News Briefs

Pool design funds approved

On Sept. 5, the Fremont Union High School District Governing Board approved a contract amendment in the amount of $137,500 with PJHM Architects for architectural and engineering design services on the new community bath house, equipment rooms, site work and architectural coordination of the City of Sunnyvale/Fremont Union High School District Joint-Use Swim Complex at Fremont High School. The board also approved a contract in the amount of $65,000 to Aquatic Design Group for the same services on the new 50-meter pool that will be included in the complex. Representatives from the school said that no timetable has been set for the start or completion of the complex.

Housing authority recoups funds

Acting on its own behalf and representing 23 school districts, nine special districts and the Santa Clara Housing Authority, the County of Santa Clara recovered through an administrative claims process a total of $2,543,192 from Bank of America. The bank had apparently misappropriated bond funds.

In a November 1998 mediation, Bank of America agreed to settle statewide issuer claims for $187,500,000. The San Francisco County Superior Court subsequently confirmed that agreement. The court also confirmed an administrative claims process requiring that each local agency submit its claim to a claims committee of State and local officials. The county prepared and submitted claims on behalf of the county and clients as noted.

All of the county's claims were approved without exception, and drafts representing each client's share were issued for disbursement.

The county's share of recovered monies was $590,299; the school district clients received a total of $1,515,769; special district clients received $383,150; and the Housing Authority issues yielded $53,972.

The county's fees for services rendered through the negotiation of the settlement agreement in the amount of $299,288.26 were paid by the bank as required by the settlement agreement.

Foreign officials tour SmaRT station

Hong Kong Secretary of Food and Environment Lily Yam made a visit to the Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer (SmaRT) Station last Friday. Her visit was focused around her attempt to solve an impending crisis in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's landfills are nearing their useful end. The price of land is very high and land is scarce so siting a new landfill is not a good option. They visited various operations in the United States to see how waste is being handled and how they might apply some of our practices in their jurisdiction.

Secretary Yam was accompanied by Annie Choi of the Hong Kong Bureau of Food and Environment, Annie Tang of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco and Deputy Director Subrina Chow of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco.

Public Safety

Mark Mayfield: Humorist saves the world

Photos: International Festival displays multicultural arts in Sunnyvale

Sports Briefs

High school sports