Candidate for
Board Member; Contra Costa Community College District; Ward 3

A Letter -- and Thanks -- to the Voters

Dear Voters:

I ask for your support on November 7 so I may continue the hard work I have done as your trustee on the Contra Costa Community College Board. The tough decisions I made on behalf of our community and its students have not pleased everyone. But I stayed the course and we have colleges that are fiscally strong and growing, after the tough times caused by diminished funding from the state and state mandated tuition increases. Now, Diablo Valley College, Los Medanos College, Contra Costa College and the satellites in San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Concord and Brentwood serve our population well.

Community colleges are vibrant doors to the future. We are consistently one of the highest rated districts in the state in students transferring to four-year universities. We are adding more certificate programs in nursing, emergency medical response, environmental studies, administration of justice, information technology and other vocational areas.

We will be spending more than $300million in the next 10 years to improve and enlarge our science and computer labs, make our campuses earthquake-safe and improve accessibility to persons with disabilities. I am particularly proud to have been a leader in funding these and other improvement projects through two bond issues. You, the voters, approved these bond measures indicating that you, too, care about the future of our communities and have faith that we on the Board of Trustees and the district's leadership will carry out your wishes. I thank you for your support.

We have new, visionary leadership in the district and I want to be here to help bring a bright future to our students and our community. Your vote for me on November 7 will enable me to continue this exciting work as an independent voice that puts our interest in our students first.

Sincerely, Sheila Grilli Trustee, Contra Costa Community College Board