Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Open Board of Directors Meeting
San Bernardino Community College District
114 S. Del Rosa Drive
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Minutes
Present: Don Averill,Deborah Barmack, Carole Beswick, Tom Brickley, Ann Bryan, Ken Coate, Jill Eaton, Dick Hart, Fran Inman, Jay Jimenez, Mark Kaenel, Lowell King, Temetry Lindsey, Tomas Morales, Tom Nightingale, Bev Powell, Brian Reider, Susan Rice, Kristine Scott, Steve von Rajcs, Jan Weder, Stan Weisser, and Ray Wolfe.
Guests: Ted Alejandro, Ed Lasak, Sheriff John McMahan.
Announcements: 1) Bill Easley, long time member and past Chairman of Inland Action, passed away December 29, 2014. Information regarding the services for him has been e-mailed to the members. 2) The invitation for the Appointees Reception erroneously indicated January 15th is a Wednesday. Please be aware the reception will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2015. 3) Reservation forms for the annual trip to Washington, D.C. will be sent out soon. The trip dates are Sunday, March 15 thru Wednesday, March 18, 2015. 4) Barmack Law, P.C. has been proposed for membership. Peter Barmack, Attorney will serve as the representative. 5) Last week newly elected Congressman Pete Aguilar expressed appreciation for the framed panoramic photo of the 33rd district presented to him by Chairmen Mark Kaenel on behalf of Inland Action. 6) A tour of the newest Bloodmobile, the donor center and adjoining laboratory will be held on Monday, January 12 from 10a.m. to noon at LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center, 384 W. Orange St. Rsvp to 909-386-6871. 7) CSUSB Business Alliance will hold a Cyber Security Summit on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30p.m. Rsvp to 909-537-5771.
M/S/P: Minutes from December 16, 2014.
Lowell King introduced Mike Ramos, San Bernardino County District Attorney.
San Bernardino County has the highest caseload in the state and since restructuring, the office of the District Attorney now has some 220 attorney’s and totals 500 employees. Mike Ramos is proud of his staff and their past accomplishments but is focusing on the future.
Now serving in his fourth term as District Attorney, he has been fortunate to have mutually respectful relationships with both the former and current Governor. After some serious conversations he was able to find some compromises with Governor Brown on items in AB13 realignment. The passage of California’s Proposition 47, also known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act presents challenges to law enforcement and public safety. The proposition will reclassify drug and theft crimes that involve less than $950 from felonies to misdemeanors. Existing programs like the successful Drug Court depended on the looming threat of jail time to keep offenders compliant in the program. 95% of these cases will now be considered misdemeanors and the DA’s office and the Sheriff’s Department are working closely together to figure out how to re-tool existing or create new programs with this recent shift. Adding to their challenge is a lack of funding for needed prop 47 rehabilitation.
Focus for 2015
Cold Cases-The D.A.’s office will continue to work on unsolved cases (dating 20-25 years ago) using DNA and technology. Future funding will be needed.
Human Trafficking-Continued efforts will be made to reduce human trafficking. Gang activity is now crossing over into this crime. In an effort to reduce the demand for victims of human trafficking, the DA also has a “Stop the John” program. This program releases the names and photos of those defendants convicted of solicitation in San Bernardino County on the DA’s web site. The San Bernardino Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation (C.A.S.E.) has been very successful. This partnership of public and private entities has developed resources in the county to educate, prevent, intervene and treat victims of sexual exploitation. The protocol of this program is now being reviewed and adopted by others across the country.
Cyber Crime-The District Attorney would like to lead the state and the nation in prevention of and intervention in cyber crimes. They are tied to the F.B.I.’s crime lab and have plans for a new forensic crime lab in San Bernardino County. Funding for the crime lab will come from the Department of Justice. Building space is being reviewed.
Crime Prevention- Continue to work with school districts to reduce truancy and expand countywide. Hold parents responsible in order to reduce truancy rates and increase graduation rates. Continue focus on anti-gang & anti-drug programs in elementary schools.
A Q & A period followed.
Meeting adjourned at 8:18a.m.