Summary of the January 7, 2025 Board of Trustees Meeting
Jan 8 2025· Trustee Biggin took the oath of office after her reelection as the Trustee for Area 7.
· The trustees finalized the questions they will ask prospective trustee appointees for Area 2 and Area 5 on January 11. According to the original timeline, President of the Board Dr. Mullery will administer the oath of office to the newly appointed trustees on January 25, 2025.
· Trustees Dorn, Dr. Mullery, and Student Trustee President Alaniz mentioned attending a meeting with Assemblymember Chris Rogers with me on January 3rd. We discussed several topics with the assemblymember including providing a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) of at least 2.5% for all employee groups in the 2025-26 state budget, maintaining Strong Workforce funding, addressing healthcare education on the North Coast, and offering CR bachelor’s degrees. We also talked about some of the Assemblymember’s interests that CR can support such as addressing climate change, healthcare, childcare, and poverty. Dr. Mullery and I sent a follow-up letter to the Assemblymember and his district representative following the meeting.
· President of the Board Dr. Mullery made appointments to three ad hoc committees, the Audit Committee, and the CR Foundation Board.
o Ad Hoc President/Superintendent Evaluation Committee—Richard Dorn and Colleen Mullery
o Ad Hoc Board Self-Evaluation Committee—Carol Mathews and Lorraine Pedrotti
o Ad Hoc Committee to Review Chapter Two Board Policies and Administrative Procedures—Sally Biggin and Colleen Mullery
o Audit/Finance Committee—Carol Mathews, Richard Dorn, and Lorraine Pedrotti
o Board Representatives to the C.R. Foundation Board—Sally Biggin and Colleen Mullery
Dr. Mullery may add trustees to the ad hoc committees after the provisional trustee appointments are made.
· Merezko will begin service as a new Eureka Campus Maintenance Specialist III- Mechanical Systems tomorrow (January 8, 2025).
· The Trustees ratified the $56,840,000 construction contract with Boward Builders for the PE Gymnasium/Fieldhouse replacement project. They also ratified the amended $116,000 contract with John Pospishil for inspection work related to the PE Gym/Fieldhouse project. We have tentatively scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for the PE Gymnasium/Fieldhouse project for January 21st.
· I am incredibly pleased to share that the Board approved Resolution 822 that authorizes us to form the Measure I Bond Oversight Committee. Morrigan Burke sent out press release to local media outlets immediately after the Board approved the resolution today announcing that we are soliciting applications from community members interested in serving on the oversight committee. Anyone interested in knowing more about the oversight committee, or want to apply for membership on the committee, can visit the CR website Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee.
A question was raised about what we meant by “a recognized taxpayer organization” in the approved resolution. Our ever-resourceful Julia Morrison found references to Humboldt Taxpayers League and Fortuna Taxpayer’s Organization in the old Measure Q oversight committee files.
· I recognized Jonathan Maiullo and Irene Gonzalez-Herrera for their work on the Fall 2024 Multicultural Graduation. I also recognized men's basketball head coach Ryan Bisio and assistant coach Justin Claus for reaching one hundred wins with the win against San Mateo.
· I want to provide some information contained in the senior staff’s written administrative reports. First, I noted that Dr. Kristin Lima assumed her role as Dean of Del Norte Campus and Pelican Bay Program on January 6th. I also shared the complete Del Norte Campus/Pelican Bay Program Strategic Review Task Force report in my administrative report. In summary, the report introduced six strategic directions:
Strengthen Strategic Planning and Visioning: Establish a Visioning for Revitalization
Committee to define a long-term strategy for Del Norte/Pelican Bay (DNPB), supported
by a Steering Committee to implement and monitor progress.
Enhance Student Pathways: Expand dual enrollment with Del Norte High School and accelerate
a Credit for Prior Learning program, focusing on workforce development for Pelican
Bay correctional officers and veterans.
Invest in Facilities and Programs: Expedite Measure I-funded plans for a Healthcare
Training Hub and prioritize immediate facility improvements to create a more welcoming
and functional campus.
Targeted Marketing and Community Engagement: Develop marketing strategies tailored
to the Del Norte community and neighboring Oregon, while strengthening partnerships
with local tribes, alumni, and community organizations.
Expand Student Support Services: Hire additional advising staff to serve students
at Del Norte and Pelican Bay and expand life skills and non-credit programs to meet
diverse needs.
Achieve Financial Sustainability: Reduce non-mission-critical spending, pursue external
funding through a district-wide grant writer, and focus resources on high-impact initiatives.
The task force also identified five short-term and three long-term recommendations.
Short-Term Recommendations: Sign a CCAP agreement with the Del Norte High School; focus on fiscal challenges by cutting non-mission critical spending; create and implement a Visioning for Revitalization Committee with a subsequent Steering Committee; accelerate Measure I planning for the Del Norte Healthcare Training Hub; and accelerate the implementation of a Credit for Prior Learning program.
Long-Term Recommendations: Develop and implement marketing strategies specifically designed to address the unique perspectives and needs of the Del Norte community; continue to pursue external funding sources and community partnerships, which will be helped by hiring a grant writer for the District; and hire a dedicated advising staff person for students not currently being served with dedicated counseling for each location (Del Norte and Pelican Bay).
Second, Julia Morrison noted that we revived our planning for the new residence hall with the project design team and that we have be discussing the future of the current dorms. In that regard, I approved Julia’s recommendation on December 30, 2024 to demolish the two existing residence halls when the new student housing facility is built. I grounded my approval on the knowledge that our existing dorms are seismically vulnerable and are entirely or partially on seismically challenged ground, the existing dorms are old with outdated infrastructure, and that we are pursuing a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption for our new Student Housing Project based on the understanding that the existing dorms will be demolished and replaced by new construction.
Third, Crystal Morse’s report announced that the Start Up Humboldt Innovation Hub is operational. The hub—a strategic partnership between local and regional North Coast Small Business Development Center members, Lost Coast Ventures, Inner News, Cal Poly Humboldt, and College of the Redwoods—offers comprehensive support services including advisory, mentorship, and intensive business services. A formal ribbon cutting ceremony will be scheduled for early Spring.
Last, Marty Coelho’s report noted that I directed him to work closely with Dr. Lima, the President's Office, the CR Foundation, and Trustee Mathews to pursue fundraising opportunities in support of the Del Norte Healthcare Training Center.