School Advisory Board Sets Sale Of Butterfield And Jean Hayman Schools As Top Priority

Members of a Lake Elsinore Unified School District 7-11 Advisory Committee have made sale of Butterfield and Jean Hayman schools the top priority on a list of three possible actions that include leasing and exchanging the properties as the second and third best alternatives, respectively.

Meeting Tuesday evening, the committee approved a final report on the two properties, including the prioritized options, which it will present to the school district board at the board’s next meeting at 9 a.m. June 23. A closed session starts at 8 a.m.

The district board will make the final determination on what will be done with the surplus properties.

If the properties are sold, money from the sales would likely be used to improve other schools. Money could be used to expand, convert and modernize, said Gregory Bowers, assistant superintendent of facilities and operations.

Committee members also learned that the state has become more flexible with money gained from property sales. Money from the sales could go to the district general fund, but it is a difficult process with a lot of red tape.

“It would probably not be used for the general fund,” Bowers said.

He said that although student numbers will level out over the next two years, it will slowly pick up again. And it takes five to 10 years to bring a new high school on line.

Completing a new elementary school takes three to five years.

So revenue will be needed to expand and improve schools in the district. And replacement sites will be needed.

The district faces a problem with Jean Hayman Elementary on Lemon Street in Wildomar because it sits on an earthquake fault line.

And the district doesn’t plan to modernize Butterfield Elementary School on Grand Avenue in Lakeland Village.

If the school properties are sold, they will most likely go to the public sector. But if no interest was found on the public side, it could go through a private bid process.