LAUSDcontinued

Kevin Reed, general counsel for LAUSD, argued that, at best, working with Meruelo would set the project back 18 months and cost the
district $10 million extra as construction costs rise while all of the unknowns in Mr. Meruelo’s plans were worked out. Mr. Reed also
cautioned the board that working with Meruelo on this project was a dubious proposition, as the LAUSD would be giving up control
over the land and the construction timetable. Reed reminded the board that LAUSD faces a mandate to return all schools in the
district to a traditional nine-month schedule by 2012. The Glassell Park High School would allow Eagle Rock to remain on a traditional
schedule and would return Franklin and Marshall to traditional schedules as well. He urged the board to act decisively and added that
it was definitely a necessity to start construction as soon as possible to relieve overcrowding in nearby schools, return them to a
traditional schedule, and contain costs by completing the project with all due speed.

Councilmember Huizar and Council President Garcetti submitted letters fully supporting construction of the high school as envisioned
by the community and LAUSD (Christina Ortega-Libatique showed up in person to read Garcetti’s letter). At the LAUSD Board
meeting in January, Albina Ferryra of Councilmember Ed Reyes’s office read a letter from the councilman that urged support of the
high school, but also urged the Board to consider Meruelo’s plan.

Glassell Park Neighborhood Council Board member Alisa Smith testified today in support of a fully comprehensive school on the site.
She is one of the people who originally suggested Parcel F should be used for a High School rather than the Cal Trans Truck Yard
that was going to be relocated to Parcel F from North Hollywood. The Truck Yard was being moved from North Hollywood to make way
for a new high School there. Upon hearing this, Alisa said, “Hmm, wait a minute. Our students in Glassell Park have to go to Marshall
High, Franklin High or Eagle Rock. Why can’t we locate a high school here in Glassell Park…on Parcel F?   That was three years
ago. Alisa, along with Helene Schpak, Myrian Magana, Judy Kagan, Scott Folsom and others invited School District officials to
meetings of our Neighborhood Council’s Youth and Education committee. They toured the site and started the process of evaluating
Parcel F and five other sites in the area for Central Region High School #13. LAUSD ultimately decided that Parcel F was the best site
out of the six for an area high school.

Today Alisa presented the school board with a petition containing 1,000 signatures urging the board to support the Resolution of
Necessity and construction of the school as soon as possible. Helene Schpak (GPNC), George Brauckman (GPIA), Art Pulido and
Roberta Trotman (Cypress Park Neighborhood Council) also spoke in support of the Resolution of Necessity. Onnik Mehrabian and
two Glendale Kia employees spoke against the Resolution of Necessity, fearing the High School will somehow negatively affect
Glendale Kia’s business.

Mr. Reed mentioned that Onnik Merhabian, owner of Glendale KIA has sold his business to Richard Meruelo.    Meruelo has already
allowed Merhabian to bring in fill dirt, pave it over, and park automobiles on Parcel F, without any permits from Building and Safety.
Now LAUSD has to do further soil testing at the site because this new dirt on the property wasn’t there when the original EIR
(Environmental Impact Review) was done. It has to be tested for toxicity.

It was also mentioned by Mr. Reed, that Mr. Meruelo has filed a lawsuit against LAUSD, challenging the EIR, and claiming that LAUSD
did not investigate the possibilities for joint use at this site. Board Member David Tokofsky disagreed, saying that the LAUSD Board
did consider Meruelo’s joint-use proposal presented at a January Board meeting and joint use in general for this and other sites.

Meruelo’s plan for Parcel F and surrounding properties is improbable, impractical and inappropriate. He proposes building a bare
bones school on the 10 acre Fed Ex site, with no athletic fields, gymnasium or auditorium. His plan relies on a gamble that the State
Park next door will allow 2,300 high school students to use its playing fields for school athletic programs. That was never what the
State Park was intended for.   We have a special opportunity to have a state-of-the-art high school in Glassell Park next to a brand
new, active-use State Park. It’s going to be a hugely positive step forward for our community and the city of Los Angeles. LAUSD was
very wise in adopting the Resolution of Necessity today and moving forward with all speed to build Central Region High School No. 13
in Glassell Park without "help" from Mr. Meruelo.