Voters of Contra Costa County have passed three facility bond measures enabling the Contra Costa Community College District to refurbish aging facilities, build new facilities to accommodate enrollment growth, and purchase sorely needed equipment for classrooms.
Measure A 2002 is a $120 million bond measure passed on March 5, 2002, Measure A 2006 is a $286.5 million bond measure passed on June 6, 2006, and Measure E 2014 is a $450 million bond measure passed on June 3, 2014.
Bond funds may only be used for the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of college facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of college facilities, or the acquisition or lease of real property for college facilities, and not for any other purpose, such as teacher and administrator salaries or other operating expenses.
As the Governing Board noted in its November 2001 resolution approving the first Measure A, most of the classrooms and science labs are over 30 years old, and some are at least 50 years old. Classrooms, science labs, restrooms, and other buildings and facilities must be repaired, wired for 21st century technology, upgraded, and modernized if they are to continue to serve the needs of Contra Costa County's students.
The District had not issued bonds since it was established in 1948. So after more than 50 years, it was decided that the time was ripe to pass a bond measure that will help ensure progress for the county's long-standing community college district, where countless numbers of students have received a superb education and gone on to make important contributions to the economy and general welfare of Contra Costa County, the state and the nation.
Passage of the bond measures called for the creation of an 11-member, independent Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee to ensure that funds "are expended only for the college projects listed..." In addition, the resolution required an annual, independent performance audit to ensure that funds are used only on the official projects, as well as an annual, independent financial audit of bond funds until all are spent.
Committee members are nominated and appointed by the Governing Board and serve two-year terms. The Committee is comprised of the following members: One member active in a business organization representing the business community located within the District, one member active in a senior citizens' organization, one member active in a bona fide taxpayers' organization, one student member who is both currently enrolled in the District and active in a community college group, such as student government, and one member active in the support and organization of a community college or the community colleges of the District, such as a member of an advisory council or foundation to assure compliance with membership criteria by Education Code section 15282(a).
Committee meetings are held in accordance with the California Education Code.
Members: