On Nov. 5, 64% of Santa Barbara voters approved the Measure P bond. This bond has begun its implementation at City College, establishing a Citizens Bond Oversight Committee to oversee its progress.

According to Superintendent-President Erika Endrijonas, this committee reports on the upcoming projects that come with this bond and supervises the fund usage.

“The role of this committee is to be the public’s watchdog to make sure that the bond funds are spent correctly,” Endrijonas said. “They don’t decide anything about how the bond funds are used.”

The board is looking for seven members who will serve without compensation for a two-year term, with a maximum of three consecutive terms. Executive Director of Public Affairs Jordan Killebrew said this criteria is used in order to ensure the committee reflects a diverse community. Members must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Active in a business organization 
• Active in support of the organization’s district
• Senior citizen
• Active in the Taxpayer’s association 
• Student (appointed by ASG)
• At-large community member (two)

During the Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 16, each applicant was given two minutes to present a speech.

As required by California Education Code, the Board of Trustees must appoint the members of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee within 60 days of affirming the 2024 election results. Applications were open from Dec. 19 to Jan. 8

Citizens Bond Oversight Committee

Board of Trustees President Jonathan Abboud acknowledged that though they were only looking for seven members, he approved the nine that applied.

“We welcomed everyone who applied to be transparent and to build trust with our community’s college,” Abboud said in an emailed press release. “I’m excited for them to get to work and help our community.” 

Bobbi Abram, Chief Executive Officer of the SBCC Foundation, will be joining the committee as a support organization representative. Abram was a principal officer in the Measure P campaign.

“We [SBCC Foundation] have interest in how the bond funds are spent because we were the sponsoring organization of the Measure P campaign,” Abram said.

Celeste Barber will be joining the committee as an at-large community member. Barber was a professor at City College for twenty years and was opposed to the passing of this bond.

“I am not an obstructionist, I want it to succeed,” Barber said. “At the same time, the public has very low trust in governments of all levels. . . someone like me serving [the committee] who openly opposed the passage would be very helpful in restoring trust and faith in the system.”

To represent the Associated Student Government (ASG), Commissioner of Fundraising Marco Bonometti joined the committee. Bonometti is also a student and member of the Ambassadors Program at City College.

“My journey at SBCC has been enriched by various leadership roles that allow me to advocate for my fellow students and make sure their voices are heard,” Bonometti said.

To serve as a secondary at-large community member, Lucille Boss joined the committee. Boss was an inaugural director of SBCC Promise for the City College Foundation and is currently a Central Coast community member.

“I will proudly share the progress on campus that we make thanks to the community’s vote,” Boss said.

Aruni Boteju is the Business Organization representative for the committee. Boteju is the founder and President of the Ceylon International Film Festival in Santa Barbara.

“I firmly believe in the transformative power of education to rebuild and strengthen our community,” Boteju said.

Katherine Davidson has joined the committee as a third at-large community member. Davidson has lived in Santa Barbara since 1977 and is an alumna of the University of California Santa Barbara.

“Our family has benefited from what SBCC has to offer,” Davidson said. “SBCC is a treasure and tremendous community outlet, we want to see it continue.”

To fill the role of Taxpayer’s Organization Representative, Dale Francisco is a part of the committee as a City College alumni and served two terms on the Santa Barbara City Council.

“I think I can make a unique contribution,” Francisco said. “My connection to City College goes back to the early 1980s when I was a student here.”

Representing the fourth and final at-large community member, Steven Fellows joined the committee. Fellows has a 40-year career in healthcare administration and has lived in Santa Barbara for over 20 years.

“I had the privilege of supporting both bond initiatives for the college,” Fellows said.

Completing the committee, Karen Hickman is the committee’s Senior Citizen Representative. Hickman has over 30 years of experience in public service and financial oversight. Hickman was unable to make it to the meeting; however, the board approved her application.

“The first goal of the oversight committee is to make sure we’re doing everything correctly,”  Endrijonas said in the Jan. 16 Board of Trustees meeting. “It’s here to give perspective.”

The Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee will begin meeting quarterly on March 24 in A-211.