Minimal interest in COD Trustee Vacancy

PALM DESERT — As of Friday, there have been three applicants for the COD trustee vacancy in Area 3, Armando Robles, executive administrative assistant for the office of the president, told Uken Report.

Area 3 represents Palm Springs and a fragment of Cathedral City.

The vacancy occurred when Fred E. Jandt submitted his resignation effective March 31.

As to the names of the applicants, under California First Amendment Coalition v. Superior Court (“Wilson”), 67 Cal. App. 4th 159, the District is withholding the names of the applicants in the initial pool, Robles said.

The only applicant to formally and publicly announce his candidacy is former Palm Springs Mayor Ron Oden.

The Desert Community College District Board of Trustees voted unanimously in April to appoint a representative, rather than hold a special election, to fill the Area 3 vacancy. A special election would have cost an estimated $180,000, or $3.50 per voter.

The hope is to have a new trustee seated by June so work can begin to replace current COD Superintendent/President Martha Garcia who was named the next president at Mt. San Antonio College effective July 1. She will remain at COD through the end of the academic year.

If the four-member board cannot come to agreement on an appointment, it will hold a special election.

Full information on how to nominate or apply for the Area 3 seat is available on the Board of Trustees website:
https://www.collegeofthedesert.edu/community/board-of-trustees

The deadline to apply is May 4, 2023.

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  • College of the Desert: COD