HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09101996 - SD2 ' TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORSSE;;L_
.r, Contra
FROM:
SUPERVISOR JIM ROGERS •3 Costa
•
DATE: August 23, 1996
County
ADOPT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY
SUBJECT: COLLEGE DISTRICT'S BOND MEASURE ON THE NOVEMBER 5, 1996
BALLOT
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
CONSIDER adopting the attached Resolution supporting the Contra Costa
Community College District's $145 million bond measure on the November 5, 1996
and urge all voters in the County to vote in favor of the bond measure.
BACKGROUND:
As the attached letter and fact sheet from the Community College District note, the
District is in desperate need of funds to improve and repair its capital facilities and
infrastructure. The Community College District's Governing Board has placed a
$145 million bond measure on the November 5, 1996 ballot, seeking voter approval
to sell bonds to undertake the needed repairs and improvements.
The District's Governing Board is seeking Resolutions from various public agencies
supporting the bond measure and urging voters to vote in favor of the bond measure.
I believe it is incumbent on the Board of Supervisors to support this bond measure
in order to assure ourselves that the outstanding community college system we have
in this County will continue to be available to the County's residents into the 21st
century. As a result, I am urging the Board of Supervisors to adopt the attached
Resolution.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
ti'Iv�M;
SIG-NATURE(S): R TOM TART AWRQN
ACTION OF BOARD ON Se PrnheF 10 1996APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED x OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED September 10, 1996
Contact: County Administrator PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
cc: Eugene H. Ross, President SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Governing Board
Contra Costa Community College District
500 Court Street, Martinez, CA 94553 BY DEPUTY
• lj _ T
SD.2
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
IN THE MATTER OF:
ENDORSING THE COMMUNITY )
COLLEGE DISTRICT BOND MEASURE ) RESOLUTION 961407
ON THE NOVEMBER 5, 1996 BALLOT )
WHEREAS, The Contra Costa Community College District provides a vital service
to students entering the work force, transferring to universities, updating work skills
and enriching their lives; and,
WHEREAS, students from Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College, Los
Medanos College and the Center for Higher Education are an. integral part of the
work force for employers throughout the County; and,
WHEREAS, courses offered by the Contra Costa Community Colleges provide
students affordable. educational opportunities regardless of race, sex, physical
ability, or socioeconomic background; and,
WHEREAS, the District has been providing college courses since 1949 and many
of its buildings and facilities are in serious need of repair and upgrading; and,
WHEREAS, employers are expecting education facilities to meet contemporary
technology standards; and,
WHEREAS, students already in local school systems, coupled with anticipated
population growth, will dictate expanded classroom capability in the near future; and,
WHEREAS, the Governing Board of the Contra Costa Community College District
has placed a bond measure on the November 5th general election ballot, providing
$145 million to meet the above mentioned needs; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of the County of Contra Costa
hereby supports the District's long-term funding measure as vital to the continued
education and economic welfare of the region and urges all registered voters to vote
for the bond measure on November 5, 1996.
PASSED and ADOPTED by the unanimous vote of the Board on the tenth day of
September, 1996.
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution entered
on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date aforesaid.
Witness my hand and the seal of the Board of
Supervisors affixed this tenth day of September,
1996.
Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
and County Administrator
Introduced_)y: By
eputy Clerk
Supervisor Jim Rogers Dis rict I
and
loin 7WAzf ^
Supervisor Tom'Torlaksbin-i District V
CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Governing Board
Eugene H.Ross,President Contra Costa College
William M.Corey,Vice President Diablo Valley College
John T.Neiedly,Secretary Los Medanos College
David N.MacDiarmid
William P.Moses
Chancellor
Charles C.Spence
July 29, 1996
Dear Friend of Higher Education:
Since 1949, more than a million students have been educated and trained by Contra
Costa's community colleges. They, in turn, have become conscientious citizens and vital
members of one of the nation's most effective work forces.
Unfortunately, state funding for our institutions--Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley
College, Los Medanos College and the Center for Higher Education--has steadily declined.
Faced with a projected increase in student enrollment, a decaying infrastructure and the
desperate need to prepare for a technology-sensitive 21st century, the Contra Costa Community
College District governing board has decided to go directly to the community.
We have placed a community college bond measure on the November 5 ballot that, if
approved, will raise $145 million over twenty-five years. It will cost an average of only $5.76 per
year per$100,000 of assessed property value over the life of the bond--less than the cost of a
movie ticket. These bonds will be the first issued since the District was founded nearly a half
century ago. Proceeds will finance urgently needed repairs to roofs and worn-down facilities.
These funds will help rewire existing buildings for current technology. New classrooms will be
built, and the bond money will help expand libraries to meet the increased demand for higher
education and retraining. We will retrofit the colleges for full accessibility and safety. This
measure is extremely important for our students and the future economic well-being of our
community.
Enclosed is a public information fact sheet and a sample resolution. We hope that you
o and your associates will support the measure by signing the resolution and returning it to us in
the enclosed envelope. If you would like further information regarding this bond measure, or if
your group will require a speaker on this issue, please contact Grant Cooke at 685-1230, ext.
215.
On behalf of the college district, the governing board, the faculty, staff and students,
thank you for your continuing support of higher education in Contra Costa County.
Sincerely,
o
rugerne H. Ross, President
ERA Governing Board
Enclosures
500 Court Street,Martinez,California 94553 (510)229-1000 FAX(510)370-6517
FACT SHEET
CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOND
NOVEMBER 5, 1996 MEASURE
In order to assure the continuation of the highest quality education and job training for local residents, the
Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) Governing Board is placing a $145 million bond issue on
the November 5, 1996 ballot. If approved by the electorate, bond proceeds will be used to finance urgently
needed repairs to a failing infrastructure, and improvements to all of the District's facilities--Contra Costa
College in San Pablo; Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill,.with a Center for Higher Education in San
Ramon; and Los Medanos College in Pittsburg.
Contra Costa Community College District facilities are aging and worn from use by hundreds of thousands
of students. District staff work hard to maintain all facilities, but years of budgetary cutbacks resulted in reduced
maintenance, and now, the infrastructure has begun to decay and crumble. Many district facilities are also
severely out of date. Antiquated electrical systems cannot accommodate modern technology.- Fifty years ago
students needed drafting tables and slide. rules. To compete in the global job market, today's students need
electronic classrooms and access to up-to-date technology. In addition, the tremendous growth occurring in
Contra Costa County will place unprecedented demands upon the District. The State Chancellor's enrollment
forecast estimates a 58% increase in the number of students that we will have to serve by the year 2010. This is
an urgent situation that requires an immediate response.
Capital ImprovementsProgram
To ensure that we cancontinue to serve the community, the Contra Costa Community College District has
developed a long-term Capital Improvements Program. This program will allow local residents to enter the 21st
Century with the education .and job training they require. It will also provide local businesses with the
workforce they need. .This program has seven major goals, to:
• ASSURE PUBLIC SAFETY, by providing seismically safe buildings; improved campus security; modern
facilities for the storage of hazardous waste generated by science labs, and health training facilities; and
renovation of worn athletic facilities.
• INCORPORATE NEW TECHNOLOGY that will meet the needs of the community in-the 21st Century,by
adding up-to-date wiring that can accommodate new communication technology, electronic classrooms, and
up-to-date networked library facilities, as well as modern fire, security and other life/safety systems.
• RESPOND TO CHANGING POPULATION AND JOB TRAINING NEEDS, by expanding facilities for
vocational training and providing classes in locations that are beneficial to employers, employees and
students:
• IMPROVE ACCESS, by making all facilities accessible to the disabled; repairing crumbling roadways and
walkways; increasing parking and signage; and expanding outreach centers.
• CONSERVE ENERGY, by replacing antiquated heating, ventilation, air conditioning and plumbing
systems; preserving building exteriors and replacing caulking and glazing.
• ENHANCE FACILITIES, by remodeling libraries, classrooms and labs; renovating restrooms and, where
needed, constructing new instructional spaces.
• ENSURE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, by responding to this urgent situation now, before more problems
accumulate and costs increase; maintaining the District's ongoing record of balanced budgets and prudent
reserves; and using donated land for any new facilities. State law requires that all bond funding must be
used for capital improvements only.
Capital Improvements Program for Contra Costa Community Colleges include:
Contra Costa College Diablo Valley College Los Medanos College
* Upgrade and improve science labs * Increase parking * Build new library
* Expand Culinary Arts facility * Build addition to library * Construct new vocational
* Remodel library * Replace Engineering Technology training facilities
* Repair community use facilities Annex * Constrnct new Physical
* Develop new outreach center * Repair community use facilities Education building
for Pinole/Hercules area * Renovate and expand Center for * Develop new-outreach
Higher Education in San Ramon Centers in East County
Some Facts About Contra Costa's Community Colleges:
* YOU--the residents of Contra Costa County--are our students.
* Since 1949, more than a million students have been served by Contra Costa Community Colleges.
* Current enrollment is 34,000 students. The State Chancelior estimates that by the year 2010, an
additional 20,000 students will enroll in Contra Costa's Community Colleges.
* More than 40% of all Contra Costa high school graduates begin their college education at Contra
Costa's Community Colleges.
* Diablo Valley College transfers more students to the University of California and California State
University systems combined,than.any other California Community College.
* Tuition and fees for two years at Contra Costa's Community Colleges cost$780; at the University of
California,the cost is $8,278.
If approved, the Contra Costa Community College District bonds will be issued in five phases,beginning in
1997. The first issue will be for$25 million. Subsequent bonds will be issued at 3-year intervals, in increments
of$30 million, ending in 2009. Each bond will have a lifetime of 25 years. The projected average cost for
property owners over the life of the bond is $5.76 per year per$100,000 of assessed valuation.
For further information or questions,please contact Grant Cooke:
COMMITTEE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
P.O. Box 4801
WALNUT CREEK, CA 94596
685-1230, Exr. 2 1 5 FAX: (5 1 0) 370-201 9