CALEXICO — A round of applause erupted Monday as the city’s Measure H committee unanimously voted to recommend $100,000 in funding for summer activities, up from the $75,000 originally requested.
More than 30 people, many teenagers and children, attended special session meeting for the 2010 General Tax Citizen Oversight Advisory Committee, better known as the Measure H Committee, Monday afternoon at city hall.
Measure H Committee Chair Norma Aguilar made the recommendation for the increase in funding in order to expand the summer activities by at least two weeks.
The funding will go toward summer recreation activities including movie tickets, Fun Family Fridays featuring water slides, a family reading program, a “try-out” period for dance, music and sports classes as well as a summer recital.
“With the heat that we have, it’s important to provide fun, cooling activities for families,” Calexico Community Services Director Sandra Tauler said while discussing her proposal.
The committee also voted 3-2 to fund two school resource officers for the Calexico Unified School District in the amount of $242,402 for fiscal year for 2012-2013.
Calexico Unified Superintendent Richard Fragale appealed to the committee for the funding, citing economic difficulties impacting the district and potential cuts the Police Department would make in order to make up for lack of revenue.
Measure H already approved funding for the district’s school resource officer program for fiscal year 2011-2012 earlier this year.
Measure H Committee members Loli Torres and Josie B. Felix were the dissenting votes. Both said they were in support of funding school resource officers but wanted more clear support on the request from the Calexico Unified school board.
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
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