FAIR OAKS, CA (MPG) - At the November meeting of the Measure J Bond Oversight Committee (BOC), Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District (FORPD) Administrator Mike Aho provided an update the progress of Measure J projects.

Last month the theatre building and the adjacent salon building in the Village were demolished in the first major step toward the construction of a new interconnected park complex—to be called Village Park, which will be home to various facilities, like the improved Amphitheatre, Community Clubhouse, plaza, and playground. Aho explained that purchasing the salon property was crucial because it ensured that the District owns all contiguous land in that area, and the salon space will become a more open entrance to the theatre as well as a social seating area.

Bids for construction on the Amphitheatre, Community Clubhouse, and Village/Plaza park improvements could be requested in late November or early December, with work possibly starting in late January. But Aho cautioned that this schedule “is still tentative; there’s a lot of challenges here still, with the design review and approval for the design review from the County.”  Aho also explained that it could be difficult to get a diverse selection of bids over the holidays, so the District is considering pushing the schedule by a month—because with more bid options, they might be able to save more money on the project.

The plan for leasing the surplus La Vista School property from the San Juan Unified School District (SJUSD) is moving forward as well. An initial agreement was drafted, and now SJUSD attorneys are finalizing the agreement with standard SJUSD format and language. If all goes as planned, the agreement could be officially approved by February, at which time the District can pursue final design and budget estimates on the softball field project. In addition to the fields, seating, parking, and restrooms, Aho also plans to recommend a playground on the site to serve the surrounding community. Construction could start by next fall, with completion expected in late summer 2023.

And although the softball field plans are moving to La Vista from the original planned site at Phoenix Park, the District has still earmarked Measure J funds for expanding parking at Phoenix.

Aho said much of the budget for upcoming projects is going to depend on the bids that come in for the work in the Village, so he is anxious to see where the bids come in. The District is also still waiting on various state and federal grant applications, with over $10 million requested, so if any of those are awarded, they “could subsidize some of those expenditures for Village/Plaza park,” said Aho.

Measure J bond expenditures are reviewed annually through an independent audit that is filed with the Secretary of State. BOC members also conduct their own annual review of bond expenditures, reviewing invoices and other documents associated with project expenses. This review is to ensure that all payments with bond money are supporting projects that were specified in the bond. At the November meeting, members made their review selections, choosing some of the largest line items for review as well as some smaller, random line items. Members will each review their selected items ahead of a committee discussion at a future meeting. BOC Chair Gary Juels said, “Our job as Bond Oversight Committee is to make sure that the items being spent are within the bond language.”

BOC members also discussed whether future meetings should continue to be held virtually or if they should resume in-person meetings. Most said they could go either way, with some leaning slightly more toward virtual meetings for the convenience and others toward in-person meetings for the sense of community they can provide. The consensus was to continue the item for discussion at a future meeting when more members would be in attendance and could share their opinions.

The next BOC meeting is scheduled for December 7.