote. “We have been notified [by the California Department of State Architects] that over 40 projects remain opened because either they were never completed or projects that should have required approval by DSA were never submitted although work moved forward regardless.”

Cayabyab is scheduled to present options for auditorium renovations at a Measure E study session scheduled for 4 p.m. Oct. 25 at the BHUSD district office. The public is welcome to attend.

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