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SAN MATEO COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISRICT
Bond Oversight Committee
Annual Report to the Community - 2007
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 will provide $675 million in funding to update, modernize, and retrofit 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 and local government. The 11-member 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 or for other operating costs.
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 approximately 25% of 2006-07 expenditures for each of the bond funds and found that the use of funds was consistent with the stated purposes of the respective bond measures approved by voters. As of June 30, 2007, the District had expended $193,744,099 and committed an additional $4,261,974 in Measure C funds-96% of the total Measure C authorization. In addition, the District has expended $45,792,499 and committed $5,481,769 of Measure A funds-11% of the total authorization.
2007 in Review
During 2007, District and College administrations continued extensive planning, scheduling and campus consultation regarding the scope and sequence of the major bond projects (modernization, new construction, repair) that are taking place at all three Colleges. The District has invested a considerable amount of staff time in pre-construction planning and consultation activities in order to assure that bond project funds are efficiently and effectively expended on College improvements that will benefit students for generations to come. The District staff has also worked aggressively to secure additional State, local and private funding to supplement bond funds. To date, the District has secured more than $87.5 million from these sources and anticipates that it will be successful in securing another $60 million for facilities projects from various State sources e.g., California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office capital outlay, deferred maintenance and hazardous substance removal funds, as well as funds from the voter-approved Statewide educational facilities bond on the ballot in November 2008.
Major activities that took place in 2007:
Cañada College:
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The new Library and Student Resource Center, the College's flagship project, opened for the Fall 2007semester with a public ribbon cutting ceremony held on August 20. The $31.7 million project was funded primarily through State Capital Outlay grants totaling $21.9 million and the remaining amount funded by Measure C. The three-story, 75,917 square foot building features library services on the upper floors and a learning resource center and a fully integrated student services "one-stop shop" at the quad level.
- Renovation of the central quad at Cañada was completed this year. The new central quad has transformed the campus and provides many new venues for students to gather, socialize and study. The quad incorporates a beautiful outdoor amphitheatre, new landscaping and furniture, ADA access improvements, a renovated fountain and a stunning horse sculpture by famed artist Deborah Butterfield. Total cost for these improvements was $1.7 million.
- Building 2 classroom and bookstore renovation was completed in Summer 2007 ($1 million). The renovation scope included finishes, electrical, ADA and security upgrades.
- Buildings 16 and 18, science labs, are under construction and targeted for completion in August 2008 ($18 million). The modernization scope includes a new elevator at Building 16, complete replacement of the HVAC system, ADA upgrades, replacement of laboratory fixtures and equipment and finishes upgrades.
- Building 17, Lecture Hall renovation, was completed in January 2007 ($1.9 million). The renovation scope included replacement of the mechanical system and finishes upgrades.
- In anticipation of the remodeling work for Buildings 5, 6 and 8 at Cañada College, which is scheduled to be underway in 2008, work was completed in 2007to connect Buildings 5/6 and 8 to the central chilled water system that was installed in the campus in 2004 and set the stage for the upcoming building renovations.
College of San Mateo
- Building 9, Library and KCSM television-FM station/studio renovations were completed at a cost of $3.7 million. This project consisted of modernizing the facility to accommodate FCC requirements for digital television and FM broadcasting, instructional facilities for the College's broadcasting program and addressing overall base building electrical and HVAC system needs.
- Building 19, Calibration Lab renovations were completed and opened for summer session ($303,000).
- The second phase of Building 16 renovation was completed in January 2008 in time for the spring semester instruction. This building's central location on the CSM campus makes it ideal for use as general assignment classrooms. This phase modernized all the existing classrooms. The scope of the project included new furniture, window filming, wainscoting, lighting, flooring, and improvements to ventilation. In addition, each classroom was outfitted with "smart classroom" technology, which will keep CSM at the forefront of contemporary learning centers. This project was funded with $4.4M in Measure A funds.
Skyline College
- Building 7, Allied Health, is under construction and targeted for completion in September 2008. The 39,000 sq. ft building will house health science programs including respiratory therapy, emergency medical technician, and surgical technology ($13 million including $2.7 million from Measure A funds. It should be noted that the bid came in at $2.5 million below estimate and the District was able to negotiate with the State to keep $500,000 of that with the other $2 million in savings set aside at the State level to cover unanticipated project costs).
- Building 3, Physical Education, Phase II renovation upgrades completed in Fall 2007 include refinishing the gymnasium floors and installation of new bleachers. Balance of work to be completed in spring 2008 includes modernization of the elevator, installation of new backboards and rebalancing of the HVAC systems.
- Demolition of the former Coast Guard facilities housing the College's maintenance activities was accomplished in December 2007. A new Facilities Maintenance Center (Building 30) will be under construction in February 2008. This $7.3 million ($5 Million State Capital Outlay and $2.3 million Measure A) project consists of engineering, custodial, and grounds facilities to maintain campus operations.
Districtwide
- The Districtwide Athletics Upgrades project will be completed in March 2008 ($5.9 million). Improvements include the CSM Track and Football plaza area, including a concession stand and ADA-compliant restrooms; CSM softball field, team house and press box; CSM baseball hillside bleachers and stairway; east/west pedestrian pathway; and the Cañada baseball press box.
Sustainability was one of the Board of Trustees' goals for 2006 and one of the Guiding Principles identified in the 2006 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, Phase 2 (CIP2). 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. Moreover, the District is seeking LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for the new buildings planned in CIP2, including Skyline and Cañada Colleges' Facilities Maintenance Centers, CSM Building 10N and 5N and Skyline College B4N.
The Bond Oversight Committee continues to be gratified with the results of the District's modernization 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, go to Quick Links; then to the Bond Oversight Committee web page on which is listed the 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 convened quarterly at the College District Office, 3401 CSM Drive, in San Mateo, unless otherwise noted on the website.
Submitted by Bond Oversight Committee Members (2008):
Jim Wyatt, Chair
Marion McDowell, Co-Chair
Marta Bookbinder
Chris Eden
Stanley Gross
Rose Jacobs-Gibson
William Nack
Ruth Nagler
Patrick Cheng
In Memory: Coleman Campbell
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Last Updated:
7/25/08 11:22 AM