|
CALIFORNIA CODE
Education Code
15278. (a) If a bond measure authorized pursuant to paragraph (3)
of subdivision (b) of Section 1 of Article XIIIA of the California
Constitution and subdivision (b) of Section 18 of Article XVI of the
California Constitution is approved, the governing board of the
school district or community college shall establish and appoint
members to an independent citizens' oversight committee, pursuant to
Section 15282, within 60 days of the date that the governing board
enters the election results on its minutes pursuant to Section 15274.
(b) The purpose of the citizens' oversight committee shall be to
inform the public concerning the expenditure of bond revenues. The
citizens' oversight committee shall actively review and report on the
proper expenditure of taxpayers' money for school construction. The
citizens' oversight committee shall advise the public as to whether
a school district or community college district is in compliance with
the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 1 of
Article XIIIA of the California Constitution. The citizens'
oversight committee shall convene to provide oversight for, but not
be limited to, both of the following:
(1) Ensuring that bond revenues are expended only for the purposes
described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 1 of
Article XIIIA of the California Constitution.
(2) Ensuring that, as prohibited by subparagraph (A) of paragraph
(3) of subdivision (b) of Section 1 of Article XIIIA of the
California Constitution, no funds are used for any teacher or
administrative salaries or other school operating expenses.
(c) In furtherance of its purpose, the citizens' oversight
committee may engage in any of the following activities:
(1) Receiving and reviewing copies of the annual, independent
performance audit required by subparagraph (C) of paragraph (3) of
subdivision (b) of Section 1 of Article XIIIA of the California
Constitution.
(2) Receiving and reviewing copies of the annual, independent
financial audit required by subparagraph (C) of paragraph (3) of
subdivision (b) of Section 1 of Article XIIIA of the California
Constitution.
(3) Inspecting school facilities and grounds to ensure that bond
revenues are expended in compliance with the requirements of
paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 1 of Article XIIIA of the
California Constitution.
(4) Receiving and reviewing copies of any deferred maintenance
proposals or plans developed by a school district or community
college district, including any reports required by Section 17584.1.
(5) Reviewing efforts by the school district or community college
district to maximize bond revenues by implementing cost-saving
measures, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Mechanisms designed to reduce the costs of professional fees.
(B) Mechanisms designed to reduce the costs of site preparation.
(C) Recommendations regarding the joint use of core facilities.
(D) Mechanisms designed to reduce costs by incorporating
efficiencies in schoolsite design.
(E) Recommendations regarding the use of cost-effective and
efficient reusable facility plans.
15280. (a) The governing board of the district shall, without
expending bond funds, provide the citizens' oversight committee with
any necessary technical assistance and shall provide administrative
assistance in furtherance of its purpose and sufficient resources to
publicize the conclusions of the citizens' oversight committee.
(b) All committee proceedings shall be open to the public and
notice to the public shall be provided in the same manner as the
proceedings of the governing board. The citizens' oversight
committee shall issue regular reports on the results of its
activities. A report shall be issued at least once a year. Minutes
of the proceedings of the citizens' oversight committee and all
documents received and reports issued shall be a matter of public
record and be made available on an Internet website maintained by the
governing board.
15282. (a) The citizens' oversight committee shall consist of at
least seven members to serve for a term of two years without
compensation and for no more than two consecutive terms. While
consisting of a minimum of at least seven members, the citizens'
oversight committee shall be comprised, as follows:
(1) One member shall be active in a business organization
representing the business community located within the district.
(2) One member shall be active in a senior citizens' organization.
(3) One member shall be active in a bona fide taxpayers'
organization.
(4) For a school district, one member shall be the parent or
guardian of a child enrolled in the district. For a community
college district, one member shall be a student who is both currently
enrolled in the district and active in a community college group,
such as student government. The community college student member
may, at the discretion of the board, serve up to six months after his
or her graduation.
(5) For a school district, one member shall be both a parent or
guardian of a child enrolled in the district and active in a
parent-teacher organization, such as the Parent Teacher Association
or schoolsite council. For a community college district, one member
shall be active in the support and organization of a community
college or the community colleges of the district, such as a member
of an advisory council or foundation.
(b) No employee or official of the district shall be appointed to
the citizens' oversight committee. No vendor, contractor, or
consultant of the district shall be appointed to the citizens'
oversight committee. Members of the citizens' oversight committee
shall, pursuant to Sections 35233 and 72533, abide by the
prohibitions contained in Article 4 (commencing with Section 1090)
and Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 1125) of Division 4 of Title
1 of the Government Code.
SHASTA-TEHAMA-TRINITY JOINT
COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
General Obligation Bond
Citizens’ Oversight Committee
A Citizen’s Oversight Committee is authorized by Section 15278 of Article 2 of
AB 1908 dealing with bond measures for school and community college districts.
Section 15278 states that if a bond measure is approved by the voters in
accordance with the 55% requirement (Proposition 39), the governing board of the
community college district shall establish and appoint members to an independent
citizens’ oversight committee within 60 days of the date that the governing
board enters the election results on its minutes.
The Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District Citizens’ Oversight
Committee was appointed by the Board of Trustees. Therefore, the committee must
operate within the parameters of the Brown Act. All meetings must have an Open
Agenda that is posted 72 hours before the meeting. All committee meetings must
have an Open Hearing portion for public comment, and all committee meetings must
have minutes recorded that are available to the public.
The purpose of the Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District
Citizens’ Oversight Committee is to inform the public concerning the expenditure
of bond revenues. The oversight committee shall actively review and report on
the proper expenditure of taxpayers’ money for the college district’s
construction. The committee shall advise the public as to whether a school
district is in compliance with the requirements of the legislation authorizing a
55% passage (Proposition 39).
The Citizens’ Oversight Committee shall provide oversight for ensuring that bond
revenues are expended only for the purposes described in the legislation and in
the bond resolution and to ensure that no funds are used for any teacher or
administrative salaries or other school operation expenses. The Citizens’
Oversight Committee will also receive and review copies of the annual
independent financial audit required by the legislation of the bond
expenditures. The financial audit cannot be paid with bond revenues.
|
