RIPON – Ripon Unified officials will be able to continue using the Council Chambers for their monthly school board meetings.

On Tuesday, the Ripon City Council voted 5-0 on accommodating the district’s request of the City Hall facility through the end of the year.

“We requested through December since the school board had set the meeting calendar ahead of time,” Superintendent Louise (Nan) Johnson said.

With it, Council also agreed to waive the facility-use fees.

Mayor Elden ‘Red’ Nutt welcomed RUSD as a shared tenant.

“It’s been a long time coming and I’m glad to see the school district and city work together,” he said.

Councilman Chuck Winn agreed.

During his time as mayor, Winn mentioned that twice he approached the board president on the possibility of moving the RUSD meeting place to the Council Chambers but to no avail.

For years, the Ripon High Multi-use Room doubled as the board’s meeting venue.

Councilman Charlie Gay recalled attending a few of those sessions. “The acoustics there were not that great,” he said.

His colleague, Dean Uecker, as a member of the city’s fireworks committee, recently dealt with the school district on efforts relating to the Fourth of July event.

“We worked really well together and that’s something I’d like to continue carrying on,” he said.

RUSD was granted trial use of the Council Chambers during the past three months. As a result, district administrators, staff and the board enjoyed the state-of-the-art technology along with the improved rapport with the public.

They’re hoping for much of the same ahead.

“I think the change of venue will continue to generate more interest (in public attendance),” Trustee Ernie Tyhurst said. “I also think we can expect to see upgraded presentations in the future.”

City officials noted the Council Chambers is strictly for meetings, and that their tech personnel should not be involved with RUSD endeavor since that person is paid via tax dollars.

“We’ve been using our own person, Jacob Bradshaw,” Johnson said.

 RUSD meets on the second Monday of each month, thus, avoiding conflict with the Council sessions.