[Solano County] Taxpayers group rep says Solano College sought $650 for public records

[Solano County] Taxpayers group rep says Solano College sought $650 for public records

FAIRFIELD — The taxpayers group representative referred to in a Solano County grand jury report as seeking copies of lists of projects to be paid for by Measure Q bond money says Solano College wanted to charge him $650 for the public records he requested.

“They had to back off,” George Guynn Jr. of the Central Solano Citizen-Taxpayer Group said of the college. “I told them that’s not according to the law.”

The request for $650 came in a July 2013 letter from the college to Guynn and included what Solano College said were costs for five hours of staff time and two hours by a consultant, Guynn recounted.

He said he brought his own printer to the college and was able to get copies – which he provided the grand jury – of documents without paying the $650.

A Solano College representative could not be reached Thursday for comment.

The 15-page grand jury report issued Monday describes the language of Measure Q, the $348 million bond passed by voters in 2012, as misleading and contradictory. The jury said the bond measure failed to comply with state law and that a facilities master plan identified as available for public review at the office of the Solano College president did not exist.

Several draft master plans were prepared but they are better classified as “shopping lists” than projects lists, the grand jury said.

The report refers to a local tax group seeking copies of the master plans but doesn’t mention Guynn by name.

In March 2014, about 17 months after the election, the final facilities master plan was delivered to the homes of each of the college district’s trustees for review, the grand jury said. The master plan was approved in August 2014, almost two years after Measure Q was submitted to voters, the grand jury said.

“Trustee interviews revealed that there was some perception that they did a lot of ‘rubber-stamping’ ” of projects the college administration brought, the grand jury added. “They really did not know what to do with the $348 million,” the grand jury said of trustees.

“It was also ascertained that the medical and dental benefits included in the trustee compensation package was, in some cases, sufficient reason alone to seek election,” stated the grand jury. “A lack of engagement and oversight by the board of trustees, coupled with a cavalier attitude on the part of some of its members, is an issue of great concern.”

Guynn said of health care coverage spurring some college trustees to seek office that, “I’m sure that’s the reality.”

“That is not a good reason,” he said of medical insurance as the cause for college district trustee service.

A. Marie Young, president of the board of trustees, said Thursday that the college is issuing a press release about the grand jury report and her comments will be in the release.

Guynn said the public is not aware of what happens with its taxes at Solano College.

“They’re clueless about what’s going on in their community,” he said, adding that part of the reason is that “this is a commuter community.”

The Suisun City resident said he’s pleased that the truth is coming out about Measure Q.

“I hope the story doesn’t die,” Guynn said.

July 3, 2015

Fairfield Daily Republic

By Ryan McCarthy