There is an exciting opportunity for a public-minded resident of West County to run for the open Ward I seat on the five-member Contra Costa Community College District Board of Trustees. The filing period for the November 2006 election is August 11, and as far as we know, no one has filed for the seat.

David MacDiarmid of Richmond has filled this seat ably for the last eight years, but he will not run for another term. The Contra Costa Community College District has three main campuses and three smaller facilities serving 36,580 students with a budget of $158 million. West Contra Costa is served by Contra Costa College, the District’s oldest campus. To see the current budget, go to http://www.4cd.net/finance/2007%20Tentative%20Budget.pdf.

For details about the Contra Costa Community College District, see http://www.4cd.net. For information about filing for the open seat, contact Contra Costa County Election Department, 524 Main Street, P. O. Box 271, Martinez, CA 94553, (925) 646 4166, (925) 646 1385 – FAX, Candy Lopez - Assistant Registrar.

Copied below from the District website is the District’s Mission Statement and descriptions of the current board members.

If you are interested in this opportunity or know someone who is and want more information or want to contact a potential support network, contact me via email.

Mission Statement:

The Contra Costa Community College District, through its colleges, provides educational opportunities for our students and communities. To fulfill this mission we are committed to and responsible for the following:

·     promoting, recognizing and rewarding excellence in all our endeavors

·     cultivating and celebrating diversity by assuring equal access for all students and by providing multicultural curricula

·     ensuring that our staff reflects the diversity of the students and communities we serve

·     providing leadership within our communities by anticipating and meeting their changing needs

·     valuing and promoting growth among our students of all ages, our institutions and our communities

·     recognizing the merit of each college's individuality within the District's mission

·     striving for integrity and ethical behavior in all we do

Our mission is fulfilled in these ways:

·     General Education - providing a challenging education in the liberal arts and sciences

·     Transfer Education - preparing students for and facilitating their transfer to four-year institutions

·     Employment Preparation - providing job training, retraining and upgrading of skills for tomorrow's work force

·     Student Support Services - ensuring academic success by removing barriers to full participation and by helping students to develop sound educational plans, make educational progress and gain leadership skills

·     Developmental Education and English as a Second Language - providing opportunities for students to acquire skills necessary for academic success and facility in English

·     Community Services and Lifelong Learning - offering opportunities for cultural enrichment and intellectual stimulation to all members of the community

·     Economic Development Services - creating partnerships with business, industry and government to help shape the economic future of our communities

The Governing Board is the official elected body of the College District. Its primary role is to set the overall operating policies of the College District. The Chancellor, who is appointed by the Governing Board, carries out these policies.

The Governing Board is made up of five members elected by ward and who serve for four years. There is also one student member selected by student government. The student member has an advisory vote.

Current members of the Governing Board are:

John T. Nejedly
President, Representing Ward IV (Alamo, Blackhawk/Tassajara, Byron, Clayton, Danville, Discovery Bay, San Ramon, Walnut Creek) Term expires December 1, 2006.

John T. Nejedly is the founder and president of Nejedly Corp., a contracting and construction management firm. He received his J.D. from John F. Kennedy University and his B.A. in construction management from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, after attending Modesto Junior College, where he earned his A.A. Mr. Nejedly is currently a member of the Juvenile Systems Planning Advisory Committee for Contra Costa County.

David N. MacDiarmid
Vice President, Representing Ward I (El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Richmond, San Pablo) Term expires December 1, 2006.

David N. MacDiarmid earned his B.A. in Economics from U.C. Berkeley after graduating with an A.A. from Contra Costa College. Founder and president of West Contra Costa Bay Shore Council, he works professionally as a programmer/analyst for the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). He has also served as president of Local 2019 of AFSCME AFL/CIO and executive board member for District Council 57 (Northern California) of AFSCME. He has served as vice president of the 14th Assembly District Democratic Caucus and as a delegate to the California State Central Committee Democratic Party. Mr. MacDiarmid has been a member of the Contra Costa Central Labor Council and president of the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council. He has also been president of the Contra Costa College Foundation and has served as a member of the Richmond City Council.

Jo Ann Cookman
Secretary, Representing Ward V (Antioch, Bay Point, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Knightsen, Oakley, Pittsburg) Term expires December 5, 2008.

Jo Ann has been an Antioch resident for 25 years, is married and has two children-former Los Medanos College students-and three grandchildren. Her experience in the higher education community includes an A.S. degree from Los Medanos College, a B.S. in Biology from C.S.U., Hayward, and Science Laboratory Coordinator for the Biology Department at Los Medanos College for 16 years. Before retiring from Los Medanos College in 2003, she represented her colleagues as a leader on many campus committees, including the Financial Resources Committee, Staff Development, Shared Governance, and fundraising for student scholarships. As a result of her leadership and dedication, she was also awarded the "Outstanding Alumni Award" for Los Medanos College in 1999.

Tomi Van de Brooke
Representing Ward II (Canyon, Crockett, Hercules, Kensington, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pinole, Port Costa, Rodeo, and western Pleasant Hill.) Tomi Van de Brooke was appointed to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of David W. Girard on March 4, 2005. She will serve until the next regularly scheduled election for Board members in November 2006, at which time an election will be held to fill the position for the remainder of Mr. Girard’s term, which will expire on December 5, 2008.

Tomi Van de Brooke brings a particular interest in workforce development to the Board. As a past president of the Contra Costa Council and through her service on a number of other economic development organizations, she has developed a strong belief that community colleges play an important role in training the county’s current and future workforce.

Ms. Van de Brooke continues to serve on the Board of Directors for the Contra Costa Council, Economic Development Alliance for Business (EDAB) and the Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation. She was designated as a "Champion for Children" by the Contra Costa Childcare Council in 2003, served on the executive committee for the successful "Measure A" campaign in 2003 that brought additional local funding to the Orinda Union School District to increase teacher salaries.

Ms. Van de Brooke is employed by the California Alliance for Jobs as their Director of Land-Use and Water Policy. She has worked in the communications and public policy arena for more than 20 years and has owned her own business, VdB Communications, and was the managing partner for StrategiComm, an East Bay communications firm she started with two partners. She received a B.A. degree in Political Science/Public Administration from San Jose State University in 1985. She was born and raised in Contra Costa County and lives in Orinda with her husband, John, and their two sons

Sheila A. Grilli
Representing Ward III (Concord, Martinez, Pacheco, Pleasant Hill, western Bay Point) Term expires December 1, 2006.

After earning her A.A. at Diablo Valley College, Sheila A. Grilli attended U.C. Berkeley, where she graduated with a B.A. in English and Journalism. She then went on to San Francisco State University, where she earned her general secondary teaching credential and taught at Clayton Valley High School. She also studied for her M.A. in English at California State University, Hayward and taught writing there for four years. A bookstore owner in Martinez, Ms. Grilli is active in community work and serves as treasurer of the Muir Heritage Land Trust, secretary of Woodbridge Children's Centers, and secretary of St. Catherine's Pastoral Council. She is also active in the Cal Alumni Association and in the revitalization of downtown Martinez.

Ivan Williams
Student Member, Term Expires May 31, 2007.

Ivan is enrolled at Los Medanos College as a full-time intersegmental general education transfer curriculum (IGETC) student. At LMC, Ivan is involved in student government and the Honors Society. As student trustee, Ivan looks forward to serving students Districtwide as well as making positive contributions to his community. Ivan honorably served in the Marines from 1999 to 2005. He was enlisted as an air crewman and flew on board CH-46 troop transport helicopters. Ivan plans to attain his A.A. at LMC and transfer to one of the University of California campuses. Ivan hopes to pursue studies in social sciences and attend law school.

Governing Board Meetings
The Governing Board typically meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month in the Board Room of the George R. Gordon Education Center, located at 500 Court Street in downtown Martinez. The Governing Board normally first holds a closed session at 5 p.m. Under the Brown Act, governing boards may hold closed sessions to discuss negotiations and confidential employee issues. Actions taken by the Governing Board in closed session are announced in public at the close of the closed session.

The Governing Board normally begins its public meetings at 7 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend these meetings, as open lines of communication are an important part of the Board's role. If you wish to speak to the Governing Board about an issue, please fill out a card located on the public table near the entrance to the Board Room. You will be called upon to speak by the Governing Board President at the appropriate time during the agenda.

Schedule of Governing Board Meetings

Agenda
The Governing Board agenda is prepared by the Chancellor's Office in consultation with the Board and is available for public view outside the District Office at 500 Court Street and on this Web site three working days before the meeting. Requests to appear on the agenda shall be in accordance with Board Policy 1002.

Governing Board Agendas, Minutes & Minutes Indexes

Governing Board Meetings Deadline Dates

Policies and Procedures
The Policies and Procedures used by the Contra Costa Community College District are available for the public to read.

Need More Help?
Do you have other questions about the Governing Board? You can write to: Governing Board, Contra Costa Community College District, 500 Court Street, Martinez, CA 94553. The phone number of the Governing Board office is (925) 229-1000, ext. 1204.