Palomar seeks applicants for Bond Oversight Committee

SAN MARCOS – Palomar College is seeking local residents to fill two vacancies on its Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee, which reviews the expenditure of Proposition M funds.

Due to member term limits, Palomar College is seeking local residents to fill the following two vacancies on the committee:

· One (1) member active in a business organization representing the business community located in the district;

· And one (1) member active in a senior citizens’ organization.

Approved by voters in 2006, Prop. M is a $694 million bond measure that has enabled the Palomar Community College District to make extensive modernizations and improvements at its San Marcos campus; open education centers in Rancho Bernardo and Fallbrook; and fund a variety of other projects during the past 15 years.

The ICOC remains in place while the remaining funds from Prop. M general obligation bonds are allocated to existing and future projects. The committee is responsible for ensuring bond proceeds are expended only for the purposes described in the Prop. M ballot measure.

Applications to be appointed to the ICOC can be obtained at http://www.palomar.edu/icoc or by contacting Heather Sutton at [email protected] or 760-744-1150 ext. 2109.

Applications must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 10. ICOC members will be appointed by the college's Governing Board at the Sept. 7 meeting.

Candidates must be at least 18 years old and must reside within the PCCD, which stretches from Camp Pendleton and part of Oceanside in the west, to Borrego Springs in the east, and from the Riverside County line to Poway and Rancho Penasquitos in the south.

State law requires that the ICOC membership include at least one student enrolled and active in a community college support group, such as student government; one member active in a business organization representing the business community; one member active in a senior citizens' organization; one member active in a taxpayers' association; one member active in a support organization for Palomar College, such as the Palomar College Foundation and President's Associates; and two members of the community at large.

A majority of the members must possess expertise in one or more of the following areas: large­-scale construction operations, municipal/public finance, expertise with agency/entity budgeting, and project management. The committee may not include any employee or official of the district, or any vendor, contractor or consultant of the district.

Under the ICOC bylaws approved by the Governing Board in September 2006, terms of service are generally two years with a maximum of three consecutive terms. Members are not compensated. The college anticipates that the ICOC will meet quarterly.

The ICOC bylaws stipulate the group will receive and review the district's annual independent performance audit and annual independent financial audit; inspect college facilities and grounds for which bond proceeds have been or will be expended; review district efforts to maximize bond proceeds; inform the public and Governing Board about the district's bond expenditures; present an annual written report to the Board; and provide other input.

Submitted by Palomar College.