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SAN MATEO COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISRICT
Bond Oversight Committee
Annual Report to the Community - 2011
Background
Voters in San Mateo County generously voted to approve two separate bond measures (Measure C in 2001 and Measure A in 2005) which together provided $675 million in funding for updating, modernizing, and retrofitting the three community colleges serving County residents: Cañada College, College of San Mateo and Skyline College. As required by law, the District Board of Trustees established a Bond Oversight Committee in 2001 composed of community leaders with expertise in finance, accounting, education, construction, sustainability and local government. The Committee is charged with the responsibility to assure voters that bond proceeds are expended only for construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or replacement of College facilities in compliance with the ballot language approved by voters, and that no funds are used for teacher or administrator salaries.
During the past year, the Bond Oversight Committee met quarterly to review the District's bond project plans, timelines and proposed expenditures. At each meeting, the Committee was provided with financial and project plan updates describing the bond-related activities undertaken by the District during the quarter. Throughout the year, members of the Bond Oversight Committee also toured facilities under construction as well as newly completed buildings.
The accounting firm of Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Co., LLP (VTD) conducted both a financial and a performance audit of bond expenditures and activities for both bond funds—Measure C and Measure A. The firm found that the bond fund financial statements present fairly the financial position and results of operations for each respective fund. As part of the performance audits, VTD reviewed 79% of Measure C expenditures and 51% of Measure A expenditures and found that the use of funds was consistent with the stated purposes of the respective bond project lists approved by voters. As of June 30, 2011, the District has expended all Measure C funds; spending from this bond measure is completed. In addition, as of December 31, 2011, the District has expended $436,789,057 and committed $503,400 of Measure A funds—93% of the total authorization.
2011 in Review
During 2011, there was extensive construction activity on the College of San Mateo and Skyline College campuses. At Cañada College, the construction pace has slowed as most major projects have been completed. District and College administrations continued their collaboration in planning and scheduling construction projects to minimize the impact on the campus communities and to ensure that bond project funds are efficiently and effectively expended on College improvements that will benefit students for generations to come.
District staff also worked aggressively to secure additional State, local and private funding to supplement bond funds; to date, the District has secured more than $84.3 million from these sources. However, the District is still suffering from the County’s loss of $155 million in funds invested in Lehman Brothers when it went bankrupt in 2008. This caused a loss of $20 million in College District bond project funds; we continue to monitor the bankruptcy proceedings and should learn this year how much of that amount can be recouped. The District also has experienced a decline in State Capital Outlay funds for projects on all three campuses, due to the fact that the State failed to approve an educational facilities bond in 2008 or 2010. The District lost $54 million in previously-approved State funds due to the lack of the 2008 bond measure. The Lehman and State Capital Outlay losses forced the District to scale back or eliminate several construction projects previously planned.
Cañada College:
As stated earlier, most of the planned construction projects at Cañada College have been completed. During 2011, the following bond–funded projects occurred at Canada College:
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The modernization of Building 5 and 6, was completed in Fall 2011. As part of this project, two elevators were added for ADA access to major parts of the building which are located on a steep hillside below the main part of the campus. Total project cost was $14.4 million: $5 million State Capital Outlay and $9.4 million Measure A funds.
College of San Mateo
Construction began in 2008 on the large $216 million CSM Design/Build Project, which involved demolition of four buildings; construction of two new buildings, a new aquatic center, electrical power distribution system replacement, a new central chiller plant, and extensive site work and landscape improvements, including the Fine Arts Courtyard. In 2011:
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Construction was completed on the new 143,000 square foot Building 10: College Center, which places the cafeteria, bookstore and critical student services in the heart of the campus. The new facility unites Student Services into a “One-Stop Shop,” including admissions, career services, counseling, health center, financial aid, disabled students programs & services, cafeteria, and bookstore. Building 10 also houses a new Learning Center, a centralized tutorial and student support lab where students can get assistance across the disciplines from writing and mathematics to speech communication and foreign languages. In addition, Building 10 houses three high-tech, large classrooms; faculty offices; and three large labs for speech, multimedia and broadcasting. This new building has achieved LEED Gold certification. This building opened in Spring, 2011. Total project cost was $87 million in Measure A funds.
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The main campus also went through massive site work improvements that included ADA accessibility improvements, new pedestrian walkways, parking, landscaping, energy efficient exterior LED lighting, asphalt roadway and parking repairs, upgrades to the main campus quad, erosion and fire mitigation measures (in coordination with the Cities of Hillsborough and San Mateo). Total project cost was $42 million, all from Measure A.
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The exteriors of Buildings 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 34 were painted in 2011.
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Phase 1 of the North Gateway project was completed in 2011. This 480kW load center upgrade replaced the underground equipment infrastructure which had experienced two recent underground explosions. Phase Two of the North Gateway project is scheduled to begin in summer of 2012. It will include demolition of seismically unsafe buildings 21-29 and renovation of the area to accommodate additional parking; pedestrian walkways; an outdoor plaza; and site improvements including landscaping, erosion and fire mitigation, and improved ADA accessibility. Total project cost for the North Gateway project is $17 million: $10 million in State Capital Outlay and $7 million from Measure A.
Skyline College
Construction began in 2008 on the large $80 million Skyline Design/Build Project, which involved demolition of one building; construction of two new buildings; landscape improvements; a new 480kW load center and main high voltage control center for the campus; and extensive ADA/accessibility site work including the central courtyard. In 2011:
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Construction was completed on the new 73,000 square foot Building 4: Multicultural Center, Cosmetology, Administration & Classrooms. The Cosmetology facilities provide hair, makeup and spa training facilities; these services are available to the public in a facility that emulates the experience of a commercial salon and spa. The Multicultural Center provides space to promote interaction among campus communities and promote an awareness of the campus programs available to them. The general assignment classrooms are both medium and large forum spaces which are currently in great demand on campus and provide the College with more flexibility in course scheduling. Building 4 is on track to receive LEED Gold certification. Total project cost is $47 million, all from Measure A.
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The exteriors of Buildings 1, 2, 3, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 were painted in 2011.
Districtwide
Sustainability is one of the Guiding Principles identified in the College District Facilities Master Plan. To achieve these goals, the District requires its consultants and contractors to employ sustainable strategies in the projects included in the District’s Capital Improvement Program. The District is proactively looking for opportunities to employ such strategies in the areas of energy management, waste reduction/waste management, water conservation, use of renewable and green construction materials, and building orientation and design. To date, the District has received LEED Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for four new buildings: the two Facilities Maintenance Centers, and Building 5 and 10 at CSM. Building 4 at Skyline is also on track to receive LEED Gold certification.
The Bond Oversight Committee continues to be gratified with the results of the District’s modernization and new construction efforts. More detailed information about the bond projects, timelines, and expenditures-to-date is available on the District’s web site: www.smccd.edu. To navigate to the information from the home page, click on Bond Oversight Committee on the District’s main web page. There you will find bond projects and information related to the activities of the Bond Oversight Committee: meeting dates, agendas, minutes, and reports. Additional questions and/or concerns should be addressed to the Bond Oversight Committee in care of: christensen@smccd.edu.
The Bond Oversight Committee welcomes members of the community to its meetings which are held every quarter.
Submitted by Bond Oversight Committee Members (2011):
Linda Asbury
Gita Dev
Steve Dworetzky
Jeff Gonzalez, student member
Maritess Lagandaon
Sylvia Merkadeau
Gus Petropoulos
Alan Talansky
Victor Torreano
Adrienne Zanini
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