Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Op-Ed: Former Brentwood city manager supports Sandoval for Community College District Ward 5

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By Jon Elam, Former Brentwood City Manager

An exciting face has returned and is running for election to the Contra Costa Community College Board this November 3rd.  He ran for this race in 2016 and ran a total grassroots campaign as a newcomer and fell just a little short. But he did not go away as he stayed committed to our communities and has come back with renewed energy.

Fernando Sandoval, a native of Pittsburg and a product of our schools, a Veteran, brings a deep understanding of the important role our college plays in helping our students reach their full potential. And most importantly, become a part of our region’s economic future.

Fernando brings an impressive resume of experience and knowledge in finance and information management, both critical areas as the Contra Costa Community Colleges become more and more vital for our growing workforce and also a stepping-stone for so many to a four-year college degree. He is a recent author providing lectures to K-12 and Colleges about identity, motivation, and achievement with an emphasis on education.

Fernando also brings something that has been missing from past Board members — a commitment to trust and transparency built around an understanding that every dollar spent by the College is your money and must be carefully monitored.  How many of us ever remember receiving an update or report on our colleges progress and success? That will change with Fernando’s strong voice and accountability.

His campaign has built a track record of support with over forty endorsements received from College Staff and Faculty, local union leaders, community officials and those who know the commitment Fernando will bring to this important elected position in East County. He wants to put Community back into the Community College District.

Please join your neighbors and friends in the momentum and excitement that Fernando’s candidacy has brought to our community. It’s time for real change and honesty. Vote on November 3rd for Fernando Sandoval for Ward 5 seat on the Contra Costa Community College Board of Directors.

Community college board announces Dr. Bryan Reece to become next chancellor

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Chancellor Emeritus of California Community Colleges; former community college president; founder of organization using community colleges to address racism and discrimination in America

By Timothy Leong, Public Information Officer, CCCCD

Dr Bryan Reece. Photo: Norco College

The Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) Governing Board held a special public meeting on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, and today is announcing their decision to begin contract negotiations with Dr. Bryan Reece to become the next Chancellor. The goal will be to place the contract for public review and approval at their regular meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, 2020.

The announcement was made following a nationwide search that began in January 2020.  The selection process was paused in both March and April due to the transition to remote operations as a result of the pandemic and was restarted in September. Public forums were held last week for the finalist and a final interview was completed by the Governing Board.

Barrett praised the dedication and work conducted by the Search Committee and Collaborative Brain Trust Senior Consultant Dr. Brice Harris, a longtime California community college educator and Chancellor Emeritus of the California Community Colleges. In addition, the Governing Board acknowledged the hundreds of faculty, classified professionals, managers and community leaders who participated in the public forums and submitted comments to the trustees for consideration prior to their final decision.

About Dr. Bryan Reece

Dr. Reece with a Norco College graduate. Photo from his website.

Until last year, Reece was president of Norco College in Riverside County, California, where he oversaw “approximately 450 employees, 15,000 students and a service area with over 300,000 residents. Expanded student enrollment by 9.6% and student completion of academic goals by 18.3% with transfers to the University of California (UC) system improving by 50%. Narrowed the equity gap with completion for students of color improving by 26%. Increased fundraising by 117%,” according to his website.

Also on his website, Reece shares about himself.

“I have been working in higher education for 30 years, with 15 years of senior management experience including a decade of community college administration (College President, VP of Academic Affairs, and Dean) and five years of private sector management. I hold a BA, MA and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California (USC). I taught Political Science as a tenured community college faculty member for 19 years and have a documented record of moving community colleges in directions that improve the academic success for students across all groups and have particular expertise with student populations from historically under-served communities. I have worked extensively with legislative bodies and government agencies at the local, state and federal levels and have a record of success with public-private partnerships and fundraising.”

According to his LinkedIn account, Reece attended USC from 1984 through 1990 for his undergrad and master’s degrees, and returned to the school from 2001-2005 for his doctorate.

Dr. Reece at a Norco College soccer pep rally. Photo from his website.

Last year, he founded the National Policy Agenda for Community Colleges (NPACC) to use community colleges to address racism and discrimination in the U.S. According to his website, “The primary goal of NPACC is to address social justice and equity at the national level through the work of American community colleges. NPACC is supported by a grassroots group of over 50 volunteers, including trustees, college presidents, administrators, faculty, staff, CC alumni, community members, and elected officials. We believe racism and discrimination in America must be addressed through a national strategy that recognizes and supports the leadership role community colleges play in working with students from historically underserved communities.”

According to his Twitter feed, Reece is writing a book about community colleges. In a July 23rd tweet, he introduced a series of essays based on his book, entitled “Community Colleges: A Good Kind of Subversion – An Ongoing Essay Series on Educational Inequities and How to Solve Them.”

According to the About page on his website, Reece was a cow milker at a dairy throughout high school and college in the 1980’s, providing him with both the necessary experience for fundraising and a firm grip when shaking hands.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Contra Costa Community College District Chancellor search narrowed to one finalist

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Former LMC President Dr. Raúl Rodríguez withdraws from consideration; public forums via Zoom begin today

By Timothy Leong, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa Community College District

MARTINEZ, California – The Contra Costa Community College District (District) Governing Board has decided to move forward with only one finalist, Dr. Bryan Reece, for the next permanent Chancellor opportunity. The other finalist, Dr. Raúl Rodríguez, withdrew from the process after accepting an offer to extend his contract as Hartnell College’s interim President/Superintendent Tuesday night. The Governing Board agreed to complete the search process out of respect for all the hard work done over the past several months by the selection committee and community.

Public forums for Dr. Reece will be conducting via Zoom and recorded at each college and the District Office on Thursday, September 17, 2020, beginning at 12:30 p.m. The public forums will last approximately 45 minutes each, and are open to the community, students, faculty and staff. A detailed public forum schedule, links to the public forums, and information on how to submit a question to be asked will be available on the District website at www.4cd.edu.

For those who are unable to join the September 17 public forums, links to all 4 recorded Zoom sessions will be made available on the District website. A comment box has also been created to submit your input that will be shared with the Governing Board for their consideration.

Following the public forums, the Governing Board will conduct a final interview with Dr. Reece in closed session on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, and is expected to announce a decision soon thereafter. If the Governing Board decides to offer the permanent chancellor opportunity to Dr. Reece, contract negotiations will begin. At their regularly scheduled public meeting on Wednesday, October 14, 2020, the Governing Board will vote on the final contract and employ the District’s next permanent chancellor.

The Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The CCCCD serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. The District is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez.

Seeno partners with Brentwood school district, agreement reached on valuable land for school site

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See the school site in the large open area toward the bottom of the site map, and the potential overlay of 63 additional homes to the right.

Results in 63 fewer homes built

BRENTWOOD, Calif., Sept. 11, 2020 – West Coast Home Builders, Inc., a development company owned by the Seeno family, and the Brentwood Union School District have entered into an agreement that opens the door for the district to acquire a prime piece of Bay Area real estate, well below market value, for the construction of a new elementary school.

School district staff recommended approval of the agreement, and the school board members unanimously approved the agreement on Aug. 19, 2020.

The Brentwood Union School District has been trying for years to find suitable land to build a much-needed elementary school to help relieve overcrowding at some of its elementary schools and accommodate future growth in the district. The agreement between West Coast Home Builders and the district is a significant step forward and an important opportunity toward making this new elementary school a reality.

The impact on the district will include reducing overcrowding, a lower student-teacher ratio, and reducing the use of portables.

“We’ve been negotiating a school site there for a very long time,” BUSD Board Trustee Emil Geddes confirmed. “We just hadn’t achieved the final solution with Seeno, until now.”

“We approved that we want that site,” he continued. “But we haven’t come to the final purchase price and agreement for the property.”

It will also mean 63 fewer homes will be built at the site, as was an option in the Vesting Tentative Map overlay. (See Site Plan above)

In 2016, Brentwood voters passed Measure B, a school bond measure that will fund much of the proposed elementary school construction costs. School construction costs have skyrocketed in California, so building a new school is very difficult for districts without some form of subsidy. In this case, West Coast Home Builders will be subsidizing the cost of the land, which is critical to making a new elementary school a reality.

The 11.35-acre school site is located within the proposed Bridle Gate community, west of Highway 4 (bypass) and south of Sand Creek Road in Brentwood, California. The proposed development will bring much-needed housing to the Bay Area, which has been chronically undersupplied for years, leading to the current affordability crisis. The project’s proximity to both highway and commercial areas, coupled with a school site that will be walkable for students and parents, also lowers environmental impacts to the area.

In a dramatic savings to the district, an appraiser will value the school site land as agricultural rather than residential. Residential land values are substantially higher than agricultural land values. This essentially means the district will be paying pennies on the dollar for the land. This is a true partnership between a growing school district and a longtime community builder, who is committed to supporting local schools and children.

The sale of this land to the district is contingent on West Coast Home Builders receiving the necessary environmental and project approvals from the Brentwood City Council for the Bridle Gate project. West Coast Home Builders has included this school site in its proposed development plan, and the city has included this school site in its environmental analysis of the housing project.

The project will be up for approval before the city council during a special meeting next Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 7:00 p.m. According to California Government Ethics Law in Government Codes §§ 87100 and 87103 a public official may not make, participate in, or influence a governmental decision that will have a reasonably foreseeable and material financial effect on the official, the official’s immediate family, or any of the official’s financial interests. Because Councilwoman Claudette Staton’s personal residence is too close to the project site, she will have to recuse herself and not participate in voting on the project, as it could affect the value of her home. The decision will therefore be left up to the other four council members.

State Letter Says Staton Can’t Vote on Project

UPDATE: Upon request from the Herald, Staton provided a copy of the August 10, 2020 letter from the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) to Brentwood Assistant City Attorney Katherine Wisinski which provides the reason why Staton cannot vote on the project due to her conflict of interest under the state’s Political Reform Act. In the letter, the FPPC asks the following question: “Under the Act, may Councilmember Staton take part in governmental decisions pertaining to a city development project that would involve the construction of hundreds of new homes, among other significant developments, and potentially affect property views, traffic levels, and air quality, given that she owns real property less than 1000 feet from the project site?”

The FPPC’s letter then answers the question writing, “No, given the scope and impacts of the project, as well as the proximity of Councilmember Staton’s real property, it is reasonably foreseeable that the project would have a material financial effect on Councilmember Staton’s property by changing its market value and income producing potential, and air quality. Accordingly, Councilmember Staton is disqualified from taking part in project decisions under the Act, and consequently must recuse herself from those decisions.” Read the entire four-page letter, here: FPPC Ltr re Staton Bridle Gate vote Final A-20-085

To read the agenda item and details click, here.

Allen Payton contributed to this report. 

 

’16 Measure B follow up, helping his budget etc.).

Travis Credit Union hosting virtual Back-to-School Rally Sept. 16

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Online event to celebrate the start of 2020-2021 School Year for local youth

Travis Credit Union invites students and their families to attend a free virtual ‘Back-to-School Rally,’ scheduled for Wednesday, September 16 from 4-5 p.m. The Zoom event is also the culmination of TCU’s month-long ‘Back to School Challenge,’ where students who complete the weekly online financial education activities are entered into a drawing to win the grand prize, a new laptop.

“Starting a new school year is an exciting time. Since this year is unlike any other, we are proud to introduce a digital financial education program to compliment distance learning to help families and guardians,” said Damian Alarcon, Director of Community Relations for Travis Credit Union. “The Back-to-School rally is our way of helping to bring youth together to celebrate financial education and all the new opportunities that this school year will bring.”

The rally will feature guest speakers from across the 12 counties served by TCU, including:

  • Edgar Lampkin, Superintendent of the Williams Unified School District, will provide a welcome to students.
  • Youth leaders from the Woodland Teen Advisory Board, the San Pablo Youth Commission, RYSE Center (in Richmond) and the Fairfield Police Activities League will share teen projects they are launching to support the return to schools.
  • The grand prize winner of the Back-to-School Challenge will be announced live

Woodland Teen Advisory Board, https://woodlandpubliclibrary.com

City of San Pablo Youth Commission, https://www.sanpabloca.gov/881/Youth-Commission

Fairfield Police Activities League, https://www.fairfield.ca.gov/gov/depts/police/pal_matt_garcia_youth_center/

RYSE Center, https://rysecenter.org

Williams Unified School District, http://www.williamsusd.net

To register for this free event, click here

Youth aged 13 to 18 have until September 9 to complete the contest requirements to be eligible for the giveaway. More information is available at traviscu.org/back-to-school.

Headquartered in Vacaville, California, Travis Credit Union is a not-for-profit cooperative financial institution serving those who live, work, worship, or attend school in Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, Merced, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo Counties. Currently, Travis Credit Union is the 13th largest credit union in California with more than 214,000 members and more than $3.9 billion in assets. As one of the leading financial institutions in Solano, Contra Costa, Napa, Yolo and Merced Counties, Travis Credit Union’s strength lies in its faithful commitment to its members and the community; its solid, secure history; and its long-standing track record of dedicated service.

 

Contra Costa now accepting applications for in-person elementary school classes

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Public and private elementary schools (TK – 6th grade) in Contra Costa County can now submit applications to allow in-person instruction at their campuses. In accordance with state guidelines, waivers may be granted “when requested by a local superintendent (or equivalent for charter or private schools), in consultation with labor, parent and community organizations. Local health officers must review local community epidemiological data, consider other public health interventions, and consult with the California Department of Public Health when considering a waiver request.

School districts will be asked to detail how they would safely conduct in-person classes and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Applications will go to the Contra Costa County Office of Education for an initial review before being sent to Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) for further analysis.

CCHS and the County Office of Education have developed a checklist with safety measures schools must take in order to reopen. These measures include:

  • A plan for testing of students and staff with COVID symptoms. Schools must also show they have a plan for periodically testing asymptomatic staff members.
  • Each school must identify a person to help CCHS with contact tracing efforts if there is a positive case
  • Showing how shared surfaces will be regularly cleaned and disinfected and how use of shared items will be minimized.
  • Proper use of face coverings
  • How students will be kept in small, stable, groups with fixed membership that stay together for all activities (e.g., instruction, lunch, recess) and minimize/avoid contact with other groups

Review by local and state officials will take approximately ten days. The state will make the final decision to approve or deny requests. Schools in counties such as Contra Costa that are on the state’s COVID-19 monitoring list can’t reopen unless granted a waiver by local and state health officials.

“We feel like we’ve reached a point where it makes sense to consider requests from elementary schools to reopen,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, health officer for Contra Costa County. “Our role will be to ensure that schools have a solid plan in place to protect their students and staff and show us how they will work with the health department when there is a case to prevent further spread of the virus.

The state outlined the waiver process for elementary schools two weeks ago. CCHS did not immediately begin accepting waiver applications because of the increasing prevalence of COVID-19 in our community at the time.

Since then, the situation has stabilized enough to begin reviewing school-waiver applications, said Dr. Farnitano. Case rates and COVID-related hospitalizations, for instance, have leveled off in August after spiking in July.

While school districts are invited to apply, waiver requests may not be granted if the plan does not meet state or local health requirements, or if data show worsening conditions in the community. Some districts may choose not to submit an application if they cannot meet the requirements outlined in local and state guidelines. Middle schools and high schools are not eligible for waivers.

Community College Board Ward 5 candidate Sandoval endorsed by labor and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta 

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Contra Costa Community College Board Ward 5 candidate Fernando Sandoval from his Facebook page on July 14, 2020 and Delores Huerta from DeloresHuerta.org.

By Doreen Moreno

Community leader Fernando Sandoval is honored to announce the endorsement of Dolores Huerta, American labor leader and civil rights activist who, with Cesar Chavez, co-founded the United Farm Workers Union. Dolores Huerta, Founder of the Dolores Huerta Foundation for Community Organizing, leads the endorsement list of elected officials, community leaders, small business owners, and college faculty, staff and students in supporting him for Trustee of the Contra Costa Community College District Board for Ward 5.

Huerta is one of the century’s most powerful and respected labor movement leader who has received numerous awards for her trailblazing leadership, including being inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2013 and receiving the country’s highest civilian honor in the United States, the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2012.

“Fernando Sandoval’s humble beginnings in the migrant camps of Isleton along the Sacramento River to his low-income childhood in East County to his career achievements as a technology and finance advisor to prestigious banking companies worldwide is a perfect example of the perseverance and contributions individuals from labor backgrounds provide our communities and this nation everyday,” said Dolores Huerta.

Huerta adds, “His personal upbringing gives him an understanding of both the barriers and benefits of how a quality education can open doors of opportunity to good paying jobs and the economic contributions to our families and the greater economy. Fernando’s experiences position him to be a bold leader with a vision and a strong voice for all students in the community college system to be prepared as the future workforce for reigniting our post pandemic economy.”

Sandoval added “I am deeply honored to have the endorsement of international labor leader Dolores Huerta who has given tirelessly of herself for over 60 years to advocate for worker’s rights and fair wages, for equality for women and LGBQT rights and for public policies that provide fair employment standards and access to quality health and education for our diverse communities and future leaders.”

In alignment with Huerta’s legacy, Sandoval has been continuously serving East County communities and the students in various roles, such as an advisory member of the Contra Costa Community College District’s committee on diversity, inclusion and equal employment opportunities.  He also Chaired the Bond Oversight Committee for modernization of schools at Pittsburg Unified School District (PUSD). Fernando has also organized mentoring, tutoring and motivational workshops for students at Los Medanos College and high schools throughout the area. This year he was recognized for his service by receiving the 2020 Cesar Chavez Award for Exemplary Community Service by Los Medanos College.

Fernando Sandoval is a published author of his memoir, “From Tortilla Chips to Computer Chips” that highlights his upbringing in a hard-working immigrant family, his experience in the U.S. Navy and Vietnam War and his career as a finance and technology management strategy advisor to top banking institutions worldwide.

For more information about Fernando Sandoval for Contra Costa Community College District Board of Trustees, Ward 5, contact fernando4collegetrustee@gmail.com. Sandoval is challenging two-term incumbent Greg Enholm for the second time. He ran in 2016 but lost with 39.75% of the vote to Enholm’s 59.82% . Ward 5 includes the communities or cities of Clyde, Bay Point, Pittsburg, Oakley, Bethel Island, Knightsen, most of Antioch and Discovery Bay, and portions of Brentwood and Concord.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Writer responds – Schools and Communities First: Prop 15

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Dear Editor:

This is in response to the recent Op/Ed from Dronenburg and Coupal.

Most of us want similar things: good schools for our children, a healthy family, and safe neighborhoods. But for more than four decades, big corporations have not been paying their fair share, leaving California’s school funding falling behind. California now has the most overcrowded classrooms in the U.S. and some of the worst ratios of counselors, librarians, and nurses per student. This has taken an enormous toll.

Schools & Communities First is not an effort to undo Prop 13- it is simply an effort to ensure that our schools and communities come first – with the resources to educate all of our kids and the services to support all of our families.

It accomplishes this by closing commercial property tax loopholes only- not residences, not agriculture and not small businesses. In fact, it will impact only a small fraction of large corporations.
SCF will reclaim $12 billion every year to fund world-class schools and strengthen local economies to lift up all Californians

It’s time to invest in California again- we cannot afford to wait.

Janet Hoy

Walnut Creek

Rep. DeSaulnier to host telephone town hall on coronavirus, the classroom, and our community Thursday

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Rep. Mark DeSaulnier

Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) will host a telephone town hall to discuss coronavirus, the classroom, our community, and what comes next when school resumes in Contra Costa on Thursday, July 23rd at noon.

Congressman DeSaulnier will be joined on the call by Dr. Bill Walker, former Director of Health Services and current Director of Legislative and Governmental Affairs for Contra Costa Health Services, as well as Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey. During the event, Contra Costa residents will have an opportunity to ask questions about the upcoming school year and local districts’ plans for instruction.

Coronavirus, the Classroom, and our Community Telephone Town Hall
Thursday, July 23, 2020
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. PT

This event is open to the public.

To RSVP and submit a question, click here: https://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/teletownhall-with-congressman-mark-desaulnier/

Gov. Newsom allows public schools to reopen if county is not on state monitoring list for 14 days

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Screenshot of Gov. Newsom’s press conference from his official Facebook page.

By Allen Payton

During an announcement, today Governor Gavin Newsom said schools in counties not on the state’s monitoring list can reopen for in-person. But schools in counties on the monitor list must be off the list for 14 consecutive days before being able to reopen. According to a slide he shared, a total of 32 of the state’s 58 counties have been on the state’s monitoring list for 3+ days. Contra Costa continues to be on the state’s monitoring list of counties. The order includes both public and private schools.

“It’s very personal to me as a father of four, 10 years of age or younger, to the 6.15 million kids who are part of the public school education system and the 625,000 adults…who are looking forward to getting back to school…and us parents getting back to work…and to so many other responsibilities as parents and caregivers,” Newsom started off.

Governor Gavin Newsom announces #COVID19 guidance for schools and provide an update on the state’s response to the pandemic.

Posted by California Governor on Friday, July 17, 2020

He spoke of and provided slides explaining the specific recommendations and guidance.

“Schools must provide meaningful instruction during this pandemic whether they are open…or not,” Newsom said.

He spoke of the health of school staff. “We have to have their backs, as well,” he stated. “Safety is foundational.”

Newsom then shared his Five Principles:

  1. Safe in-person school based on local data
  2. Mask requirements
  3. Physical distancing + other adaptations
  4. Regular testing + dedicated contact tracing
  5. Rigorous distance learning

“Schools can physically open when the county they are operating in are off the state’s monitoring list for 14 consecutive days,” Newsom announced. ‘However, schools that don’t meet this requirement, they must begin the school year, this fall with distance learning.”

He then spoke of the other four principles.

“All school staff and students third grade and above must wear masks,” he stated. “Students second grade and below we encourage to wear masks or face shields.”

“On the physical distancing side, it’s incumbent upon staff to physically distance at least six feet,” Newsom said.

“The school day should start with symptom checks, temperature checks,” he continued.

Newsom spoke of requirements to test staff regularly, with the state contact tracing workforce of 10,000 people who will prioritize schools, according to one of the slides.

“Distance learning…access to devices. We have put up money for districts to purchase devices…to address this yawning gap in technology and connectivity,” he shared.

“We want to create a challenging environment where assignments are equivalent to what they would get in a classroom environment,” Newsom added.

He spoke of challenges with a breakout of the virus. If the school has cases of more than 5% positive, then we mandate that school close. If 25% of the schools in a district have 5% positive cases, the district must close all schools for 14 days, he explained.

“Learning remains non-negotiable. But neither is safety of all of our cohorts of support staff as well as our children,” Newsom said before sharing the latest statewide COVID-19 statistics.

“None of us want to see education virtualized, at least I don’t,” he said. “The one thing we have the power to do to get our kids back into school is, look at this list, again. Wear a mask, physically distance, wash your hands, minimize the mixing.”

“The more we do on this list and we do it on scale the quicker all those counties will get off the monitoring list…and those kids are back in school,” Newsom stated. “It’s incumbent upon us to practice…what we preach as individuals…to model the behavior that can actually extinguish this virus,”

“I saw one study…if every American wore a mask in just a number of weeks, we’ll have dramatically bent the curve,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s too much to ask.”

“Go to that covid19.ca.gov website…to learn more about these continuity plans, Local Continuity Attendance Plans (LCAP),” Newsom concluded before opening up for a question and answer session.