The Fresno Unified School Board indefinitely tabled a resolution to formally oppose the city of Fresno’s Southeast Development Area plan on Wednesday night.

During the marathon meeting, trustees expressed a wide divide of opinions on how the proposed expansion of Fresno’s city limits would impact the struggling school district.

“As a School Board trustee, my responsibility is to govern the school district and improve student educational outcomes, not to weigh in on municipal zoning matters,” Trustee Susan Wittrup said. “This resolution falls outside the legal authority and purview of the board.”

However, School Board President Veva Islas declared her vehement opposition to SEDA and fired a politico salvo at Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.

“As written, SEDA would benefit Clovis Unified School District and Sanger Unified School District,” Islas said. “I was not elected to either of those boards. I’m here on this board to fight for this district and to oppose anything that is detrimental to our economic solvency.”

Additionally, Islas issued a warning: “Threats from the mayor do not deter me.”

Dyer did not return a request for comment made by GV Wire to a city spokesperson before publication of this story.

Who Was For And Against the Resolution?

The resolution asserted that the decade-old SEDA plan would redistribute families within the region resulting in an accelerated loss of Fresno Unified students.

Trustees tabled the resolution on a 4-3 vote, with Islas, Andy Levine, and Valerie Davis on the losing side.

Wittrup, Keshia Thomas, Claudia Cazares, and Elizabeth Jonasson Rosa voted to table it.

However, the item could be brought back to the dais later.

The 9,000-acre SEDA proposal is in Clovis Unified and Sanger Unified boundaries.

Related Story: Even Without SEDA, Families Flock to Clovis Unified for First Rate Education

‘It’s All White Noise’

Wittrup, who represents the Bullard High region, told GV Wire that she did not experience any coercion from the city. Davis did not allow time for GV Wire to ask her follow-up questions about her vote and the other trustees did not return phone calls.

“It’s all white noise and has nothing to do with improving outcomes,” Wittrup said.

Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi weighed in on the resolution before the vote.

“In order to balance their budget, FUSD is about to make deep cuts to classified employee positions. You’d think that the district would want to devote all their resources to figuring out how to preserve these essential jobs,” Karbassi said in a text to GV Wire. “Instead, the administration is playing political games by wading into city land use decisions where they have zero authority and experience. I am confident the board members will see right through this distraction.”

Related Story: Opponents Pronounce SEDA Dead as Residents Pack City Council Meeting

City of Fresno Addresses SEDA Worries

Fresno Unified was looking to urge the city to reconsider or revise SEDA “until its impacts on public education, including enrollment, school viability, and fiscal stability, are fully mitigated and addressed.”

This language addressed the “original” version of SEDA, according to Levine. Currently, the city is conducting a feasibility study and analyzing the cost of the southern portion of SEDA.

Late last year, the Fresno Teachers Association adamantly opposed the development plan, saying it would lead to 11 school closures.

But Dyer called these claims “misinformation” and a district spokesperson told GV Wire that “due to our current declining enrollment, we could potentially close 3-5 schools in the future, however, that would be our last resort. Other actions that we might first consider include program realignment and boundary changes.”

However, FTA’s position and concerns remain the same.

“Resources taken away from a school district impact the entire school district,” FTA President Manuel Bonilla said. “Right now, we have leaders that are choosing against the very people they’re supposed to represent and the future of the organization that they represent.”

Related Story: 3 to 5 Fresno Unified Schools May Shut Down, but Not Because of SEDA: Dyer

Dyer has defended SEDA, saying that he doesn’t support sprawl or leapfrog development.

“We’ve seen that in our history in Fresno, but I do support smart growth and incremental development,” Dyer said at a city council meeting.

Additionally, he met with district officials in December to pacify worries about SEDA’s impact on Fresno Unified. These conversations were “productive,” according to Levine, who hopes to meet with city officials once the SEDA plans are more concrete.