Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Ventura County Community College District; Trustee Area 1

My top priority is to restore the public's trust. The public is demanding a resolution and deserves it. One of the ways to restore trust is to promptly resolve the Chancellor's contract issues. A thorough investigation of expenditures must occur on an expedited basis.

Next, legal fees must be reduced. Simply, $900,000 per year is not acceptable. The District must focus on educating our community, not contributing to the barrage of employee lawsuits. Treat the employees with respect, fairness, and dignity, and the legal fees will naturally be reduced.

We also need to promote the value of the community college system. I cannot stress enough the invaluable service community colleges provide. For many people, they would never have an opportunity to continue their education. Community colleges offer an affordable, local, non-threatening alternative for higher education and are the perfect springboards to more costly four year universities.

With the successful passage of Measure S, leadership must ensure that proper spending occurs. The community has agreed to support the colleges through this bond measure, and now it is imperative that the College District rebuild trust by utilizing those funds in an appropriate manner.