In November 2014, the voters in the Hollister School District approved Measure M, a $28.5 million bond measure. Measure M was a “Proposition 39” bond measure. Proposition 39 allows for bond measures to gain voter approval with 55% of the voters in the district in favor of the measure. Unlike most other bond measures in California, which require 66% voter approval, Proposition 39 bonds allow a lower voter threshold for approval, with some conditions.
The first condition is, unlike non Proposition 39 bonds which may raise more funding for school construction and modernization, Proposition 39 bonds limit the amount of money raised by placing a cap on what is charged per parcel. Specifically, Proposition 39 bonds allow no more than a $30 charge for every $100,000 of the assessed (not actual) value of the property. So, for example, a property assessed at $200,000, would cost the property owner $60 per year.
Another condition placed on Proposition 39 bonds is the requirement for the school district to establish a Citizen’s Oversight Committee, or COC. The purpose of the COC is to meet to review school district expenditures for bond projects, and report to the public whether or not the school district is spending the funds raised by the Proposition 39 bond on the projects the school district identified in its list of projects presented to the voters when they voted for the bond measure. The establishment of the COC, then, is an accountability measure provided to the public.
The Hollister School District established the Measure M Citizens’ Oversight Committee at a meeting held on January 27, 2015. The school district now is actively recruiting seven or more members of the public to serve on the COC. Members of the committee will serve for terms of two years for no more than three consecutive terms. The committee meets between four times a year. Members need to include at least one member who is active in a senior citizens’ organization; a representative active in a business organization representing the business community located within the district; one member who is active in a bona fide taxpayers’ organization; one member who is a parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the district; one member who is both a parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the district and is active in a parentteacher organization, such PTA or Schoolsite Council. No employee or official of the district shall be appointed and no vendor, contractor, or consultant of the district shall be appointed to the COC.
As a HSD trustee, I feel it is very important for our Hollister community to know we are making every effort to continue building a relationship of trust, and transparency. That is why I am reaching out to the public for help. I understand our lives get busy, and there never seems to be enough time. But I also know there are plenty of caring people who believe relationships are the best venue for building bridges within our community. May this opportunity present itself as just that, a bridge for members of our community to know the working elements of a bond measure, know the public servants whom are given this responsibility, and understand the due diligence that is required in the spending of these funds. The Hollister School District is still seeking a representative from the business community, a parent or guardian of a student in the district, a representative of a bona fide taxpayer organization, and other at-large members in the community to create a seven member committee.
This is a terrific opportunity for community oversight of the Measure M bond expenditures. If you believe you might be interested in serving on this committee, please go to the Hollister School District website at w ww.hesd.org and scroll to the “Measure M” tab on the left side of the page. This link will take you to the page with the Measure M Citizens’ Oversight Committee application, and to the full background information about the bond measure.
For more information you can also call Mr. John Teliha at 831-630-6375.
Peter Hernandez is a trustee in the Hollister School District.
