Long Beach Community College Board Wrestles With Transparency

College Board Trustee, Sunny Zia, put a " bee in the bonnet" of her other four colleagues when she began insisting last October, that the Board agenda and materials include details for expenditures -- all expenditures -- so that the Board and the public could determine if the expenditures were warranted.

After being personally attacked by two other colleagues that she dare make such a request, the college administration has announced that it was planning all along to "roll out" a computerized agenda that would provide such details.

Administration building on Carson St, Long Beach, California. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Zia was once again chastised by a colleague in November and reminded that she could always ask staff about these items "before a meeting" obviously not understanding the intent of the Brown Act which requires that discussion of agenda items take place in public. The same colleague suggested a "study session" on Board policies and procedures. Hopefully, the Board's attorney will be on hand to remind all members of the requirements of the Brown Act. Perhaps following the session, Zia will receive an apology.

Zia, just elected last year, is to be commended for insisting that the taxpayers have a right to know where their money is being spent.

NOTE: Long Beach City College is comprised of two campuses: Carson and PCH. Together they form the Long Beach Community College District and are governed by an elected Board of Trustees, who serve without term limits.

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