December 16 Special Board Meeting Recap
Dear FUEL Community,
Thank you to all of the staff, students, parents, and stakeholders who attended, submitted or made public comments, and watched along for last night’s special board meeting.
We want to share deep gratitude with the staff who courageously attended recent meetings, shared their voices, and continue to show up for our students. This community is incredibly fortunate to have educators and staff who lead with integrity, professionalism, and care.
In Brief:
The Board voted 5-0 to approve Option 1 under item 3B. Consideration and Approval of the District’s Corrective Action to Resolve the Health Care Insurance Overpayment, with the district absorbing the health care insurance overpayment.
District leadership confirmed how costs will be covered and will be renegotiated moving forward.
The board received an updated presentation and discussion on the Facilities Master Plan and long-term funding options tied to a needed future bond measure.
Watch the meeting here.
3B. Consideration and Approval of the Districts’s Corrective Action to Resolve the Healthcare Insurance Overpayment
Following the opening of the meeting, Dr. Malczewski made a motion to move agenda item 3B to the start of the agenda in consideration of the many staff members present, the motion carried 5-0.
CBO Mr. Roychowdhury presented a corrective action plan to resolve the health care insurance overpayment. Option 1 directs the district to absorb the excess contributions using funds from the general fund and other available funds, while also renegotiating coverage moving forward. Mr. Roychowdhury emphasized his commitment to supporting staff and ensuring a responsible, sustainable solution. He reaffirmed that all eligible employees are offered district insurance coverage as required under the Affordable Care Act.
During board questions, Trustee Hills raised concerns suggesting that certain employees may have benefited more than others. District leadership clearly stated that this was not the case. Questions brought by President Morgan regarding potential litigation were also addressed, with confirmation that there is no current pending litigation.
Staff, parents, and community members spoke in strong support of Option 1 during public comment. FUEL Board Member Iva Pawling spoke, reinforcing the importance of removing unnecessary complexity and ensuring staff premiums are fully covered moving forward. Prior to the meeting, she submitted an informative letter to StuNews (link) outlining the facts and history surrounding the overages. Watch Iva’s statements here (link, 00:42:09).
FUEL’s View:
FUEL strongly supports the Board’s unanimous approval of Option 1. Protecting educators and staff who show up for students every day must remain a top priority.
We are concerned that misinformation was introduced by Trustee Hills during the board discussion, including incorrect claims that Labor Relations Representative Porter James Hughs had not previously addressed the board (link, 1:05:00). This was inaccurate. Hughes spoke to the board at the September 11 meeting (link, 04:54:00) and sent a proxy to the November 13th meeting (link, 01:52:00).
This was then followed by more misinformation by and untrue statements by Trustee Hills that Option 1 only became available days ago by President Morgan (link, 01:10:00). Both claims are demonstrably false. These options were developed by district staff and presented publicly at the November 13th board meeting (link, 01:26:00), a fact confirmed during this meeting by Dr. Malczewski.
Accuracy matters. We expect Trustee Hills and President Morgan to correct the record and address inaccuracies.
The 5-0 vote on this item reflects what this community made clear: supporting staff is the right and responsible decision. We hope to see this trend continue.
3A. Facilities Master Plan Discussion
The Board next addressed Item 3A, with a presentation that was mindful of staff and community time commitments.
District leadership, including Mr. Roychowdhury, Superintendent Dr. Glass, and Mr. Zjeda, presented updates on enrollment trends, facility conditions, and long-term planning considerations. They addressed a slight enrollment decline that aligns with statewide and national trends and reflects factors such as birth rates, housing costs, and cost of living in Laguna Beach. Dr. Glass also noted that Laguna Beach continues to attract students from private schools. (link, 01:24:00)
The presentation reviewed two potential funding mechanisms for facilities improvements: a Certificate of Participation and a General Obligation Bond. Under the bond scenario, residents would not see a tax increase, and the district could secure approximately $81.8 million through a bond extension when the current bond expires in 2028. Laguna Beach remains among the lowest in Orange County for school-related property taxes.
District leadership emphasized that the Facilities Master Plan is a living document. The next step includes bringing forward a consultant in January to conduct community polling to better understand priorities, support levels, and timing related to a future bond measure.
Public comment reinforced the importance of continued investment in school facilities, expressed appreciation for past bond measures, and highlighted the role strong schools play in maintaining a healthy and desirable community.
FUEL’s View:
FUEL supports continued, thoughtful investment in school facilities and long-term planning through the Facilities Master Plan. Caring for our buildings is essential to keeping Laguna Beach a community where families want to live, learn, and stay.
We strongly support moving forward with community polling as a standard and responsible step in the bond planning process. Understanding community priorities does not dictate outcomes and the board should not push for that, but vote to fund the polling consultant to build trust and ensure transparency.
While we appreciate the discussion created by President Morgan (link, 02:19:00), around creative funding approaches, FUEL believes that school facilities funding should focus squarely on direct investment in our schools and campuses. Our facilities are aging, and addressing those needs is critical to student safety, staff support, and long-term community health.
Closing Message from the FUEL Board
As we head into the holiday break, we want to thank you for your continued support, engagement, and commitment to our schools and community.
We hope you are able to slow down, enjoy time with family and friends, and take care during this season. Please stay safe and know how much we appreciate the energy and care you have shown throughout this past year.
While the district takes a pause, the work does not stop. We will continue to plan, organize, and prepare to keep pushing our mission forward. We are excited to hit the ground running in January, including a one-year of FUEL event, continued advocacy around school board leadership and candidacies, and ongoing work to support thoughtful bond planning and facilities investment.
Thank you for standing with us. We are grateful for this community and look forward to the important work ahead.
Warmly,
The FUEL Board
