LVUSD to Water District Customers: Can You Spare a Buck?

Las Virgenes Unified officials are hoping each Water District customer would be willing to give $1 to help the budget cut-stricken school district.

Supt. Donald Zimring suggested the idea to the Water District's Board of Directors during its meeting on Tuesday, among other ways, the agency could help the LVUSD, which is facing $13 million in state budget cuts.

"Our district is requesting that the Water District join with us in an outreach effort to all of your customers to voluntarily donate $1 per bill to the District via their water bills to help maintain our school landscaping and fields," said Zimring in an Aug. 3 letter to Board of Directors President Charles Caspary.

Zimring dubbed the initiative the "Field of Green."

His second proposal was a technology sponsorship in which the Water District would dedicate $150,000 of its $350,000 advertising budget to the LVUSD's relayed water saving messages across nearly 8,000 computers and 12,000 student/parent contacts.

"Our schools represent a valuable asset to this community and are used not only during the school day, but virtually 24/7 by community members and youth sports," Zimring said in the letter. "Via this simple donation campaign, our District could generate sufficient funds to keep our fields green and inviting to our students and continue to make Las Virgenes a 'destination district' for our new residents."

Zimring was accompanied by Board of Education Member Jill Gaines and mayors Barry Groveman of Calabasas and William Koehler of Agoura Hills.

Following Zimring's presentation, Groveman provided his insight on necessary education funding.

"I hope this will be an opportunity for all of us," he said. "It takes a lot of nerve for all of us mayors to come here and advocate that you give up money to another district. I wouldn't ask for anything that we ourselves are not committed to."

Koehler echoed Groveman's sentiments.

"I think he has offered a fantastic proposal that will allow water board to get the word out as far as the advertising dollar but redirect funds to benefit the school district," Koehler said. "I would gladly give to keep these schools green."

Carlos Reyes, director of resource conservation and public outreach for LVMWD, said that the legal and billing questions are currently being discussed by staff, and a report of findings will be presented to the board of directors at its Aug. 24 meeting.

"It may not be enough time to put together the information for that board meeting. We need to check a few things—particularly, two requests," said Reyes. "If customers can have an option of checking off a box to making a contribution to the School District for their water bill, those funds would go toward payment of irrigation and water usage for school yards, but we need to check in how we would actually do that."