Minutes of the 7-11 Committee

BACKGROUND: For some time the District has discussed reviewing available land and buildings for consideration of their best use. In these times of tight budgets, we must make sure we are doing the best we can with what resources we have.

The Education Code (17388-90) describes the process that a district must use in disposing or leasing its real property:

“... shall appoint a district advisory committee to advise the governing board in the development of district wide policies and procedures governing the use or disposition of school buildings or space in school buildings which are not needed for school purposes.”

Often districts call these committees Surplus Property Committee or 7-11 Committee. The term surplus property is obvious and the term 7-11 is derived from the specified make up of the committee under the law:

“...shall consist of not less than 7 nor more than 11 members, and shall be representative of each of the following:

(a) The ethnic, age group, and socioeconomic composition of the district.

(b) The business community, such as store owners, managers, or supervisors.

(d) Teachers.

(e) Administrators.

(f) Parents of students.

(g) Persons with expertise in environmental impact, legal contracts, building codes, and land use planning, including, but not limited to, knowledge of the zoning and other land use
restrictions of the cities or cities and counties in which the surplus space and real property is located.”

Once the committee is appointed by the governing board, it must comply with all the requirements of the Open Meetings Act, including posting of agendas, public participation and comment and availability of minutes. Specifically the regulations charge the committee with the following:

(a) Review the projected enrollment and other data as provided by the district to determine the amount of surplus space and real property.

(b) Establish a priority list of use of surplus space and real property that will be acceptable to the community.

(c) Cause to have circulated throughout the attendance area a priority list of surplus space and real property and provide for hearings of community input to the committee on acceptable uses of space and real property, including the sale or lease of surplus real property for child care development purposes...

(d) Make a final determination of limits of tolerance of use of space and real property.

(e) Forward to the district governing board a report recommending uses of surplus space and real property.”

Selection of members to the committee is the responsibility of the governing board. The Board may choose to simply appoint members or may choose to ask for volunteers and develop a process for selection that could include applications and/or interviews.