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doesn't follow through with its commitments. We have children at the doors of the schools and <br />we don't have schools built for them. If we don't make sure all the pieces are in place, there <br />won't be schools unless we go back to the taxpayers for another bond measure. She was <br />concerned about the pressure to proceed with these agreements because Signature Properties has <br />already spent so much money. Under the old agreement, she felt it owed the District a lot more. <br />It was their decision to not honor their contractual obligation and that forced the District and City <br />to look for another way to mitigate the growth. She said Signature received a $2 million <br />discount with the reduced fee and that is a lot more than the money spent to date on Neal <br />Elementary. She is optimistic Signature will continue to help to get the school built, but she felt <br />it was a ineffective offer when you recognize the money is not going to be there to pay them <br />back. There is now a demand that they be paid back within two years with interest that did not <br />exist under the old agreement. She asked Council to look closely at this and make sure all the <br />Points of Agreement are met and that there is a way to get the facilities built. She asked if the <br />District really believed this agreement can accomplish its goals. <br /> <br />Ms. Michelotti asked Ms. Testa about her comment about interest payment. <br /> <br /> Ms. Testa said she believed there would be no interest for two years. Under the old <br />agreement there was an unspecified amount of time. If the schools or the projects on Exhibit B <br />needed to be built, there was an obligation to meet the shortfall with no interest tied to that <br />commitment. There was an interest clause, but it was not related to the shortfall. She objected to <br />the impression that Signature was building the school, when in fact all funds it advances will be <br />reimbursed with interest after the first two years. She felt they had a much greater obligation in <br />the old agreement. <br /> <br /> Melinda Price, 1850 Spumante Place, indicated her son started kindergarten at Vintage in <br />1999 and now her daughter has started kindergarten and was to go to a different school. They <br />assumed Neal would open soon and elected to pay for a private school. Now she finds that Neal <br />will not be opening soon. One of the reasons she purchased a home in Ruby Hill was because of <br />the promise of a school. That is a community of 850 homes and the children are spread all over <br />the City. She understands the problems with the economy, etc., but the bottom line is she wants <br />a school that both her children can attend near home. <br /> <br /> Meribeth Detweiler, 553 Santel Court, agreed with the previous speakers. She said her <br />understanding of the old agreement was the interest was on funds due back to developers at the <br />end of the completion of all the facilities on Exhibit B. She asked Council to slow down and <br />review these agreements more thoroughly. She did not feel the school facilities goals could be <br />accomplished without getting both the Cooperative Fee Agreement amendments and the Girl <br />Agreement signed by all parties. She did not believe it was wise for the City to sign off on the <br />Cooperative Fee Agreement without all developers signing the Gift Agreement. In the business <br />sector, it is not wise to close a deal without all documents complete. These agreements are three- <br />way, therefore the City has an equal responsibility to the community. If there is any information <br />suggesting these agreements are not in the best interest of the community, they should not be <br />approved at this time. As has been discussed earlier, the economic slow down will affect the <br />new housing starts and that in mm indicates these agreements will not accomplish what they <br /> <br />Pleasanton City Council 8 10/02/01 <br />Minutes <br /> <br /> <br />