R113611
City Council Meeting: September 14, 2021 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NO. 11361 (CCS)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF SANTA MONICA REQUESTING THE LOS ANGELES
COUNTY COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL DISTRICT
ORGANIZATION DENY THE CITY OF MALIBU
UNIFICATION PETITION
WHEREAS, on October 12, 2020, the City of Malibu submitted a Petition to form
a new Malibu Unified School District from territory currently within the Santa Monica-
Malibu Unified School District (“Malibu Petition”); and
WHEREAS, on November 10, 2020, the City Council of the City of Santa Monica
(the “Council”) re-affirmed its support for such a split but only if the terms of separation,
including but not limited to, the division of revenues and assets, are fair and just to
students in Santa Monica schools and provide robust and equal educational opportunity
for both Malibu and Santa Monica students; and
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2021, the Council through its Mayor and Mayor Pro-
Tempore, submitted a letter to the Los Angeles County Committee on School District
Organization (the “Committee”) requesting the Committee deny the Malibu Petition as
the Malibu Petition did not propose an equitable split; and
WHEREAS, on March 23, 2021, the Council approved a 13-item motion
reaffirming the Council’s position and requesting the denial of the Malibu Petition; and
WHEREAS, on April 17, 2021, the Committee conducted a public hearing at
which it received a presentation from the City of Malibu and the Santa Monica-Malibu
Unified School District (“SMMUSD”) on the Malibu Petition as well as public testimony
from residents and organizations from each of the affected territories; and
WHEREAS, the information provided highlighted the shortcomings of the Malibu
Petition; and
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WHEREAS, these shortcomings were further elucidated with the release of the
September 2, 2021 staff report submitted by the Committee’s Business Advisory
Services Division and its outside consultant (collectively, “Staff Report”) which
concluded that among other significant deficiencies, the Malibu Petition “would have a
substantial negative effect on the fiscal health of the remaining Santa Monica USD.”;
and
WHEREAS, owing to the extreme failings of the Malibu Petition, the Committee
should exercise its discretion to deny the Malibu Petition rather than approve the
submittal of the Malibu Petition into the full hearing process of Education Code section
35705, particularly during a time of pandemic when SMMUSD and its students and
families are focusing their time, resources and energy into returning to campuses in a
safe and sustainable manner; and
WHEREAS, In light of this and the other negative findings in the Staff Report, the
Council cannot support the Malibu Petition and hereby requests that it be summarily
denied immediately following the Committee hearing on September 18, 2021.
NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Santa Monica, California
hereby finds, determines, declares, orders and resolves as follows:
Section 1. That all of the recitals set forth above are true and correct,
and the Council so finds and determines.
Section 2. That the Council requests the County Committee summarily
deny the Malibu Petition following the Committee’s public hearing on September 18,
2021.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________
GEORGE S. CARDONA
Interim City Attorney
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Adopted and approved this 14th day of September 2021.
__________________________
Sue Himmelrich, Mayor
I, Nikima Newsome, Assistant City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do
hereby certify that Resolution No. 11361 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of
the Santa Monica City Council held on the 14th day of September 2021, by the
following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Davis, Negrete, Parra,
Mayor Pro Tem McCowan, Mayor Himmelrich
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: Councilmembers Brock, de la Torre
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
Nikima Newsome, Assistant City Clerk
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