The Gavilan College Board of Trustees will discuss Tuesday
whether to appoint a new board member or hold a special election,
after Trustee Jaime De La Cruz resigned from the board due to his
recent appointment to the San Benito County Board of
Supervisors.
Hollister – The Gavilan College Board of Trustees will discuss Tuesday whether to appoint a new board member or hold a special election, after Trustee Jaime De La Cruz resigned from the board due to his recent appointment to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
Steve Kinsella, president of Gavilan, said he anticipates the board will choose to appoint a new board member rather than hold a special election, as special elections are often expensive. De La Cruz’s Gavilan College district covers San Benito County. The term will expire in November 2006.
If the board votes to appoint a new member, the college will advertise the position in newspapers of general circulation with a concentration of ads in San Benito County. The ads will provide information on how to obtain an application as well as a general review of the duties and responsibilities of board members.
The ads are expected to begin running later this month given the board approves appointment, Kinsella said. By law, the college has to replace De La Cruz’s position by March 12, 60 days after Jan. 12 when his resignation went into effect.
De La Cruz’s last board meeting was Jan. 11. He was elected to the board in November 2002.
“He did some really outstanding work for the district,” Kinsella said. “He was heavily involved in some key areas – helping us resolve the budget issues, the development of a non-credit proposal, providing additional services to under-serviced populations and the development of the facilities master planning efforts that resulted in … (the passing of) Measure E.”
