Voters indicated their approval of Ohlone’s plans to update and renovate the Main Campus and to purchase land and construct the Newark Satellite Campus by passing the March 2002 bond. The bond listed broad program and construction goals that are needed to deliver quality educational services to our growing population.

The League of Women Voters suggests that before the Ohlone Board gives direction to the architects for any more drawings, the public needs to be invited and encouraged to participate in the planning of the new facilities. The taxpayers who will fund the improvements need to be involved in the planning process, and the Ohlone Board should actively solicit their input.

The League participated in discussions that FUSD held before the details were determined for the expenditure of their Facilities Bond money. A neutral facilitator was hired to lead the final discussions, and many useful ideas were presented to eh FUSD Board that were subsequently incorporated into their plans.

The League recommends that the Ohlone Board schedule public meetings to listen to citizen input before architects begin their work on the site plans for the 81 acre Satellite Campus. The collective expertise of your constituents may produce useful ideas on the use of the acreage that is above the 25 acres originally needed to construct ideas and alternatives to the planned buildings on the Main Campus may also be explored.

We urge the Board to foster this dialogue so that informed direction can be given to the architects before any more money is expended on architectural drawings.