Yorba Linda adopts first-ever policy on debt; school district revises policy on student clubs

A new, state-mandated policy related to managing city debt has been adopted by the Yorba Linda City Council, and a revised policy allowing non-curricular student clubs at elementary and middle schools is now in place throughout the Placentia-Yorba Linda school district.

Council members, acting in three roles – City Council, Successor Agency to the former Re-development Agency and Public Financing Authority – adopted the city's first-ever policy on debt management with a unanimous vote in April.

Currently, the city doesn't have any outstanding debt other than bonds issued by the Successor Agency, and this debt is under study for possible refunding to take advantage of lower interest rates, according to a report to the council from Finance Director Scott Catlett.

“Staff has discussed with the council the possibility of issuing debt for the library and arts center project, and the council has directed staff (to) do so for the library component of the project, pending additional analysis on funding alternatives for the art center,” Catlett stated.

A new state law requires a city's debt policy be in place 30 days before new debt is issued, with annual reports submitted to the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission.

Required components include outlining purposes for debt proceeds; the types of debts that can be issued; the debt's integration with the city's budget, capital improvements and goals and objectives; and internal control procedures to ensure debt is used as intended.

This city's policy also includes limitations on debt capacity, monitoring of revenues to service outstanding and proposed debt and compliance with regulation and disclosure requirements.

The school district's newly named “student organizations and equal access” policy updates a previous document first adopted in 1989 limiting elementary and middle schools to clubs with ties to district-approved curriculum, often called a “closed forum” policy.

Now, rules for elementary and middle school student clubs follow the same regulations in place at high school campuses, often called a “limited open forum” policy that allows non-curriculum-related student groups, as authorized by a principal or designee.

The policy, unanimously approved by trustees, states the board “encourages students to pursue interests and clubs which may not directly relate to the district's curriculum,” while requiring meetings be “voluntary and student-initiated.”

The policy states schools and staff are not allowed to promote, lead or participate in meet-ings, and employees “shall be present at religious meetings only in a non-participatory capacity,” and “non-school persons shall not direct, conduct, control or regularly attend activities of student groups.”

School officials told trustees the policy updates “reflect the changes in the state and federal statue and provide more explicit guidance for school site administration.”