Ann Motte

FYI

http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_sclassroom19.376530b.html

“The community college district qualified for state funding because of the high growth in student population.  The state approved the plans in May 2008 but a year later funding was delayed by the budget crisis.  Once the state was able to sell bonds again, funding was re-appropriated.”

The college opened its Menifee Valley campus in October 1990.  The last new building to open there was the 35,000 square foot business and Technology Center in spring 2008.”

Blog:

This is a category “B” state funded project which increases the student capacity load rate.  The increased classroom space will produce a permanent growth “bump” in district FTES cap, allowing previously cut class sections due to overcap/unfunded status to be funded and reinstated.

This is a win for students and taxpayers within the district.

Note:  The entire Menifee campus has been built by competing/qualifying for state construction dollars based upon a comprehensive formula of adult population, high school grad rates and under served area. Building a campus this way saves millions of dollars in local bonds.

State funded facilities are built the old fashion way, they are “earned”.  This is exactly the way the Banning Campus should be built and also Wildomar…NO LOCAL BONDS.

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FYI

http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_charter18.37ad0e4.html

“A Riverside County supervisor, raised concerns about the proposed site, citing the dangers of building a school near three-high-pressure gas lines that run through the property.”

“To me, the fatal flaw of the project is the high-pressure gas lines, not one but three.” Jeff Stone, Supervisor

Blog:  Stone is correct on this issue.  MSJC administration/majority trustees should also take note.

Education Code Section 17213 prohibits the acquisition of a school site by a school district if the site “contains one or more pipelines, situated underground or aboveground, which carries hazardous substances, acutely hazardous materials, or hazardous wastes, unless the pipeline is a natural gas line which is used only to supply natural gas to that school or neighborhood.” Public Resources Code Section 21151.8 uses the same language with reference to approval of environmental impact reports or negative declarations. (See CCR, Title 5, Section 14010(h).)

Riverside County Supervisor Ashley should be made aware of code re the MSJC  Banning campus site. MSJC Trustee Eugene Kadow would argue said code does not apply because he proposes to build the Banning campus with NO state capital construction dollars.  That’s right, tax local voters to build the Banning campus without benefit of state construction dollars and don’t worry about the high pressure gas lines!

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(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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FYI

http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/-299937–.html

“Know this:  The reason that these cuts are being made is not because California residents and businesses are not taxed enough; they are.  This is a spending problem, and the governor and legislature have chosen to spend our tax money on bloated benefit packages for state employee unions, who, in turn fund their campaigns through union dues collected by our own state government.  The decision of the governor and the legislature was to shift spending from education to bloated state employee retirements, pensions and salaries.”

“The narcissism is replete with callousness.” Phillip Yarbrough, Trustee at Rancho Santiago Community College District

Blog:  ”Kudos” to Trustee Yarbrough

California needs more elected community college trustees who will take this position on their boards of trustees.  Far too many elected trustees are part of the same narcissism by providing salary levels, perks/benefits, etc., to district employees far above private sector levels.

Administrative salary levels should be cut first in order to maintain student class section offerings rather than balancing the cuts on the backs of the students.

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FYI

http://www.pe.com/localnews/hemet/stories/PE_News_Local_D_eremand22.2933759.html

“A 4th District Court of Appeal decision will send key issues back to Riverside County Superior Court for trial in the case of four former MSJC Police Department staff members.”

“Whistleblower protections, hostile workplace and peace officer rights are among the issues the opinion by a three-justice panel unanimously sent back to the lower court for review.”

“The justices found that the terminated officers were not given an opportunity to clear their names, thus  stigmatizing their chance for future employment.  The justices also noted the lower court erred in not allowing the plaintiffs to amend their case to support their claim of whistleblower retaliation.”

“The plaintiffs said they were threatened with termination after witnessing what they considered inappropriate conduct by fellow officers, including then-police chief Kevin Segawa.  Segawa subsequently was charged and pleaded guilty to eight felonies and two misdemeanors, including bribery, perjury and misappropriation of public funds and is serving a year in county jail.”

“The former employees complained not only to their superiors but also to the trustees and to the district about the chief’s conduct.”

Blog:

Legal expenses at the college have escalated due to this lawsuit. It appears that legal advice given and taken by the college during these events was at best poor.  Administration presented to the board that an “internal investigation” was conducted re the officer’s complaints, however, that investigation has never been released to the board.   Some complaints involve an officer who remains a district employee.  Why?

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FYI

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/menifee/article_92c336f0-2611-5473-8c50-1a436bb15b2b.html?oCampaign=email

“If all goes according to plan, social science and humanities students at the Menifee Valley campus of MSJC should be attending classes in a new building by next summer.”

“The college Board of Trustees approved the $9.6 million project this week.  Once the furniture, learning aids and other elements are added, the cost will rise to about $11.7 million, according to Mike Webster, facilities planning manager for the district.”

Blog:

The state funded project budget is $11.7 mil. The question was asked at the meeting about the $2.1 mil differential and if those dollars can be and will be charged to the project?  The VP of Business services stated “No, those dollars must be returned to the state.”   The consultant comments infer otherwise.

The positive on this project is that there is “no local contribution” from the district general fund and upon completion, the district will receive an enrollment bump in base funding $$$ due to increased FTES capacity load for operational expenses.

The Menifee campus has been built entirely with state funds and NO LOCAL BONDS by competing/qualifying at the state level on a point system based upon FTES enrollments, high school grad/adult population rates and an underserved percent formula.

Since last fall the district has reduced -175 class sections and will offer no summer session due to state budget parameters. Current priority appears to be preservation of institutional staff levels.

In private industry, workload decreases would result in staff reduction but this is a government agency where business management practices tend to reduce services to students well before reduction of staff.

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