Public Comment
Seismic Safety for Berkeley Students?
Recent news reports have highlighted investigations by California Watch on the shocking number of California K-12 schools that are NOT certified as earthquake resistant under the Field Act. As a Berkeley resident I felt confident that the hundreds of millions of dollars in school construction bonds that Berkeley taxpayers are financing had been appropriately spent in making sure that our kids are being taught in properly designed classrooms.
Director Hemphill was quoted in Berkeleyside as saying, "the district used past bond funds to do work on all K-12 schools." This is probably true. However, I was astounded to learn that NONE of BUSD school construction seismic projects dating back to 1993 have received appropriate earthquake resistant (Field Act) certification. I have attached a list of all BUSD projects "uncertified" as of 9/30/10 prepared by the state of California. This list includes Berkeley High and Cragmont Elementary that was built AFTER the Loma Prieta earthquake necessitated the complete reconstruction of the school. All construction projects were "closed without certification."
We have been told by the BUSD board and administration that our schools have been retrofitted to meet post Loma Prieta earthquake standards. What happened? We need some accountability. The Berkeley community deserves a complete and public explanation.
| Project Name | Project Contracted Amount | Close Date |
| BERKELEY ADULT | $40,000.00 | 9/22/1995 |
| BERKELEY ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL | $3,116,000.00 | 10/20/2000 |
| BERKELEY HIGH | $31,660.00 | 8/25/1993 |
| BERKELEY HIGH | $55,000.00 | 4/30/1994 |
| BERKELEY HIGH | $20,000.00 | 4/30/1994 |
| BERKELEY HIGH | $45,000.00 | 5/15/1994 |
| BERKELEY HIGH | $75,000.00 | 8/25/1995 |
| BERKELEY HIGH | $35,000.00 | 9/22/1995 |
| BERKELEY HIGH | $50,000.00 | 9/29/1995 |
| BERKELEY HIGH | $22,000.00 | 10/5/1995 |
| BERKELEY HIGH | $70,000.00 | 5/13/1996 |
| BERKELEY HIGH | $82,500.00 | 11/24/1998 |
| BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL | $707,000.00 | 8/15/1996 |
| BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL | $120,000.00 | 1/8/2007 |
| BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL | $38,000.00 | 3/26/2007 |
| BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL | $141,444.00 | 9/11/2007 |
| BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL | $29,400,000.00 | 10/11/2007 |
| BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL | $5,978,785.00 | 4/10/2008 |
| COLUMBUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | $5,900,000.00 | 2/1/2002 |
| COLUMBUS SCHOOL PARK | $350,400.00 | 9/29/1999 |
| CRAGMONT ELEM | $20,000.00 | 7/8/1993 |
| CRAGMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | $7,237,527.00 | 11/21/2007 |
| EMERSON PRIMARY | $900,000.00 | 3/26/1997 |
| FRANKLIN ADULT SCHOOL | $6,204,000.00 | 1/30/2008 |
| FRANKLIN ELEM | $12,200.00 | 10/6/1995 |
| FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | $51,494.00 | 6/25/1996 |
| HOPKINS EARLY CHILDHOOD CNTR. | $45,000.00 | 4/29/1997 |
| JEFFERSON EL;EMENTARY SCHOOL | $1,732,000.00 | 12/26/2006 |
| JEFFERSON ELEM | $200,000.00 | 3/13/1993 |
| JEFFERSON PRIMARY | $900,000.00 | 8/22/1996 |
| KING JH | $49,546.00 | 6/21/1996 |
| KING JR. HIGH | $31,050.00 | 12/17/1993 |
| King Pre School New Campus (Berkeley USD) | $3,219,524.00 | 10/14/2009 |
| LA CONTE ELEM | $15,000.00 | 4/30/1994 |
| LE CONTE PRIMARY | $30,000.00 | 8/9/1993 |
| LECONTE | $33,396.00 | 9/28/1995 |
| LECONTE ELEM | $30,000.00 | 10/13/1995 |
| LECONTE PRIMARY | $800,000.00 | 4/23/1997 |
| LECONTE SCHOOL | $1,398,938.00 | 9/12/2007 |
| LONG FELLOW MIDDLE SCHOOL | $7,341,200.00 | 2/16/2006 |
| LONGFELLOW COMMUNITY RESOURCE | $117,730.00 | 9/21/2007 |
| MALCOM X ELEMENTARY | $4,600,000.00 | 11/29/2007 |
| MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HIGH | $100,000.00 | 11/5/1998 |
| MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MIDDLE SCHOOL | $1,398,143.00 | 12/20/2007 |
| MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MIDDLE SCHOOL | $6,794,900.00 | 7/15/2009 |
| MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR MIDDLE SCHOOL | $14,829,000.00 | 9/10/2007 |
| Martin Luther King Middle School | $988,700.00 | 4/7/2010 |
| MUIR ELEM | $30,000.00 | 11/14/1994 |
| MUIR ELEM | $15,000.00 | 3/17/2010 |
| NEW COLUMBUS SCHL FAM RES CTR | $69,000.00 | 4/1/2004 |
| OXFORD ELEM | $20,000.00 | 7/25/1993 |
| THOUSAND OAKS ELEM | $27,000.00 | 2/6/1986 |
| THOUSAND OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | $10,566,075.00 | 3/26/2004 |
| THOUSAND OAKS PRIMARY | $85,000.00 | 3/23/2010 |
| VARIIOUS SITES-BERKELEY U.S.D. | $159,200.00 | 8/4/2009 |
| VARIOUS | $2,500,000.00 | 4/1/1993 |
| VARIOUS | $114,000.00 | 9/15/1995 |
| VARIOUS | $152,000.00 | 9/15/1995 |
| Various Locations: Oxford Elementary School & Berkeley Arts Magnet School | $358,740.00 | 6/27/2008 |
| VARIOUS SITES | $0.00 | 3/27/2008 |
| VARIOUS SITES | $150,000.00 | 7/18/2008 |
| WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY | $50,000.00 | 12/13/1995 |
| WASHINGTON PRIMARY | $30,000.00 | 5/14/1993 |
| WASHINGTON PRIMARY | $3,850,000.00 | 4/25/1997 |
| WHITTIER | $2,900,000.00 | 6/24/1997 |
| WILLARD INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL | $1,800,000.00 | 8/25/1998 |
| WILLARD JH | $21,000.00 | 9/19/1995 |
| WILLARD JH | $35,000.00 | 9/22/1995 |
| WILLARD JH | $22,176.00 | 9/29/1995 |
| WILLARD JR. HIGH | $30,000.00 | 9/29/1995 |
| WILLARD JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | $119,250.00 | 2/18/2003 |
| WILLARD MIDDLE SCHOOL | $3,556,000.00 | 10/22/2007 |
| WILLARD MIDDLE SCHOOL | $4,002,000.00 | 2/28/2008 |
