Cuesta College Celebrates ‘Bondiversary’

Wednesday marked one year since voters of San Luis Obispo County passed Measure L, the $275 million bond that promised to address Cuesta College’s long-standing facility, infrastructure and technology needs. One year later, Cuesta College has made good on that promise. The bond is currently in its first issuance of $75 million, which went into effect in the spring and will end in 2018. Six projects were chosen to be a part of the issuance because of their urgency. I wanted to mark this first “bondiversary” by letting the community know where we are in the midst of Measure L, and to thank the voters for their confidence in and support of Cuesta College. I also wanted to reassure those county property owners who did not support the bond that we will continue to be conscientious stewards of your tax dollars and not deviate from our campaign commitments. Our ability to provide excellent education to the community is enhanced because of all of you.

  • Repairs. Roofs and HVAC units have undergone replacement and repairs on the engineering building, electrical sciences classrooms, the kinesiology building, and the automotive and welding buildings. Additional repairs will continue in future bond issuances.
  • Interim housing. Because of state law requirements, 26 modular buildings have been vacated and faculty and staff were moved into new temporary structures by the start of the fall semester.
  • SLO instructional building. Plans for the new 32,000-square-foot classroom building are finalized and under review by the state architect, with a goal to break ground in spring 2016. The building will house the displaced classrooms and faculty offices because of a modular removal.
  • North County Campus Center. Also breaking ground in spring 2016, the 43,000-square-foot campus center will hold all the student services that are currently in temporary buildings under one roof.
  • SLO Aquatic Center. In December of this year, the research and design for a complete replacement of both pools on the SLO campus will begin; implementation is slated for the second bond issuance.
  • Technology upgrades. Implementation upgrades to modernize college-wide technology will begin this fall and conclude in 2018.
  • Debt retirement. The district has repaid one of the Certificates of Participation used to supplement inadequate state funding for previous building construction and to make urgent and necessary improvements and repairs to aging facilities.

We are excited to continue moving forward on bond projects and keep the community updated as we progress. For everything you need to know about Measure L — including maps, architectural renderings of the new buildings, construction alerts and business opportunities for construction vendors — please check out www.cuestacollegebond.info.

GIL STORK IS SUPERINTENDENT/PRESIDENT OF CUESTA COLLEGE.

Source: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article43152549.html

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