My Speech for the District Meeting

My Name is Ken Nelson, I live in Seaside of Talega (Zone 1), and have for the past 8 years. I have a freshman at SCHS, a 6th grader at VdMMS, and a 1 year old in the class of 2025. I am also the delegate to the HOA for Seaside.

"Why do we so often find ourselves dealing with crises instead of preventing problems or resolving them early in their evolution? How can we break this cycle of denial and inertia followed by crisis, and instead, take action early?" (1) With the possibility of Measure C passing, the land for sale by the City of San Clemente at Vista Hermosa and La Pata to build an additional 200+ homes, and the current building of Marblehead Costal why we have not already broken ground on one or more new schools defies reason. Take into consideration the imminent development of the Rancho Mission Viejo land behind Talega and the crisis becomes exponential.

The Talega Community Facilities District currently contains $57 million in unallocated funds that should be used for the construction of a new school. An additional middle school for San Clemente would provide the needed flexibility the district seeks. Converting existing dual use campuses to single use would allow the district to increase SDC and preschool programs. Building a new middle school could also be used to reduce the overcrowding of San Clemente High School by moving 9th graders to the middle school. The key is there are options.

While this solution does not solve today’s problem it does solve tomorrow’s. Please take this opportunity to develop a visionary solution to a complex set of issues.

(1) Heal the Ocean: Solutions for saving our seas; Rod Fujita; New Society Publishers; 2003.