Three people were appointed last week to serve on the College of the Canyons citizens’ bond oversight committee.
Fred Arnold, Brent Wright and Kenny Navarrete were approved by the Santa Clarita Community College District board of trustees, which oversees COC, to serve two-year terms. Members are eligible to serve for a maximum of three consecutive terms.
Arnold had previously served on the committee as chair and had to reapply following the expiration of his previous term. A candidate for the board of trustees in the upcoming Nov. 5 general election, Arnold would have to step down if elected.
According to Jason Hinkle, associate vice president of business services, the committee was down two members after Arnold’s term expired and John Estrada resigned. The three appointments bring the committee up to nine members, two more than the seven required.
However, as none of the appointees fit the requirements as a business representative, the position that Estrada filled, Hinkle said the application process will reopen to solicit applicants for that role.
The committee will still be allowed to meet during that process, according to Hinkle.
According to Eric Harnish, spokesman for the college, the application process will reopen on Monday and will remain open until Oct. 18. For more information, go to canyons.edu/administration/committees/bondoversight/.
Arnold, who also serves as chair of the COC Foundation, and Wright, recently retired global director of aerospace strategy for PPG Industries and a COC student during the summer term, had been recommended by interim President David Andrus, while Navarrete was not.
Andrus said he was not specifically opposed to Navarrete, a current COC student, being appointed despite having no prior experience in public service, as he pointed out on his application, but he was simply following what he called a “rubric.”
“I don’t mean that as a slight on Mr. Navarrete, or anybody that lacks experience,” Andrus said. “But I am trying to recommend people on there that will substantively contribute in that way with some experience … There has to be some kind of substantive standard, at least in my mind, of a recommendation. And so it isn’t about this particular candidate. It’s just about the nature of, if there are many candidates like that, who would I recommend to move forward?”
Board member Sebastian Cazares said that he agrees with Andrus but also feels that “some new voices” isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“I just think, whether it’s this committee or in general, I just know that a lot of constituencies just believe that they felt like there needs to be a little bit more fresh pair of eyes on some of our construction, some of our property management, and overall,” Cazares said.
Navarrete and Wright were both approved to serve as at-large members. Arnold is representing a district support organization.
They were the only three applicants.
Board President Edel Alonso said the fact that a student is showing interest in serving the college speaks to the ambition that Navarrete has.
“I keep thinking, ‘What a wonderful experience it would be for this young person to be in that kind of an organization, and learn from much more experienced people, and could really have an influence in what he pursues later on in his life and in his interests,’” Alonso said. “So, I don’t know that it would hurt to have an extra person on that committee. It’s not like we have so many requests to participate.”
The committee’s duties are to inform the public on how bond proceeds are expended, review those expenditures and create an annual report to be presented to the board of trustees. It is required to meet at least once per year.
Voters residing in the district’s boundaries approved Measure E in 2016, allotting $230 million to the district to upgrade and construct classrooms and facilities and improve earthquake safety. That followed Measure M in 2006 that authorized up to $160 million in bonds to be issued.
