Issue Date: 8/21/06
Renovation bond to go on ballot
By Jason Dunn
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Palomar Governing Board members voted unanimously Aug. 8 to put a $694 million bond measure on the Nov. 7 ballot.
"It's probably the most significant thing we in this room are doing for our future," Governing Board Member Ruth Larson said during the meeting.
If passed by voters in the Palomar Community College District, the bond will allocate $694 million for renovating the San Marcos Campus and for purchasing two new campuses in the north and the south of the district.
President Robert Deegan said there is already an option to buy 82 acres of land near the intersection of Interstate 15 and Highway 76 in Fallbrook, but a southern site around Poway has not been found.
The majority of the funds though, he said, would be spent on existing facilities.
"It would essentially be to rebuild the San Marcos campus," Deegan said.
The plans for spending the money are based on a master plan for expanding Palomar College, which was written in August 2003.
The master plan is directed at having Palomar College's facilities expand to accommodate projected growth in the district and increased enrollment until 2022.
Deegan said the bond proposal has been submitted to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters. The bond proposal needs 55 percent or higher of voters to approve it to pass.
Deegan and Governing Board Member Nancy Chadwick have both said that community polling indicates the bond will pass.
If the bond passes, Palomar College may be eligible for $277 million in matching funds that the state government would provide for construction of new buildings.
Chadwick said that honesty and openness with the community about the bond are important between now and Election Day.
"We want as much transparency as possible," Chadwick said. "We've been very transparent and we want to continue that."
The bond money would not be allowed to be spent to increase anyone's salary.
Deegan said a citizen oversight committee would be formed to check the spending of the bond money, and that the spending would be audited.
"It's probably the most significant thing we in this room are doing for our future," Governing Board Member Ruth Larson said during the meeting.
If passed by voters in the Palomar Community College District, the bond will allocate $694 million for renovating the San Marcos Campus and for purchasing two new campuses in the north and the south of the district.
President Robert Deegan said there is already an option to buy 82 acres of land near the intersection of Interstate 15 and Highway 76 in Fallbrook, but a southern site around Poway has not been found.
The majority of the funds though, he said, would be spent on existing facilities.
"It would essentially be to rebuild the San Marcos campus," Deegan said.
The plans for spending the money are based on a master plan for expanding Palomar College, which was written in August 2003.
The master plan is directed at having Palomar College's facilities expand to accommodate projected growth in the district and increased enrollment until 2022.
Deegan said the bond proposal has been submitted to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters. The bond proposal needs 55 percent or higher of voters to approve it to pass.
Deegan and Governing Board Member Nancy Chadwick have both said that community polling indicates the bond will pass.
If the bond passes, Palomar College may be eligible for $277 million in matching funds that the state government would provide for construction of new buildings.
Chadwick said that honesty and openness with the community about the bond are important between now and Election Day.
"We want as much transparency as possible," Chadwick said. "We've been very transparent and we want to continue that."
The bond money would not be allowed to be spent to increase anyone's salary.
Deegan said a citizen oversight committee would be formed to check the spending of the bond money, and that the spending would be audited.
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