http://www.nctimes.com//news/local/temecula/article_5b837859-3043-556a-a104-8930f95fd350.html

“Cal State San Marcos will get the use of a classroom building and a new parking lot at the Joan Sparkman Alternative Education Center under an agreement expected to be approved by the Temecula school board.”

“The college will pay the district $1 per year for a 10-year lease and be responsible for utility costs and cleaning of the facilities.  The City’s redevelopment Agency will spend up to $3 million for renovations.”

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Looks like MSJC is “out of the loop” with officials in Temecula.  Since 2007, MSJC has spent $1 mil in tenant improvements for a short-term (3 yr) leased facility at a cost of $500k per year.  Not to mention the annual cost to re-finance the lease revenue bonds increasing the annual debt payment from $450k to $800k.

MSJC should make a contact and see if there is future opportunity for partnership on this project.  If so, it would save taxpayers millions.

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The “Friends of the College” met Friday in the conference room of the Banning Enrollment Center. Those in attendance were two elected officials from the City of Banning; HCA project architect; MSJC administrative personnel; Beaumont/Banning High School Superintendents; Banning Chamber; MSJC Board member Eugene Kadow and myself.

The presentation provided was a “Phase I” update on the status of the named “Interim Campus”.  The architect reported the project to be on schedule and the estimated time line for completion in 18 months.  The Phase I budget is approximately 1.8 million dollars with estimated construction costs of 1.3 million.

Plans are for the “Interim Campus” to be built on approximately 1.8 acres of newly acquired property at the corner of Westward/Sunset Avenue in Banning.  The design will be  “enhanced modular” structures having plaster/stucco exteriors and interior air conditioning units. Phase I consists of one 1500 sq. ft. administration modular; four classrooms;  one toilet/storage facility; 120 parking spaces; and heavily landscaped.

The City of Banning will contribute $750K for infrastructure/property improvements.  It was reported that classes are to open Fall 2010/Spring 2011.  No enrollment studies/projections have been completed.

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This project is an example of current/ongoing politics at MSJC.  Only a select few (not all board members) are informed.  Build it, then do the enrollment study.  How can CPEC not approve an existing “Interim Campus”?

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Remember George Orwell’s novel “Animal Farm”?  Everything is fine until the pigs get out of hand.

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“Schlange told Hamilton by phone that ’she was busy and couldn’t make it’ to any forum because her schedule was full.”

Blog:  VOTERS TAKE NOTE - INCUMBENT NOT ATTENDING FORUM

So, Schlange’s “schedule is full” and she is too “busy” to attend “any forum”.

Everything is odd.  The scheduled date/time for the forum is the same time as the MSJC Board meeting which was re-scheduled from the regularly scheduled date of November 8th to the 15th due to Board Chair Joan Sparkman unable to attend.

Apparently no one contacted Hamilton about the change in date of the board meeting.  The forum should be re-scheduled to provide Schlange another opportunity to arrogantly decline.

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http://www.nctimes.com//news/local/temecula/article_43256bd1-f79e-59a9-b5ad-d82b3c4f5c78.html

“Cal State San Marcos might move its Temecula satellite campus into a vacant building on the former site of John Sparkman Elementary School, officials announced Wednesday.”

“The school district needs to to work out an agreement with Cal State San Marcos and would allow the university to use the building for a period of seven to 10 years.  The University would not be charged rent, but would be responsible for maintenance and operations costs.”  Carol Leighty, S/P TVUSD

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The strong population growth along the I/215 corridor can justify a Cal State and also a MSJC campus in Wildomar.  Eventually, all FTES produced at the current leased Temecula site should be transferred to a Wildomar campus site. The Banning campus site will not produce immediate FTES to justify campus construction, however board politics at MSJC often justifies decisions over business plans.

It is unfortunate that MSJC did not consider the Joan F. elementary school site as it’s own “Temecula Education Center”.  Had it done so, MSJC would have saved taxpayers million of dollars in lease expense.

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Mt. San Jacinto Community College District

Trustee Area 3

Gwendolyn E. Schlange, retired teacher; Mark Wheeler, no occupation listed.

Mt. San Jacinto Community College District

Trustee Area 4

Ann Motte, incumbent.

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This post is for clarification due to several emails and a PE reporter being misinformed concerning the 2009 ballot for MSJC/Trustee Area 4.  As the article indicates “If only incumbents file in a race, it will not be on the final ballot.”  Meaning…. the incumbent holds the seat unopposed.

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CPEC is the state commission charged with the review of numerous proposal requests from community college districts for approval of centers and/or campuses.

See reports #09-08 “Proposed Revisions to the Commission’s Guidelines for Approval of Community College Centers and #88-27/Approval by CPEC of the MSJC Menifee Valley Campus site (referenced in report as “Western Center”) on the above CPEC link.

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Recently there has been board discussion regarding the building of an educational center in the Pass area on land owned by MSJC and seeking “provisional approval” for that campus.  According to CPEC “Provisional approval” means that said center would NOT qualify for state capital outlay funds until it generates 500FTES annually.  The reality of generating 500FTES annually is much more appropriate for a future Wildomar campus center than in the Pass because of high demand and population growth in the I215 corridor.

The foremost purpose of “Educational Centers” is that they are a cost effective way to meet increased student demand.  Cost effectiveness can be accomplished by placing educational centers strategically in high population growth areas where the host district is at or near capacity and student demand is expected to increase substantially.

It would behoove our BOT to become educated in these matters and for all board members/administrative staff to carefully read, review and understand CPEC Report 88-27 which address the planning steps taken by MSJC to build the Menifee Valley Center.  In doing so, one will immediately note the comprehensive process taken by MSJC at that time in cooperation with RCC for CPEC approval of that existing center.

Decisions were made on facts not politics.

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“Sen. Leland Yee’s largely successful efforts to take on executives of UC, CSU and community college systems stand out.  Yee got two bills passed in the closing days of session, SB 218 and SB 219.”

“SB 218 was the more popular of the two, garnering a single no vote on the floor as it made its way through both houses.  It would put UC, CSU and the CCC’s under the jurisdiction of the California Public Records Act (PRA), a state law that gives people access to government decision making.”

“All three educational systems fought the bill, arguing it could lead to a multimillion dollar increase in their administrative costs for handling the PRA requests.”

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Can’t believe it.

If the California Public Records Act is a state law, why is additional legislation necessary to make higher education in the state of California accountable to the Public Records Act?  The fact that all three systems fought the bill, due to increased administrative costs is a display of gross arrogance. As administrative costs increase unchecked while trustees continue to increase these salaries, benefits and retirement spikes, the costs to taxpayers will become unsustainable.  At some point all tax dollars will cover only public employee retirements with no dollars left to provide for public services to the taxpayer.  Then what?

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http://www.iousathemovie.com/

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A must see for those who care about our nations future debt.

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