screwThe AVCC Two Step

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Council, College Board Bury the Hatchet...
Unfortunately it was in our backs!
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SOUNDS OF KUMBAYA ECHO AROUND CAMPFIRE?
The battle is over; in the courts and in the press. But while the City Council and College Board agree to "move forward" a "bury the hatchet", I still have to beilieve that hatchet is buried in the backs of all the residents that will pay that Measure R Bond on their Tax Bills every year, with nothing locally to show for it. They have a swell new stadium, at the Lancaster campus; a nifty new Performing Arts Center (how many do we need in the valley?), also at Lacaster campus... But the promised South Valley Campus that got the bond passed, remains a hope, a concept, a pipe-dream.

I'm not so sure that hatchet is a good swap for the screw that was there!

We will continue to get our annual updates from the College board. We will continue to hear the economy is tough, the budget was cut, development is difficult, we're working on it, etc... Yes, we know, we all are.

But in the harsh reality of the state budget deficit, and draconian legislative cuts to the community and state college budgets, it is my prediction that we will NEVER see our true south valley campus that we were promised in my lifetime. I believe the college will continue to stuff students into office buildings (OK for adult learning programs, but NOT conducive to community college students), but i'm not holding my breath on the "campus".

THE FUTURE
Is a Palmdale City College the way to go? Focusing on job skills, engineering, and undergraduate prep. I think so. Or, what about a full court press on the 4 year college. In the private college spectrum we've seen what the motivated entrepeneur can do - look at University of the Anelope Valley. Or do we reinvigorate the State College effort - in light of the budget slash and burn in Sacramento, a daunting task.

I believe we need to continue to pursue the opportunities.

THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Evidence is clear that AVCC never really intended to really build a south valley campus. They just used us as a means to an end.

The end? A multimillion dollar bond to build what THE BOARD priorities really were, NOT what the communities' priorities were.

AVC Board and staff continued to obfuscate with a letter to the AV Press, and Fox continues to, well, be Fox. Note to Weinke and Fisher: When you find yourself in ditch, QUIT DIGGING!

Why, Steve, you say, how can that be so?

In 2003, AVCC enlisted the EVANS/ McDONOUGH Company (EMC) in 2004 to survey the voters and determine the best scam to con the voters with. The results? We found the public document Antelope Valley College District Likely March '04 Voters, Presentation Of Survey Results contained the following:

59% of the voters put a New South Valley Campus as a priority for them to vote in the bond.

Now where were those voters from, Steve, and what was the breakdown on that issue?

The survey told the board what they needed to do to get this bond passed. A Palmdale Campus freatured prominently in the ballot measure would guarantee its passing. Again, from the EMC Survey:

The “voters in Palmdale and Littlerock are the most likely to support the new campus.”

Littlerock – 75%

Palmdale – 68%

Lancaster – 55%

So they move forward, and the scam grows. Featured prominently again in a public document EXHIBIT B - FULL TEXT BALLOT PROPOSITION on Page B-3 look what’s there! A large bullet point, and bold type, and I quote:

Provide permanent classrooms, labs, job training and college transfer counseling buildings in the Palmdale area, including the acquisition of a site(s) to allow local students greater access to an affordable education.

Close quote. From their lips to our ballot box.

So they troll that bait out there, and at the July 26, 2004 City Council Meeting, their spokeholes come to City Council meetings and scammed the council into adopting a supporting Resolution CC 2004-247, a public document which the AVCC bond promoters requested, encouraged, and supported and waved around town to demonstrate support.

In 2003, an official looking (oh, it was really official, sorry) public document titled PROJECT LISTING FOR AVCCD with 3 seperate entries for the Palmdale Campus facility and land acquisition was produced, further reinforcing for everyone that it was moving forward.

The real work of art is the Facilities Master Plan - Palmdale Campus Plan. It has the ironic slogan at the bottom: Imagine The Possibilities. Yeah, go figure!

And we all bought it, hook, line, sinker, pole, and reel. It shows up on every one of our tax bills.

So in April 2008, the college board has a "Groundbreaking Ceremony" that I would call a dog and pony show, but it was such a poorly orchestrated sham that it would upset the legitemate dog and pony show operators. Fisher hosted a number of local officials in a silver shovel show.

Curious to get an update on how things were progressing, Fisher began briefing council members. Ledford and Dispenza were first, and I guess the cat was let out of the bag that we figured out what was going on. Then, on September 30, 2008, the letter from the Council to Fisher (which is a public document) was sent that resulted in the AV Press story, and (now I'm only guessing) I'm not sure if Fisher is going to be briefing the rest of the council.

There’s a lot more interesting reading, and I will post these documents on my website as soon as I get done scanning them and updating the site. The city has put in a major Public Records Act request, and there’s more stuff coming.

Like the Board of Trade luncheon a AVCC Board Member spoke at, admitting – contradicting Dr Fishers comments in the paper – that Palmale had in fact, surpassed the 500 student enrollment milestone to qualify. Ooops!

So how do you think their next bond will do?

05/01 UPDATE

Now, in this latest spin, Fisher and his unindicted co-conspirators are bragging that the board "prevailed" in a recent legal ruling against the City. This was the issue of the Brown Act violation. The judge didn't say there wasn't a violation, as the spin-meisters at AVCC would lead you to believe. The judge stated the City is not an individual, and only named individuals can file action.

Oh, and by the way, Fisher "forgets" to tell readers the judge cleared the way for action on the issue of inadequate oversight by the rubber stamp bond committee. Guess that just slipped past him...

So anybody want to sign up for the Oversight Committee? I'm just guessing there may be some vacancies when one or more members that jump ship when they realize the implications.

Check back often.

Steve
steve.hofbauer@yahoo.com