Vanity Projects
Vanity Projects in Districts. We will start with the present one: Universal Sports Institute (USI) in PYLUSD
Sup. Cherniss introduced this item at the Feb. 13, 2024 Board meeting. He stated no vote was required for this multi-million dollar project, despite questions from Trustees Buck and Anderson. The current board majority quickly approved thousands of dollars to be spent for USI advertisements on radio, freeway billboards, and at John Wayne Airport.
The project moved forward using Developer Fees, which the Board had voted in Fall 2023 for other projects, such as Valencia HS's kitchen. Cherniss lied and said these fees can only be used for new projects, which he has continued to maintain despite being presented with the truth multiple times by Trustees Anderson and Buck, and residents (CA Ed Code 17620 (a)(1).
In his rush to do the project, Cherniss did not follow legally required procedures for student safety until community members informed the Division of State Architects (DSA) and Air Quality Management District (AQMD)
As applications to attend stalled, USI quickly shifted enrollment requirements from "elite athletes" to anyone with a "dedicated" interest in sports.
Within months, the location also changed from being situated at what was Buena Vista Virtual Academy (BVVA) on Casa Loma Ave. to being on all high school sites. Meanwhile, BVVA was moved to another physical site, and all but a handful of its staff remain due to retirements, releases and voluntary transfers out.
Our current board majority has allowed him to continue building USI, including authorizing a $1,228,536.57 million check to a local wrestling company on May 30, 2024 that hadn't paid it's taxes since 2018. The Franchise Tax Board finally showed them as "in good standing" as of July 16, 2024.
Why is Cherniss so insistent upon doing business with this company?
Only one vendor put in a proposal, and it was the one Trustee Carrie Buck said the RFP seemed to be tailor written for at the meeting 3 months before.
Cherniss threatened to sue our Facebook page (again) for providing multiple IG pages of evidence that his son, a champion wrestler, has indeed trained at the Treigning Lab despite Cherniss saying "he does not train at their gym, is not a member of their gym, and they have never received a dime from my family." Note: His son's IG account is public and parent run.
Prior, as Superintendent in San Marino and Palos Verdes USDs, Cherniss promoted other multi-million dollar projects that were over time and over budget - by millions of dollars. The Marine Science Institute was never completed.
Click here for 2 San Marino articles: Budget and "Dark Connection" within the youth wrestling world, also with budget discussion.
“Conducting due diligence on organizations and individuals who use our facilities or with whom we do business is paramount. Our policy should be ‘trust but verify,’ ” he said. “I hope that we have all learned lessons that will prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.”
Loh echoed Sommers: “We have a new superintendent, and I am hopeful he will right our ship.”
Palos Verdes USD Board Meeting video here at 2 hours 59 min. Discussion of how long this project has taken and increase in cost from $4 to $16 million.
Cherniss has a history of snowing his school board trustees, which are HIS bosses elected by voters to monitor him and ensure he is held accountable.
Meanwhile, Leandra Blades had made a campaign promise to open an equestrian center and an arts school. Why horses? How will we fund these specialty schools - and how many students will actually benefit?
Two of her friends own stables: Dee Dee Friedrich (who is in Cherniss' inner circle) and the parents of Madison Miner (who was recently recalled from OUSD's school board).
No surprise she and Friedrich are working on another vanity project together.
Apparently, Cherniss is on board for this next project.
