Consultants
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Q – Why should we retain a consultant?
A - For more than 25 years, Community Systems Associates, Inc. has represented and provided professional and technical strategic planning, financing, political and governmental consultation to public agencies in California. For the past 15 years, the focus has been on educational public institutions throughout the State, resulting in over $1.5 billion in financial value to CSA's school clients. These successes and those of our clients are a direct result of being on the cutting-edge of new approaches to addressing common problems and by stepping out-of-the-box proactively. [Back to top]
Q – Why should we select CSA, Inc. as our consultant?
A -Under Construction. [Back to top]
Q - Can CSA, Inc, serve two different school districts affected by the decisions of the same local agency?
A – Under Construction. [Back to top]
Q – Doesn't the provisions of State law limit our ability to leverage a position with a local agency of the Community?
A - Under Construction. [Back to top]
Q - How can we be successful in attaining our goals?
A - Under Construction. [Back to top]
Q – What do we as a school district need to have in place to be successful?
A - Under Construction. [Back to top]
Q – How should we proceed if we have a split Board?
A – Under Construction:
Q – What other legal tools are available to fund schools?
A - Under Construction .[Back to top]
Q – What school facilities should be included in a School Facilities Needs Analysis?
A -Under Construction. [Back to top]
Q – Do we have to commit to litigation at the outset of unfolding a school facilities strategy?
A - Under Construction. [Back to top]
Q – What is is the rate of success of CSA, Inc.?
A -Under Construction. [Back to top]
Q – Can the services of CSA, Inc. be paid out of accrued developer fees?
A - Under Construction. [Back to top]
Q – Why is a public relations, media, and political strategy important to the process?
A - It has been said that “there is no walk like trying to walk in another man’s shoes for a while". Taking the time to walk a mile in another man's shoes gives a person a far better perspective of that person, and enables relations with better understanding. These are strengths, not weaknesses. This is what leaders are supposed to do. It is what statesmen and diplomats do. This is what public agencies need to do, when the understanding of the subject matter is limited. City councils, boards of supervisors, and other elected officials who do not work with the routine day-to-day provisions, statutes, and programs relating to school operations, programs, and funding do not understand the dynamics facing school districts around growth and development. Constituents of school districts do not have any further understanding of the operations and funding of schools and education programs beyond the day-to-day understanding of their children attending school from morning until afternoon. The success of the clients of CSA, Inc. comes not only from having a well defined school facilities strategy, but also being able to unfold a public relations, media and political strategy to "get the message out" and educate the constituents and the local agency decision-makers of that which is unknown beyond the walls of the school district. To this end, CSA, Inc. strongly encourages its clients to embark on a pro-active program with the foundation of public relations, media and political strategies that serve the district through a transparent and full disclosure process of factual clarity and information. [Back to top]
Q – What is the future of SB 50 and the limitations set forth in Government Code Section 65995 et. seq.?
A – The provisions of the Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998 or what is commonly known as "SB 50" which address the mitigation of development on school districts was adopted as a vehicle to limit the financial and environmental authority of school districts to effectively address school facilities needs resulting from development and growth. The original legislation was a compromise between the State legislature, politically influential school districts and the California Building Industry as a way of protecting the interests of these particular parties. Since 1998, the provisions of SB 50 have been shown to not provide full and complete mitigation in may school districts of all school facilities considerations, suggesting that legislative revisions to the original legislation is warranted. Many attempts have been made over the years to seek such revisions, only to be confronted with the lobbying of the special interest groups who do not seek to have the original legislation modified. Therefore, it is unlikely that significant adjustments in the statutes will be forthcoming in the immediate near future unless there is a strong advocacy on the part of school communities or litigation is successful in overturning specific provisions of SB 50. Currently there are several complaints that have been filed in the courts of California challenging the constitutionality of SB 50 on a project-by-project basis. [Back to top]
Q – Who does CSA offer services to?
A – CSA, Inc. primarily provides services to school districts, including elementary school, high school, and unified school districts throughout California. In addition, CSA, Inc. provides similar services to community college districts, State colleges and universities, and County Offices of Education or County Superintendents of Schools. Additional, CSA, Inc. can provide similar services to water districts, county service areas, and other special districts which are impact by growth and development of their jurisdictions. Because of our unique skill set and professional expertise, CSA, Inc. is often retained by cities and counties, and consultants to cities and counties to provide expertise in the school facility planning, siting, construction and financing as may be required in the drafting of General Plans, zoning ordinances, environmental documentation and as expert witness and advisors. In limited cases CSA, Inc. will provide expertise to private development interest when there is a common interest of the development interest, the local jurisdiction and the affects school districts. CSA, Inc, is proud that the professional and technical expertise and the models developed by CSA, Inc. has application to other states and school districts throughout the nation. [Back to top]
Q – When is "now" the time to retain CSA, Inc.?
A - The time to retain CSA, Inc. is when the school district identifies that the resources of the school district is not attaining the quality and quantity of school facilities that is required to maintain the educational goals, policies, and programs of the school district. Many times, this clarity does not come to light until after the consequences on school facilities becomes evident. This often is too late and requires a strategy of trying to "put out the fire". CSA, Inc. believes that school districts must take a progressions proactive approach to address school facilities issues. Instead of being reactive, the proactive approach is brought forth when the school district is in the planning stages of addressing its future, not based on the imminent development activities occurring today, but the prospective development and growth of the school district anticipated in the future. Therefore, the time to retain CSA, Inc. is before the consequences are impacting the school district, before development proposal are being brought forth, before decisions by local cities and counties are finalized around the General Plan, the local zoning ordinances, and the implementation of their own long range planning. The mere fact that you have inquired as to what CSA, Inc. can offer is evidence that time is now to retain CSA, Inc. in order to put in place a strategy that will serve the needs and requirements of the school district, in order to protect the interests of the students, employees, and constituents of the district. [Back to top]
CSA Q & A
- What school facilities should be included in a School Facilities Needs Analysis?
- Do we have to commit to litigation at the outset of unfolding a school facilities strategy?
- What is CSA rate of success?
- Can the services provided by CSA be paid out of accrued developer fees?
- Why is a public relations, media, and political important to the process?
- What is the future of SB 50 and the limitations of set froth in Government Code Section 65995 et. seq.?
- Who does CSA offer services to?
- When is 'now' the time to retain CSA?
- Why should we retain a consultant?
- Why should we select CSA as our consultant?
- Can CSA serve two different schools districts affected by the decisions of the same local agency?
- Don't the provisions limit our ability to leverage a position with the local agency of the Community?
- How can we be successful in attaining our goals?
- What do we as a school district need to have in place to be successful?
- How should we proceed if we have a split Board?
- What other legal tools are available to fund school
Not all consultants have the skills, experience, and personalities that fit a particular client. Clients need toe discern the consultant that will best fit the particular needs of the client and have the skills that will attain the clients goals. The lowest prices consultant may not be the best while the client with the least reputation may be the perfect fit.
There are many question that can lead to what best consultant fits the clients needs. CSA has offered here some FAQ's that may help in you selecting processs.
What should be considered in selection a consultant?
- Experience and skills-set
- Availability
- Cost
- Reputation
- Personality
- Transparency
- Timely performance
- Personal commitment
- Accessibility
To learn more click on any of the questions along the sidebars
