001well good evening everybody welcome to our school board special meeting this is this public hearing is on the proposed sale of surplus property can I please have roll call director director already here director Espinosa here president being oh okay we're gonna hold off real quick I see vice president Tidholm though so can I vice president Tidholm president president being here we may need to do roll call again for the tech issue okay we have a slight technical difficulty we'll get this going again it's five zero already just kidding all right thank you for everybody's patience it looks like we're ready so with that we're just we're gonna do a roll call let's do a roll call again please director already here director Espinosa here president van here I presented home as it and director Holyne
002is has an excused absence tonight so this public hearing is in regard to the proposed sale of the surplus property consisting of approximately one point one one acres look located at one eight three three zero fourth Avenue South during Washington this is King County parcel number three two two three zero four nine zero eight five and today between 515 and 545 so for those here speaking those who wish to address the school board during this public hearing on the proposed sale of the surplus property may sign up to speak during this hearing the sign up sheet is at the entrance of the the boardroom and speakers are allotted two minutes with that said I have three speakers tonight first up is Johannes cadet or you're not speaking okay ask Marie hop day my name is
003Esmerit hop day I'm a graduate proud graduate of Evergreen High School class of 94 and I have two children currently a big picture and choice which is directly linked to the property in front south of the property so Johannes and I are also part of the neighborhood we're on 226 on 168th and so this property where neighbors as well as students in the adjacent property we are seeking for a public process on repurposing the property for the use of for safe spaces for youth a lot of public properties in the Seattle area such as Coyote Central El Centro Youngstown and West Seattle are all schools and or properties public properties that have been repurposed as safe spaces for youth and we feel that repurposing this process this building to serve youth a safe space for
004youth is the highest and best use of this property so we are against selling this property as we do not see that being the highest use we are in support of a community open RFP process to invite small nonprofits within the Berrien within the Highline School District area that are that are at risk of being displaced or because of high rents because commercial properties are increasing their rents there's a lot of small nonprofits that don't have spaces to go so we're seeking a partnership of equitable development to repurpose that land for safe spaces for youth specifically our opportunity youth which are 14 to 24 specifically for BIPOC youth as I said I've been in the neighborhood and part of Highline Public Schools for the past 30 years and I've seen a lot of unmet need
005within the East African community within recent immigrants and so I invite you to not simply sell it but sell it to an equitable development to serve community thank you very much Tamegstin Hapde hello my name is Tamegstin Hapde also from the neighborhood went to Southern Heights Cascade Middle School graduate of Evergreen High School as well also strongly urging the board to not move forward with the sale of the property I instead would encourage you to sorry encourage supporting a public process that prioritizes you know repurposing reusing the space to directly serve Highline Public Schools students families and the broader community in a time of increased need nonprofits community-based organizations and cultural groups are losing access to space as rents rise and properties are redeveloped this site could be a hub for youth programming family services
006and anchor tenants that already serve our school community but are struggling to stay in the neighborhood let's not view this space as a surplus but as opportunity a long-term investment in equity and education beyond the classroom please consider pausing the sale and inviting community stakeholders into the process thank you very much and we will wait until 5 45 if there's any other speakers that come and speak to us this evening welcome the newcomers that just came in if you guys are here to speak in regards to the surplus you can please sign up in the back and we're gonna have you come up but if you're here for the regular board meeting just hang on that hang out thank you so much for that that concludes our public hearing this evening in regards to the
007proposed sale of our surplus property with that I would please have an adjournment I make a motion we adjourn I second all those in favor any opposed we have none so go EMS we'll be back here for a regular scheduled board meeting at 6 p.m.