The following is from WCCUSD Board President Charles Ramsey last Wednesday:

I was driving back from Sacramento and all I could think was priceless. Yes, priceless. Last year, everyone was ready to throw in the towel and put a stop to our building program. All of the naysayers were ready to write our obituary.

However, today, we saw the conclusion of a yearlong odyssey. No one really believed that in such a challenging and difficult economy that we could have a vision to have the determination and drive to continue our district rebuilding program. Well we did.

This morning we finished the third and final leg of our journey. It started with the passage of the bond last June, then it was the debt limit waiver being approved by the State board of Education and today, it was seeing the California School Finance Agency approving our Qualified School Construction Bond for 21 Million Dollars. I want to thank School Board Clerk Madeline Kronenberg and CBO Sherri Gamba for testifying before the California School Finance Agency with me. They did a marvelous job in convincing the panel about the merits of our petition. We all sat in anticipation, but were thrilled when they unanimously approved our application.

Now we will see in the next twelve months construction for the following school projects.

Coronado Elementary Ohlone Elementary Nystrom Elementary Phase II Portola Middle School Leadership Public Schools/ Gompers Continuation School El Cerrito High School Stadium project.

Once again, thanks to you and most of all thanks to the voters. They ultimately had the vision and the confidence and trust in the board. For this I will be eternally grateful. This has been a great ride.

Thanks again for allowing me to be part of this wonderful team. Now is the time to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Take care.

Charles T. Ramsey, Esq. School Board President West Contra Costa Unified School District