Discussions begin on charter school

It was a positive and productive meeting, Councilman Rick Wykoff said.

The Foster City Charter School Foundation has until mid-January to present its progress to the school district so the 2005-06 budget can take the school into account. Mayor Marland Townsend expressed disappointment in the group's inability to present any concrete information on how it proposes to lease the land.

"We gave them the conditions of the land back in May and we would have expected a little more from them at this point," Townsend said.

One of the foundation's board of directors, Thom Maslow, said it will take a couple of weeks for the group to put together a more-detailed proposal to meet Foster City's conditions for use of the land.

At Monday night's City Council meeting, the foundation will give a 10 to 15 minute presentation to the public on what it proposes for the land, Maslow said.

"We are considering putting in an all-weather soccer field and a track and maybe a gym and a pool," Maslow said.

Townsend has made it clear that the land is not for sale and the group will have to prove it can pay a substantial long-term lease.

Now that the group has the charter, the fund-raising process starts, Maslow said.

"Funding is there for charter schools and we will model our school after schools that have received generous grants from groups like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation," Maslow said.

Maslow helped secure tens and hundreds of millions for various nonprofit groups, he said, and doesn't think raising money for the school will be a problem.

Townsend, Wykoff and councilmembers Linda Koelling and Ron Cox met with the group in two separate meetings Monday.

Councilwoman Deborah Wilder is set to meet with the group Friday.

Bill Silverfarb can be reached by e-mail at silverfarb@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 109.