MUSD Board of Education responds to Cook Hill's "publication"

Howdy friends and neighbors of the hills!

The Board "educates" Cook Hill Properties!

Well folks, it looks like Cook Hill Properties LLC has been "expelled" from the good graces of the Montebello Unified School District!  At the packed to the rafters June 16th meeting of the MUSD Board of Education, the board responded to public complaints about Cook Hill's "magazine", Montebello Life,  which features a cover photo of the mural painted on the outside of Montebello High School and an interview with it's principal, Jeff Schwartz.  The interview also features several photos that were clearly taken inside the high school!

A public speaker at the meeting questioned why Cook Hill's alleged "magazine" was on display in the Montebello Unified School District office and asked if it was created with the blessing of the MUSD.  

Now those are mighty good questions!

The speaker asked the board to review it's district policies about the use of school property and to please remove any remaining copies from public display.

In response, MUSD board member Marcella Calderon revealed that her office had received several phone calls from citizens about this questionable use of public school property.  Calderon said she had heard "something" about "someone" asking to do a story on Montebello High School but she wasn't aware that anything had come out of that until after this phony magazine had been published and distributed in the community!


According to Calderon, the MUSD has not taken an formal position in favor of Cook Hill Properties' Montebello Hills Specific Plan (MHSP) and said the district has "nothing to do with" that plan.  Her proclamation was met with a quick disclaimer from fellow board member Gerri Guzman who said the district has been negotiating with Cook Hill over development fees for this proposed housing project.  Well, "negotiating" with real estate developers over development fees is a routine part of the school district's business but it seems kinda funny that Guzman was so quick on the draw to point that out.
 
Calderon asked her fellow board members if the matter of this "magazine" had ever come before the entire board and this time the unanimous response was,

"No." 

Calderon stated to the standing-room-only crowd that she felt Montebello High School "had been used" by Cook Hill Properties LLC!  She then asked the lawyer for the district to "look into" the matter for "possible legal action" since this intrusion by a for profit company into a Montebello public school was in clear violation of existing MUSD policy.

Montebello Unified School District

Board Policies

http://www.montebello.k12.ca.us/administration/bpar/1000/1330.pdf

BP 1330(e)

No permit for use of school facilities, grounds, or equipment shall be granted to an individual or group for commercial or private profit or personal gain. The above policy does not apply to student body or school district connected/support groups.

Uh oh!  It looks like Cook Hill didn't do their homework!

The MUSD Board of Education agreed to remove any remaining copies of "Montebello Life" from display in the District Office.

A+ to the MUSD Board of Education!


Daisy Mae