College races where the action is

Paper: Monterey County Herald, The (CA)

Date: August 11, 2007

The hot political races in the Nov. 6 elections in Monterey County are concentrated in the area's community college districts.

Friday was the final day for candidates to toss their name into any of the 25 races for school boards through the county, and it is apparent that the junior college districts are generating the excitement.

Twelve people will vie for four spots on the Hartnell College board of trustees. Four candidates, including three incumbents, are seeking election for four-year terms on the Monterey Peninsula College board, and two others are seeking a two-year term on the MPC board.

Hartnell, a school that's been mired in controversy for the last couple of years, attracted, by far, the largest pool of candidates, much larger than the 2005 contest. In Area 1, until recently represented by Steve McShane, five people have joined the race: plumber Jerome "Jerry" McCready, North Monterey County School District trustee Kevin Healy, retired teacher Polly Jimenez, retired Cabrillo College Vice President Manual Osorio, and Michael Chase, who did not list his occupation for the ballot.

McShane recently moved to Area 4 of Hartnell, which encompasses the Monterey-Salinas Highway corridor, and he decided to run for a seat in his new district. Also vying for the post, left vacant by trustee Aaron Johnson, who resolved not to seek a second term, are businessman Josh Stratton and retired parks-recreation director Pat Donohue.

Trustee Bill Freeman, who represents Area 2, will face businessman Rick Giffin in his quest for a second term.

Berna Maya, who represents Area 4, won't seek a second term, and two people have signed on to take her place: public relations consultant Jeff Davis and educator and activist Elia Gonzalez-Castro.

The nomination period has been extended to Wednesday in races in which the incumbents are not seeking re-election.

At Monterey Peninsula College, all three incumbents — Charles Page, Lynn Davis and Loren Steck — are seeking election to a four-year term, and they have been challenged by Seaside fire Capt. Alvin Edwards.

A fourth seat is available for a two-year term following the recent resignation of Bob Infelise, and two educators have filed for that seat: Diane Cordero de Noriega, former provost and interim president at CSU-Monterey Bay, and Carl Pohlhammer, a professor emeritus at MPC.

The composition of the MPC board has been the subject of scrutiny and controversy in recent years after residents of Seaside and Marina called on the board to create trustee districts, rather than continue at-large elections.

After several false starts, the board eventually decided to continue at-large elections.

Mel Mason, chairman of the Citizens Committee for MPC Redistricting, said he supports the challengers.

"I hope they make ( redistricting) one of their key points to the platform," he said. "That is absolutely critical."

Noriega said the trustees' debate about districts wouldn't have been a factor for her to turn in paperwork for the race.

"I had some encouragement from the various parts of the community," said Noriega, who lives in Seaside and has thought about the position for a year.

"I thought I'd pretty much fit the bill in terms of bringing geographic diversity, ethnic diversity and gender diversity, so I thought the time was right."

Edwards also said that community diversity was a primary issue for him. "It is a big concern for me to make sure our communities of Marina and Seaside have representation on the board," said Edwards, also a Seaside resident.

Pohlhammer couldn't be reached for comment late Friday.

Claudia Meléndez Salinas can be reached at 753-6755 or cmelendez@montereyherald.com.

Clarissa Aljentera can be reached at 648-1171 or claljentera@montereyherald

.com.

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All contents ©2007 MONTEREY COUNTY HERALD and may not be republished without written permission.

Author: CLARISSA ALJENTERA and CLAUDIA MELüNDEZ SALINAS

Section: Top Story

Page: A1