Calabasas, LVUSD join together to seek state library grant





By Michael Picarella
Acorn Staff Writer

The Calabasas City Council will take another shot at capturing a state library grant in the amount of $8.3 million now that Las Virgenes Unified School District has agreed to participate in a joint-use project.


The city of Calabasas initially applied last June for the grant—offered by California’s Office of Library Construction as a result of the California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000—and the city was turned down because Calabasas was considered a "second priority." The library the city wants to build is proposed as part of the civic center project currently being planned.


"I am convinced that with this new agreement with our school, we will get this grant," said City Councilwoman Janice Lee last week, before leaving the council. She had previously lost a reelection bid on March 4.


The joint-use agreement, recently approved by the school district, bumps the city’s application to first priority status and improves its chances, according to Calabasas special projects coordinator Matthew Hayden.


To qualify as a joint-use project, the library would have to offer a benefit to the school district, kindergarten through 12th grade. After the city evaluated the schools in terms of needs, a homework center was to be included in the plans to justify the joint-use proposal.


The homework center in the library would include dedicated space for students to do homework. It would also offer tutoring programs with school-staffed homework assistance and a student and peer teaching assistant tutoring program in which students would assist each other. Also, high school students would tutor elementary students.


The district would supply the center with current textbooks. Students could electronically access their homework assignments via individual school Websites within the district. More services could be added.


The joint-use agreement must include, to qualify for the state grant, a commitment between the city and school district for at least 20 years and an obligation from both entities to provide library services for at least 40 years.


Before stepping down to her regular council seat, Mayor Lesley Devine asked citizens at the council meeting last week to write letters to city hall in support of the joint- use library. Positive feedback from taxpayers, according to Devine, would enhance the chances of acquiring a state grant. (Councilman James Bozajian became mayor later in the evening).


The council unanimously approved the joint-use revised application.


Rewording and resubmitting the application will cost Calabasas about $38,000. The money will come from the city’s general fund. The original approved budget for the library grant process was $164,000.


The application is to be submitted by March 28 and the state will notify Calabasas regarding eligibility within one month. The city will know the ultimate results of the grant awarding process as early as September, according to Hayden, and as late as December.


If grant money is still available, he said, another round of funding would be awarded in January.



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