Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein Must Resign

Sierra College Math and Technology Center Dedicated to former President Kevin Ramirez

2011-05-07T20:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the Good Guys Win

On Friday May 9th, Sierra College dedicated the Math and Technology building to former president Kevin M. Ramirez. The honor, completely teacher/staff-driven was passed unanimously by the Sierra College Board of Trustees. The dedication ceremony was attended by Sierra College teachers, students, staff, college Board of Trustees members, family and friends, where Dr. Ramirez was lauded for his leadership and dedication to the college.

Notably missing was Aaron Klein, Board of Trustees President and the person who filed groundless charges against President Ramirez in 2004, forcing Ramirez to resign, casting a shadow over a stellar career. Both the grand jury and the Fair Practices cleared Ramirez of any wrong-doing. The actions that resulted from Klein's naive and politically-motivated attack against Ramirez have come full circle with the naming of the Mathematics and Technology Center after Dr. Ramirez, recognizing his invaluable contribution to Sierra College.

Auburn Journal - Letter to the Editor

2009-11-30T11:20:00.000-08:00

“Ex-Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez exonerated by state political watchdog,” (Journal, Nov. 1), captured my attention.

Having been involved in the politically charged events surrounding Ramirez’s ouster and having served as interim president during this tumultuous time, I’m pleased to learn the grand jury and the Fair Political Practices Commission cleared Ramirez of wrongdoing.

Aaron Klein, a 26-year-old, newly elected Sierra College trustee, mistakenly thought he could fire Ramirez without consequence.

That Klein got as far as he did with his baseless and politically motivated charges has me scratching my head. His reckless, headline-grabbing behavior undermined public trust in the Sierra College Board of Trustees and caused harm to the reputation of a dedicated public servant.

Yet, Klein continues his smear campaign, falsely countering the grand jury had no jurisdiction and discounting the FPPC’s ruling.

Klein’s reactions to these investigations reflect a small-minded individual, incapable of learning from his mistakes.

His lesson cost taxpayers at least $620,000. Still, he accepts no responsibility for his misguided actions. Is this the caliber of individual we want running Sierra College? It’s time for Trustee Klein to apologize and resign for the good of the college and its students.

Morgan Lynn, former interim president, Sierra College

Aaron Klein Continues to Lie

2009-10-31T16:13:00.000-07:00

Within a month of election as Sierra College Board in 2004, Trustee Aaron Klein, John Doolittle's protégée, made false charges against the college president, forcing him to resign. A later Grand Jury investigation called Klein's charges false and irresponsible. The Fair Political Practices Commission also found Klein's charges to be baseless. Klein has refused to apologize, and has made self-serving statements claiming the FPPC ruling was wrong! Indeed, he continues to lie, claiming disclosures of political donors were not made before Election Day when facts show they were.

Klein's reckless accusations cost the college a dedicated president, years of upheaval, and over $650,000. It's readily apparent Klein needs to resign from the Sierra College Board. Sierra College deserves better

CLOSURE: After 5 years, Ex-Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez exonerated by state political watchdog

2009-10-31T15:54:00.000-07:00

Five-year-old case filed by Trustee Aaron Klein finally closed by Fair Political Practices Commission
By Gus Thomson, Journal Staff Writer

Auburn Journal
October 30, 2009

The Fair Political Practices Commission has found no wrongdoing after a review of 2004 allegations filed against former President Kevin Ramirez by Trustee Aaron Klein.

Klein’s complaint to the commission and the uproar that followed led to Ramirez’s departure six months later with a $500,000 contract buyout, a call in a grand jury report for an apology by Klein, and a short-lived recall campaign against Klein and another trustee, Jerry Simmons.

An Applegate resident, Ramirez continues to work as a consultant with colleges around the state.

“I’d just call it closure,” Ramirez said. “It provides tremendous closure for me, albeit a long time coming.”

Klein issued a short statement on Friday:

“I respect the FPPC's decision to overlook the committee's failure to properly disclose its donors prior to the election, yet I maintain my firm belief that full disclosure of political campaign donors before Election Day is critical to the health of our representative democracy.” Klein stated.

Klein had contended Ramirez violated conflict-of-interest provisions of the Political Reform Act in connection to solicitation of donations by the Sierra College Foundation. The donation were to support a bond-measure campaign for improvements at the Rocklin campus.

Klein, who was newly elected to the board in 2004 and continues to serve, had accused Ramirez of what a 2006 Placer County grand jury report described him calling a conscious money-laundering scheme. The allegations by Klein were based on his conclusion that the foundation was used as an intermediary to raise funds for bond campaigns while keeping donors’ names secret.

Commission Counsel Zachary Norton’s statement on the decision to close the case states an investigation “did not reveal evidence that the foundation failed to meet its disclosure requirements.”

Ramirez said the FPPC filing by Klein in December 2005 precipitated his decision to agree to a contract buyout. He had been appointed Sierra president in 1993 after three years as vice president. In all, Ramirez has 35 years of service in California community colleges before his June 2005 retirement.

The grand jury report was scathing toward Klein, noting that no foundation donors had requested anonymity and the error in not reporting names was quickly rectified once it was pointed out.

The commission probe came to a similar conclusion, that there was no wrongdoing by Ramirez.

As an intermediary, the foundation had collected contributions and turned over the funds and the lists of contributors to the committees that were primarily formed to support the bond measures, Norton said.

Intermediaries do not have filing obligations under the Political Reform Act but are required to disclose to the recipient the identity of the contributors, he said.

The foundation provided donor lists to the committees prior to the November 2004 bond election but the committees were initially unaware that they were required to disclose this information, Norton added. When it was known, the committees filed amended forms, disclosing the information identifying donors, he said.

Aaron Klein tramples First Amendment ...

2008-10-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

Sacramento Bee: The Swarm: Blog from the Bee's Editorial Staff
October 29, 2008

The Save Sierra College Committee, which opposes incumbent Aaron Klein and supports his opponent John Vodonick, has run into what it calls "Klein's latest dirty trick."

After the committee had sent out an email message to registered voters, Klein's attorney contacted the email service provider and demanded that it prevent the committee "from transmitting any additional messages, and confirm to us in writing that their account has either been terminated or suspended." The letter alleged that the email message was illegal spam and not legitimate political communication. Specifically, the letter charged that sending email messages to a "database of registered voters who did not opt-in to receive his spam broadcast" was a potential violation of "laws prohibiting electronic mail spam" -- without citing a single statute or the offending email.

Kent Pollock, whose firm handled the message for the Save Sierra College Committee, says the e-mail service provider shut off service for 24 hours (from about 1 p.m. Tuesday until 1 p.m. Wednesday).

This is outrageous. This was not an unsolicited commercial email, otherwise known as spam. This was pure political speech protected by the First Amendment. The names of registered voters came from publicly available rolls and were used for a non-economic, political purpose, as specifically allowed under state law. And it happened one week before the election, a sensitive time.

California's Election Code is clear that while "commercial use" of voter registration information is prohibited, candidates and committees may use voter information for election or political purposes. That's how you get mailers from candidates and committees. The state's Political Reform Act doesn't explicitly address emails (and legislators need to update it to reflect this technological change), but it's clear that emails supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot measure are political speech.

Further, this email message was not anonymous. It said, "This message authorized and paid for by the Save Sierra College Committee, ID # 1286925."

Klein's latest stunt is reminiscent of what he did in 2004, when he made wild accusations about violations of election law to press for the resignation of former Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez. Voters shouldn't fall for this a second time.

Klein's Lawyers Shut Down Email Detailing Klein's Earmark scheme.

2008-10-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

AUBURN – Sierra College Board of Trustees Area 7 candidate Aaron Klein is engaged in an "intimidation campaign" in a desperate attempt to stifle political expression, said "Save Sierra College Committee" spokeswoman Cheryl Maki, pointing to a recent action by Klein that Maki charged violates the 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution.

"Aaron Klein is employing Gestapo campaign tactics because he can't stand the truth," said Maki. "I am frankly appalled, but not surprised that he would go to these lengths to trample the First Amendment. This is a typical reaction from a man who can't tell fact from fiction. "

At issue is a recent e-mail that the Save Sierra College Committee sent to registered voters pointing out Klein initiated an effort to engage Sierra College with a Federal lobbying firm that is being investigated by the FBI as part of the now-infamous earmark scandals. In part, the e-mail read: "$135 thousand of taxpayer money was siphoned from critical college needs without benefit of even one minute of public discussion."

"Every single charge leveled in that e-mail is backed by documented research," Maki said. "We are confident that there is not one fact that is not true." The e-mail has been posted on the Save Sierra College website.

Sierra College's initial relationship with lobbyist Peter Evich ended after two years in 2006. This summer Klein once again initiated discussions with another Washington lobbying firm, this one run by Rick Alcalde, who reportedly has ties to disgraced and imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

On Tuesday, Klein directed his attorney to contact the internet provider, as well as Pollock Communications, who has been contracted to deliver the mass emails, and the service was shut down.

"This is despicable politics at its worst," Maki said. "There is nothing more un-American than trying to stifle free speech. Aaron Klein should withdraw this pathetic gambit. "

Two years ago, Klein and Jerry Simmons, who is not running for reelection, were the subjects of a recall campaign after a Placer County Grand Jury called Klein's charges filed against then College President Kevin Ramirez as utterly without merit. The eventual settlement with Ramirez cost the college $600,000. Klein continues to evade responsibility for his actions, in spite of the Grand Jury's overwhelming proof that he had acted recklessly and without evidence.
"It is sad that Klein has demonstrated that he has learned nothing in the last four years, and that he would initiate yet another pathetic and immature attempt to exploit our legal systems," Maki concluded.

Earmarks: Klein Entangles Sierra College in Lobbyist Corruption

2008-10-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

In 2002 Aaron Klein said "He supports those who support him. John (Doolittle) has always been a great friend and great ally of mine."

No one has fully explained why the Doolittle faction decided to take over Sierra College in 2004. Sierra had long been a conservatively managed college, growing successfully with little public fanfare since 1957. Veteran trustee Barbara Vineyard is fond of recalling that the trustees weren't even aware of each other's party affiliation or political philosophy. Nevertheless, a Sierra College trusteeship provided a convenient and vulnerable political starting point for Klein. As Doolittle's 24 year old ideological protege, Klein brought neither a college education nor experience in managing a complex institution.

Winning was not cheap. Running a joint campaign with Scott Leslie, the two neophytes spent $98,089 to take board seats, joining allies Jerry Simmons and Nancy Palmer in gaining majority control. This amount was more than ten times the maximum previously spent on any Sierra College trustee election. Almost all the money came from partisan sources. Their campaign was based on trumped-up charges of fiscal mismanagement together with a personal assault on the college's president, Kevin Ramirez. The previous incumbents spent virtually nothing to resist and were, like lambs, led to political slaughter.

Payback began quickly.

After disposing of Ramirez within 60 days of election in November, 2004, they used their newfound power to divert a chunk of the college's strained operating budget to their patron in Washington D.C.

In March, 2005, they informed Morgan Lynn, interim president, that the college was going to retain a Doolittle-connected Washington lobbyist in order to seek favor for earmarks. The lobbyist, Peter Evich, formerly Doolittle's legislative director for five years, was to be paid $5000 per month beginning on July 1, 2005.

There was no consideration of alternatives, no competitive process, and no specification of deliverables. (Only ten per cent of community colleges nationwide retain Washington lobbyists.)
This heavy handed approach offended the college's staff, but they were told not to object because "we have four votes" (out of seven trustees).

To meet the legal requirement of board approval, the contract was buried in the consent agenda (i.e. items not normally requiring discussion) at the May 10, 2005 board meeting as item 12469, III. 14: Approval of MOA, Van Scoyoc Associates. The minutes of the meeting show there was no board discussion, even though this was the first federal lobbyist in the college's history.

This arrangement persisted for 26 months without further board review ignoring that the initial contract period was specified to be 12 months. The college paid the lobbyist a total of $133,305 from its operating budget. It was finally terminated by the college in August, 2007 because of other pressing needs. (As an indication of the significance of this amount, the total allocated for instructional equipment in the 2008 -2009 budget is only $75,000.)

Part of the public's money flowed back to Doolittle in the form of political contributions by Evich. Public records show that he donated at least $1900 to Doolittle in 2006. Evich is among former Doolittle staffers who have been contacted by the FBI regarding their investigation of Doolittle. Concern arose beginning in July, 2006 that Evich was on the short-list of potentially indictable individuals in the scandal, and that the college's reputation could be damaged. Yet Evich continued to be paid until August, 2007.

If this arrangement had been openly discussed on campus, it almost certainly would have been rejected for several reasons. First, the priority of hiring a Washington lobbyist versus other uses of the funds would have been debated. Second, the propriety of choosing a lobbyist based primarily on his connection to a local partisan figure would have been disputed. Third, the integrity of seeking a relationship whose payoff, if any, would be in earmarks would have been challenged. Fourth, the certainty that some public money would flow back to a local politician from college operating funds would have been reviled.

Many citizens share a deep moral distrust of the concept of earmarks. From 1995 to 2005, the number of annual appropriations earmarks grew from 1,439 to 13,997 in what has been labeled the "currency of corruption" between lawmakers and lobbyists. An earmark is inherently corrupting both to the giver and the receiver in that it represents a lawmaker unilaterally appropriating money paid by all taxpayers for the benefit of favored patrons.

Tangible documentation of the contract in the college's files amounts to a few pages of notes. A single $300 thousand earmark for "a mechatronics workforce training initiative" was finally approved last week. However, the college has previously won $600 thousand of competitive federal grants in this area, using the considerable skills of its own faculty grant writers and with no lobbyist involvement.

Nevertheless, trustee Klein again initiated the same questionable process three months ago. In June 2008, he identified a lobbying firm, Potomac Partners, closely connected to Doolittle interests, and referred President Leo Chavez to them.

At the Board Retreat in July, Klein boasted that because of his close personal relationships with the previous congressman and the next one, he believes there is the strong likelihood that the college can attract tens of millions of dollars of federal funds. Moreover, he stated that he had initiated conversations with his presumed congressional winner, Tom McClintock, and that McClintock had personally assured him there would be a positive relationship with Sierra College.

This public, political report at a non-partisan board meeting is astonishing in at least two dimensions. First is his presumption of the winner in what is generally regarded to be a closely contested race. Second he contradicts McClintock's highly public stand in opposition to continuing the profligate use of earmarks.

In a report he authored in August, Klein claimed "Sierra College has productive working relationships with present and future congressional leaders both in the Senate and House of Representatives, and we have already initiated informal discussions with them about the potential of dramatically increasing federal funding for the college."

These so-called productive relationships have existed during Klein's entire tenure, and netted little, if anything. Yet, he is ideologically opposed to advocating local responsibility for our own community college in favor of earmarked support from the citizens of Compton, New Orleans and everywhere else but home.

Potomac Partners submitted a proposal to the college dated August 8, 2008. It wasn't until the following week that Klein introduced a motion requesting board approval to seek federal funding. This proposal was followed by a conference call on September 8 from Potomac's principal, Rick Alcalde, and his associate, Dan Feliz, concluding with a request for immediate verbal commitment from the college. President Chavez rejected the request knowing that, even given the previous act of the majority, this matter still must go to the board.

A google search of "Rick Alcalde" and "Potomac Partners" shows this lobbying firm has links with virtually every name connected to the current scandal in Washington up to, and including, Jack Abramoff. The possibility of Sierra College contracting with this firm after an open and cautious public discussion is beyond any responsible comprehension.

Don't get me wrong. Seeking Sierra College's fair share of federal funding through legitimate appropriations channels and procurement processes is worth pursuing. However, giving taxpayer money to crony lobbyists already under the glare of a federal investigation is unethical. Furthermore, Klein's initiating board dialog with McClintock - as his assumed winner - shows no respect for our democratic processes. Everyone should be disturbed at these blatant abuses of a non-partisan, elected office.

Yuba-Net
Bill Martin is a Sierra College Trustee. He can be reached at wllm61@sbcglobal.net

Auburn Journal endorses Vodonick over Klein for Sierra College Trustee

2008-10-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

October 17, 2008

The Auburn Journal endorsed John Vodonick over "Heavy Baggage" Aaron Klein in this election's hottest contest.

Another endorsement for Vodonick over Klein

2008-10-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

October 25, 2008

Sacramento Bee backs Vodonick over Klein.

Help Save Sierra College

2008-09-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

Donate Today!

MAIL YOUR CHECK TO “SAVE SIERRA COLLEGE”, P.O. BOX 5544, AUBURN, CA 95604 Bring back integrity, experience and non-partisan leadership.

Four years ago, the radical right bought and paid for control of the Sierra College Board of Trustees. They spent nearly $100K of far-right money in electing two inexperienced and unqualified young partisans for control of the board majority.

They embarked on a campaign of lies and distortion that have damaged the college.

They invented the phony issue of fiscal mismanagement, adopted a primitive and dishonest definition of “balanced budget” that only a politician can love, and then crowed endlessly and self-servingly about their so-called “achievement”. In the meantime, the percentage of reserve funds has actually decreased.
They defamed the college leadership, made irresponsible and untrue public charges, and squandered $600 thousand to rid themselves of a President they disliked.
They have added another $800 Thousand in debt service to the college’s already strained operating budget.
Two years were wasted focusing on a failed attempt to get one of themselves elected to higher office.
They concocted a phony and inadequate bond issue that was even rejected by the college’s home city of Rocklin.
For the first time in its history, the college is on accreditation warning in part because this board majority failed to perform even its most basic planning obligations. Then they suppressed reporting the accreditation warning to the public which still hasn’t been officially informed.
In the meantime, thousands of students are denied enrollment in courses they need while the college’s outmoded half-century old facilities have decayed for another four years without a meaningful plan for renovation. The ratio of full-time faculty per student is among the worst in the state.

This is a shameful record of partisan mismanagement and self-serving distortion of the truth. The facts don’t lie. The public deserves better for its only significant local institution of higher learning. About 40% of local high school graduates will begin their higher education at Sierra and the college’s enrollment is forecast to double to 40,000 by 2035. The November election in two trustee areas is pivotal in determining the college’s direction for decades. Once again, the radical right is offering up two highly partisan candidates. If we care about higher education in our community, we must defeat them. But we need your help.

In Elaine Rowen and John Vodonick, we have two experienced and highly-qualified candidates, both committed to the importance of public higher education. But running for the Sierra Board is a daunting task since the election is held at large over the district’s 260,000 voters. It will take time and money to help Elaine and John gain even the minimum recognition that they need to have a chance. The far right defamation machine has already gone to work smearing Elaine and John with pure lies.

Here are three things you can do to help.

Send your check today, payable to “Save Sierra College”, P.O. Box 5544, Auburn, CA 95604.
Then distribute this note to your own e-mail list and encourage everyone you know to vote for Elaine and John.
Finally, if you can donate a few hours, visit www.savesierracollege.com and volunteer your time.

Sierra College is a vital and productive resource for all of us. We must return its leadership to people who care more about public higher education than they do about their own political future and imposing their partisan viewpoint.

Cheryl MakiSave Sierra College Committee, # 1286925

Fiscal Responsibility: Resign, Klein!

2008-08-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

SIERRA COLLEGE TRUSTEE CHARGES THREE BOARD MEMBERS WITH MISREPRESENTING SCHOOL’S FINANCES

Read the full report:
Fiscal Responsibility at Sierra College: A Broader Look

August 13 – Despite claims from three members of the Sierra College Board of Trustees that they have brought “balanced budgets” and increased solvency to the college, an exhaustive report by trustee Bill Martin shows that the college is in significantly worse financial shape than when the current majority took over in 2004.

The 25 page study, titled “Fiscal Responsibility at Sierra College: A Broader Look,” also debunks election-year claims by trustees Aaron Klein, Jerry Simmons, and Scott Leslie, that the college was plagued with unbalanced budgets and fiscal mismanagement prior to their election. According to Martin, the three trustees have adopted an oversimplified definition of “balanced budget” which has been used to misrepresent the college’s excellent long-term record of fiscal responsibility and to disguise the college’s current financial position.

The report, which was announced by Martin at the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees last night, states that “this board has not met its essential fiscal responsibility to fairly present the college’s needs to the public.”

“Sierra College’s finances have been well-managed over its 50 year history, and false claims to the contrary by three of its own trustees have been extremely damaging to the college’s reputation among local taxpayers and detrimental to staff morale. The board has failed to gain support for the college in its own community,” Martin said.

Specifically, the report notes that the key parameter of “unrestricted Operating Fund reserves” has decreased significantly from an average of 10.42% from 1995 – 2004 to 8.78% from 2004 – 2008. The current reserve balance is nearly $1.5 million less than if the 2004 reserve level had been sustained. Total unrestricted reserve funds, as a percentage of expenditures, are at a thirteen year low.
According to the report, Sierra ranks 70th among the 72 California Community College Districts in capital investment per student, 69th in total investment, and as a result has invested less than 12% in capital improvements per student than statewide community college averages.

Martin also states that one side-effect of the lack of local public support is that district taxpayers have actually subsidized other community colleges by $17 million over the past decade. “Sierra’s lack of ability to match statewide bond funds means that the college has not earned its fair share of state support,” he says.

“Sierra College is beyond question the most poorly supported public institution of higher learning in the state”, he says. “Declining to fund it is the public’s right, but at least it should do so in full knowledge of the facts, and it is the board’s responsibility to communicate them honestly.”

The report states that last year 4100 student enrollments in science classes at Sierra were denied because of outdated and inadequate science classroom and lab facilities. “Admission to Sierra’s nursing program is more selective than freshman admissions to Harvard,” Martin states. “Sierra’s lack of adequate science facilities is tragic in a world where most lucrative professions are science based.”

A September, 2007 report by Martin, “Sierra College: Community Impact and Funding Shortfall” showed that Placer County is virtually the only county in the state which has declined to support its local college via general obligation bonds. That report calculated that over the last decade Sierra College has been funded at $300 Million less than the average statewide community college district. The only bond ever passed for Sierra’s Rocklin campus was for $3.04 million more than fifty years ago.

“Allowing partisan politics to control Sierra College has been one of the worst disasters ever to befall any California community college. The ultimate victims of a starved college are the tens of thousands of future students in our growing district who will depend on us for their post-secondary education and the thousands of employers in need of qualified employees. The long-term cost to this county’s economy is incalculable, but is potentially well into the hundreds of millions of dollars.” he concludes.

The full text of both reports is available at http://www.savesierracollege.com/.

State Association Honors Placer grand jury for Report Chastising Klein and Simmons

2006-11-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

State association honors Placer grand jury

By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Journal Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 11:30 PM PST

The California Grand Jury Association recently awarded its "Success 2006" recognition to the 2005-06 Placer County grand jury for the members' report "Refutation of Trustee's Charges Against Former Sierra College President."

The California Grand Jury Association designates three awards each year for best report, best media and the success story, and the 2006 awards were announced at the group's annual conference last month.

To qualify for an award a report must demonstrate a well-documented and thorough investigation, significant response from the community, notable media coverage and appropriate results.

"The 2005-6 Placer County Grand Jury is recognized for its quick and successful reaction to a situation that endangered the relationship of Sierra College with its community," reads the award.

The grand jury report, released in March, states charges made by Sierra trustee Aaron Klein against then-Sierra Joint Community College President Kevin Ramirez were "utterly without merit" and asked for an apology from Klein for harming Ramirez's career, the Auburn Journal previously reported.

In the complaint filed Dec. 20, 2004 against Ramirez, Klein stated that Ramirez violated campaign finance law, using a "money laundering scheme" by accumulating funds from the Sierra College Foundation and directing them on to the Measure E bond campaign.

"The real success of this unusual investigation is that the fine reputation of the College president has been restored, student enrollments and donor contributions have returned to their pre-controversy rate after a significant slump, and the complaining trustee and his board president are both facing recall in the fall elections," reads the award. "Congratulations to the 2005-6 Placer County Grand Jury for recognizing a critical community situation and taking immediate successful action for resolution."

Watch the Entire John Doolittle - Charlie Brown Debate

2006-10-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

Watch the full debate and compare answers. The choice is very clear...

John Doolittle - The Debate Uncovered

2006-10-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Watch one blogger's view of John Doolittle's debate performance with his opponent Charlie Brown.

Auburn Journal: College's Reputation must be restored

2006-09-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Journal Staff Writer
Sunday, August 27, 2006 10:51 PM PDT

Martin Harmon, a lifelong Nevada County resident, is running for a seat on Sierra College's board of trustees in hopes that he can help restore the community's belief in the college and the board. Photo by ben furtado/Auburn JournalLifelong Nevada County resident Martin Harmon is looking to give Nancy Palmer a run for her seat representing Nevada County on the Sierra Joint Community College District board of trustees.

Incumbent Nancy Palmer, who's represented Area 6 of the district for 12 years, is seeking re-election.

Harmon, 38, hopes to return stability to the board, which has seen its fair share of controversy the past few years.

"The board has become too political and polarized, and it's grossly affecting their ability to function," he said.

Harmon is vice president and serves on the board of directors at Western Care Construction in Rocklin and is also a public works inspector for the City of Lincoln. He lives in rural Nevada County with his wife Michelle and their three children.

This is Harmon's second attempt at a public office following an unsuccessful campaign earlier this year for the Nevada County Board of Supervisors.

Harmon said he set his sights on Sierra's board of trustees because he'd like to see the college's reputation restored.

"First, we need to get back our pristine, white-horse image the college has had," he said. "The board of trustees' image should be untarnished ... everybody should have their faith and trust back in the college. I think that's imperative."

Harmon said the current board has its selling points and its drawbacks.

"The strengths I think are the outstanding board members that have made good decisions ... the weaknesses are egotistical ideas, where egos get in the way," he said.

Harmon said the board has become too political "instead of thinking about what's good for the students."

"There are some wonderful board members but there are problems as well," he said.

Harmon is currently reading through the Placer County grand jury report, released earlier this year, which states charges of a "money laundering scheme" made by Sierra trustee Aaron Klein against Kevin Ramirez, the college's then-president, were "utterly without merit."

Ramirez agreed to step down as president in January 2005, accepting a retirement package estimated at $500,000.

"I'm still digesting it but it's a travesty that this took place on a school board," Harmon said of the grand jury report's findings. "The cost on the community to retire a president is also a travesty. It is indeed a travesty that this went on in the first place. It really shouldn't have happened, at least the way that it did."

When asked if he supports the efforts of Save Sierra College, a recall group attempting to remove trustee Klein and board president Jerry Simmons, Harmon spoke carefully.

"I understand and agree with their thoughts behind the recall but I am very concerned," he said.

Harmon said his concern lies with the fact that the recall group failed to gather the approximately 26,000 signatures they needed from registered voters within the college district's boundaries in order to get the recall items on the November ballot. The recall group continues to collect signatures in hopes that they can attempt the recall by way of a special election.

"We spent a lot of money to retire a president that probably didn't need to go anywhere, and now we're talking about a recall that could cost $1 million," Harmon said. "That concerns me for the community. As a fiscal conservative, I'm very concerned with spending that kind of money. By no means am I against the recall, but my concern is the community."

The Journal asked Klein what his reaction was to Harmon's attitude toward the grand jury report and the recall effort.

"There are definitely folks like Mr. Harmon who have initially been concerned, but once they peel the onion back a bit, they quickly begin to understand the tremendous need that existed for reform at Sierra College, and that the college is now headed in a very good direction with Dr. Leo Chavez as our president," Klein said Friday via e-mail.

Another concern of Harmon's is the crumbling state of Sierra College's Rocklin campus. Voters knocked down Measure B in June, which promised $78.2 for upgrades and renovations for the aging facilities.

"Bonds have to pass. We have to prioritize our money," Harmon said. "You have to dedicate dollars to bring classrooms up to basics before starting something new. Existing maintenance is an absolute priority. It is critical that the existing facilities be maintained and upgraded."

E. Ken Tokutomi, president of Placer County's board of education, said Friday he thinks Harmon would be an asset to the Sierra College board.

"Martin has worked in the private sector, he's worked in the public sector, he's an articulate speaker," said Tokutomi, who is acting as Harmon's campaign manager. "He's got kids, he cares about the community and he cares about the college."

Harmon said last week that he had yet to meet Palmer and that he'd prefer not saying much about her, other than acknowledging her as the competition.

"Obviously, if there weren't any problems with Nancy I wouldn't be running," he said.

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com.

Twisted Facts

2006-08-19T08:11:00.000-07:00

Re: Nevada County campus is on right track
by Anonymous on Thursday, July 27 @ 21:51:15 PDT
How can Klein and Palmer write this twisted piece with a clear conscience?

Twisted Fact
Klein and Palmer imply that among their recent accomplishments is that Sierra College is "NOW" number one in granting degrees to students in California and the rate of Sierra College students transferring to four-year universities is 13th in the nation and climbing quickly.

The Truth
This is not NEW. All of the above has been true FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS IN A ROW; long before Aaron Klein's trustee term began!

Twisted Fact
They claim that the college's budget has been balanced for the first time in four years.

The Truth
They conveniently leave out the fact that massive mid-year state-wide budget cuts beginning in 2003 made a balanced budget all but impossible for ALL California community colleges. In fact, except for those years, the Sierra College budget was balanced every year, with most years ending with a postive fund balance

Twisted Fact
They tout the new president coming on board.

The Truth
They don't mention the additional money they are paying him nor do they mention the half million dollars they paid the prior president to buy out his contract because of bogus charges lodged by Aaron Klein.

They also don't mention the fact that Klein based those bogus money laundering charges on ***actual*** transgressions made at Foothill/De Anza College when the new Sierra College president was in charge!

How on earth can these two hypocrites look at themselves in the mirror every day?

Tell the Sacramento Bee ...

2006-07-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

The Save Sierra College group advocates recalling trustees Aaron Klein and Jerry Simmons, but the pair say the college has weathered the storm and gone on to success. (Yeah, right ....)

What's your take? E-mail ymckinney@sadcbee.com by 5 p.m. Thursday.

Limit responses to 250 words. Include name, community and a phone number.

Fresh Faces / New Hope for Sierra College

2006-07-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Grand juror seeks board seat
He blasted a trustee for accusing ex-president of money laundering.
By Edgar Sanchez -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Sunday, July 23, 2006

As a member of the 2005-06 Placer County grand jury, Bill Martin helped write the panel's final report blasting a Sierra College trustee for accusing Kevin Ramirez, the college's former president, of money laundering.
The trustee, Aaron Klein, disagreed with the grand jury's findings and rejected its recommendation that he apologize for what it called unfounded allegations.

So, Martin says he decided to take action on his own.
He announced last week that he will run for the Area 5 seat on the Sierra College board, with a goal of "helping to restore community confidence" in the body. The seat is being vacated by trustee Dave Creek, who is moving from the area.

As filing opened for the Nov. 7 election, Martin appeared to be the first outsider to publicly declare an intention to run for the Sierra board.

Seats held by Sierra College trustees Barbara Vineyard, Nancy B. Palmer and Dave Ferrari also will be open for the election.

Vineyard and Palmer said last week they plan to file for re-election, but Ferrari could not be reached for comment about his plans.

Other winds of change also may buffet Klein and board President Jerry Simmons, both targets of a recall attempt by the group Save Sierra College.

"The current board is fractured," said Martin, 67, a retired engineering executive, former college instructor and eight-year Auburn resident.

"It's time to eliminate the destructive partisan politics that have infected the board," he said, expressing his belief that Ramirez was "publicly vilified" in a political maneuver that ended with his departure in January 2005.

Responding in an interview Thursday, Klein said, "Quite a few people like Mr. Martin have been critical of me, and once they peel back the onion a little bit and realize the tremendous reforms that were necessary at Sierra College, they begin to understand why the last year and a half has been such a difficult season of change.

"But this is a new day, and we have new leadership with Dr. Leo Chavez as our (college) president, and I'm looking forward to the next two and a half years of my term as we work with faculty and staff to make Sierra College even better," he said.

The Save Sierra College group contends that Klein and Simmons have wasted taxpayer money and tarnished the college's reputation through their "attack politics" and "negative" leadership -- charges that both deny.

The misspent money, the group said, included Ramirez's retirement settlement of $464,950, plus $54,750 spent on a national search for a new president.

On Friday, Simmons said the critics may not fully appreciate Sierra's recent successes, including its current ranking as "the No. 1 community college in California for the fourth straight year" in terms of associate degrees awarded.

"I believe (that achievement) is due to the hard work of our faculty and staff and the strong leadership of the board of trustees," Simmons said. "I think we're well on our way to becoming the No. 1 community college in America."

To Martin and others, Klein added Thursday, "I may not have done everything right, but I have stood for the right things: balanced budgets, better facilities planning and increasing access to college."

Placement of the recall question on the November ballot requires between 25,000 and 27,500 signatures by Friday, leaders of the recall drive have said.

"At this time, I'm not sure if we'll have enough to make it for November," Rocklin Mayor George Magnuson, head of Save Sierra College, said last week. "We've had a good response, but we haven't counted all the signatures yet."

Should more be needed, he said, the group will continue to circulate petitions for the next few months in hopes of triggering a special recall election next year.

If the recall fails, Simmons and Klein will be up for re-election in 2008.

Martin, a "decline to state" registered voter, said he supports the recall drive and, as a candidate, will call for Sierra's board to be more nonpartisan.

As chairman of the grand jury's school and libraries committee, Martin said he looked into allegations that Ramirez had laundered cash in connection with bond issues for the 20,000- student college. The grand jury later concluded the allegations were "utterly without merit."

He said he decided to run after seeing "the arrogance and unwillingness to acknowledge the injustice the board imposed on its former president and the resulting damage to the college."

Martin enters politics after a 35-year career in the design and development of electronic systems.

He has a bachelor's and master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University and a master's degree in management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

For 15 years, he taught mathematics at West Coast University and University of Southern California while serving as a departmental manager at Hughes Aircraft Co.

Reception to Save Sierra College

2006-07-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

Please help efforts to recall Aaron Klein and Jerry Simmons by attending the "Recalling Simmons and Klein Evening Reception"

Wednesday, July 26, 2006
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Granite Bay Country Club
9600 Golf Club Drive,
Roseville Parkway and Golf Club Drive,
Granite Bay, CA
$ 95 per person

Sponsorships Available:
$2500 Gold Sponsorship
$1000 Silver Sponsorship
$500 Bronze Sponsorship

Please r.s.v.p. to Alycia at 916-645-8961 by July 24th
Make checks payable to:
The Committee to Save Sierra College
c/o 3842 Rawhide Road, Rocklin, CA 95677
Campaign I.D. # 1286925

Host Committee
Robert Weygandt, Placer County Supervisor
Mayor Ray Sprague, City of Lincoln
Jim Holmes, Placer County Supervisor
Tom Cosgrove, Lincoln Councilmember
Alex Ferreira, PCWA Boardmember
Primo Santini, Lincoln Councilmember
Mayor George Magnuson, City of Rocklin
Spencer Short, Lincoln Councilmember
Peter Hill, Rocklin Councilmember
Bruce Dear, Placer County Assessor (partial list)

Bunk and Debunk

2006-07-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

Aaron Klein is already setting the stage for his next run for office with exaggerations and false claims about his "many accomplishments" as Sierra College Trustee on his new website. Find out the truth at: Bunk and Debunk

Don't let Klein and Simmons get away with these lies. Help recall them. Find out how by going to: savesierracollege.com

Candidate hopes to repair image of college

2006-07-20T02:16:00.000-07:00

The Union
By Lindsey Croft
July 19, 2006

Bill Martin says the Sierra College board of trustees needs to repair its reputation after what he described as a year of controversy for the Rocklin-based community college.

Martin, a retired engineering executive and former college instructor, is intent on restoring the community's confidence in the board by running for one of its soon-to-be vacant seats.

"The first thing that has to be done is remove the sense that the board is politicized," said Martin of his planned course of action. "It isn't necessarily an overnight thing. I just want to be there long term to help them get back on track."

Martin was first interested in becoming a trustee when he saw the board becoming increasingly political.

"I'm determined that partisan politics shouldn't play a role in how the college is managed," Martin said.

The hopeful trustee believes partisan politics have caused great difficulties for the college - a loss of support for public bonds and suffering dissension between faculty and staff is evidence enough for Martin.

He hopes to fill the seat of Area 5 Trustee Dave Creek, who is retiring and moving out of the area. Martin said he has already obtained an endorsement from Creek.

Martin seeks to change the equilibrium of the board, along with the support of fellow board member Barbara Vineyard. "I may be part of the minority for two years, or I may be part of the majority immediately," Martin said. "I want to be a spokesman for a collaborative and nonpartisan decision making."

With a background as an engineering executive, Martin believes his expertise and experiences in his field will be of value to the board.

"If you don't deliver a product at a price, you get fired," he said. "You have to deliver a product at the right price and a product that works."

The toll at Sierra College

2006-07-20T02:07:00.000-07:00

Re "Sierra College woes," letter, Sacramento Bee
June 21, 2006

I joined the effort to recall Jerry Simmons and Aaron Klein from the Sierra College board of trustees for substantive reasons. They have damaged the college and risked its accreditation and future vitality.

They have caused a highly qualified president to resign; intimidated administration and staff; tried to quiet the student newspaper; received a vote of no-confidence from the community in the bond measure failure June 6; scoffed at Placer County grand jury findings that their charges against ex-President Kevin Ramirez were groundless and without merit; failed to heal the damage from their actions with the community, college and Ramirez by apologizing.

Since joining the recall effort, I have been amazed at the deep-seated and pervasive nature of the problem. People have come up to me when I am gathering petitions to tell me their experiences with Simmons and Klein. These members of the community are teachers, administrators, student leaders and staff at Sierra College. Lifelong Republicans tell of being accused of being left-wing radicals because they are left of Attila the Hun (read Jerry Simmons). Stories abound of people being intimidated by these two.
Simmons and Klein must go!

-- Steven C. Phetteplace , ColfaxChairman, Simmons-Klein Recall Committee

The toll at Sierra College

2006-07-20T02:05:00.000-07:00

Jerry Simmons' strange apology

Re "Recall backers plan rally Saturday," June 16: At the last Sierra College board meeting, Jerry Simmons apologized to the community and to the academic senate and classified senate presidents for his trusteeship.

In the e-mails that he was unaware would be made public, Simmons did not deny attempting to have vocal college employees critical of his behavior disciplined. In the articles prior to his failed supervisor bid, he admitted to requesting that the classified senate president be disciplined for illegal behaviors, which, as it turns out, were not illegal at all. Nevertheless, when I read his response on the recall petition, he stated "the allegations of 'silencing critics' and 'threatening staff' are entirely false and concocted to harm my campaign for supervisor."

Simmons refused to resign as board president because he believes that he can work with the new president of the college despite his inability to work with the past two presidents. For what has Simmons apologized? For being exposed? I support the recall of Simmons and fellow trustee Aaron Klein. Information and recall petitions can be downloaded and signed at http://www.savesierracollege.com/ .

- Jon Naylor, Citrus Heights

Sierra College recall effort heats up

2006-07-04T22:18:00.000-07:00

The Union: Committee aims to remove board president, board member

By Soumitro Sen, soumitros@theunion.com
July 4, 2006

The political ambiance at Sierra College has been turbulent since early 2005 in the wake of the seemingly forced retirement of former President Kevin Ramirez. But the situation has reached a climax now, with residents and members of the college community actively seeking the recall of the president of the college's board of trustees, Jerry Simmons, and board member Aaron Klein.

In May of this year, community members formed a "Committee to Save Sierra College." The committee members - from the college and the community - are now gathering 27,000 verified signatures of registered voters for both Klein and Simmons to put the recall on the November ballot.

The committee's Web site, www.savesierracollege.com, gives detailed information on the recall and allows people to download a petition, sign it and mail it back.

"A recall is not easy at all; it is the hardest thing to do politically," said Anthony Maki Gill, volunteer and fundraising chair of the committee. "But it is necessary because Jerry Simmons and Aaron Klein have no intention to resign, and if they are not going to remove themselves, then the community needs to do that."

Maki Gill said the campaign is gradually taking hold.

"The alumni, the retirees, are involved in the effort," he said. "We have Republicans and Democrats working side by side to remove these people."

The committee members are taking numerous steps to reach the public.

"We are going to celebrations, events, (standing) in front of grocery and drug stores," said Joe Medeiros, a professor of biology and ecology at Sierra College for 16 years. "It is easier if you wear a Simmons and Klein recall T-shirt. People then gravitate toward you and want to sign."

The easiest way to participate, Medeiros said, was to sign an online petition and mail it in.

"At least 25 percent of our signatures are coming from the Web site," he said.

Klein and Simmons are not amused at the upsurge of public opposition.

"This is now the second time that the same people have put a recall effort together (the first one was abandoned in early 2005)," Klein said. "The sequel is more of a flop that the original. It doesn't have any more momentum than the original had, and I think it's going to die out.

"We have the first balanced budget in four years. We are a No. 1 community college in granting degrees in California, and that's all because of our dedicated faculty and staff and strong leadership on our board of trustees."

But those who support the recall do not buy into Klein's optimism.

"The reason that they (Klein and Simmons) are here is politics - not any true interest in allowing Sierra College to do its work," Medeiros said. "This is evident by the fact that they marched into the college and forced the resignation of a beloved president. They asked no question of the faculty, staff and students. They took no time to learn about the college, its mission, and its accomplishment."

Despite strong resistance from his colleagues, Simmons said he was bent on completing the work he was elected to do.

"I am focused on continuing to improve Sierra College, in our efforts to increase facilities' expansion at the Grass Valley campus," he said. "This recall effort is only going to distract the attention from the focus of completing our Grass Valley campus expansion.

"The planning process for the Grass Valley campus is currently under way and the construction will begin shortly. It is essential that we have the continuity of leadership to make sure there are no delays during the construction process."

Simmons, who was urged to step down as president at a board of trustees' meeting on June 13 but was retained by a 4-3 vote, said a "few employees are constantly advocating for division and confusion" and that he was disappointed at the attack they made on his character.

"I am young," he said. "I am not an experienced politician. I ran for the community college board because I attended a community college and I benefited personally from the educational program there. So I wanted to give back to the community college system that made such a difference in my life."

To contact SOUMITRO SEN, e-mail soumitros@theunion.com or call 477-4229.
Committee aims to remove board president, board member

Klein's reasoning defies logic

2006-06-27T22:14:00.000-07:00

Read Aaron Klein's response to the Grand Jury Report to get a better understanding of why the Sierra College community and bipartisan voters are so up in arms against him. Pay particular attention to his reference to an FPPC ruling that he claims he based his money laundering charges on. It stretches the limits of human reasoning to see the connection between his charges and this ruling, although it bears consideration when examining his good friend Jerry Simmons' campaign for Placer County Supervisor, having received more than $100,000 from numerous friends and business associates of developer Angelo Tsakopoulos, some as far away as Chicago and New York City.

According to Klein, it is imperative to avoid "even the appearance of impropriety," (except when you're running for political office and you are on the "right side")

========================

PLACER COUNTY GRAND JURY FINDINGS

Based on the facts of its investigation, the Placer County Grand Jury makes the following findings in this case.

The Sierra College Foundation could legally operate as an intermediary organization funding the bond measures as defined in the FPPC Information Manual D, as advised by Gilbert & Associates, Government Financial Strategies Inc., Dr. Larry Toy (President/CEO Foundation for California Community Colleges) and without objection from the College District’s legal counsel, Marion Cantor.

KLEIN RESPONSE: Respectfully, I disagree with this finding in its entirety. While the Foundation is certainly permitted to donate up to 20% of its funds to a political campaign, and most certainly can be a fully disclosed legal intermediary of funds, it seems clear to me that state and federal law prohibit political donations from qualifying for a tax deduction. Therefore, it is highly questionable that it would be legal for politically-earmarked funds to be solicited (as Measure E, G and H funds were) and then for those funds to be transferred in their earmarked amounts to the political campaigns they were earmarked for.
The Foundation had no intent to suppress donor names as evidenced by its willingness to supply accounting records, the display of donor names on its websites, donor list notifications to the bond measure Committees, and supported by the testimony of all donors surveyed.

KLEIN RESPONSE: I disagree with this finding. The Foundation's Executive Director, Sonbol Aliabadi, and the Foundation’s Board President, Bill Halldin, certainly had no intent to suppress donor names. Whether other individuals involved in oversight of the Foundation had that intent or not is for an enforcement agency such as the Fair Political Practices Commission to investigate and determine, which was the purpose of my complaint.
Filing errors for Measures E, G, and H were made due to inexperience, inattention to detail and confusing underlying documentation. The donors’ names should have been itemized in an FPPC filing by the Foundation as an Intermediary.

The Committee Treasurers failed to notify the Foundation of its FPPC filing requirements due to their inexperience and lack of formal training in FPPC filing requirements.
The omission of FPPC filing of itemized donor names was inadvertent and unintentional.

KLEIN RESPONSE: I partially disagree with this finding. While the Grand Jury is certainly correct in its finding that "public disclosure laws were not obeyed", its finding that the errors were due to inexperience, inattention to detail and confusing documentation is simply not supported by the facts. The law has a purpose: to shine the light of public disclosure on political campaign donations prior to the election, not after. Filling out disclosure forms in a manner completely contrary to disclosure is not "inattention to detail": it's a violation of the law.
The FPPC filing errors were relatively minor and easily correctable. The Committees promptly made amended filings to correctly disclose donor names when the errors were found.

KLEIN RESPONSE: I strongly disagree with this finding. The filing errors were neither minor, nor were they even possible to correct. I refer you to the FPPC web site at the following address:

http://www.fppc.ca.gov/index.html?id=48&show=detail&prid=617

The first enforcement action listed is a "Campaign Money Laundering Violation" where an attorney and partner in a Southern California law firm was the true source of donations that were made in the names of various friends and associates. His motive for laundering the funds through these other parties was not made clear; it simply is not relevant to whether or not public disclosure laws were obeyed. The amount of his donation was $25,500.The fine from the FPPC for this violation was $72,000. There are also numerous other enforcement actions reported by the FPPC for donation amounts far less than $25,500. How can the Grand Jury, or any reasonable person, possibly conclude that $104,000 of similar violations is in any way minor, when the FPPC clearly disagrees?
The former President was far removed from the detailed process of making filings and there is no evidence that he had knowledge of them.

KLEIN RESPONSE: I strongly disagree with this finding. Despite my philosophical and policy differences with the former President of Sierra College, he was known as an organized leader who was deeply involved in the details of his most important initiatives. The passage of the Measure E ballot initiative was the primary objective that the Board of Trustees had given the former President at the time, according to what I've been told. The former President was deeply and directly involved in the fundraising process, making numbers of fundraising telephone calls and visits to potential donors. Donors were instructed to "use the Foundation as the mechanism for submitting these funds" (these are the words of one donor in particular, whose letter stating such was provided, but ignored by the Grand Jury in its report). I simply do not believe that the former President was so distant or removed that he did not understand or comprehend the basic disclosure obligations required by the law.
Complainant failed to exercise due diligence before taking the serious step of making charges, and as a result, the complaint was inconsistent with the facts. The charges are unfounded, misleading and full of unsubstantiated allegation.The charges are utterly without merit.

KLEIN RESPONSE: I strongly disagree with this finding. First, I want to clear up a rather significant error in your report. During my testimony in regards to FPPC "Manual D", it was my understanding that you were asking if I had specifically consulted the guide when evaluating the facts of this case. I answered truthfully that I had not, but your report implies that I had never before read the FPPC Manual D.

In fact, I have read it and consulted it many times before. The only reason that I did not consult it in evaluating the facts of this particular case is that the facts of this particular case are so simple, clear and convincing. There is no question that legal violations did occur, as your own report does eventually agree in small print.

I exercised very solid due diligence investigating the issues. I could have hastily filed the complaint in October, prior to the election, when I discovered them. That would probably have sealed what was at the time an uncertain victory for the seat. I chose to be cautious and investigate further.

I carefully compared the facts of the case with the law, consulting with the individuals I described in my testimony and relying on my deep knowledge of California political disclosure laws, which, as the Grand Jury reluctantly admits, was correct And I very carefully made a judgment on their importance by examining past actions of the FPPC to determine whether these were major or minor violations. As best as I can tell, the Grand Jury uses the following line of reasoning to support their finding: "because we feel that the admitted violations were minor, and because Complainant does not agree with our opinion, it is clear that he did not exercise due diligence.”

The facts of this case and the past actions by the FPPC prove to any reasonable person that these violations ate most assuredly not minor. The Grand Jury's entire report appears to rise and fall on that single thread.
The facts support the conclusion that the charges were a contributing and unjustified factor in the former President’s decision to seek an early retirement.

KLEIN RESPONSE: I have to disagree with this finding, because I cannot characterize what the thought process of the former President might have been. As stated in my testimony, the facts at issue in this complaint were only the final straw, and counted perhaps 20% of the major philosophical and policy differences that I had with the former President.
Complainant’s insistence that the Foundation be barred from supporting Sierra College bond measures by donor solicitation as an intermediary is an unfounded opinion. The Foundation should not be prohibited from legal fund raising and bond measure contribution activities as the result of the erroneous view of a single Trustee.

KLEIN RESPONSE: I disagree. It is long past time that we ensure that there is not even the appearance of impropriety in Sierra College financial dealings. If it means that we cannot offer tax deductions of a dubious legal status to our donors, then so be it.

So far, that has yet to affect the fundraising efforts for this year's bond campaign, where donors have written checks directly to the political campaign, and those donations have been disclosed in accordance with the law. There has yet to be a donor who has said they would not donate unless given a tax deduction.

PLACER GRAND JURY RECOMMENDATIONS

The scope of the Grand Jury’s investigation was to examine the complaint filed against the former President by Complainant. In spite of the fact that the former President had long departed the College, we believe this to be a constructive investigation. First, there
had been no public resolution of the complaint since the other agencies that received it did not act. Also, our interviews with the College and Foundation staff showed that they were under the mistaken impression that the FPPC or some other agency might yet act, and they were waiting for that to occur. Also, the staff remains under a cloud, being led to believe that they had participated in doing something unwise, unethical or illegal, when in fact they had not. Although the staff has moved forward, it is with a sense that a wrong has been done, both by themselves through unwitting errors and by Complainant as their critic.

With the Grand Jury’s investigation and findings complete, there are constructive actions that can be implemented to put the matter behind the College and to enable needed healing. The following set of recommendations is offered with that intent.

The Placer County Grand Jury recommends that:

The Sierra College Board should extend the Grand Jury’s thanks and appreciation to the College and Foundation staff for persevering in the best interest of the College and the community through a difficult and trying time.

KLEIN RESPONSE: This recommendation will not be implemented as worded, because it is not warranted. It has been a difficult and trying time for Sierra College staff, and I would like to express my regret, not for filing the complaint, but for the difficulty it has caused the hard-working faculty and staff at Sierra College. Though I disagree with some of them from time to time, I admire them greatly as the engine of student learning at a remarkable community institution.
The Board should publicly acknowledge that the complaint filed by one of its members was without merit and should offer an expression of regret to the College community, the former President, and the public.

KLEIN RESPONSE: This recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted and is not reasonable. The Grand Jury failed to prove that the admitted violations were minor, and therefore, their assertion that the complaint was without merit is false.
As a significant healing step for the college community, the Board should acknowledge in some tangible way the contributions of the former President’s tenure.

KLEIN RESPONSE: This recommendation is implemented with the following statement. I'm certain that the former President did quite a number of good things for the community, and for the college. I wish him well, and look towards a bright future with our new President.
Complainant should apologize to the College community and the public at large for filing charges, which the Grand Jury has proved to have no merit.

KLEIN RESPONSE: This recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted, is not reasonable and is inconsistent with my oath of office. When I was elected, I swore to uphold the constitution and laws of the State of California. For doing my sworn duty and upholding the law, I cannot apologize.
It should be recognized, with support of legal counsel, that there may be substantial advantages to allowing the Foundation to raise funds for College bond issues as an intermediary as enabled by the IRS and FPPC rules.

KLEIN RESPONSE: This recommendation will be implemented, as the board has determined that it will ask the foundation to seek legal counsel on this issue in the future. I remain opposed to this practice, because of the importance of avoiding even the appearance of impropriety.

Voice of the People: Klein, Simmons are 'not serving the public good'

2006-06-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

Auburn Journal
Letters to the Editor
Monday, June 26, 2006 10:47 PM PDT

Please let me state that I admire Ben Mavy's loyalty to the Republican cause in Placer County, Journal June 15. He has been a consistent public voice in support of the issues of most concern to the Placer County Central Committee.

The Sierra College leadership is a mess. While Mavy personally may support various members of the Sierra College board, the fact is actions taken by the board, in particular, Jerry Simmons and Aaron Klein, have caused harm to the financial health of the Sierra College district, and the fact is the bond measure they sponsored failed miserably during the recent election. Someone needs to be held accountable.

Sometime you just have to take a step back and look at the facts, and ignore rhetoric and political posturing. Here's some simple facts. Serious charges were levied against former school President Kevin Ramirez. Those have been proven, without a doubt to be false charges. Simmons and Klein have shown zero remorse relative to their role in the charges, or unwarranted dismissal of Ramirez. Attendance is down. The public stated clearly in the last election how they felt about Simmons.

It is Simmons and Klein who owe the public an apology, and if they continue to maintain their stubborn position, then they are not serving the public good and should resign. It's that simple.

Save Sierra College - Bipartisan effort to recall Aaron Klein and Jerry Simmons

2006-06-21T00:04:00.000-07:00

Join the non-partisan, community-led effort to save Sierra College from the negative impact "trustees" Aaron Klein and Jerry Simmons have had on Sierra College.

A new website savesierracollege.com presents citizens the opportunity to:

1. Locate petition sites
2. Volunteer to help
3. Make donations
4. Learn the history of how these two trustee's political ambitions cost the college hundreds of thousands of dollars, forced an outstanding college president to retire, threatened and intimidated students, faculty and staff who questioned their tactics and harmed the college's reputation.

The goal is to gather 28,000 petition signatures by early July to qualify for the November ballot.

Visit savesierracollege.com to volunteer to collect signatures or to make a donation. Please reach into your pocket, add your voice and/or lend a hand. The future of Sierra College is at stake.

Simmons apologizes to Sierra College community

2006-06-14T00:41:00.000-07:00

By Kim Minugh -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Story appeared in Sacramento Bee Metro section, Page B1

Saying he was "deeply humbled" by the results of last week's election, Jerry Simmons issued an apology to the Sierra College community Tuesday night for his performance as a trustee and the political rancor that has unraveled relations among the board, employees and area residents.
Last week, Simmons lost a bid for a seat on the Placer County Board of Supervisors, lost his seat on the Republican Central Committee and also suffered a defeat of his college's $78.2 million bond measure -- all while he was the subject of a recall effort also directed at fellow trustee Aaron Klein.
"I apologize … for how I've handled my role as a trustee. Although I had the best intentions, sometimes my implementation of key decisions was done poorly," Simmons said.
Simmons said he has spent many sleepless nights over the past few weeks pondering how to help the college move forward. He hoped the apology was "a place to start."

He then voted with three other trustees -- Klein, Scott Leslie and Nancy Palmer -- against a motion to remove him as president of the Sierra Joint Community College District board of trustees. The motion -- which needed five votes to pass -- failed, with trustees Dave Creek, Dave Ferrari and Barbara Vineyard backing it.

Klein also issued an apology during the meeting, saying he felt bad that some in the Sierra College community "have been hurt in some cases by what I've said or perhaps the way I've said them.

"For that, I wholeheartedly and honestly apologize," he said.

But some critics said the apologies came too late, and that the vote on the motion to remove Simmons as board president only would fuel a recall effort launched two weeks ago against Simmons and Klein.

"They have got to admit that they have brought this college to its knees … and that they have absolutely demoralized the college and polarized this board," biology professor Joe Medeiros said. "Their behavior does nothing but fill the sails for the recall campaign."

Trustees voted on Simmons' presidency at the request of Creek, who said last month that Simmons needed to be removed because of his threatening and intimidating leadership style.

But at Tuesday's meeting Creek said he was struggling to determine whether a vote was appropriate, given Simmons' apology.

He later suggested that Simmons resign as president to "calm people down" and get the board back to college business.

In what appeared to be an effort to reach out to other trustees, Creek suggested that Leslie take the board's helm. Leslie has expressed support for Simmons in the past and is seen as part of the board majority.

Simmons said that he was not prepared to make a decision, and that the request to step down as president was "not well-timed."

He urged trustees to wait until the college's new president, Leo Chavez, takes office next month and helps formulate a plan on how to ease tensions.

Ferrari, who served as board president before Simmons, said he feels politics have caused trustees to lose sight of their mission. Though he said he appreciated Simmons' apology, he said the college would best be served with a new board leader.

During a recess in the meeting, Johnnie Terry, president of the faculty senate, said he felt the crowd of about 75 employees and residents would leave angrier than they came in and more ripe to support the recall effort.

Embattled Sierra College board leader apologizes

2006-06-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Auburn Journal Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 14, 2006 3:12 PM PDT

ROCKLIN - Jerry Simmons remains president of Sierra College's board of trustees.

Four trustees, including Simmons, voted Tuesday evening against a motion made by trustee David Creek to remove Simmons from the position of board president.

"I am going to redouble my efforts to make Sierra College an even better place for all the students that we serve," he said Tuesday evening.

Although four trustees voted to keep Simmons in his position, other trustees and community members expressed disappointment in his actions.

Simmons admitted at the start of Tuesday's board meeting that he could have done a better job during his tenure as board president.
"I wanted to take time to apologize to members of the college community of how I've handled my role as a trustee," he said. "Although I've had good intentions my implementation of key decisions was done poorly. I often have not known what was the best way to encourage people to have unity."

Simmons told the board and audience members that he is committed to helping students, including those of Sierra College's student newspaper.

"I wanted the students on the student newspaper to know my interest is in strengthening the student newspaper program," Simmons said. "I think that with proper support...that program could be even better than it is today."

News that Simmons had criticized The Outlook newspaper was revealed in a letter sent to trustees in May by Dr. Morgan Lynn, Sierra College interim president, that stated allegations of Simmons' attempt to silence college staff who have criticized the board. One of those staff members was Kent Pollock, a part-time faculty member and Outlook adviser.

"In no way were any of my comments intended to be a commentary of the students working on that program," Simmons said.

Elizabeth Hubbs, 20, a Sierra College student and former Outlook editor, addressed Simmons during public comment, saying she accepted his apology but questioned the sincerity behind it.

"I think you should resign," she said. "I think it would be a service to the college community."

Trustee Creek asked Simmons if he would extend his apologies to individuals like Johnnie Terry, Sierra academic senate president, and Anthony Maki Gill, president of the school's classified senate. Both Terry and Gill were named in Dr. Lynn's letter as staff members Simmons attempted to reprimand.

"It's hard to trust...that your apology is sincere," Terry said.

Terry said he'd accept Simmons' apology but questioned if it would heal the college community.

"It's bigger than just the individual here and it goes beyond that," he said.

Gill said Simmons' apology was too little, too late.

"I don't know if we can risk that opportunity for you to do more damage," Gill said.

Joanne Neft, an agriculture advocate from Auburn, is one in a group of 10 people who recently signed a notice of intention to recall both Simmons and trustee Aaron Klein. Neft gave Simmons and Klein a letter at Tuesday's board meeting asking for their resignation in lieu of putting the college community through the negative recall process and to make way for working to rebuild the college after Measure B's failure on the June 6 ballot.

"I believe that once Mr. Simmons and Mr. Klein have resigned from the Sierra College board, many hundreds of people will join hands in support of a bond measure to invest in the college's future," she said, reading from her letter.

Ben Mavy, of Applegate, is a former Sierra College student. Mavy called what others had said against Simmons and Klein during public comment "cockamamie bull."

"The people that are attacking you, Jerry and Aaron, don't have the college's interests in mind," he said during public comment.

Trustee Creek said his objective was not to humiliate Simmons and that the attempt to remove Simmons from his role as president wasn't a pleasant topic for anyone on the board, including himself.

Following the 4-3 vote against removing Simmons, Creek said he wasn't happy with the outcome.

"I'm disappointed that Jerry decided he would remain because I think it would be better for the board, functioning together, if he didn't," he said.

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com.

Sierra trustees to decide Simmons' fate

2006-06-12T00:29:00.000-07:00

Sierra College trustees meet today to discuss whether Jerry Simmons should be replaced as board president.
By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Auburn Journal Staff Writer
Monday, June 12, 2006 11:22 PM PDT

Removal of Simmons as board president and the election of his potential replacement are subjects up for discussion and action at today's Sierra Joint Community College District board of trustees meeting, which convenes in open session at 4:45 p.m. at the Rocklin campus.

Trustee David Creek asked at a May 9 board meeting that an item be added to the next meeting's agenda that would open the discussion leading to the Simmons' possible removal as board president. If voted down from the presidency, Simmons would retain his trustee seat on the board.

"Abuse of power, intimidation, attempt to stifle free speech - those things are sort of the shell of the matter," Creek told the Journal in May. "If I was trying to get what the idea of this is into a few words, that's it."

A vote to remove a board member must be approved by five "yes" votes. There are seven trustees and Simmons, along with trustees Aaron Klein, Nancy Palmer and Scott Leslie, have voted as a four-trustee block on past board decisions.

Simmons, who could not be reached for comment Monday, told the Journal in May that criticism from Creek and Sierra staff was politically motivated by the June 6 primary election.

Former Auburn mayor Cheryl Maki is one in a group of 10 people who recently signed a notice of intention to recall both Simmons and trustee Aaron Klein. Maki said Monday that results from the June 6 primary election are proof of Placer County's distaste for Simmons. Garnering less than 14 percent of the vote in the race for Republican Central Committee, Simmons also failed to take the Placer County supervisor seat from incumbent Robert Weygandt.

"I think the election results spoke loud and clear that people don't want Jerry Simmons in any position of power," Maki said. "I think it was a pretty loud, strong voice of the county saying, 'Jerry, goodbye.'"

Trustee Scott Leslie said Monday afternoon that the board and the college should direct the focus attention away from Simmons.

"Now is the time to be focused on the important business of Sierra College for the students and the community," he said. "It's not the time to be making personal attacks. That distracts us from the business at hand."

Trustee Creek told the Journal in May that the breaking point came when he and other trustees received a letter from Dr. Morgan Lynn, Sierra College interim president, stating allegations of Simmons' attempts to silence Sierra staff members who have openly criticized the board.

Lynn's e-mail accused Simmons of attempting to "micromanage" staff, and caused a flurry of further e-mails throughout the campus community.

Lynn mentioned in her memo to trustees that Johnnie Terry, academic senate president, told her he'd been advised by Simmons through a third party to "back off." Lynn also noted in her letter that Simmons asked her to discipline Anthony Maki Gill, Sierra classified senate president, for distributing a campaign flier via campus e-mail.

Lynn also mentioned in her memo to trustees that Simmons asked that Kent Pollock, a part-time faculty member and adviser to The Outlook student newspaper, be disciplined after an editorial Pollock wrote was published in the Auburn Journal.

Elizabeth Hubbs, 20, is a Sierra College student and former Outlook editor who spoke against Simmons and his comments during the May 9 trustees meeting.

"I think he should just be banned from the board of trustees altogether," Hubbs said Monday, "but taking his presidency away is a good first step."

Trustee Nancy Palmer disagrees. She thinks Simmons' background as an attorney makes him the trustee most qualified to act as board president.

"Since he's been president we've had a lot of different problems clear up," she said Monday. "...It seems like, when you're a trustee, no matter what you do, you can never make everyone happy."

Palmer said this isn't the first time Creek has tried to have a trustee step down from presidency.

"Trustees shouldn't let politics enter into it," she said. "We're here for one reason - we're here to do the college business."

Although Palmer doesn't know how today's meeting will turn out, "It will be an interesting meeting," she said.

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com.

Sierra split could worsen

2006-06-11T00:44:00.000-07:00

A colleague now is proposing that the board president be stripped of his title.
By Eric Stern and Kim Minugh -- Bee Staff Writers
Published 12:01 am PDT Sunday, June 11, 2006

Story appeared in Sacramento Bee Metro section, Page B7

Sierra College has been plagued by grand jury reports of administrative mishaps, a board takeover and the ouster of the college president. A recall effort is under way, and the Board of Trustees president faces a coup this week from fellow trustees.
Another wound remains open after Tuesday's election, when a bond measure to renovate campus facilities failed at the polls for the second time in two years.

Some attribute its failure to tightfistedness among voters in Placer County, a conservative enclave that has surpassed Orange County in terms of per-capita registered Republicans. Others see the bond's defeat as a referendum on the fractured board of trustees.
With 20,000 students, Sierra College in suburban Rocklin remains a source of local pride, a regional economic engine and a rival to long-dominant community colleges in the area, such as Sacramento City College.

Sierra College satellite campuses have opened in Roseville, Grass Valley and Truckee. There is talk of another in Lincoln.

Academics at Sierra rate highly -- the school is the state's leader in awarding associate's degrees.

The main campus -- nearly as large as California State University, Sacramento -- is a pastoral refuge along Secret Ravine.

The road that leads there, Sierra College Boulevard, is an ever-widening thoroughfare of Placer County that cuts through hillsides covered with new homes and shopping centers.

Low-slung buildings ring a green campus mall, and a newer, four-story library stands as a giant, white monument in the center. Sierra is one of the few community college campuses in California with dormitories.

But the landscape disguises aging buildings, where heavy rains often flood floors -- at times shutting down the school's telephone system. In 1997, deteriorating facilities were cited by the San Francisco 49ers as a reason they pulled out of Sierra, where for 17 years they had held summer training camp.

Accommodating growth is not a new problem for the seven-member board of trustees. The challenge is among themselves.

The infighting began nearly 15 years ago with a kindergarten teacher.

The teacher, Sally Robison, was elected to the board in 1992 on a shoestring campaign and forced the board to take a harder look at spending, at times to the point of frustration -- she once questioned a $31 bill for bottled water.

The board continued to be dominated by longtime community leaders. "There was an attorney, an optometrist, a restaurant owner, a farmer, another farmer, and the latest one who has come on was … an administrator in the school district," recalled Barbara Vineyard, 67, who has served on the board since 1983. "It was pretty calm."

At times it was too sleepy, a Placer County grand jury said. College officials were secretive about a $600,000 gender-discrimination lawsuit, and the district was balancing its budget by borrowing from employee retirement funds, according to grand jury reports in 2000.

By 2004, a slate of ambitious young Turks -- Republican Party activists in their 20s and 30s -- had taken over the board with a pledge to tighten financial controls at the college.

Their politics weren't unusual. Most elected officials in Placer County, including the Sierra trustees, are Republicans. But the new board members introduced a level of rhetoric never seen on the apolitical panel.

Trustee Aaron Klein, 27, a county GOP committee member and prolific Internet blogger, has attacked "Howard Dean ultra-liberals" on his Web site for the backlash against him and other board members.

"What we have is a relatively small group of very liberal faculty and staff who do not want to be governed by a conservative Republican board of trustees," said Jerry Simmons, 32, president of the board of trustees and another GOP committee member.

Other trustees are baffled that political labels have taken such a high profile -- and are tossed around so loosely.

"I'm a fourth-generation registered Republican in Placer County," said Vineyard, who has clashed with the new board members.

Klein led the charge last year to push out college President Kevin Ramirez, a popular administrator. One board meeting during the controversy was moved to a campus theater to accommodate employees supportive of Ramirez.

Klein accused Ramirez of breaking the law -- money laundering -- to bolster a 2004 bond vote for the campus. Ramirez, after leading the campus for 12 years, stepped down in January 2005 with a $500,000 contract buyout.

A county grand jury later said -- in bold-faced type -- that the allegations against Ramirez were "utterly without merit" and suggested that Klein apologize for stirring the controversy and tarnishing the college's reputation.

Faculty and staff are now pushing back, although several say they feel threatened for speaking out. To protect themselves, management staff joined the Teamsters union last year.

Interim college President Morgan Lynn said the new board members are looking for problems that aren't there, nitpicking at district spending plans.

Budget talks last year led to delayed spending on routine items, she said. Twenty-dollar DVDs for nutrition classes were put on hold for months, new anatomy models couldn't be ordered for nursing students and a professor, tired of waiting for approval, paid $25 out of pocket to renew the school's annual membership in a state chemistry association.

Over the past 10 years, the district has maintained budget reserves from $4 million to $7 million and has improved its bond rating to ease future borrowing.

Recently, the district was dipping into reserves to balance the budget, now more than $75 million. Last year, trustees built a surplus for the first time in four years, and the new trustees say more money is being set aside for facility maintenance and employee retirement benefits.

"For years, the board largely has been a rubber stamp," Klein said. "In the last election, that changed. … We're doing the job the voters sent us here to do."

Voters already may be wary of the new tone and direction of the Sierra board, however. In last week's election, the bond measure failed, and trustee Simmons lost his bid for county supervisor and was dumped from the GOP central committee.

"Obviously the public was sending a message," said Anthony Maki Gill, president of a Sierra College employee group.

A recall -- led by former Placer County mayors and a former supervisor -- is being pushed against Simmons and Klein. At this week's meeting, Simmons also will be fending off fellow trustee Dave Creek's proposal that Simmons be stripped of his title of board president.

Attention also will shift to incoming district President Leo Chavez, currently heading a San Jose community college district, who starts at Sierra next month.

Meanwhile, students like Mary Anne Dizon, 21, are more concerned about fee increases, expensive textbooks and getting into required classes. "When I'm so into studying, I forget what's going on around us," she said.

Sierra College: A timeline
2000
January: Grand jury discloses that the college negotiated a $576,000 settlement with a campus librarian to end a gender-discrimination lawsuit

July: Grand jury criticizes college for mismanaging funds, restricting public information and invading privacy of a trustee who clashed with administrators

2001
February: Grand jury criticizes college officials for borrowing $165,000 from retirement funds to balance budget

2002
November: Jerry Simmons elected as a district trustee

2003
March: State budget cuts force tough decisions; trustees eliminate 400 courses and slash library hours

2004
March: Voters reject $394 million bond measure for Sierra College campuses

November: Voters approve bond measures for satellite campuses in Truckee and Grass Valley; Aaron Klein and Scott Leslie win election to board of trustees; Simmons re-elected; new bloc formed with incumbent trustee Nancy Palmer

December: Klein accuses college President Kevin Ramirez of money laundering, calls for investigation

2005
January: Ramirez forced out after 12 years as head administrator

2006
March: Grand jury clears Ramirez of wrongdoing, blames trustee Klein for stirring controversy with "unfounded, misleading and ... unsubstantiated allegation(s)"

May: Board rejects most findings of grand jury; recall effort is launched against trustees Klein and Simmons

June: Voters reject $78.2 million bond measure for Rocklin campus; Simmons loses elections for county supervisor and county GOP committee seat

July: Leo Chavez, interim president at a San Jose community college, to take over as new Sierra College president

Voters reject renegade leaders

2006-06-10T00:39:00.000-07:00

Published 12:01 am PDT Saturday, June 10, 2006
Story appeared in Sacramento Bee Editorials section, Page B6

Sometimes voters send a subtle message in an election. Sometimes they send a primal scream. Tuesday night in Placer County, they screamed.
The message was clear. Either the leaders of the Sierra Joint Community College District change their ways, or the leadership will be changed -- one way or another.

For the sake of the district, thousands of students and hundreds of educators and staff, the cleanest solution is for at least three district trustees -- Jerry Simmons, Aaron Klein and Scott Leslie -- to resign rather than wait for voters to do the inevitable.
On Tuesday night, the voters made their intentions clear about the Sierra College leadership in three different items on the ballot. First, they resoundingly rejected a bond that was personally championed by Simmons, Klein and Leslie that would have funded bare-bones maintenance for the community college district.

Don't misread this outcome. Voters haven't turned against higher education. They simply are sick of how the board leadership mistreated a popular president (he has left) and disrespected a county grand jury review of their shenanigans.

Second, voters turned against Simmons and his supporters -- particularly financier and developer Angelo K. Tsakopoulos (a Democrat from Sacramento) -- by rejecting his candidacy for the Placer County Board of Supervisors. Instead, they re-elected incumbent Robert Weygandt of Lincoln by roughly a 3-1 margin.

And third, Simmons ran dead last among six candidates for five seats on the Placer County Republican Central Committee. Klein and Simmons have been leaders of this committee. Only Placer County Republicans could vote in this central committee election. With Simmons placing last, it is clear that rank-and-file Placer Republicans don't think much of what has happened to their own local party.

A recall effort is under way to oust Klein and Simmons, but Leslie should be squirming as well. All three of them have lost any moral authority to run Sierra College, because they are running it into the ground.

The defeat of an otherwise non- controversial bond suggests that voters won't trust Simmons, Klein or Leslie with their money. And who can blame them?

But that distrust can't be allowed to endanger the future of Sierra College and of higher education in Placer County. The necessary investments won't happen until leadership of the district regains credibility with the community. That won't happen until there is new leadership. One way or another, Placer is poised to clean house. The sooner there is new leadership for Sierra College, the brighter the future for Placer County.

Election costs Simmons Campaign $106 per Vote.

2006-06-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

PLACER COUNTY SUPERVISOR 2ND DISTRICT
Election Results
Total Votes - 16,452. 100% reporting.

ROBERT M. WEYGANDT
11,549 votes - 70.2%

JERRY SIMMONS
4854 votes - 29.50%

According to an article in the Auburn Journal (Wednesday, May 31, 2006), adding Simmons donations and Tsakopoulos independent expenditures together, opponents spent $514,000 in an attempt to unseat Robert Weygandt resulting in a record cost of $106 for each of Simmons' 4,854 votes.

Simmons Rejected by 70% of Voters

2006-06-07T06:44:00.000-07:00

Weygandt re-elected by wide margin

Sacramento Bee
Published 12:01 am PDT Wednesday, June 7, 2006

Placer County Supervisor Robert Weygandt clinched an overwhelming victory Tuesday over challenger Jerry Simmons.
With all precincts reporting in supervisorial District 2, Weygandt received 70 percent of the votes to win a fourth term on the board. He attributed the large victory margin to voters' recognition of his work on the board and the tenor of Simmons' campaign.

"It was partly his negativism and part of it was the money he received from developer Angelo K. Tsakopoulos, and I think both of those played into it," Weygandt said.

Simmons, president of the board of trustees of the Sierra Joint Community College District, raised $416,790 for his campaign, the most money ever raised for a Placer County supervisors' race.
Weygandt said he is looking forward to another four years.

"It was an election unlike any I've ever seen in Placer County, and I hope that we don't see one like this again," he said.

Simmons said that despite his loss, he has no hard feelings toward Weygandt.

"I called Robert Weygandt to congratulate him on his victory," he said. "It was a hard-fought campaign, but I pledged to support him 100 percent during his next four years in office.

"The election's over, and it's time that the Republican Party come together and be unified behind the candidate that the voters re-elected."

In the race for supervisorial District 1, no one received a majority of the vote. The two leading vote-getters Tuesday -- Roseville City Councilman F.C. "Rocky" Rockholm and Placer County Water Agency director Pauline Roccucci -- will face each other in a runoff in November.

With all precincts reporting, Rockholm received 45 percent of the vote, Roccucci received 40 percent and Roseville City School District trustee Rene Aguilera received 15 percent, knocking him out of the race.

In both races for supervisor, the hot issues involved growth and included how candidates would approach land-use decisions and policies, traffic problems and water availability in the burgeoning county.

The race between Weygandt and Simmons turned out to be the more contentious of the two, with campaign contributions and finger-pointing taking the forefront.

The race seemed fairly benign until January, when Simmons, 32, began raising large amounts of money for his campaign.

As of Tuesday, Simmons had raised record-breaking amounts of contributions for his campaign, which included a $100,000 late contribution from Angelo K. Tsakopoulos and more than $100,000 from Tsakopoulos' friends and business associates.

Weygandt's fundraising began last year, and he had amassed a sizable war chest in the weeks prior to the election. Weygandt, 54, had raised $394,980 as of Tuesday, with $79,000 having come from the United Auburn Indian Community, operator of Thunder Valley Casino.

The competition also was heightened by an unexpected endorsement of Simmons by the Placer County Republican Central Committee and cable television ads and mailers by Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, Angelo's son, criticizing Weygandt.

The central committee in March voted 18-4 in favor of endorsing Simmons, the committee's secretary -- the first time the local GOP hasn't endorsed an incumbent supervisor.

In May, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, president of KT Development Corp., mailed letters and appeared in ads opposing Weygandt and criticizing him for not supporting a 2005 advisory ballot measure that asked voters to endorse his proposal to donate land in western Placer County for a private, four-year university and community project.

Weygandt has maintained that he supports a private university, but considers the site proposed by Tsakopoulos for the project "imperfect."

While the race for District 1 on the board wasn't as brutal, it had its moments of tension.

Roccucci, 58, accused Rockholm of being misleading by stating in campaign mailers that he is a two-term Roseville mayor and has served on the council for eight years.

Rockholm, 61, said he was the highest vote-getter in the last Roseville council election, is slated to be mayor again in November and will have served eight years if he finished his current term.

Weygandt soundly defeats Simmons

2006-06-07T00:25:00.000-07:00

Robert Weygandt was easily elected Tuesday to his fourth term representing District 2 on the Placer County Board of Supervisors.
By: Joshua W. Bingham, Auburn Journal Gold Country News Service
Wednesday, June 7, 2006 9:33 AM PDT

"By golly it feels good," Weygandt said of the win. "I am obviously ecstatic."

Gratified by the majority of people who voted for him, Weygandt said he is ready to get back to work.

"Thanks to everybody for their continued support over all of these years," he said. "I look forward to working on their behalf over the next four years."

Weygandt's opponent, Jerry Simmons, who is the current president of the Sierra College Board of Trustees, said before the final election results were known Tuesday that he would be supportive if he lost.
"I will do everything I can to support Robert Weygandt over the next four years," he said.

After a campaign in which he spent about $450,000, Weygandt said this race was astounding.

"It certainly was different," he said. "Not one that I hope is replayed in Placer County for a local election - a fortune spent, a lot of polarization, a lot of negativism and I'm glad it's over."

Simmons estimated his team spent about $380,000 on the campaign. Weygandt, however, estimated the Simmons' camp spent twice as much as his own.

Causing much media coverage was the fact that the Tsakopoulos family, major developers in the greater Sacramento area, donated $100,000 to Simmons' campaign on May 31.

Although a Placer County Elections Division spokesperson relayed that according to late contribution reports, $118,500 was given to Weygandt's campaign and $232,251.83 was given to Simmons' campaign between May 25 and June 2, a true receipt of how much money was spent wouldn't be available until required in a report later in the year.

Before learning of the election night results, both candidates commented on the race.

Weygandt said he ran in order to properly complete the Placer County Conservation Plan in partnership with cities and water agencies "to make sure Placer County is going to be a special place forever" with a proper framework of development, open space and an effective transportation system.

In the days prior to the election, both candidates said they walked precincts and worked the phones. Simmons said he made guest appearances on radio shows. Both candidates also appeared in many TV commercials.

"I think the voters have been very warm and friendly with me as I've been going door to door," Simmons said. "And I'm so happy to live in a community full of such warm and friendly people."

Weygandt said he walked the Sun City Lincoln Hills and Twelve Bridges areas of Lincoln, as well as the Stanford Ranch area of Rocklin. He concentrated on areas with newer developments and people who might not already know him.

Now that he's been re-elected, Weygandt said he'll focus on conservation plan policy as well as smoothing out some rough edges in the county, and the local Republican Party, which surfaced during this election.

"And I think if we fix those things that aren't functioning properly we can get things back to business in Placer County and continue to do the extraordinary work that we've enjoyed over the past several years," Weygandt said.

While leaving a voting polling place in Lincoln, Kenneth Rowley said he wasn't happy with this year's county supervisor race and how either side worked the election.

"I know Robert Weygandt personally," Rowley said. "And Jerry Simmons seems to be a nice person. But I have not liked what is happening. Our county is very peaceful. And the supervisor's race has gotten out of hand. It grieves me that it has turned out the way it has, real nasty."

About the amount of money spent during the campaign, Lincoln resident Vera Lampros said while leaving a polling place that the money should have been better spent where it's needed.

"Our schools need the money," she said. "Children need more money."

Weygandt said probably all of his major contributors have had disagreements with him in the past or seen him vote against them and know where his loyalties lie, no matter what they donate.

Weygandt said he's humbled so many people and elected officials stood up to support him, even when personal business was at risk or if it was somebody at Sierra College concerned about what might happen to them as a result of their support.

To his supporters and campaign workers, Weygandt wished to offer "an extra special, huge thank you knowing that we needed an extra special, huge effort from the very beginning."

Sacramento Bee: Democrat Developer pumps $100K to Simmons

2006-06-01T08:59:00.001-07:00

Angelo K. Tsakopoulos gives to Placer County supervisorial hopeful.
By Mary Lynne Vellinga and Niesha Lofing -- Bee Staff Writers
Published 12:01 am PDT Thursday, June 1, 2006

In one of the biggest single contributions ever given in a local race, Angelo K. Tsakopoulos, the region's largest developer, has given $100,000 to the campaign of a Republican candidate for supervisor in Placer County.

Tsakopoulos is Sacramento's most prolific campaign contributor to Democrats on the local, state and national level, so his involvement in the effort by conservative Republican Jerry Simmons to unseat three-term Republican Supervisor Robert Weygandt has drawn notice in Placer County.

The two Republican candidates have been raising record amounts of money for the District 2 seat in southwestern Placer County for Tuesday's election.

Angelo K. Tsakopoulos has been supporting Simmons from behind the scenes for months, but his contribution Tuesday -- reported to elections officials Wednesday -- brought that support into the open. It is by far the largest contribution either candidate has received in the race.
"It's just stunning," said Ken Campbell, former chairman of the Placer County Republican Party. "Tsakopoulos has bought a candidate, and now he's trying to buy an election."

Tsakopoulos did not respond to a Bee request for comment Wednesday. Last week, he declined to comment on his role in the Weygandt-Simmons contest.

But Simmons said Wednesday he asked Tsakopoulos for the money to match funds flowing to Weygandt from the United Auburn Indian Community, operators of Thunder Valley Casino outside Lincoln. As of Friday, the tribe had donated $79,000 to Weygandt over the past two years: $50,000 of that money came in a single donation last week.

"When I saw that Thunder Valley Casino had given Robert Weygandt more than $80,000 to fund his campaign, I realized I would be significantly outspent if I didn't do some fundraising in the final week of my campaign, so I called Angelo Tsakopoulos and asked him to make a contribution," Simmons said.

Last week, Simmons told The Bee that he was unaware that the Tsakopoulos family was providing him with financial support, despite his campaign having received more than $100,000 from numerous friends and business associates of Tsakopoulos, some as far away as Chicago and New York City.

For the past week or so, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, Angelo's son, has also been appearing in cable television ads criticizing Weygandt. Those ads were produced by Tsakopoulos independently of the Simmons' campaign. Kyriakos Tsakopoulos manages his father's land holdings in Placer County.

Local political consultants said that a $100,000 single contribution -- while it may not be record-breaking -- is large for a local supervisors race. Placer County has no contribution limits. In Sacramento County, individuals are limited to donations of $500 to candidates for the Board of Supervisors.

"I can't recall the last supervisorial campaign where a $100,000 contribution has been donated to a candidate," said Carlos Rodriguez, a longtime Republican political consultant in Newcastle.

"In any campaign, whether it's a local supervisorial race or a Congressional race, a $100,000 contribution has always been the exception rather than the rule," he said.

For Tsakopoulos, however, the donation to Simmons is minor compared to the millions of dollars he is currently spending to promote the gubernatorial candidacy of his former employee and protégé Phil Angelides, a Democrat.

Tsakopoulos and his daughter Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis have spent $8.7 million on an advertising effort on Angelides' behalf.

Angelides' opponent in the Democratic primary, state Controller Steve Westly, claims that Tsakopoulos has violated state election laws, and on Wednesday sent a letter to the state Fair Political Practices Commission asking it to take immediate action. Westly maintains that the family's independent expenditures on Angelides' behalf are not independent. Ben Davidian, a lawyer for the family, denies there has been any coordination with the Angelides campaign.

In Placer County, last-minute infusions of campaign cash could help Weygandt and Simmons pay for television ads and allow them to continue blanketing local voters with mailers. Weygandt reported raising $326,480 as of Friday. Simmons reported several other significant late contributions Wednesday, bringing his total to $350,790.

Weygandt said he was not surprised to learn of Tsakopoulos' donation.

"It's just an affirmation of what we've known forever," he said.

Weygandt said he was warned even before he announced his intention to run for a fourth term that the Tsakopoulos family intended to try to defeat him.

He and other local officials say Tsakopoulos blamed him for his failure to win quick county approval of his plans to donate land west of Roseville for a private university and adjacent development. Profits from a development next to the university would pay for its construction.

Weygandt, 54, said he supports a private university, but considers the land offered by Tsakopoulos an "imperfect site." The property borders thousands of acres of farmland also controlled by Angelo K. Tsakopoulos. Critics have long charged the university is a ploy to eventually open that land to growth.

Simmons, however, has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Tsakopoulos plan. Last year, he served as campaign chairman for Measure H, an advisory measure asking voters if they approved of the idea of building a private university on donated land. It passed with 61 percent of the vote.

"It's clear that I'm the pro-education candidate, and that the Tsakopoulos family and I share a common vision of constructing a new private, four-year university in Placer County," Simmons said Wednesday.

Simmons, 32, is president of the Sierra Joint Community College District board.

His tenure has been stormy. His leadership has been questioned by faculty and staff, and a group of Placer County leaders Tuesday announced a recall effort. Simmons and Aaron Klein, another trustee targeted for removal, say the recall is a politically motivated effort to keep Simmons from beating Weygandt at the polls.

Sacramento Bee Editorial: Who is Jerry Simmons?

2006-06-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

Tsakopoulos Dems drift to GOP's right
Published 12:01 am PDT Thursday, June 1, 2006

Jerry Simmons is a 32-year-old attorney, a member of the Placer County Republican Central Committee and a candidate for the Placer County Board of Supervisors. His help in high places? The Tsakopoulos family, the region's most prominent developers and largest donors to Democratic candidates and causes.

Through mailers, television spots and campaign contributions, the family is supporting Simmons and opposing Robert Weygandt, a three-term incumbent who doesn't deserve to be ousted.

The family puts the focus on higher education. So let's talk about higher education in Placer County.

Simmons is part of a bloc that took over the Sierra Joint Community College District board of trustees. Key faculty and staff are in open revolt against Simmons, the trustees' president. Trustees have drastically scaled back the system's previous vision for expansion, ousted a popular president and earned the wrath of the Placer County grand jury.

The board under Simmons' leadership has been disastrous; Simmons is now one of the subjects of a recall campaign. If advancing higher education is the family's goal here, why pick Simmons? We tried to ask Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, the family's leader of Placer County projects, but his spokesman didn't provide an on-the-record answer.

So that leaves us wondering what is wrong with Weygandt. As we noted the other day, his goal of preserving open spaces and defining the future path of growth collides with the Tsakopoulos family agenda.

The family has long held an interest in about 3,000 acres of farmland outside Roseville. In 2003, the family proposed building a university on 600 acres and developing another 500 acres, with profits going to underwrite the campus. But a huge planning question -- the fate of the remaining acreage -- was left unanswered. Simmons led a campaign for a "build-a-university" advisory measure. Weygandt opposed it, because it ignored broader questions about the proposed university's impact on such things as traffic and farmland preservation. Now, Weygandt is being tarred as anti-university.

As for Simmons, the grand jury blasted the board's leadership in handling the departure of former Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez. A board member falsely accused Ramirez of illegally shifting funds to a university foundation to promote a bond for desperately needed university expansions. It was a self-inflicted wound. Voters rejected that ambitious bond, and now the board proposes only a conservative bond, mainly to finance repairs.

Ramirez's treatment and the dismantling of the system's expansion program have outraged faculty and staff. As Joe Medeiros, a 16-year professor, put it, trustees have "brought us to our knees in terms of morale and in terms of respect for the board."

Simmons' response? "We're less than 30 days from an election," he told The Bee's Kim Minugh "I have great confidence the public will see through their publicity stunt."

In one respect, Simmons is right. This is a stunt -- a deceptive campaign ginned up to to unseat a hard-working supervisor who had the guts to stand up to a powerful family accustomed to getting its way. This kind of election can tip the balance of power for a long time to come.

Power in Placer County belongs in the hands of independent leaders. A vote for Weygandt would send a powerful message that developers, be they Democrats or Republicans, be they from Sacramento or Sun City, can't buy elections in Placer County.

Sacramento Bee: Simmons blasted over political use of College Campus

2006-06-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

Simmons' use of Sierra College in TV spot has some on campus seeing an ethical, policy breach.
By Niesha Lofing -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Thursday, June 1, 2006

In the latest battle in the war for the District 2 seat on the Placer County Board of Supervisors -- candidate Jerry Simmons has come under fire for taping part of a political advertisement on the Sierra College campus.

Several faculty and staff members at the college -- where Simmons is president of the Sierra Joint Community College District's board of trustees -- are upset by what they say are Simmons' unethical actions and violations of campus policy by using the campus in his television spot.

Simmons defends his ad, however, saying that his use of the campus was not improper and is an effort by his opponent, Supervisor Robert Weygandt, to "attempt to distract from the real issues of the campaign."
"This complaint is merely intended to distract the voters from Robert Wey-gandt's terrible record as a supervisor," Simmons said.

The dispute is the latest in the race for the District 2 supervisorial seat and yet another in controversies swirling around Simmons on the college campus.

On Tuesday, a group of local officials filed a notice of intention to recall board of trustee members Simmons and Aaron Klein, based on claims that the two "wasted money, damaged the college's reputation and demoralized faculty, staff and administration," states a news release that names Rocklin Mayor George Magnuson and former Supervisor Rex Bloomfield among the group's leaders.

Simmons also has been criticized in recent weeks by Sierra College faculty and staff for what some call his intimidation of the campus community, and the board is supposed to vote later this month whether to keep Simmons as its president.

A letter to the board by Rebecca Gregg, a photography and applied art and design professor, criticizes Simmons for having taped one of his campaign ads showing the college's library and the Standing Guard Remembrance Garden gate in the background.

The garden is part of a project intended to commemorate the U.S. internment of people of Japanese ancestry during World War II.

Gregg argues in her letter, dated May 15, that by showing portions of the campus, Simmons is trying to imply that he has the support of the college in his quest for county supervisor.

"Since I teach visual communication, I assure you that this is no small matter," Gregg writes. "My students would easily recognize this tactic as a classic visual propaganda technique that, though unspoken, implies endorsement. … "His use of the Garden is appallingly insensitive and wrong."

Gregg, along with other faculty and staff, also is quick to point out that Simmons did not go through proper channels to get permission to film the ad on campus.

Sue Michaels, Sierra College spokeswoman, said anyone wishing to use the campus for filming purposes -- including use of the grounds -- must file a facilities request with the operations department 10 days in advance.

If the request is approved, a fee may be assessed, she said.

"(Simmons) did not put in a request with operations," Michaels said.

Historically, the district has not allowed the filming of political commercials, Michaels said.

"It's very important that we don't appear to do any kind of campaigning," she said. "To come out and support one candidate as opposed to another would be inappropriate for us."

Using the campus for political campaigning also is prohibited under board policy.

Board policy states that "No trustee shall use or permit others to use public resources, except that which is incidental or minimal, for personal purposes or any other purpose not authorized by law."

The government code relevant to that board policy also states that it is "unlawful for any elected state or local officer … to use or permit others to use public resources for a campaign activity," and further defines public resources as including land, buildings and facilities.

In the past 20 years, there have been no other political commercials filmed on campus, Michaels said, adding that "voter registration is the only non-advocacy political activity allowed on campus."

Simmons said he thinks the tumult over his taping part of his ad on campus is "ridiculous."

"I think the core and central point is that at no point did I use taxpayer time, equipment or personnel in the filming or production of the campaign ad," he said. "I think it's clear under (the government code relevant to the board policy) that the use was incidental in nature."

Others, however, disagree.

"It's an absolute violation of not only college policy, but ethics," said Joe Medeiros, a Sierra College biology professor. "This is a horrific ethical lapse of integrity."

Anthony Maki Gill, Classified Senate president, said many at the college are "aghast" that Simmons would not only tape a political commercial on campus without permission, but use the Standing Guard Remembrance Garden in the background.

"I think that is a pretty obvious example of Simmons' lack of sensitivity," Gill said. "I can only imagine the damage that he could wreak if he could dupe the public into believing he's the candidate they should elect."

Simmons pointed out that Weygandt's television ads also feature public property -- Rocklin and Lincoln city halls are both shown in the background.

Weygandt said his campaign representatives sought, and obtained, a permit to tape in Lincoln, and had the permission of the mayor and City Council in Rocklin.

Weygandt said he doesn't mind that he sought official permission to tape his ads, while Simmons did not.

"It doesn't bother me in that regard, but it is consistent with the way he is running his campaign," Weygandt said.

Auburn Journal: The Plot Thickens. Developer gives $100,000 to Simmons

2006-06-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

By: Gus Thomson, Journal Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 31, 2006 11:26 PM PDT

Funds are flowing to Placer County supervisor candidate Jerry Simmons from the powerful Tsakopoulos development family of Sacramento, with the latest donation reported Wednesday in the form of a $100,000 check from AKT Development president and CEO Angelo Tsakopoulos.

Simmons, an education attorney whose elected post on the Sierra College board is the target of a recall effort, is challenging incumbent Supervisor Robert Weygandt, who's seeking a fourth term as District 2 representative.

Simmons had reported raising $388,000 in campaign donations by Wednesday, with a flood of money -- $174,000, including the Tsakopoulos donation -- coming in over the past week.

Weygandt had $333,000 in donations by Wednesday -- including a $50,000 campaign contribution reported last Thursday in a late filing from the United Auburn Indian Community, owner of the Thunder Valley Casino.

The Tsakopolous donation is believed to be the first six-figure donation by an individual to a supervisorial candidate in a county where election campaigns rarely raised more than $100,000 a decade ago.

"After Robert Weygandt took more than $80,000 from Thunder Valley Casino, I asked Angelo Tsakopoulos for help in my campaign so I wouldn't be significantly outspent," Simmons said. "I've been a strong supporter of the Tsakopoulos family's dream of bringing a private, four-year Christian university to South Placer County and I'm willing to accept donations from anyone who shares my vision for the future of Placer County irrespective of whether they're Republicans or Democrats."

But a leading Republican said Wednesday that the unprecedented support from the Tsakopoulos family represents a developer's unwanted meddling in an election to gain undue influence at the Board of Supervisors level.

Ken Campbell, former Placer County Republican Party chairman, said the donations from the Tsakopoulos camp -- which also include smaller donations from several people connected to the developer, including $11,000 from AKT Development executive Mark Enes of Sacramento, and $11,000 from Sacramento homemaker Kristin Enes - show Tsakopoulos has "bought" Simmons as a candidate.

Weygandt deflected questions on the alliance between Simmons and the Tsakopouloses, saying the two would be better able to answer why they're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in the election to defeat him.

Weygandt said the United Auburn Indian Community contribution is the largest he's received during an election campaign. In total, the tribal contribution to Weygandt this year and last is $84,000.

Weygandt said the United Auburn Indian Community donation is an example of the broad-based funding support he has from groups and individuals he's worked with as a supervisor.

In the case of the 3-year-old Thunder Valley Casino, Weygandt said that he relied on an opinion backed up in the courts that the casino would be allowed and, on that basis, worked with the tribe on land-use issues.

"I've voted against many supporters but they know I'll give them a fair shake," he said.

Simmons said the Auburn Indian Community contribution illustrates the support Weygandt has given the casino, while donations to his campaign from the Tsakopoulos camp show the lack of support his opponent has provided the university development.

Simmons' efforts to defeat Weygandt have also been bolstered by spending totaling $126,000 by Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, Angelo's son, for cable TV ads and mailers to voters critical of Weygandt. Those expenditures were detailed in late independent spending reports submitted by Tsakopoulos

to the Placer County Elections Division between May 22 and May 25.

Adding the Simmons donations and Tsakopoulos independent expenditures up, opponents have raised $514,000 in an attempt to unseat Weygandt on Election Day this coming Tuesday.

Tsakopoulos, 80, has been the Sacramento area's biggest developer for more than two decades. He's founder of AKT Developments. Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, a Granite Bay resident, manages family land holdings in Placer County.

Weygandt said Kyriakos Tsakopoulos and Simmons are both "extraordinarily ambitious" and the stepped-up rate of late filings indicates a "stealth delivery" of their message to voters.

Weygandt said that his campaign has yet to file all its late contribution reports but that he doesn't expect anyone who hasn't already donated to make a major donation.

Campbell said he resigned as chairman last summer after it became apparent to him that Tsakopoulos - a Democrat - had found the Placer County Republican Party willing to take contributions to endorse a ballot measure last November that was clearly a veiled attempt to push the KT Communities' agenda. The university project faces concerns about using groundwater instead of treated water and creating a buffer between the development and nearby agricultural land.

The project - what is termed a regional university - is located on land owned by the Tsakopouloses and other investors in the unincorporated area of Placer County, near Roseville.

"Everyone knew the feud was going on between Weygandt and Tsakopoulos," Campbell said. "Tsakopoulos was openly looking for a candidate to run against Weygandt."

Others said 'no' but Simmons bought into the promise of power and position, Campbell added.

Simmons said the allegation that the Tsakopolous family bought him as a candidate doesn't take into account his stance that "no amount of campaign contributions would ever cause me to vote in a way that did no align with my principles."

"The Tsakopoulos family is supporting me because I support building a private university in Placer County," he said.

During a campaign for the advisory Measure H vote, filings with the election division show Kyriakos Tsakopoulos spent $222,000 in independent expenditures similar to funding being spent against Weygandt. Simmons was a major backer of the Measure H campaign.

"Tsakopoulos displayed Simmons prominently in his Measure H mail pieces," Campbell said. "Later, Tsakopoulos took Simmons around and told people Simmons was his candidate for Placer supervisor and they needed to give contributions."

The Placer County Republican Party took the step this spring of endorsing Simmons over Weygandt. Both are Republicans. Simmons is the Republican Party secretary.

"The bottom line is everyone has known for a while that Tsakopoulos has bought himself a candidate who would salute him and he was buying an election," Campbell said.

Simmons said that he has made clear to Angelo Tsakopoulos that he would not support any new major development that doesn't address traffic or quality-of-life issues in Placer County.

On the groundwater issue, with the Placer County Water Agency adamant that the university development should pay for piped, treated water, Simmons said that it wasn't a quality-of-life issue.

"Certainly all projects would need to meet the county's stringent approval criteria," he said.

Campbell said that Simmons has previously brushed off questions on the connection with the area's biggest developer, saying Tsakopoulos had never given him a cent.

"That was technically correct but it was Tsakopoulos who instructed people to donate to Simmons," Campbell said. "Now the connection is undeniable."

Kyriakos Tsakopoulos was unavailable Wednesday for comment.

The Journal's Gus Thomson can be reached at media.com.

Sacramento Bee: Recall targets Sierra trustees

2006-05-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

In bombshell a week before election, backers of Placer drive accuse college officials of wasting money, hurting morale.
By Kim Minugh -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Placer County leaders launched a recall effort Tuesday against Sierra College trustees Jerry Simmons and Aaron Klein, saying they have wasted taxpayers' money, damaged the institution's reputation and demoralized its employees.

Former county Supervisor Rex Bloomfield, one of 10 people who signed the recall petition, said the trustees are "a malignant cancer that must be removed to preserve the health of Sierra College."

Klein and Simmons, the board president, called the effort a political trick a week before the primary election designed to hurt Simmons' effort to unseat a fellow Republican, incumbent Placer County Supervisor Robert Weygandt.

"Community leaders told me before I filed for this election that Robert Weygandt would play dirty, but I had no idea just how low he could sink," Simmons said in an e-mail.
Weygandt said he knew the recall effort was coming, but played no part in its orchestration.
Some recall backers said their efforts are rooted in concern for the college but acknowledge they don't want Simmons to win the supervisor election.

Weygandt said the unrest at Sierra has driven some of Simmons' critics to assist his campaign. "Certainly, we've been more than happy to use that ... energy but in a way that is perfectly appropriate with a campaign," he said.

The recall effort comes in a race already drawing attention because developer Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, whose family has been a prominent supporter of Democratic politicians, is backing Simmons' campaign.

Also on Tuesday's ballot is a $78.2 million bond measure to repair 40-year-old facilities at Sierra's Rocklin campus. Some have expressed concern that turmoil at Sierra could hurt the bond's chances.

The 10 who signed the recall petition included five current or former county supervisors or mayors.

Though most have expressed support for Weygandt, only two have given financial assistance -- $300 from former Auburn Mayor Cheryl Maki and $100 from former Placer Supervisor Harriet White -- between July 2005 and May 2006, according to campaign financial disclosure forms.
Klein's and Simmons' terms on the Sierra board end in 2008. The recall, intended for the November ballot, is the second such effort aimed at Klein.

At the heart of the debate is the trustees' role in the departure of former college President Kevin Ramirez, which stemmed from Klein's allegations of financial misconduct. Those allegations were rebutted in a March report by the Placer County grand jury. Critics say the ouster itself was financially irresponsible, leading to a $600,000 buyout for Ramirez and the hiring of a new president at a higher salary.

More recently, Sierra employees and community members have said they consider Simmons' leadership style to be intimidating and threatening. Trustee Dave Creek has asked for a board vote next month on whether Simmons should remain president.

Simmons, Klein and their supporters -- including Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City, and the Placer County Republican Party -- charge that the recall effort has been strategically timed to impact next week's election.

"This recall attempt is being launched by Robert Weygandt's liberal political allies just seven days before election day in an attempt to distract voters from Weygandt's record," Simmons said.
Simmons declined to respond to specific allegations about his leadership.
Klein defended his record as a trustee. "Sierra College is better off for the work I've been doing with trustees (Nancy) Palmer, (Scott) Leslie and Simmons," he said.

Simmons and Klein have seven days to file a response, said Ryan Ronco, county assistant registrar of voters. After several procedural steps, recall proponents have 160 days to collect signatures; Ronco estimates 25,000 to 27,500 will be needed for the recall to qualify.
The 10 signers of the recall petition are Bloomfield, White, Maki, Rocklin Mayor George Magnuson, Placer County Republican Central Committee member Laura Hancock, Lincoln Planning Commissioner Allen Cuenca, former Roseville Mayor Mel Hamel, county agriculture advocate Joanne Neft, retired teacher and former Sierra student body President Shirley Russell and West Placer Municipal Advisory Committee chairwoman Terry Dee Webb.

None of the 10 is a Sierra faculty or staff member, but some at the college are relieved to see the effort.

"I think the community is hearing us when the board wouldn't," said Johnnie Terry, president of the college's faculty senate. "At the depths of despair, the cavalry is showing up."
In February 2004 -- one month after Ramirez left Sierra -- some faculty members began discussing a recall of Klein. They abandoned the effort in March, saying they did not want to engage in the same personal attacks used by Klein.

Some say the recall launched Tuesday is likely to have more success because of the mounting frustration within Sierra and the outside community.

"I think the first one was to put them on notice," said Anthony Maki Gill, president of the college's classified senate and son of Cheryl Maki. "This recall has bipartisan support. … This recall has gained momentum after watching the antics of the last year and a half."
Klein said he is confident this recall will meet the same fate as last year's.
"This one is going to fizzle out like the last one did, if not faster," he said.
Klein and other Placer County figures echoed Simmons' suspicions that the timing of the recall effort is suspect.

Assemblyman Leslie issued a statement slamming the recall as "bogus" and as a "dirty campaign tactic." "This is the lowest type of political maneuver that I have witnessed in all my years of public service," Leslie said.

Dean Forman, chairman of the Placer County Republican Party, issued a statement saying the party stands by Simmons and Klein. Klein is a member of the party's central committee; Simmons serves as secretary.

U.S. Rep. John Doolittle, R-Roseville, issued a statement Tuesday night that he would oppose the recall because "it will only further distract attention from the issues and priorities on which we should be focused."

The Union: Recall launched against trustees

2006-05-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

Simmons and Klein target for recall
By Dave Moller, davem@theunion.com
May 31, 2006

Sierra College Trustees Aaron Klein and Jerry Simmons, who helped oust former president Kevin Ramirez, were affixed to the political bull's-eye themselves Tuesday in the form of a recall.

The Placer County elections office confirmed that a notice of intent to recall the pair was filed. Klein said the recall was an 11th-hour attempt to scuttle the Placer County supervisorial campaign of Simmons against longtime incumbent Robert Weygandt.

Klein said the 10 people who signed the recall notice are, "a collection of supporters of Simmons' opponent (Weygandt) and the election is just seven days away. It's a politically-motivated recall that will fizzle out just like the last one."

Shortly after Ramirez stepped down in January of 2005, under a cloud of political fund misuse allegations from Klein and Simmons, an attempt to recall Klein failed.

The Union was unable to locate Simmons for comment Tuesday.

"My campaign is not involved in this," Weygandt said Tuesday. "If that were true it wouldn't explain half of the recall effort. We're focusing on my election and my record."

However, Weygandt said, he endorses the recall.

"It's justified and warranted," he said.

Recall intent signer and former Placer County Supervisor Rex Bloomfield said the recall was indeed political as Klein said.

"The voters need to know what type of person he (Simmons) is before they vote," Bloomfield said. "He attacked a distinguished president of the college for personal gain."

College journalism instructor Kent Pollock, who sent a press release about the recall to The Union, agreed.

"It would be irresponsible for (the signers) not to share their feelings with the voters," Pollock said. "Everywhere (Simmons) goes, conflict follows."

Pollock said Simmons has tried to muzzle board detractors amongst the college faculty and was using his college trustee position as a springboard for higher office. He said most of those signing the recall intent were fellow Republicans of Klein and Simmons.

Rocklin Mayor George Magnuson said he signed the recall intent because, "I'm concerned that the reputation of the college seems to be going downhill. I'm very disturbed about the morale problems they're having," ostensibly, he said, caused by Klein and Simmons.

During Klein's race for the college board in 2004, he and Simmons said Ramirez had laundered and misused more than $100,000 to get a college bond issue passed. Ramirez denied that allegation.

In late March of this year, the Placer County Grand Jury disputed the pair's charges against Ramirez, saying they were "utterly without merit." The grand jury said Klein brought the allegations to them before fully investigating and, "the facts speak in total opposition to the complaint."

The grand jury said the college foundation failed to report all the donations it received to pass the bond issue, but had done so out of inexperience and not because of some political conspiracy.

Klein, who represents the Colfax and Nevada City areas for the college, said that statement proved something was amiss and the violations were not minor as the grand jury indicated.

"The Ramirez issue is long since over," Klein said Tuesday. "I'm focused on the future and our budget is balanced for the first time in four years."

It was unclear late Tuesday just how many voters signatures will be needed to get the recall on a ballot. Robin Bjerke at the Placer County Elections Office said that 10 percent of its registered voters, or about 17,500, would have to sign under state law.

Because Nevada County has between 50,000 and 100,000 voters, 20 percent would have to sign here, Bjerke said. That would be 12,717 signatures from the county's 63,583 registered voters.

The college district takes in all of Placer and Nevada counties and a portion of Sacramento and El Dorado counties, but Bjerke was unsure how many voters in those counties would need to sign for the recall to succeed.

The formal recall intent notice said college enrollment and foundation contributions have declined since Klein and Simmons targeted Ramirez.

Sierra College public information officer Sue Michaels said there has been a decline in enrollment, but it also may have been because college tuition has increased. She said the foundation could not run down contribution figures late Tuesday and would have them in the near future.

To contact senior staff writer Dave Moller, e-mail davem@ theunion.com or call 477-4237.

Auburn Journal: Citizen group seeks trustees' recall

2006-05-31T07:17:00.000-07:00

By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Journal Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 30, 2006 11:41 PM PDT

Rex Bloomfield, former Placer County supervisor, is among a group of 10 people who signed a notice of intention to seek a recall of Sierra College board president Jerry Simmons and trustee Aaron Klein.

Bloomfield and other recall supporters filed paperwork with the Placer County clerk's office Tuesday morning.

The group says the recall is necessary because of Klein and Simmons' treatment of then-President Kevin Ramirez, which led to his $600,000-plus contract buyout and early retirement.

"This is about an abuse of power," Bloomfield said.

Paperwork filed with the county and sent to Klein says that after the trustee's "public attacks, Sierra College's enrollment fell; the college lost a distinguished administrator; and the Sierra College Foundation lost donations."
"Aaron Klein behaved in a reckless manner, made irresponsible and absurd claims, destroyed the career of a dedicated public servant, and damaged the reputation of Sierra College," the petition reads.

The "Notice of Intention to Circulate Recall Petition" says the push to recall Simmons is due to his "irresponsible and unethical behavior" during his tenure as Sierra College board president and "abusive micro-management" as a trustee.

"During his tenure on the Sierra College board, Jerry Simmons harmed the college by his irresponsible and unethical behavior..." the notice reads. "As a board member, Jerry Simmons repeatedly overstepped his bounds by directing administrators to silence his critics and threatening staff with their jobs if they continued to question his activities. This abusive micro-management is not only unethical but violates the rights guaranteed to all citizens in our Constitution. Simmons' bullying tactics first disheartened the staff but now has unified them in opposition to his inappropriate conduct."

Klein said the recall attempt is a "highly coordinated attack designed to affect Tuesday's election" and that voters will see right through it.

"The proponents of this recall are a collection of Robert Weygandt cronies, led by Placer County's very own 'Howard Dean' ultra-liberal, Rex Bloomfield, who was repudiated and driven from office by the voters just two years ago," Klein said in a written statement Tuesday.

Simmons accused political opponent Robert Weygandt of playing dirty.

"This recall attempt is being launched by Robert Weygandt's liberal political allies just seven days before election day in an attempt to distract voters from Weygandt's record of making it easier to raise taxes, his failure to require developers to pay for traffic mitigation before he voted for new housing units, and his support of taking away private property for commercial use through eminent domain," Simmons said in a written statement Tuesday. "Community leaders told me before I filed for this election that Robert Weygandt would play dirty, but I had no idea just how low he could sink."

Recall supporters now have the task of collecting some 26,000 signatures-10 percent of the voting population within the Sierra Joint Community College District-from registered voters within Placer, Sacramento, Nevada and El Dorado counties.

"I believe in order to ensure that Sierra College returns to its distinguished reputation, both Simmons and Klein need to be removed," Bloomfield said.

Rocklin Mayor George Magnuson, Lincoln Planning Commissioner Allen Cuenca, former Auburn Mayor Cheryl Maki, former Roseville Mayor Mel Hamel, Republican Central Committee member Laura Hancock and Shirley Russell, a retired teacher and former Sierra College student body president, are among the group of signers.

"I just think they need a change of leadership over there," Magnuson said Tuesday. "I'm very concerned about which way the college is going. There seems to be a big morale problem that wasn't there before Mr. Simmons and Mr. Klein were elected. It wasn't an easy decision to come to but it's something that needs to be addressed by the taxpayers and voters in the Sierra College district."

Harriet White, a former Placer County supervisor whose signature also appears on recall papers, said it's time for a change.

"I signed on to this to support the people in the Sierra College district because I think we need a replacement for people like Klein and Simmons, who have pulled the antics they've done on the board," she said. "This will be good for the district, it will be good for the Sierra College board and it will be good for the District 2 supervisor's race, to see just what kind of person Simmons is."

Supporters of both Klein and Simmons call the recall effort a reprehensible campaign tactic.

"I think that is just about the lowest form of political campaigning I can imagine, to call for a recall election just a few days before the primary election," Assemblyman Tim Leslie said Tuesday morning. Leslie's son, Scott Leslie, is a Sierra College trustee who has supported Klein and Simmons during the recent turmoil.

Dean Forman, Placer County Republican Party chairman, rallied for support of both trustees.

"These unfounded, politically motivated accusations are an abuse of the recall process - the recall process was not created to carry out personal vendettas," he said in a press release Tuesday.

Anthony Maki Gill, Sierra College classified senate president, accompanied former supervisors Bloomfield and White to the county clerk's office Tuesday morning.

"I'm not one of the organizers, but I will be one of the signers," he said. "The continued damage that both Klein and Simmons are doing to Sierra College, the credit they continue to take for our hardworking students and staff, their attack politics are no good for our institution and they're certainly no good for our community."

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com.

Recall launched against trustees

2006-05-31T00:34:00.000-07:00

By Dave Moller, The Uniondavem@theunion.com
May 31, 2006

Sierra College Trustees Aaron Klein and Jerry Simmons, who helped oust former president Kevin Ramirez, were affixed to the political bull's-eye themselves Tuesday in the form of a recall.

The Placer County elections office confirmed that a notice of intent to recall the pair was filed. Klein said the recall was an 11th-hour attempt to scuttle the Placer County supervisorial campaign of Simmons against longtime incumbent Robert Weygandt.

Klein said the 10 people who signed the recall notice are, "a collection of supporters of Simmons' opponent (Weygandt) and the election is just seven days away. It's a politically-motivated recall that will fizzle out just like the last one."

Shortly after Ramirez stepped down in January of 2005, under a cloud of political fund misuse allegations from Klein and Simmons, an attempt to recall Klein failed.

The Union was unable to locate Simmons for comment Tuesday.

"My campaign is not involved in this," Weygandt said Tuesday. "If that were true it wouldn't explain half of the recall effort. We're focusing on my election and my record."

However, Weygandt said, he endorses the recall.

"It's justified and warranted," he said.

Recall intent signer and former Placer County Supervisor Rex Bloomfield said the recall was indeed political as Klein said.

"The voters need to know what type of person he (Simmons) is before they vote," Bloomfield said. "He attacked a distinguished president of the college for personal gain."

College journalism instructor Kent Pollock, who sent a press release about the recall to The Union, agreed.

"It would be irresponsible for (the signers) not to share their feelings with the voters," Pollock said. "Everywhere (Simmons) goes, conflict follows."

Pollock said Simmons has tried to muzzle board detractors amongst the college faculty and was using his college trustee position as a springboard for higher office. He said most of those signing the recall intent were fellow Republicans of Klein and Simmons.

Rocklin Mayor George Magnuson said he signed the recall intent because, "I'm concerned that the reputation of the college seems to be going downhill. I'm very disturbed about the morale problems they're having," ostensibly, he said, caused by Klein and Simmons.

During Klein's race for the college board in 2004, he and Simmons said Ramirez had laundered and misused more than $100,000 to get a college bond issue passed. Ramirez denied that allegation.

In late March of this year, the Placer County Grand Jury disputed the pair's charges against Ramirez, saying they were "utterly without merit." The grand jury said Klein brought the allegations to them before fully investigating and, "the facts speak in total opposition to the complaint."

The grand jury said the college foundation failed to report all the donations it received to pass the bond issue, but had done so out of inexperience and not because of some political conspiracy.

Klein, who represents the Colfax and Nevada City areas for the college, said that statement proved something was amiss and the violations were not minor as the grand jury indicated.

"The Ramirez issue is long since over," Klein said Tuesday. "I'm focused on the future and our budget is balanced for the first time in four years."

It was unclear late Tuesday just how many voters signatures will be needed to get the recall on a ballot. Robin Bjerke at the Placer County Elections Office said that 10 percent of its registered voters, or about 17,500, would have to sign under state law.

Because Nevada County has between 50,000 and 100,000 voters, 20 percent would have to sign here, Bjerke said. That would be 12,717 signatures from the county's 63,583 registered voters.

The college district takes in all of Placer and Nevada counties and a portion of Sacramento and El Dorado counties, but Bjerke was unsure how many voters in those counties would need to sign for the recall to succeed.

The formal recall intent notice said college enrollment and foundation contributions have declined since Klein and Simmons targeted Ramirez.

Sierra College public information officer Sue Michaels said there has been a decline in enrollment, but it also may have been because college tuition has increased. She said the foundation could not run down contribution figures late Tuesday and would have them in the near future.
To contact senior staff writer Dave Moller, e-mail davem@ theunion.com or call 477-4237.

Recall intent signers

Here are the names of the 10 people who signed the intent to recall Sierra College Trustees Aaron Klein and Jerry Simmons, according to former Placer County Supervisor Rex Bloomfield.

• Bloomfield.

• Rocklin Mayor George Magnuson.

• Former Placer County Supervisor Harriet White.

• West Placer Municipal Advisory Committee Chairwoman Terry Dee Webb.

• Lincoln Planning Commissioner Allen Cuenca.

• Former Auburn Maror Cheryl Maki.

• Farm advocate Joanne Neft.

• Former Sierra College Student Body President Shirley Russell.

• Placer County Republican Central Committee member Laura Hancock.

• Former Roseville Mayor Mel Hamel.

Citizens Seek Recall of Simmons and Klein

2006-05-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release
May 29, 2006

Diverse Group of Citizens
Seek Recall of Sierra College
Trustees Simmons and Klein

A widely diverse group of concerned citizens have signed a notice of intention to seek a recall of Sierra College Trustees Jerry Simmons and Aaron Klein because they believe the two trustees have wasted money, damaged the college’s reputation and demoralized faculty, staff and administration.

The group includes five current or former Placer County supervisors or mayors, a fire chief, a planning commissioner, a Placer Republican Central Committee member, an agriculture advocate, and a former Sierra College student body president.

“The actions of these two trustees have already been incredibly costly to taxpayers and damaging to the college’s reputation,” said Rocklin Mayor George Magnuson. “We believe that their continued tenure as college trustees threatens to do irreparable harm to the institution.”

The ten signers of the recall petition are

* Rocklin Mayor George Magnuson
* Former county Supervisor Rex Bloomfield
* Lincoln Planning Commissioner Allen Cuenca
* Former Roseville Mayor Mel Hamel
* Republican Central Committee member Laura Hancock
* Former Auburn Mayor Cheryl Maki,
* Agriculture advocate Joanne Neft
* Retired teacher and former Sierra College Student Body President Shirley Russell
* West Placer Municipal Advisory Committee Chair Terry Dee Webb
* Former county Supervisor Harriet White.

Both Simmons and Klein are in their first term as elected public servants. The group hopes to make it their last.

“Simmons and Klein are a malignant cancer that must be removed to preserve the health of Sierra College,” said Bloomfield. “Simmons has threatened professors, staff and administrators. He reportedly screams at them and has been asked more than once to stop using profanity when he loses control of his temper.”

Last year, Simmons and Klein led the charge to remove former Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez based on allegations that the Placer County Grand Jury recently described as being “totally without merit.” The grand jury recommended that Klein and the entire board of trustees apologize to Ramirez for forcing him to seek retirement.

College financial documents supplied to the grand jury indicate that Ramirez’ forced resignation cost the district more than $620,000 in retirement benefits, contract buy-out and legal fees. That amount doesn’t capture the true financial toll on the school, which still hasn’t recovered from severe enrollment declines following the very public smear campaign that led to Ramirez’ demise. School administrators say there is currently an actual $2 million enrollment shortfall from anticipated revenues.

The recall notices will be served on Klein and Simmons Tuesday morning by registered mail. A copy of the notice will also be filed with the Placer County Clerk Tuesday.
Mass signature-gathering activities will begin after the petition’s language is approved and the two trustees have an opportunity to respond. An Internet address, www.recallsimmonsandklein.com, has been reserved for a Web site to be launched in the near future, Bloomfield said. Details of how to volunteer or financially support the effort will be available soon on the Web site.

Copies of the notices of intent to recall are attached.

For More Information:
Rocklin Mayor George Magnuson (916) 624-1119
Former Supervisor Rex Bloomfield (530) 878-0155
Retired teacher Shirley Russell (916) 645-3740

Notice of Intention to Circulate Recall Petition
To the Honorable Jerry Simmons:

Pursuant to Section 11020, California Elections Code, the undersigned registered qualified voters of Sierra Community College District, in the State of California, hereby give notice that we are the proponents of a recall petition and that we intend to seek your recall and removal from the office of Sierra Community College board of trustees, in the Sierra Community College District, California, and to demand election of a successor in that office.
The grounds for recall are as follows:

During his tenure on the Sierra College Board, Jerry Simmons harmed the college by his irresponsible and unethical behavior. As a co-conspirator with Aaron Klein, he worked at removing the Sierra College president. Jerry attempted to bolster Aaron Klein’s unfounded and absurd complaint with gossip he heard in a restroom. Both parties supposedly involved in the conversation did not substantiate his recollection. Due to Jerry’s efforts and the resulting bad press, Sierra College saw enrollments drop, the staff demoralized, and the foundation losing donations.

As a board member, Jerry Simmons repeatedly overstepped his bounds by directing administrators to silence his critics and threatening staff with their jobs if they continued to question his activities. This abusive micromanagement is not only unethical but violates the rights guaranteed to all citizens in our Constitution. Simmons’ bullying tactics first disheartened the staff but now has unified them in opposition to his inappropriate conduct.

For his mistreatment of staff and harm inflicted on Sierra College as a result of his inexcusable behavior, Jerry Simmons should be removed from the Sierra College Board.
The printed names, signatures, and business or residence addresses of the proponent’s area as follows:

Notice of Intention to Circulate Recall Petition
To the Honorable Aaron Klein:

Pursuant to Section 11020, California Elections Code, the undersigned registered qualified voters of Sierra Community College District, in the State of California, hereby give notice that we are the proponents of a recall petition and that we intend to seek your recall and removal from the office of Sierra Community College board of trustees, in the Sierra Community College District, California, and to demand election of a successor in that office.

The grounds for recall are as follows:

After a thorough Grand Jury investigation into Aaron’s Klein’s complaint against the president of Sierra College, the Grand Jury concluded the following.

· The facts in the case speak in total opposition to Aaron’s complaint.
· Klein’s complaint is utterly without merit and his allegations absurd.
· His politicized complaint inflicted damage on a senior public employee.
· Klein’s unfounded attacks demoralized the Sierra College community.
· The charges were unfounded, misleading and full of unsubstantiated allegation.

*Words in bold type are those of the Grand Jury.

After Klein’s public attacks, Sierra College’s enrollment fell; the college lost a distinguished administrator; and the Sierra College Foundation lost donations.

Aaron Klein behaved in a reckless manner, made irresponsible and absurd claims, destroyed the career of a dedicated public servant, and damaged the reputation of Sierra College. When provided the opportunity to make amends for his inappropriate behavior, Aaron Klein adamantly refused. Continuing to serve in the capacity as member of the Sierra College Board could bring irreparable harm to the college, so Aaron Klein should be removed from office.

A copy of this notice and proof of service will be filed with the Placer County Elections Official. You may file an answer to the statement of the proponents with the Placer County Elections Official within 7 days after the notice is filed. It may not be more than 200 words. If an answer is filed, a copy of it must also be served personally or by certified mail within the same 7-day period on one of the above proponents. The answer shall have the printed name, signature, business or residence address of the officer sought to be recalled.

Sacramento Bee: Simmons campaign gets major "Donations" from Power Player Democrat Developer

2006-05-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

Power Developer Tsakopoulos family jumps into Placer Supervisor contest
By Mary Lynne Vellinga and Niesha Lofing -- Bee Staff Writers
Published 12:01 am PDT Sunday, May 28, 2006

The family of developer Angelo K. Tsakopoulos is well known nationwide as a power player in the Democratic Party.

But now his son Kyriakos, a registered Democrat who in 2004 cast one of California's electoral votes for John Kerry for president, is appearing in television ads and mail pieces in an effort to unseat Republican Placer County Supervisor Robert Weygandt, who is being challenged by a man who asserts Weygandt isn't Republican enough.

GOP candidate Jerry Simmons, 32, president of the Sierra Joint Community College District board, has attracted financial support from a list of contributors -- as far as away as New York City and Chicago -- who are connected to Angelo Tsakopoulos and his AKT Development Corp.
Kyriakos Tsakopoulos manages his father's land holdings in Placer County through his KT Development Corp.

Angelo Tsakopoulos hasn't made any direct contributions to Simmons. But major financial backers include the developer's longtime business partners, his real estate broker, a Chicago-area lawyer who once chaired a think tank Tsakopoulos founded, homebuilders who buy land from him, and a top executive of AKT Development Corp.

"Anybody who is paying attention to the race knows that Angelo Tsakopoulos is supporting Jerry Simmons," said Lincoln Councilman Primo Santini, a longtime friend of Weygandt's who is helping run his campaign.

"I had a meeting with Kyriakos Tsakopoulos. It was a conversation in which no room was left for doubt. He said new leadership was needed in the county, and Jerry was the man for the job."
Simmons said Friday he has not received direct financial support from Angelo or Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, and said he wasn't aware that significant funds to his campaign were from Angelo Tsakopoulos' professional and personal contacts.

Nonetheless, he said he is aware that the Tsakopoulos family "has had positive things to say about my campaign to others in the community."

According to campaign finance statements, Weygandt has raised $326,480 to seek his fourth term on the board, one of the highest amounts ever raised for a supervisorial seat in Placer County.

His fundraising began last year, however. This year, Simmons was outpacing Weygandt -- having raised a total of $215,990 -- until Friday, when Weygandt's campaign reported a $50,000 late contribution from the United Auburn Indian Community, operators of Thunder Valley Casino.

Last week, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos jumped into the fray by appearing in a series of cable TV ads and sending out signed letters to voters criticizing Weygandt.

Kyriakos Tsakopoulos reported spending $24,422 on his ads as of Tuesday. His spending is classified as an independent expenditure to oppose Weygandt and is thus not included in Simmons' campaign total. He lives in Granite Bay and is a registered Democrat, voter records show.

Neither Angelo nor Kyriakos Tsakopoulos would make themselves available for comment last week on the supervisor race. But local GOP politicians have taken note, including those who support Weygandt, despite Simmons' claim that he "is the only Republican in the race."
Simmons is secretary of the Placer County Republican Central Committee. In March, he received the party's endorsement -- highly unusual in a race involving a party incumbent.
"It is ironic that a member of the Republican Central Committee is being supported by one of the strongest Democrats in the land," Santini said.

Angelo Tsakopoulos and his immediate family generally support the same candidates, often giving multiple donations at the same time. Kyriakos Tsakopoulos has been a less substantial campaign contributor than Angelo and daughter Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis, but like them he has backed state Treasurer Phil Angelides, a Democrat, for governor.

The family made nearly $9 million in campaign contributions between 1995 and 2005, the vast majority going to Democrats on the local, state and national level. Angelo Tsakopoulos and his daughter have hosted fundraisers for Bill and Hillary Clinton, and he was among the contributors invited to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom when Bill Clinton was president.
This year, Angelo Tsakopoulos and Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis have spent $8.7 million on an independent expenditure campaign to boost the gubernatorial fortunes of former AKT employee Angelides.

The Simmons race isn't the first time the Tsakopoulos family has backed a Republican. The family often gives money to Republican candidates for local offices in districts where Democrats can't hope to win.

What's unusual is the scale of the involvement and the fact that Kyriakos Tsakopoulos is targeting an incumbent perceived as relatively moderate who is facing a challenger who describes himself as more conservative.

Citing their "strong family values," Simmons says the current politicians he most admires are U.S. Rep. John Doolittle, R-Roseville, and Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City.
Weygandt, Santini and other local officials say the Tsakopoulos family's opposition to Weygandt stems from the belief that he was to blame for their failure to secure quick county approval of their plans to donate about 1,100 acres in western Placer County for a private university and adjacent development that would pay for the university's construction.

In 2003, the Christian Brothers order announced that it would build a four-year university but pulled out last year, saying the building approval process was taking too long.

Tsakopoulos' "beef with Robert is simply that they do not feel he has supported their university project," Santini said. "He has supported it. I honestly don't know how the differences they have had about the ultimate shape of the project could have escalated to this point."

The university site west of Roseville is amid thousands of acres of farmland, much of it owned by Angelo Tsakopoulos and his partners. Environmentalists criticize the proposal to donate land there as a ploy to eventually open the area for growth.

Kyriakos Tsakopoulos' ads don't directly urge people to vote for Simmons. Rather, they target Weygandt, 54, for not supporting a 2005 advisory ballot measure that asked voters to endorse the university proposal.

His mailer points out that Simmons was chairman of the campaign for the ballot measure, which Weygandt opposed. Measure H passed with 61 percent of the vote.

In the ads, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos identifies himself as a trustee for the California State University system, not as a developer.

"Sixty percent of you voted yes. Supervisor Weygandt, who opposed the measure, called your vote irrelevant," Tsakopoulos said in his TV ad. "College opportunity is not irrelevant."
Simmons said the TV ad is not affiliated with his campaign and came "as a total surprise."
He said he understands why "they would want to remind voters of (Weygandt's) opposition to an educational institution being built in our county."

While he opposed the ballot measure, Weygandt said the Tsakopoulos family has wrongly blamed him for trying to block the university altogether. Complex land use issues are more appropriately decided by the Board of Supervisors, not at the ballot box, he said.
Weygandt said he supports the idea of a private university in western Placer County, though he thinks the Tsakopoulos property is an "imperfect site." He said he met with Kyriakos Tsakopoulos and his consultants "40 times" to try to resolve development application issues.
A longtime champion of preserving open space in Placer County, Weygandt maintains Tsakopoulos is seeking "preferential treatment" by pressing for quick approval of a university development that runs afoul of the county's general plan.

"The university's flaws continue to be that it requires groundwater, even though we found a source of surface water for it, and that they're refusing to study the idea of a buffer with the agricultural land, " Weygandt said.

Simmons said his relationship with the Tsakopoulos family began about two years ago because of the family's donations to Sierra College's scholarship program. After learning about the university proposal, Simmons offered to volunteer to work on the effort, eventually becoming chairman of the Measure H campaign.

He said he took up Measure H "because I think a new university is essential for educational opportunities and expanding economic development in our region."

Simmons has been controversial since his election to the Sierra College board, with his leadership being questioned by faculty and staff. His tenure has been marked by the stormy departure of former college President Kevin Ramirez, a subsequent grand jury request that the board apologize to Ramirez, and the board's tepid response to the grand jury. The board will vote next month whether Simmons continues as board president.

Republican Simmons said he has no problem taking donations connected to such a prominent Democratic fundraising family.

"The Tsakopoulos family has given significant amounts to both Democratic and Republican officeholders because they believe in creating a better business climate, " he said.
"My campaign is willing to accept support from anyone who shares my vision for the future of Placer County, regardless of whether they be Republican, Democrat or independent."
But other local elected officials see it differently.

"Any one of us could come up for re-election, and (a) Tsakopoulos could decide to spend a million dollars against us, and it would be pretty unsettling," said Republican Lincoln City Councilman Tom Cosgrove.

About the writer:
The Bee's Mary Lynne Vellinga can be reached at (916) 321-1094 or mlvellinga@sacbee.com. Niesha Lofing can be reached at (916) 773-6846 or nlofing@sacbee.com.

Following the money
A sampling of contributions to Jerry Simmons from people with ties to Sacramento developer Angelo K. Tsakopoulos:

Cambridge Communities• Sacramento
• $25,000
• Home builder
• Recently signed agreement to buy 48-acre Centrage property in east Sacramento from Angelo K. Tsakopoulos.

Crystal Ice Delivery• Fair Oaks
• $20,000
• Former ice delivery company owned by Fair Oaks resident Tim Fitzer.
• Angelo Tsakopoulos and Bill Cummings owned the Crystal Ice complex for many years and leased space to Crystal Ice Delivery. Tsakopoulos eventually transferred his interest to nonprofit entities dedicated to study of Greece. Crystal Ice Delivery is now closed, and the complex has been sold to developer Mark Friedman. Fitzer declined to say why he gave money to Simmons.

Mark Enes• Sacramento
• $11,000
• Executive vice president of AKT Development

Kristin Enes• Sacramento
• $11,000
• Homemaker

Somers Building Maintenance• Sacramento
• $10,000
• Owner Charles Somers has been a partner with Angelo Tsakopoulos in land in eastern Sacramento County.

James Regas• Oak Brook, Ill.
• $10,000
• Lawyer
• Served as chairman of the Western Policy Center, a think tank founded by Angelo Tsakopoulos and devoted to the study of issues related to Greece.

Georgia Regas• Oak Brook, Ill.
• $5,000
• Homeowner

Forecast Homes-Northern California• Sacramento
• $10,000
• Homebuilder
• Currently working with AKT Development on a project in Rancho Cordova.

135 W. 18th St. Realty Corp.• New York
• $5,000
• Company controlled by Peter J. Pappas, whose family's Sacramento and El Dorado County real estate investments are managed out of Angelo Tsakopoulos' office.

Sierra College senate e-mail deemed legal

2006-05-27T21:45:00.000-07:00

Comment: The political flyer that Simmons objected to was one from October 2004 in which he supported Aaron Klein and Tim Leslie for Sierra College Trustee. It's 2006 for pete's sake, and Klein and Leslie have been in office for a year and a half. Could it be that Simmons is more upset about his quote about the Placer County Grand Jury? The brochure certainly can't be considered political since it is almost 2 years old and supports an election long since over.

Rocklin Placer Herald
Sierra College senate e-mail deemed legal
Californians Aware attorney offers opinion on political controversy
By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Gold Country News Service
Wednesday, May 24, 2006 3:12 PM PDT

The Sierra College board president won't be able to shut up a staff member's attempt at free speech any time soon.

Anthony Maki Gill, Sierra classified senate president, sought the legal advice of Terry Francke, general counsel with Californians Aware, a Sacramento-based center for public forum rights. Word came out through the e-mail grapevine earlier this month that Jerry Simmons, Sierra board president, wanted Gill disciplined for distributing a political document via campus e-mail."

What he did and what he said violated no law or board policy," Francke told Gold Country Media. "I think it's a dead end. I think it was a dead end to begin with."

Simmons said that although Gill's e-mailed political flier may be technically legal, he doesn't think that it's a proper use for college technology.

After reviewing Sierra College board policy and administrative procedure, Francke found no fault in Gill's e-mail.

Gill sent a scanned copy of a campaign flier to Sierra faculty, classified staff and the college's management team following the March release of the Placer County grand jury report, which states charges made by trustee Aaron Klein against Kevin Ramirez, the then-Sierra College president, were "utterly without merit" and that Klein owed the college, community and Ramirez an apology.

The leaflet, dated Oct. 22, 2004, was mailed as a campaign flier prior to the November 2004 election. The piece supports Aaron Klein and Scott Leslie as candidates for seats on the Sierra College board of trustees. The flier's headline reads, "When the Placer County grand jury continually targets the Sierra Board of Trustees for mismanagement and abuse ... It's time for a change!" and bears the signatures of trustees Jerry Simmons and Nancy Palmer.

Gill said his purpose, as it stated in his e-mail to staff, was to offer "an appropriate visual aid as one reads the report.""There was no advocacy in my message," Gill said Tuesday. "I was just trying to pass information to staff at Sierra College."Gill said he didn't break the law because what he sent was nothing more than a historical document from a past election.

"I'm speaking out and I'm well within my rights to speak out," he said. "His allegations against me are unfounded."Francke agrees."It just seems to me that the apparent linkage between what he said and sent, and any law that I'm aware of, is non-existent," Francke said Thursday.

While Gill said he's done nothing more than provide a historical document for staff consideration, Simmons previously told the Auburn Journal he believes "in free speech for everyone but not in political campaigning..." at taxpayers' expense and said the college's e-mail system is not a proper outlet for such a document."

Even if Anthony has found a loophole that allows him to send political mailers out on the college e-mail system, I think the taxpayers would appreciate it if he would use taxpayer resources only for the purpose of educating students," Simmons said Thursday afternoon in an e-mailed statement.

"The college is asking taxpayers to fund technology upgrades through the Measure B bond so that we can educate our students more effectively, not so college employees can send more political mailers."

Word of Simmons' attempt to discipline Gill became public following a May 5 e-mail sent to trustees by Dr. Morgan Lynn, Sierra College interim president, which contained allegations of Simmons' attempts to silence staff members who are board critics. Lynn's original message caused a flurry of further e-mails throughout the Sierra College campus and community.

Lynn said Wednesday that Gill's e-mail could be considered politically motivated if the attachment was relevant for a current, not past, election process."I do hope this is over now," she said.

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at mailto:lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com

Trustee wants Simmons out as board president

2006-05-21T08:40:00.000-07:00

Rocklin Placer Herald
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 2:36 PM PDT
By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Gold Country News Service

Sierra College trustee David Creek wants to see Jerry Simmons removed from his role of board president.Creek asked last Tuesday night that an item be added to a June 13 meeting agenda that would open discussion leading to the possible removal of a Simmons as board president."

Abuse of power, intimidation, attempt to stifle free speech - those things are sort of the shell of the matter," Creek said Wednesday. "If I was trying to get what the idea of this is into a few words, that's it."Simmons said the criticism from Creek and Sierra staff is politically motivated by the election season.

Creek said that he'd heard "too much" after receiving a letter from Dr. Morgan Lynn, Sierra College interim president, sent to trustees with allegations of Simmons' attempts to silence staff members who are board critics.

"Nobody as board president has the right to do what he's done," Creek said. "I think that the staff are very upset by these specific events and other acts of intimidation by Jerry Simmons."

Lynn's e-mail, sent to trustees Friday, accused Simmons of attempting to "micromanage" staff, and caused a flurry of further e-mails throughout the campus community.

Tuesday's board meeting at Sierra College was packed with school supporters and community members who spilled into the hallway when chairs were no longer available.

Lynn received a standing ovation from those who packed the board room for her "thoughtful and heroic message," as described by Kent Pollock, one of the Sierra faculty members mentioned in Lynn's letter."

Humility is my reaction," Lynn said Wednesday. "I don't see it necessarily as heroic. Because I have so much support, I don't feel like I am in jeopardy for sticking my neck out."

Lynn didn't plan to say much at Tuesday's meeting but wanted to address those in the audience following heated public comment."

My intention when I wrote this letter to the trustees was to let them know what Jerry Simmons was doing behind the scenes," Lynn said Wednesday. "I do think the light of day needs to be shone on these kinds of behaviors."

Lynn also didn't expect Creek's request for the agenda item." I do think that the board would be a lot calmer with a president who's not so politically motivated," she said.

Lynn mentioned in her memo to trustees that Simmons asked that Kent Pollock, a part-time faculty member and adviser to The Outlook student newspaper, be disciplined after an editorial Pollock wrote was published in the Auburn Journal. Lynn also said in her letter that Johnnie Terry, Sierra academic senate president, told her he'd been advised by Simmons through a third party to "back off."

Lynn also said in the memo that Simmons asked her to discipline Anthony Maki Gill, Sierra classified senate president, for sending a campaign flier via campus e-mail, and that this was not the first time Simmons sought to discipline Gill.

Simmons said he's being targeted by critics in a way similar to criticism of President George W. Bush, Congressman John Doolittle and Assemblyman Tim Leslie."

It's certainly very different to govern an institution that does not want to be governed by conservatives," Simmons said Wednesday.

Simmons is campaigning for a seat on the Placer County Board of Supervisors."It's political silly season," Simmons said. "All of these people making these attacks against me are supporting my opponent in the upcoming election."

Sierra trustee Scott Leslie shared Simmons' sentiment."To me it's more than a coincidence that these false and misleading accusations be made 28 days before an election," he said Wednesday. "Fortunately, I think voters can see through political stunts like these."

Leslie said he's disheartened by criticism of the board and its president."To me, Jerry is intelligent, mild-mannered, carries himself to the utmost professionalism in everything he does," he said.

The next meeting of the Sierra Joint Community College District board of trustees is scheduled for June 13.-

Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com.

Sierra staff blasts back: College interim president praised for message accusing Simmons of stifling faculty members

2006-05-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

Auburn Journal
By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Journal Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 9, 2006 10:36 PM PDT

ROCKLIN - Dr. Morgan Lynn, Sierra College interim president, received a standing ovation from a packed board room Tuesday evening for her "thoughtful and heroic message" accusing board president Jerry Simmons of trying to quiet staff members who are board critics."

I am so proud she took a stand, finally," said Kent Pollock, who is one of three Sierra College staff members named in Lynn's e-mail accusing Simmons, which was sent to trustees Friday and caused a flurry of further e-mails throughout the campus community.

Tuesday's board meeting at Sierra College was packed with school supporters and community members who spilled into the hallway when chairs were no longer available.

The meeting continued into Tuesday night, and trustees had yet to respond to public comment by the Auburn Journal evening deadline.

Pollock spoke out against Simmons and trustee Aaron Klein during public comment at Tuesday's board meeting.

"Your pattern is clear," he said to Simmons. "You create a non-issue, usually at someone's personal expense, then you build up the non-issue into a problem, then you righteously claim credit for solving a problem you created."

Lynn mentioned in her memo to trustees that Simmons asked that Pollock, a part-time faculty member and adviser to the school's student newspaper, be disciplined after an editorial Pollock wrote was published in the Auburn Journal."

He indicated that 'the college newspaper is awful and if Kent were doing his job instead of writing op-ed pieces, the paper might be better,'" Lynn said.

Pollock said Tuesday that he agreed with Simmons, that Lynn's memo "misrepresented the tone and substance of your conversations with her."

"You didn't say the newspaper was 'awful,' you said it was, quote, a 'piece of (expletive),' and you said that when you were screaming," Pollock said.

Elizabeth Hubbs, the 20-year-old editor of The Outlook student newspaper, put the finishing touches on what she wanted to say to trustees Tuesday afternoon.

Hubbs heard about Lynn's letter and Simmons' remarks through Pollock, who told her not to take anything personally."

How could I not take something like that personally?" Hubbs said. "I live here, this is my life and for someone to criticize it ... it just hurts." Hubbs thinks The Outlook is already at a disadvantage, and Simmons' comments add insult to injury."We're lacking in staff and resources here and we're trying to do our best, and when people say our best is awful, it hurts," she said.

Dr. Lynn also said in her letter that she met with a "visibly upset" Johnnie Terry, academic senate president, on Thursday. Terry has received a message from Simmons through Winsome Jackson, Sierra College Faculty Association President, saying "essentially that Johnnie needs to 'back off,'" Lynn wrote.

Lynn also said in her memo that Simmons asked Lynn to discipline Anthony Maki Gill, president of the classified senate, for sending a campaign flier via campus e-mail.

Lynn said in the memo that this was not the first time Simmons sought to discipline Gill and that she informed Simmons that Gill could not be singled out."

Jerry is not the college president and we don't need this kind of micro-management, not to mention that we do not treat our employees in this manner," Lynn wrote.

Everyone's entitled to their opinions, Simmons said Monday."I do believe in free speech for everyone but not in political campaigning on a government e-mail system and not leaking attorney-client privileged information through the media," he said.

Johnnie Terry said Tuesday that whenever he has conflict with someone he asks, "What did I do?"

"Jerry, when I read the e-mail detailing your request for a stellar employee like Anthony Gill and a multi-prize winning journalism instructor like Kent Pollock to be disciplined for speaking out, everything was clarified," Terry said.

"Jerry, it's not me. College community, it's not us."

Joe Medeiros, coordinator of the college's interdisciplinary program, received a forwarded copy of Lynn's letter, which he then sent along to all faculty and staff Monday via e-mail.

Medeiros said Simmons and trustees Nancy Palmer, Aaron Klein and Scott Leslie, have "sent Sierra College into a tailspin."

"It's apparent you have no idea how to get it out," he said during public comment Tuesday. "I suggest a new crew in the cockpit, starting with the captain."

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com.

Sierra College President accuses Trustee and Supervisor Candidate Jerry Simmons of punitive meddling with employees

2006-05-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

Auburn Journal
Sierra president: Simmons trying to silence critics
Morgan Lynn accuses college trustee of punitive meddling with employees
By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Journal Staff Writer
Monday, May 8, 2006 11:38 PM PDT

Dr. Morgan Lynn, Sierra College interim president, accused Jerry Simmons, board president, of trying to stifle staff members who are board critics.

Lynn made the accusation in an e-mail sent to trustees Friday.

"As your interim superintendent/president, it is not my responsibility to control the behavior of an errant board member - it is yours," she said.

Lynn said in her letter that she met with a "visibly upset" Johnnie Terry, academic senate president, on Thursday. Terry has received a message from Simmons through Winsome Jackson, Sierra College Faculty Association President, saying "essentially that Johnnie needs to 'back off,'" Lynn wrote.

Lynn said in her memo that Simmons asked Lynn to discipline Anthony Maki Gill, president of the classified senate, for sending a campaign flier via campus e-mail.

"I wish I could say I was surprised, but I'm not," Gill said Monday. "It's pretty consistent with Jerry's interest in having a certain amount of control of communication with the college."

Lynn said in the memo that this was not the first time Simmons sought to discipline Gill and that she informed Simmons that Gill could not be singled out for discipline."

Jerry is not the college president and we don't need this kind of micro-management, not to mention that we do not treat our employees in this manner," Lynn wrote.

Lynn also mentioned in the memo that Simmons asked that part-time faculty member Kent Pollock be disciplined, after an editorial written by Pollock was published in the Auburn Journal."

He indicated that 'the college newspaper is awful and if Kent were doing his job instead of writing op-ed pieces, the paper might be better,'" Lynn said."

These directives aimed at squelching the free speech rights of others are disturbing to me and if made public could be very embarrassing to the board," Lynn concluded.

Simmons e-mailed response was that Lynn's e-mail "misrepresents both the tone and the substance of these conversations."

"However, I do think it is important for the full board of trustees to discuss them," Simmons said in a written response.

Simmons said Monday that everyone's entitled to their opinions."I do believe in free speech for everyone but not in political campaigning on a government e-mail system and not leaking attorney-client privileged information through the media," he said.

Pollock said Monday that he was "appalled" to hear of Jerry's actions and negative comments about the student newspaper.

"It's kind of sad, but it's not surprising," Pollock said. "Jerry Simmons has a history of this, it's a behavior of scare tactics. This is just the tip of the iceberg with him threatening staff."

A written reaction addressed to board members by trustee David Creek has also circulated via e-mail.

"Jerry has no business whatsoever to pressure people on our staff to hew his point of view of what is right and his actions to me are outrageous and repugnant," he said.

Creek also forwarded Lynn's original memo to Terry, Gill and staff members " so that this outrageous behavior on the part of our board president is known to all staff."

Joe Medeiros, coordinator of the college's interdisciplinary program, forwarded his e-mail trail to all faculty and staff Monday morning "out of absolute frustration," he said."

This has been a weekend punctuated by a flurry of saddening e-mails that continue to exemplify how (I think) dysfunctional our Sierra College governance system is..." he wrote.

"Let the following college e-mails serve as but a sample of Jerry Simmons' attempts to punish, remove and silence staff."

Medeiros said Monday that members of the community "have had it with this board.""I've had enough with this 4-3 power play who are so much more interested in politics than with the successful operation of this school," he said Monday afternoon.

Terry said Monday that he thinks president Lynn and trustee Creek were brave for what they said in their e-mails. The good that comes from this upset, he said, is the attention directed on the board."

It's very unnerving to see that these things are going on behind the scene," he said. "Anything that they do now can be construed as retaliation. They'll have to be more careful because the lights are on."

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com.

Interim president, director agree with Grand Jury Report

2006-05-09T12:45:00.000-07:00

Auburn Journal
Interim president, director agree foundation innocent
By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Journal Staff Writer
Monday, May 8, 2006 11:38 PM PDT

Sierra College's interim president and the executive director of the Sierra College Foundation agree with the Placer County grand jury: The foundation had no intent to suppress donor names.

Dr. Morgan Lynn and Sonbol Aliabadi on Friday responded to the Placer County grand jury.

Copies of a formal response have been submitted to Placer County superior court judge Frances Kearney, the Placer County grand jury and board of supervisors."

In general we agree with the grand jury report," Lynn, Sierra College interim president, said Monday.

A grand jury report released in March states charges made by trustee Aaron Klein against Kevin Ramirez, the then-Sierra College president, were merit-less and that Klein owed the college, community and Ramirez an apology.

In the complaint filed against Ramirez on Dec. 20, 2004, Klein stated that Ramirez violated campaign finance law, using a "money laundering scheme" by accumulating funds from the Sierra College Foundation and directing them on to the Measure E bond campaign.

Klein alleged that donors who gave monies transferred from the Sierra College Foundation to the bond campaign weren't properly disclosed to the public, and that the contributions were illegal and violated campaign finance law, warranting the attention of the state's Fair Political Practices Commissions.

The grand jury said those allegations were "utterly without merit," stating that methods Ramirez used to raise money for the bond measure may have "substantial advantages." The grand jury report also states that public disclosure laws were not obeyed in relation to how the funds were raised, but said that was a common and easily correctable infraction."

This report was thorough and fully accurate as to the circumstances, motivations and the lack of intent involved with the inadvertent campaign disclosure problems associated with the bond measure campaigns," Lynn and Aliabadi, Sierra College Foundation executive director, said in introducing their response.

"The grand jury report was very thorough and it spoke for itself," Aliabadi said Monday.

Lynn and Aliabadi gave some clarifications regarding two of the grand jury's findings.

The pair agreed with the jury's second finding stating that the foundation had no intent to suppress donor names, clarifying that the foundation "at all times acted in good faith with respect to the campaign reporting issue."

Lynn and Aliabadi also disagreed with sections of the third finding, which states "the donor names should have been itemized in an FPPC filing by the foundation as an intermediary" and that, due to inexperience and a lack of formal training, the committee treasurers failed to notify the foundation of its FPPC filing requirements."

The foundation, as an intermediary, had no reporting responsibility to the FPPC," Aliabadi said, clarifying it's the campaign committees have that responsibility.

Lynn said she's happy to have their response taken care of.

"We're done," Lynn said. "We're ready to put this behind us and move ahead."Aliabadi agreed.

"We do a much better job raising funds than answering to a grand jury," she said.

Klein has claimed the grand jury was politically motivated and has refused to apologize. Klein said Wednesday in written response that he was disturbed to see a member of the grand jury, Annabell McCord, "standing and clapping after highly partisan and political comments were made during public comment" at a May 2 special board meeting."It calls into question the grand jury's fairness and impartiality," Klein said.

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com.

Board agrees with Grand Jury

2006-05-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

Auburn Journal
By: Loryll Nicolaisen,
Staff WriterThursday, May 4, 2006 12:27 PM PDT

Sierra College trustees agreed with Placer County grand jury findings that trustee Aaron Klein's complaint about Kevin Ramirez, former college president, was "premature."

Trustees said in the draft response to the grand jury report that Klein, with the belief that Ramirez had done wrong, "should have first requested a dedicated closed session with the full board to discuss the matter before involving outside agencies or going public with the complaint."

Trustees opted to "partially disagree" with the grand jury report in saying Klein's complaint against Ramirez "has helped the college to establish a higher standard of (Fair Political Practices Commission) compliance," a revised draft of the board's response reads.

The grand jury report states charges made by Klein against Ramirez, the then-Sierra College president, were "utterly without merit" and asked for an apology from Klein for harming Ramirez's career.

In the complaint filed against Ramirez on Dec. 20, 2004, Klein stated that Ramirez violated campaign finance law, using a "money laundering scheme" by accumulating funds from the Sierra College Foundation and directing them on to the Measure E bond campaign.Although the grand jury recommends in its report that Klein "should apologize to the college community and the public at large for filing charges," no apology has been given in the board response or by Klein, who is also required to submit a response to the report.

Although college staff and supporters have expressed their outrage for Klein's behavior, he remains adamant he did no wrong.

Klein said via e-mail Wednesday that he was happy to have the written support of his fellow trustees."I am grateful that the board of trustees disagreed with the grand jury's assertion that my complaint had no merit, and stated that my complaint has helped me raise the level of legal compliance at the college," he said in a written reaction to Tuesday's meeting. "I'm glad the board agreed that it is important to follow the law."Klein also gave a reason for his lack of apology.

"When I was elected, I swore an oath to uphold the laws of the state of California," he said. "For doing my sworn duty and upholding the law, I cannot apologize."

Johnnie Terry, Sierra College academic senate president, had a mixed reaction to Tuesday's meeting, when interviewed Wednesday.

Terry said he was happy that trustees demonstrated what he believed to be a real effort to collaborate and respond as a whole to the grand jury report. He was also happy to see the board's response was to the college community as well.He was unhappy, however, with "the legal maneuvering" of the board's response and its choice to state "what would have been prudent to say, not what had been honest to say" in the report response.Terry said he wanted to see "the response to what took place, which was a mistake that needed an apology.""It seemed like a dishonest response to the campus community," he said.

Sierra College trustees have whittled down their initial draft response to a Placer County grand jury report to reflect more concise language that they "partially agree" and "partially disagree" with the majority of the grand jury's findings.

The preliminary draft response, originally prepared by Sierra Joint Community College District trustees and subcommittee members Nancy Palmer and Scott Leslie, was revised and cut down to five pages during Tuesday's board meeting."

I thought that having all that verbiage in there wasn't necessary to answer the grand jury's questions," trustee David Creek said Wednesday. Creek provided copies of a suggested draft revision at Tuesday's meeting that included cutting back a number of paragraphs throughout the draft.

The board has until mid-June to submit its formal response to the grand jury report released in March.

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com

Sierra reply ripped by its critics

2006-05-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

Sacramento Bee
Minugh -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Thursday, May 4, 2006

They sought closure, but what they got instead, some members of the Sierra College community say, was salt in the wound.

Nearly 100 faculty, staff and community members showed up Tuesday to hear the Sierra Joint Community College District board of trustees craft a response to a March report by the Placer County grand jury. Over 52 pages, that report disputed trustee Aaron Klein's earlier allegations of misconduct by the Sierra College Foundation and former President Kevin Ramirez.

In five hours of painstaking deliberation, the board penned a five-page response that some critics decried as "vanilla," "watered-down" and overly protective of Klein.

Those critics said they are concerned that the board blew an opportunity to show humility and remorse that would've helped heal wounds reopened by the release of the grand jury report.
"What I saw was (trustees) jockeying to protect themselves legally, rather than admitting a mistake was made," said Johnnie Terry, president of the faculty senate. "I'm worried it was not enough. ... It's an avoidance of the truth of the matter that could exacerbate things more."
Trustees - including Klein - counter that the response was fair and well thought out.
"I think you can't please everybody," Klein said Wednesday. "I think what the board issued was balanced, responsible and fair."

The grand jury's report included eight findings, the most significant of which essentially exonerated Ramirez of any wrongdoing associated with errors made in campaign finance filings for three bond measures in 2004, and contended that Klein failed to exercise due diligence before leveling allegations against Ramirez and the foundation that were "utterly without merit."

On Tuesday, however, trustees said they disagreed with the finding regarding Ramirez because they didn't know whether he had been involved or had known about the filings.
In what trustee Dave Creek called "an olive branch," trustees added to their written response that "it does seem unlikely that he did."

Trustees agreed that Klein failed to exercise due diligence and said he should have first requested a closed session with the full board to discuss his concerns.

Though they also decided that Klein's complaint was premature, it has helped the college establish a higher standard of complying with campaign contribution laws, trustees said.
Trustees disagreed with the grand jury that Klein's charges were "unfounded, misleading and full of unsubstantiated allegation" because the trustees lacked knowledge of how the Fair Political Practices Commission would resolve such a matter.

Trustees also responded to four of five recommendations made by the grand jury. Falling short of issuing an apology, as suggested, the board wrote that it "deeply regrets the disruption this matter has caused the college community."

Trustees also said they had already met the jury's recommendation of recognizing "in some tangible way" Ramirez's contributions to the college.

They said they had awarded Ramirez emeritus status, hung his portrait with those of other past presidents, and acknowledged his service in a statement released in January 2005 when Ramirez stepped down as president amid controversy.

The responses - based on a draft written by trustees Scott Leslie and Nancy Palmer - were hashed out paragraph by paragraph, and voted on in small segments. Nearly all were approved unanimously.

Anthony Maki Gill, president of the classified employee senate, said he felt the response was carefully crafted to be "legally accurate," but that it was not sufficient to address the emotional turmoil felt by many on campus.

"I don't think those responses demonstrated personal responsibility or accountability for their actions," he said. "They were sitting (on) the fence."

Cheryl Maki, a former mayor of Auburn and Maki Gill's mother, said she was appalled by the board's actions. At Tuesday's meeting, she spoke angrily to the board and directly to Klein, saying she had supported him in his campaign for a seat on the board and that he should feel ashamed of his actions.

She said Wednesday that she also supported Leslie and had given money to Palmer's campaign. But she said she felt trustees had shirked their duties by hiding behind legal language and protecting themselves.

"Obviously, it's a very emotional issue for me," she said. "I feel responsible, almost, for their actions."

Trustees defended their effort to write a response that was concise and directly addressed the grand jury's findings. They pointed to the spirit of cooperation shown by trustees at the long and often emotional meeting.

"I feel very good about it," Les-lie said Wednesday. "I was very pleased to work out a compromise that all seven board members would be happy with."

He criticized the timing of the grand jury's report - and suggested that it might not have been an appropriate investigation for the 2005-06 jury because too much time had passed. But he said the board had a legal obligation to respond.

Leslie said he hopes the Sierra community now can focus on other pressing issues, such as the Measure B bond campaign on the June 6 ballot, expanding satellite campuses and maintaining academic excellence.

"Dealing with these issues is what's going to move the college forward, not talking about an old issue," he said.

Klein said that he, too, was happy with the board's response and that he felt grateful trustees disagreed with grand jurors that his allegations were without merit.

Trustee Barbara Vineyard said she felt the board's response was too weak in some regards - particularly in how it dealt with the merit of Klein's allegations - but that it would've been impossible to get stronger language past all trustees. "Too much argument tends to agitate more," Vineyard said.

Vineyard also said that regardless of the board's response, she felt the grand jury report itself was a critical part of the healing process because it vindicated many people who felt Ramirez had been treated unfairly.

The board's response will be reviewed by trustees in the coming days for minor adjustments and then submitted to the grand jury next week for its final report.

Sierra board takes flack

2006-05-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

Auburn Journal

Trustees make final edits to grand jury response; Klein offers no apology
By: Loryll Nicolaisen, Journal Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 3, 2006 12:04 AM PDT

ROCKLIN - Sierra College trustees got an earful from disapproving staff and residents Tuesday during a board meeting to review and revise a formal response to a Placer County grand jury report.

"This is an academic institution, the foundation of which is truth," said Barbara Fairchild, history department chairwoman. "People get failed at this school for lying, inventing."

Fairchild, like those who spoke before her during a special meeting of the Sierra Joint Community College District board, scolded trustees."

You are in charge of a college," she said. "We expect you to hold near and dear the things that cannot be bought or sold."

Trustees met in special session Tuesday to discuss a drafted response to the Placer County grand jury report. Sierra College instructor Joe Medeiros described the draft response as "lame" and expressed his distaste for new members of the board and board president Jerry Simmons.

"This college desperately needs you gone ... This kind of junk does not belong where honesty, fairness and integrity reigns," he said.

The meeting went on for hours into Tuesday night, and no action to approve the draft or revised draft had been made by the Auburn Journal evening deadline.

The board has until mid-June to submit its formal response to the grand jury report released in March. The report states charges made by Sierra trustee Aaron Klein against then-Sierra Joint Community College President Kevin Ramirez were "utterly without merit" and asked for an apology from Klein for harming Ramirez's career.

Although Ramirez was praised in the draft response, there was no apology given.

In the complaint filed Dec. 20, 2004 against Ramirez, Klein stated that Ramirez violated campaign finance law, using a "money laundering scheme" by accumulating funds from the Sierra College Foundation and directing them on to the Measure E bond campaign.

In the preliminary draft response, prepared by two board members and released less than 24 hours before Tuesday's meeting, trustees and subcommittee members Nancy Palmer and Scott Leslie, said, among other things, that the board wishes the grand jury hadn't waited as long as it did before investigating Klein's complaint."

At this late date, the report is not particularly helpful as it is requiring that the college focus on contentious issues of more than one year ago regarding Sierra College's retired president, instead of spending the same time working to move the college forward," the draft reads.

The draft response also notes that conclusions reached by the grand jury report would have been different had all trustees been interviewed. Trustees who did speak to the grand jury weren't given the opportunity to express opinions or give answers to all elements of the report, "which the board believes led to inaccurate information in the report," the draft reads.

Trustee Leslie said he and Palmer did the best they could, understanding that they were just two trustees drafting something that would represent the board as a whole.

"We did not try to guess how all seven board members would react," he said. "Nancy and I... didn't want Sierra College to be dragged down by this grand jury report."

Palmer said drafting the response was a less-than-desirable task but one that needed to be taken on.Although writing the draft response "has not been easy," Palmer said, " I stand by what we printed."

Trustee David Creek said the draft was "verbose" and that it "seems defensive," and provided copies of a suggested revision. His suggestions included cutting back a number of paragraphs throughout the eight-page draft."

I'm suggesting that the best thing for this college is terse replies and getting on with business," he said.

The Journal's Loryll Nicolaisen can be reached at lorylln@goldcountrymedia.com.

Trustees meet Tuesday, May 2nd to consider Grand Jury Response

2006-04-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Sierra College Trustees are meeting Tuesday, May 2 at 4pm to consider a response to the Placer County Grand Jury Report blasting Aaron Klein for his frivolous and false charges against former President Ramirez.

See: Board Agenda

Shall we make bets that all will take place behind closed doors and the response will be made after the June Election, most likely at the June 13th Trustee meeting in Truckee --- during the summer break and well out of the public eye.

Be part of the public eye. Come to Tuesday's meeting.

MEETING LOCATION
5000 Rocklin Road,
Library/Learning Resource Center (LRC on the map)
Room #133
Rocklin, CA 95677
Map
To confirm, please call Superintendent/President’s Office, (916) 781-0539

Voice of the People: Lincoln News Messenger

2006-04-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

Republicans cautioned not to fall for dirty tricks
Al Sharief, Lincoln
Thursday, April 20, 2006 9:46 AM PDT

Aaron Klein is the poster boy for bad politics.

When Mr. Klein decided last year to run for the position of trustee of Sierra Community College, he did not offer good ideas or credentials to qualify him for the post. Instead he traveled the low road of politics by accusing the college president of various charges that were found to be false by the grand jury later this year.

Unfortunately he was meanwhile elected and went on with his buddy Jerry Simmons to create havoc at the college that resulted in losing a very good president at a great cost to the taxpayers.

Now Mr. Simmons has decided that he needs to move on to a new position and he is running for county supervisor. Mr. Simmons and Mr. Klein are at it again, accusing the incumbent of being not conservative enough and that he is responsible for tripling the county budget. Maybe the budget has increased because of the rapid growth of the county rather mismanagement. Based on Klein's and Simmons' past record I would be very careful not accept their charges at face value.

As a Democrat I would not usually concern myself with Republicans turning on a Republican but since the outcome of the Republican primary will decide the supervisor's race, I would like to caution all Republicans not to fall for Mr. Klein and Mr. Simmons dirty tricks.

Consider track records of Simmons, Klein
Jim Datzman, Lincoln
Thursday, April 13, 2006 10:09 AM PDT

Regarding the article in the News Messenger (April 6, Page A18) titled "GOP Committee Backs Simmons in District 2," accented in the article is the comment "Unprecedented move comes on heels of contentious meeting."

Why does this not come as a surprise that the term contentious meeting would be associated with the political strategies employed by Jerry Simmons and Aaron Klein?

Several months ago both Jerry Simmons and Aaron Klein, as members of the Sierra College District Board of Trustees, were spending their time creating havoc in the district with their claims about mismanagement and their lack of trust in the administration at the college.

They finally got their way, but at no small cost to Placer County taxpayers.

Now both Simmons and Klein are setting their sights at a new level with Jerry Simmons' attempt to unseat incumbent Supervisor Robert Weygandt.

The article includes the predictable kinds of comments by Aaron Klein questioning the conservative credentials of the supervisor and a statement that "The county budget has tripled in the last six years" as a suggestion that Weygandt is not responsibly performing his duties.

I would not be surprised during the next six weeks or so to find our mailboxes filled with slick fliers produced by the Simmons campaign in an attempt to attack the integrity of Robert Weygandt.

I hope that voters will be wise enough to consider the source as well as the track records of Jerry Simmons and Aaron Klein.

Aaron Klein - "Political Cauterization"

2006-04-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

There are rumblings over on the Roseville Conservative Blog that Aaron Klein is being "thrown overboard" by the people who backed him, including Jerry Simmons and being made the sacrificial lamb. See below:

From Roseville Conservative Blog
Posted by Prodigal Son 04.19.06 - 12:31 pm

... There is an appearance of distancing from Aaron Klein by the right wing clique that was involved in the unwarranted career wrecking of the former President of Sierra College. That is understandable. He is now radioactive and is being thrown overboard. Simmons is very identified with Klein. And Gaines is vying to be Leslie’s successor. Klein is expendable. That is called political cauterization.The question is, does the cauterization work? I guess that comes under the ”We’ll see” department...

Cover-Up? Whitewash?

2006-04-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

It’s been almost a month since the Placer Grand Jury released a report blasting Trustee Aaron Klein for his false accusations of former president Kevin Ramirez. The local press continues to be abuzz with people calling for Klein's resignation. The Board of Trustees is required to respond to the Grand Jury report in a timely manner but at last week's Trustee meeting, the board, led by Jerry Simmons refused to do so.

Rumor has it that a subcommittee will be formed to respond to the report. My bet is that Klein, Jerry Simmons and Tim Leslie, all three of whom led last year’s charge to oust Ramirez will be the only members.

Speculations are that the "subcomittee" will continue to delay responding to the Grand Jury Report until after the June 6th Primary Election where Jerry Simmons is running for Placer County Supervisor and when staff and students are on Summer break. Futher, the June 13th meeting is scheduled to be held in Truckee, one of the few Trustee meetings not held at the main Rocklin campus.

Are these people trying to avoid public scrutiny? Stonewalling? Whitewash? Coverup? Typical Klein and Simmons dirty tricks?

Or is this pure speculation? I doubt it. Let's just wait and see how it all plays out.

But what about Sierra College?

2006-04-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

According to an article in the Sunday April 16 Sacramento Bee, (see Bee Article) some are concerned that instead of focusing on the measure B bond proposal to upgrade Sierra College's deteriorating facilities, Trustees are distracted by two other issues:

Grand Jury Report on Klein's False Accusations.
On March 21, newly elected Trustee Aaron Klein was severely rebuked by the Placer County Grand Jury, saying he'd tarnished the school's reputation and helped force former President Kevin Ramirez from office by leveling unfounded allegations of financial misconduct involving Ramirez and the nonprofit Sierra College Foundation. Grand jurors said Klein's claims were "totally without merit" and called for an apology from Klein as well as trustees. The Board of Trustees must respond to the Grand Jury within 60 days.

Simmons' Race for Placer County Supervisor
Three year Trustee Jerry Simmons is focused on his run for Placer County 2nd District Supervisor. According to the Bee, Simmons received a sudden infusion of funds - $91,000 from Jan. 1 to March 17. He had previously not had any reportable campaign contributions filed with the Placer County elections office. Simmons' contributions include various developer and private interests. He claimed contributions from developers would not affect his ability to make unbiased decisions when projects come before the board for approval, should he be elected. Simmons is challenging three-term incumbent Supervisor Robert Weygandt for the nonpartisan seat. Both candidates are Republicans.

After only three years in office, Simmons is taking the next political step. Is it possible that he and Klein had higher political aspirations than Sierra College Trustee when they ran for office. Instead of working towards the betterment of the college, could they have been using their positions merely as stepping stones. If Simmons were to win the race for Placer County Supervisor, how long would it be before he started his next political climb? Should Simmons be turning his back on Sierra College's Bond initiative to feed his own political aspirations?

After the havoc they created at Sierra College, do you think this short-term team should be attempting to oust respected Republican Robert Weygandt who, unlike Simmons has proven his mettle in his 12 years in office. Simmons can only point to the damage he and Klein inflicted on Sierra College in the last year.

With Klein as frontman, Simmons has started his attack on Weygandt with unfounded and distorted charges. Sound familiar? Don't be hoodwinked by false rhetoric. This brand of attack politics should not be tolerated in Placer County. Its citizens deserve better.

The POINT

2006-04-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

Let's set things straight. No one is accusing or has accused President Leo Chavez of anything. Not the FPPC, not me. Chavez did nothing wrong. He did not commit any campaign funding violations. He was not fined. The De Anza College **Foundation** was fined for campaign funding violations.

Aaron Klein testified he used knowledge of what happened at Foothill-DeAnza College as a basis to accuse Ramirez of money laundering. He claimed Ramirez must be guilty of the alleged violations because:

he was in charge and either knew or should have known about the alleged violations (See Klein's testimony in the Placer Grand Jury Report)

Well, Chavez was in charge when campaign funding violations took place at De Anza.

Using Klein's logic, Chavez either knew or should have known about the De Anza violations.

Using Klein's logic, Chavez, too must be guilty.

Using Klein's logic, how could he have hired Chavez when the same charges he leveled at Ramirez could also apply to Chavez?!!

Further, while the De Anza College Foundation was actually fined $4,000 for its campaign filing violations, it's very doubtful that the Sierra College Foundation will be found in violation according to the Grand Jury Report.

This is all about Klein and Simmons and their false accusations in a campaign to oust Ramirez.

It's about their double standards and prioritization of their own political ambitions over concern for Sierra College.

It's not about Leo Chavez. Sierra College is lucky to get him as President.

Klein and Simmons continue to hide behind the FPPC claiming that they expect the state Fair Political Practices Committee to agree with them. They know full well that any investigation of their charges won't take place for at least another year because of case backlog. By that time, Simmons will be on the Placer County Board of Supervisors and on the second rung up the political ladder ..who cares how many bodies he leaves on the way.

He and his frontman Aaron Klein have already started scurrilous accusations against sitting Supervisor Robert Weygandt, a Republican who has been the District 2 supervisor since 1994.

In his successful bid to get the Central Republican Committee's endorsement for Simmons, Klein said, "The county budget has tripled in the last six years...In Robert's (Weygandt) mind, saving the fairy shrimp and the red-legged frog ... is more important than funding our law enforcement, traffic reduction and flood control."

Of course, Klein failed to mention that the county's population has skyrocketed in the last six years which **just might** account for the budget increases. He also failed to acknowledge how important open space is to Placer County citizens.

With Klein as his hitman, Simmons is using the same slanderous dirty strategy in his run for Supervisor as he used to oust Ramirez. Are these the kind of leaders Placer County wants?

The politics of personal destruction may work but take a good look at the results. Look at what happened at Sierra College. I ask you, is it worth it?

Sierra College deserves better than Klein and Simmons.

Shocking News: Klein & Simmons hired President whom they'd alleged committed identical funding violations

2006-04-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

It's unbelievable but true. In his Grand Jury Testimony, Aaron Klein said he based his charges against then President Ramirez on knowledge he had that

"the FPPC had fined another community college district for a campaign filing violation. He stated that the fine was in the amount of $30,000 and that the violation was identical to the ones committed by the Committees for Measures E, G, and H. "
(see the grand jury report Page 8).

That other community college district was Foothill -De Anza. The violation occurred in 1999.

Just guess who was at the helm when those violations took place???

None other that DR. LEO CHAVEZ, the person that was just hired as the next president of Sierra College, the person that Klein praised, saying in his Blog:

"His experience, the skills that he brings to this job, and his commitment to increasing access to college and excellence in student outcomes, put him in a class by himself. I am proud to have cast my vote for his appointment."

Interesting. How could he be proud to cast his vote for him when he KNEW that Chavez was at the helm of Foothill-De Anza when it was fined by the FPPC for what he claimed were identical campaign funding violations that he had accused former President Ramirez of??!!

Klein continues to claim that the FPPC's investigation will find Ramirez guilty. If he believes this, then he must certainly be sure that Dr. Leo Chavez was also responsible for the campaign violations for which Foothill-DeAnza Foundation was fined. HOW can he laud Dr. Chavez and at the same time hold Ramirez responsible? What kind of logic is this??!!

How could he be so outrageous??? How can Sierra College continue to tolerate his presence as a Trustee??!! Talk about irresponsibility?!! He should be forced to resign. Sierra College should not tolerate someone like this on their Board of Trustees.

Voice of the People: The Union

2006-04-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

As of April 5, there have been 4 Letters to the Editor about Klein. All four call for Klein's resignation. The majority of the online responses agree.

Letters to the Editor have red titles. Online responses are in black.

Trustees do disservice
By Roberta Swanson April 5, 2006

After reading The Union and the Grand Jury Report, particularly as they relate to the leadership of the Trustees, I wish to express concern for the future of the Nevada County Campus of Sierra College.

It is clear that at least Mr. Klein and Mr. Simmons were determined to oust President Ramirez from the time Mr. Klein was elected to the Board of Trustees. They threatened action against him which eventually led to his retirement at a substantial cost to the college. They then moved the Nevada County Provost position to a Capitol Outlay position, which probably contributed to the Provost's retirement, again, at a cost to the college (read "Taxpayer") They intend to replace the Provost with a Dean, who will have less status and policy involvement.

The current Board of Trustees is doing a disservice to the District, as well as Nevada County, and should be replaced. Mr. Klein campaigned on a commitment to fiduciary responsibility. What he and others have done to the District is to create a feeling of fear and resentment, which has cost us significantly. Additionally, they have hired a new President at a salary $50,000 more than the previous President. Wake up.

Re: Trustees do disservice
by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 05 @ 07:17:55 PDT

Sounds like it's time for a recall. I wonder when a resident will obtain the paperwork necessary for a recall.

Re: Trustees do disservice
by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 05 @ 15:40:38 PDT

Rascals! Everywhere more and more rascals!Self-serving agendas! Everywhere! If it ain't Doolittle, its a college trustee; Well, the only chance we have is to root 'em out because they keep forgetting they are there for the benefit of the people and in the case of colleges, to do well for the students, not their own treasury. Looks like another money-making conspiracy to me. Do something about it. Start the recall and let us know where to sign it. I’m sure the paper will print the recall locations.Thanks also to the Union for initially breaking this story.

================================================

It's Klein's turn to go
By Tom Van Wagner
April 5, 2006

Now that the sordid little tale of Grover Norquist wannabe and Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein has been told, it's time for him to do the honorable thing and resign. Having caused tremendous angst within the Sierra College community, having embroiled the communities-at-large serviced by Sierra College in a false debate and having caused a tremendous waste of time and money to clarify his politically motivated wrongdoing, it's time for the rubber to hit the road. The young Mr. Klein is emblematic of the radical, right wing ideologues bent on reinventing everything not Republican, using a tried and true, dirty trickster, Rovian tool-kit.

Shame on you, Mr. Klein. Please go away.

Tom Van Wagner
Nevada City

Re: It's Klein's turn to go
by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 05 @ 08:53:07 PDT

The truth couldn't be plainer. Klein is a dirty little man with bad intentions. Let's force him to resign. He is a cancer that deserves removal!

Re: It's Klein's turn to go
by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 05 @ 13:13:28 PDT

Apparently you don't follow the blog guidelines about personal attacks. Before 'forcing' anyone to do anything, I suggest you examine your own assumptions first - then you wouldn't have to be so nervous about signing your work.

By the way, if Mr. Ramirez wasn't concerned about the allegations made, he wouldn't have resigned. A person of principle might have chosen otherwise, but perhaps he was more interested in the well-being of the College. If so, I commend him.

Re: It's Klein's turn to go
by Anonymous on Saturday, April 15 @ 09:15:58 PDT

You're right. Ramirez' top priority was the well-being of the College and was the main reason he resigned. He knew he was in the minority after Klein and Leslie were elected. Given the lies these two perpetrated when Klein began his term, things would only get uglier for the college he loved. So he resigned, rather than put the college through months of upheaval. Surely, he had no idea that his resignation would also cause upheaval to the college. Klein and Simmons are only concerned about their political agenda, not the college. They should be completely embarrassed by what they did to Ramirez and should offer to resign immediately. Can you imagine what would be coming out of their mouths if things were reversed

Re: It's Klein's turn to go
by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 05 @ 13:03:57 PDT

Hang in there Trustee Klein! Obviously, you uncovered something otherwise these emotional types who enjoy the status quo wouldn't be screaming and tearing their hair out.

Re: It's Klein's turn to go
by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 19 @ 09:05:41 PDT

Uncovered something? You're sure right there! The Placer Grand Jury's Report highlights the flimsy and ridiculous reasoning Klein used after his very first month in office to hurl false charges at the former Sierra College President and cause his resignation. It's cost the college plenty in both dollars and time lost dealing with Klein's phony charges. Never has it been more clear that Klein is out of his depth. Resign Klein! Do what's right.

==========================================

Klein should go
By Leslie Carroll
April 4, 2006

Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein accused former President Kevin Ramirez of laundering political contributions through the Sierra College Foundation based on knowledge of an FPPC ruling against "another community college" that was fined for what he claimed were identical violations. Chairman Jerry Simmons claimed a conversation he overheard in a men's bathroom confirmed Klein's charges. They were wrong. A Grand Jury investigation found the charges "utterly without merit." Foothill-De Anza Community College was the college Klein cited that was fined by the FPPC. The Chancellor of Foothill-De Anza when those violations took place was Leo Chavez, recently enthusiastically endorsed as the new president of Sierra College.How could these two vilify one president, then turn around and replace him with someone who, according to them, was in charge while the same alleged campaign-filing violations were occurring in his district? Simmons and Klein should be asked to resign. The community deserves better than these two irresponsible hypocrites.Another irony: Aaron Klein ran on a platform of "fiscal responsibility." Did anyone notice that the new Sierra College president's salary is $43,000 more than Ramirez's? So much for fiscal responsibility.

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 08:21:52 PDT

Oh boy, the feeding frenzy has now turned away from Congressman Doolittle towards Trustee Klein who is just doing his job. The Placer Grand Jury was off base editorializing. And, as for the increased salary for the new college head? When trading up for better quality you sometimes have to pay more.

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 09:55:22 PDT

Now if we can only GET the quality. Only then will we have to be concerned about paying more.

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 19:11:15 PDT

Do you know the qualifications of the candidate that was hired?

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 13:08:22 PDT

Klein wasn't doing his job, he attacked the College president without having all the facts and grossly misinterpting the few facts he did posess. The man is clearly not qualified for the position . And by the way...the Grand Jury was well within their scope and right to editoralize on the investigation.

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 13:43:24 PDT

Unfortunately his job is actually neo-con hitman, puppet and shill, which is not the job description that went with his placement. I know, we're wrong, Doolittle and Klein are the epitome of the type of people we should have running our lives and government.

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 19:32:48 PDT

There was no reason to "trade up." Ramirez was a stellar educational leader. During his tenure, Sierra flourished and grew from a small one-campus community college into one of the best community colleges in the nation. Why fix what wasn’t broken? Could it be Klein has a political agenda? Naaa.

How could you even think Klein was “just doing his job?” His job is to set policy for the college district in a responsible manner. It took him less than a month in office to falsely accuse the college president of financial "money laundering" -- his terms, not mine --- based partially on a conversation supposedly overheard in a men's john by Jerry Simmons (can you believe THAT?) and partially on his knowledge about another community college being fined for campaign funding violations he claimed were identical to what he was accusing Ramirez of doing. He didn't even take the time to learn that he was vastly mistaken about those violations -- not only weren't they even close to the violations he accused Ramirez of doing, they happened during a time when the president he JUST HIRED was in charge of that same community college!

If Klein REALLY believed he was right about these charges, he would be accusing the *** president he just hired *** of the very same violations he alleged Ramirez committed. This is “just doing his job?” Unbelievable!

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 08:33:59 PDT

Klein's false allegations effectively ended Ramirez' career and cast aspersions on his good character. Rather than being a mature adult and offering an apology to Ramirez, Klein instead was unrepentant. Is this the kind of person we want as a trustee of our community college? I think not.

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 11:17:53 PDT

Oh horse pucky. Ramirez' career isn't over. He's a consultant now and his income potential is only limited to the quantity and quality of his connects which in his case is deep and broad. So put the kleenex away. Klein did Ramirez a big favor. It's he who should be thanking Klein.

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 13:44:45 PDT

Unbelievable comment. Unbelievable, I'm speechless.

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 19:09:27 PDT

Call 911 if you have a medical problem while reading these comments. My gracious, people should have been taught what to do when they have a speech problem. Oh, sorry not being PC. I should have said when they have a disability. Hand on the hip: "Unreal to the 10th! "

Re: Klein should go
by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 04 @ 16:45:51 PDT

I'm *outraged* that Klein and Simmons hired someone who was the chancellor of a community college that was fined for what they claimed were the same campaign funding violations they'd accused Ramirez of committing. How can they explain THAT!??? Are they really that inept?! How can they look at themselves in the mirror?

==========================================

Klein's motive
By Michelle Olsen
April 1, 2006

Contrary to last week's Grand Jury report, I don't believe it was a question of Aaron Klein not doing his homework when he accused Kevin Ramirez of mishandling Sierra College funds. Rather, it appears to be a ploy to jump-start a well-financed political career through false allegations that generated front page stories. End justifies the means, Aaron?

Michelle Olsen
Penn Valley

Re: Klein's motive
by Anonymous on Saturday, April 01 @ 16:20:20 PST

It is obvious that you have not read the entire Report of the Placer County Grand Jury but have instead based your conspiracy theory and ignorance on just what the newspapers chose to print. The Grand Jury found that the Bond Committees were not following the law and neither was Sierra College but dismissing the lawbreaking as ignorance of the law. The Grand Jury made a grave error in editorializing and not just presenting the facts. Mr. Klein should not have been chastised for raising issues about public money. Local Government boards are the only watch dogs we have over how our tax dollars are used. Shame on you Placer County Grand Jury. Time for a new one that isn't so biased.

Re: Klein's motive
by Anonymous on Saturday, April 01 @ 17:38:08 PST

That's funny, I read the report and came away with a completely different view. Shame on YOU, and Klein

Re: Klein's motive
by Anonymous on Sunday, April 02 @ 15:21:50 PDT

Shame on me? Wow, sounds pretty Elistist of YOU! Guess since beating up Congressman Doolittle didn't work according to plan it's now time to pile on Trustee Klein. Right?

Re: Klein's motive
by Anonymous on Saturday, April 15 @ 11:24:11 PDT
Now it's time for name-calling? NO one is piling on Klein. If you read the Grand Jury Report, you would see their findings spelled out in black and white.

The 2005-2006 Placer County Grand Jury conducted an extensive investigation leading to its Findings and Recommendations. Based on the facts, the Grand Jury makes the following findings (as further detailed in the Findings section):

1. The Foundation could, in fact, operate legally as an intermediary.

2. The Foundation had no intent to suppress donor names.

3. Filing errors were made, but they were due to inexperience, inattention to detail, and confusing underlying documentation.

4. The filing violations were minor and easily correctable.

5. The former President was far removed from the process of making the filings and had no participation in causing the violations.

6. Complainant failed to exert reasonable due diligence before making the complaint. The complaint is utterly without merit.

7. Although not the total basis for the former President’s decision to seek a retirement settlement, the complaint was a contributing and unjustified factor.

8. Complainant’s insistence that the Foundation be barred from supporting Sierra College bond measures by donor solicitation as an intermediary is an unfounded opinion.

Re: Klein's motive
by Anonymous on Saturday, April 01 @ 21:07:00 PST

Yes, read the report, if only for 5 min; it's very well written. ( here [ncfocus.blogspot.com] are some highlights and context )
Anna

Voice of the People: Auburn Journal

2006-04-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

As of April 9, there have been 9 Letters to the Editor concerning Aaron Klein. 6 of them are critical of Klein and call for his resignation or removal from office.

Klein made a 'scapegoat' in college politics
Saturday, March 25, 2006 11:19 PM PST

Once again, Aaron Klein is being made a scapegoat for attempting to uphold the oath he took when sworn in as a Sierra College trustee.

For many years, Kevin Ramirez led a majority of the trustees around like a herd of cattle with rings in their noses. While this was going on, the repair and maintenance budget was being raided to increase salaries of administrators and others. As a result, the college has millions of dollars of deferred maintenance that Ramirez wanted a $394 million bond issue to fund.
Virtually every time the grand jury investigated the college during the Ramirez "regime" the reports issued were scathing and extremely critical of "leadership" and fiscal management. The response of Ramirez was always dismissive as he blithely moved forward like Mr. Magoo of funny paper fame.

Now, all of a sudden, a grand jury gets bamboozled and issues a report very supportive of Ramirez and hammers Aaron Klein for attempting to represent the poor abused taxpayers who are sick and tired of seeing money squandered, spent on inappropriate activities while the college leaders keep whining they need more bond money.

Mr. Ramirez feels he has been exonerated by the grand jury. He should be cautioned not to break out the champagne just yet.

It is highly likely that the Fair Practices Political Commission will find the "minor" amount of $104,000 funneled through the foundation to support Measure E was illegal.

Carl E. Hass
Rocklin

Placer grand jury needs to apologize, not Klein
Tuesday, March 28, 2006 12:10 AM PST

In the headline article in the March 24 issue of the Auburn Journal, we were surprised that you would so blatantly print the comments of the Placer grand jury and so viciously denigrate a public servant when in fact, it is the Placer grand jury that should be apologizing to the public for being so blatantly incompetent and reeking of small-town politics and impropriety.
How can the grand jury accuse trustee Aaron Klein of not having dug deep enough to uncover the facts, when they have taken over a year to understand the basic essence of the matter? Meanwhile, everyone already admitted the law was broken; the former president was ousted and, along with his attorneys, negotiated a very comfortable severance, approximately $500,000, including strict "gag" orders to keep the college, Mr. Klein and other trustees from discussing the case in public.

It appears that the Auburn Journal and other periodicals have been duped into breaking the gag order in a manner to "promote" former president, Kevin Ramirez who appears to have friends - or should we say "cronies" - on the grand jury and with the press. It certainly is not correct to attempt to right a wrong - if such is the case - by negatively blaming the one person who was doing his job and was representing the voters in a highly ethical and intelligent manner.

Steve and Paula Ricketts
Meadow Vista

Aaron Klein should resign from Sierra board
Tuesday, March 28, 2006 11:33 PM PST

The criticism Aaron Klein receives is clearly a result of his own actions. The grand jury did a very thorough, unbiased investigation into Klein's claims and found that his charges are utterly without merit. They needed to set the record straight for the good of the college, something that Klein doesn't seem to understand.

It's a matter of public record that Klein made his unfounded claims after exercising extremely little due diligence. He based his claim in part on a second-hand rumor of a men's room conversation from Jerry Simmons.

Klein makes hollow claims about his fiduciary responsibility, yet, his own deeds were, in fact, directly responsible for the college having to pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars unnecessarily, creating undue upset and chaos within the college environment, and contributing to declining enrollment.

Aaron Klein greatly harmed Sierra College by what was essentially his first act after being elected as a trustee. This alone demands that Klein should do the right thing and resign as a trustee.

It's also prudent for Jerry Simmons to, at the least, resign as board chairman. The buck stops somewhere, and we need to restore trust and accountability to the college board.

Andrew Wright
Auburn

Apology and resignation asked of Aaron Klein
Wednesday, March 29, 2006 11:39 PM PST

I am disgusted that Aaron Klein continues to deny any wrongdoing in his attacks on Sierra College. Let's make no mistake, his actions have not just damaged Mr. Ramirez's reputation, but have had a serious negative impact on the college.

As a trustee, Mr. Klein's behavior is unconscionable, and he should be disciplined by the board for what he has done. He also should publicly apologize for his actions to the College, the community, and Mr. Ramirez, as the grand jury has suggested. His apology should be followed by an immediate resignation.

Jeff Cowen
Auburn

Grand jury 'careful not to jump to conclusions'
Thursday, March 30, 2006 11:35 PM PST

In response to the letter written by Steve and Paula Ricketts titled "Placer grand jury needs to apologize, not Klein," Journal, March 28, I'm wondering if Steve is the brother, or maybe Paula is the sister of Mr. Klein, or maybe either Steve or Paula is a cousin, maybe brother or sister-in-law?

I wonder how you know so much more about the situation than the grand jury, which in your own words "have taken over a year to understand the basic essence of the matter." That would tell me they are doing their job by being careful not to jump to the wrong conclusion. It sounds as though you may have been "duped" by Aaron Klein into believing he was representing the voters in a highly ethical and intelligent manner.

Dan Campbell
Applegate

Klein, Simmons should resign from Sierra board
Tuesday, April 4, 2006 11:19 PM PDT

For Sierra College, the real issue at hand is the overall welfare of this top-notch institution itself. Sierra College's success should be of the utmost concern for all of us and starting from that core principle, Aaron Klein's personal pride and political ambitions should take a back seat.
There is no excuse for any individual to hold themselves above the good of the college itself, and yet this is what he is doing. Klein's unfounded allegations, which have proven to be utterly without merit, have caused bad press and chaos for the college. From a financial standpoint, his actions have cost the college dearly.

Yet, from the beginning, Klein has refused any responsibility in this matter. Klein continues to justify his unjustifiable actions, thereby willingly and inaccurately advancing the idea that there is something amiss at the college.

Klein must resign as he cannot continue as a trustee while he maintains such an irresponsible stance, with a blind spot for what is right and what benefits Sierra College. This is not about saving a political career that very quickly went south. It is about the good of Sierra College. Period.

In order to restore credibility to the college board of trustees, Jerry Simmons should also make a statement that the "buck stops here" and resign as the board chairman for his apparent complicity with this situation and his dubious leadership over this period. Let's restore true fiscal accountability for our college.

Jonathan Taylor
Auburn

Youthful Klein doesn't get it; vote Weygandt
Sunday, April 9, 2006 9:53 PM PDT

Aaron Klein states that the county budget has tripled in the last six years, but fails to mention the enormous growth in county revenue from property taxes. He seems to imply that Robert Weygandt has no sense of fiscal responsibility and that is a falsehood. Unlike Klein, Weygandt has decades of experience in running a successful business and he personally understands the consequences of irresponsible government.

For Klein to state that Weygandt is more concerned about saving frogs and shrimp than "funding law enforcement, traffic reduction and flood control," Journal April 4, is laughable. The preservation of open space through Placer Legacy directly benefits the issues of traffic reduction and flood control. It is a visionary effort that should not be sacrificed on the altar of partisan politics. In the long run, property values and quality of life are enhanced by open space programs.

I cannot respect the aggressive behavior of Klein, or the Republican Central Committee's inability to tolerate dissent. It would appear that raising a voice of moderation in the debate over property development will invite the wrath of the party leadership.

I urge you, my fellow citizens, to vote for principles over party affiliation. And I urge Klein to acquire more life experience before he considers himself worthy of leadership.

David Ryland
Meadow Vista

Remove Simmons and Klein from board
Monday, April 10, 2006 11:11 PM PDT

Dirty politics has already started.

In the race for Placer County supervisor, the Republican Central Committee endorsed Jerry Simmons, while attention-seeking committee member, Aaron Klein, justified this choice by challenging incumbent candidate Robert Weygandt's conservative credentials because he's interested in "saving the fairy shrimp and the red-legged frog."

This is the same Klein who, last year, went witch hunting and disgraced former Sierra College president, Kevin Ramirez, with irresponsible allegations of college spending improprieties that turned out to be false, as proven by the grand jury. Voters should know that this act was done with the complicity of Simmons, who now is a candidate for Placer County supervisor.
Their agenda is all too obvious and they give politics and the Republican Party a bad name. The American people are sick and tired of this type of "throw it out there, maybe some of it will stick" type of dirty politics to advance their special interests.

It has been suggested that Simmons and Klein both resign from the Sierra College board of directors and apologize to Ramirez for the damage they have caused him.

In my opinion, they deserve nothing less than immediate removal from the college board and a possible lawsuit for defamation of character, libel and slander. Maybe this is the only way they'll understand the consequences of their dirty tricks.

Irene Smith
Loomis

Placer residents should be thankful for Aaron Klein
Sunday, April 9, 2006 9:53 PM PDT

When elected officials attempt to divert money in directions other than where the money was voted to go, Placer County residents have a right to know, and action should be taken. Unfortunately, everything comes down to politics, and the recent writers, Jonathan Taylor (Journal, April 5) and Dan Campbell (Journal, March 31), appear to be playing a little politics themselves.

I can't help but wonder what the Kevin Ramirez fans would be saying if it were Aaron Klein caught up in this type of scandal, or even better, John Doolittle. What part of "public disclosure laws were not obeyed," don't you understand?

Just because Ramirez may have a group of buddies on the Placer grand jury, doesn't mean he is innocent of the board's complaint. The state's Fair Political Practice Commission will determine whether charges should be filed against him. It is my understanding Ramirez has been reprimanded for similar actions by past grand juries. However, it obviously didn't do any good.

I am grateful for the work Klein has done for the school, as are the tax payers.

Klein, if you're listening, keep up the great work. Ken Campbell, I think you're the one that has been "duped."

Patrick Hutton
Auburn

Voice of the People: Sacramento Bee

2006-04-04T13:46:00.000-07:00

As of April 14, there have been five Letters to the Editor regarding Aaron Klein and Jerry Simmons. Four of them call for Klein's apology and/or resignation.

Placer conservative agenda
Published Friday, April 14, 2006

Re "GOP jousts in Placer contest," April 4: It is clear to anyone who follows Placer County politics, candidates Jerry Simmons, 2nd District supervisor, and Ted Gaines, 4th District Assembly candidate, are two candidates who have been strategically and financially positioned by Rep. John Doolittle.

Through the precise direction of Doolittle, these two men will wage a dishonest and hateful campaign in an effort to crush their opposition. Look what Simmons and his co-conspirator Aaron Klein accomplished as members of the Sierra Joint Community College District board? They manipulated the truth to force Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez to resign.

Don't be fooled by these conservatives. They have their own agenda and unfortunately it does nothing to benefit their constituents.
- Larry S. DuBois, Loomis

Playing politics at Sierra College
Re "Grand jury: Sierra trustee sowed chaos," March 24: The grand jury found that Aaron Klein's public accusation of Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez was "utterly without merit." Klein and Scott Leslie ran for positions on the Sierra College board so they could begin their political careers. Klein, in particular, moved to be able to run for the board. Klein sullied the good name and reputation of Ramirez.
Klein's malicious acts have cost Sierra College Ramirez's retirement settlement of $464,950, $54,750 for a national search for a new president and an additional $42,000 per year that is the difference between Ramirez's old salary and what Sierra must now pay his replacement. Klein, Leslie and President Jerry Simmons have cost Sierra College more than $519,000 in one-time costs and an annual additional cost of $42,000.

At the very least Klein, Leslie and Simmons should resign from the board.
- George Rose, Rocklin

Hypocrisy in Sierra board actions
Published Saturday, April 1, 2006

Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein accused then-President Kevin Ramirez of laundering political contributions through the Sierra College Foundation based on knowledge of an FPPC ruling at "another community college" that was fined for what he claimed were identical violations. Chairman Jerry Simmons claimed a conversation he overheard in a men's bathroom confirmed Klein's charges. They were wrong. The grand jury investigation found the charges "utterly without merit."
Foothill-De Anza Community College was the college Klein cited that was fined by the FPPC. The chancellor of Foothill-De Anza when those violations took place was Leo Chavez, recently enthusiastically endorsed as the new president of Sierra College.

How could these two vilify one president, then turn around and replace him with someone who, according to them, was in charge while the same alleged campaign-filing violations were occurring in his district?

The community deserves better than these two irresponsible hypocrites.
- Leslie Carroll, Davis

Grand jury's verdict
Published Saturday, April 1, 2006

Re "Grand jury: Sierra trustee sowed chaos," March 24: The Placer County grand jury did an enormous public service by looking into the complaint filed against the former president of Sierra College, Kevin Ramirez.
The report states: "The charges are unfounded, misleading and full of unsubstantiated allegation. The charges are utterly without merit." The complainant, Aaron Klein, should be held accountable for his gross error and asked to resign from the Sierra College Board of Trustees.

In addition, the Sierra College Board of Trustees should complete all of the grand jury's recommendations, but in particular, recommendations three and four that read: "3. As a significant healing step for the college community, the board should acknowledge in some tangible way the contributions of the former President's tenure. 4. Complainant should apologize to the college community and the public at large for filing charges, which the grand jury has proved to have no merit."

All of the recommendations of the Placer grand jury are a positive means for the Sierra College district to recover from the harm caused by an immature board member, but recommendations three and four are critical for the college community to have a complete recovery.

- Kathie Read, Roseville

Politics in grand jury report
Published Saturday, April 1, 2006

We were surprised The Bee printed the comments of the Placer County grand jury that viciously denigrated a public servant when in fact it is the grand jury that should apologize for its blatant incompetence.
How can the grand jury accuse Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein of not having dug deep enough to uncover the facts, when the jury has taken more than a year to understand the basic essence of the matter?

Meanwhile, everyone already admitted the law was broken. The former president was ousted and, along with his attorneys, negotiated a very comfortable severance, including strict "gag" orders to keep the college, Klein and other trustees from discussing the case in public.

It appears that the gag order has been broken in order to "promote" Kevin Ramirez, who appears to have friends on the grand jury and at The Bee.

Klein was the one person doing his job and was representing the voters in a highly ethical and intelligent manner.

- Steve and Paula Ricketts, Meadow Vista

Klein, 'attack politics' infect trustees

2006-04-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

Auburn Journal
Klein, 'attack politics' infect trustees
Guest columnist: Kent Pollock
Saturday, April 8, 2006 10:45 PM PDT

A recent Placer County grand jury report spawned a community debate over its recommendation that Sierra College trustee Aaron Klein apologize for falsely accusing former college President Kevin Ramirez of illegally laundering school bond campaign funds.

A more appropriate focus would be on the cost of the politics of attack and divisiveness that have infected the college's board of trustees.

Fallout from the totally unnecessary controversy continues to stew on and off campus: Campus roofs leak, wiring fails and the sewage and heating systems built years ago struggle to keep operating until voters approve a school bond, but the Placer County Republican Central Committee couldn't agree recently to support a Sierra College bond after Klein, Sierra Trustee Jerry Simmons and County Supervisor Robert Weygandt reportedly engaged in verbal fisticuffs at the meeting. "It was like watching...teenagers in a food fight," said one observer.

An e-mail circulating on campus urges Klein to eat crow and features a photo of him wearing a shirt emblazoned with the jury's characterization of his allegation: "Totally without merit." Interim President Morgan Lynn responded with an e-mail asking everyone to "take the high road because that is what is best for our students."

A Sierra College administrator bangs a telephone into its cradle. "Now they say I can't even buy toner for the copy machine because of low enrollment and budget cuts," she complains.

School administrators tabulate direct costs of Ramirez's forced resignation at $620,133, according to figures supplied to the grand jury by the college (See accompanying chart).

That amount doesn't begin to capture the true financial toll on the school, which is still recovering from severe enrollment declines following the very public smear campaign that led to Ramirez's demise.

In the aftermath, Sierra College's projected student population has declined dramatically while all other area community colleges enjoyed increases. School administrators say there is currently an actual $2 million enrollment shortfall from anticipated revenues.

Meanwhile, Sierra College Foundation's executive director told the grand jury that donations fell dramatically when the controversy hit the media. One huge donor, Thunder Valley Casino, said it would not contribute more "until the college gets its acts together."

And nearly everyone agrees that there are incalculable costs associated with the college's administrators becoming unionized. "We had to unionize," said Brian Haley, dean of Learning Resources. "If Kevin could be mugged at midnight by a politicized board of trustees, then the same thing could happen to any of us."

"The emotional toll on the college remains significant," the grand jury reported.

Like so many unnecessary tragedies, it all started with a lie.

Ramirez and Simmons tell such different stories about a meeting they had the afternoon of Dec. 14, 2004, that one of them has to be lying. Ramirez said Simmons asked him to resign quietly and accept a generous buyout package. Simmons said it never happened. Whomever you believe, Ramirez views the meeting as the beginning of his downfall.

On that day, he said, he had been looking forward with some anxiety to his first board meeting with three newly elected trustees: Klein, Simmons and Scott Leslie. Ramirez took Simmons' meeting request as a sign that a let's-work-together gesture was in the offing despite some hurtful campaign rhetoric.

But Ramirez said he was totally stunned when Simmons suggested that he resign. Later that afternoon, Ramirez told the board he would not resign, and that he wanted his contract extended as a sign of support.

The board immediately went into closed session and set into motion events that ended 38 days later with Ramirez accepting a golden handshake that included a six-figure annual pension (less than he would have received had he served out his career) and lifelong health benefits.

Klein filed his false allegations shortly after his first meeting as a trustee. The grand jury said it issued its findings to clear the air of "unanswered allegations of wrongdoing that never occurred."

In a nutshell, Klein alleged that Ramirez illegally laundered school bond campaign contributions through the Sierra College Foundation to hide donor identities. The jury interviewed everyone involved and sought direction from the state Fair Political Practices Commission before determining that Klein's allegations against Ramirez were "utterly without merit...the facts of the case speak in total opposition to the complaint."

The grand jury found that the Sierra College Foundation did fail to file donor names with the FPPC in a timely manner, but found no attempt whatsoever to hide donor identities, which were included on donor lists circulated among campaigners and were listed on the foundation's Web site. The filing error was easily correctable because the FPPC allows for late filings of the information, the jury said.

The jury also interviewed the contributors in question, who all said they wanted recognition - not anonymity - for their contributions.

"Most relevant to this report," the grand jury said, "the former president was far removed from any of it."

Ramirez recently said he had long ago forgiven Klein and Simmons for forcing him to resign. The former president, under whose leadership enrollment doubled and three new campuses opened, now plays lots of golf, helps raise his grandson and does consulting for other community college districts that recognize his talent.

Interim President Lynn sent a memo to staff last week regarding reactions to the grand jury's report: "This recent development is testing our abilities to continue to focus on our students, so I would ask that we...remember what is important to students and the educational community."

Enough is enough. It is time to leave this sordid affair behind, but neither Klein nor Simmons appears ready. Klein has vociferously disagreed with the jury's findings and has vowed not to apologize for "doing my civic duty."

And during a recent conference call, Simmons responded to a suggestion by newly appointed Sierra College President Leo Chavez for the board to issue a "vanilla response" to the grand jury to calm the waters. Absolutely not, Simmons reportedly replied.

Unfortunately, the politics of attack and divisiveness continue to prevail at the Sierra College board of trustees.

Kent Pollock is a part-time journalism professor at Sierra College and a media communications consultant.

FINANCIAL COST OF KLEIN'S FALSE CHARGES: OVER $600K

2006-04-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

Kevin Ramirez Salary January, 2005 through June, 2005 ---------- $100,432

Contract buyout (salary July 2005 through Dec., 2006) ------------- $255,677

STRS Buyout Costs ---------------------------------------------------------- $164,817

Accrued vacation payoff ------------------------------------------------------- $3,824

Morgan Lynn Pay and benefit increase Feb. 8 thru June 30, 2004 -- $17,828
while also paying Ramirez

Frank DeCourten (Lynn's replacement) Pay and benefit increase ------ $7,703
Feb. 8 through June 30, 2004 while also paying Ramirez and Lynn

Miscellaneous Legal expenses for attorney representing college ------- $15,102
in negotiations with Ramirez' legal counsel.

President search ---------------------------------------------------------------- $36,950

President search expense ------------------------------------------------------ $17,800

GRAND TOTAL------------------------------------------------------------- $620,133

Placer County Grand Jury report: REFUTATION OF TRUSTEE’S CHARGES

2006-04-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

Read details of the March 21, 2006 Placer County Grand Jury Report:

Go to Grand Jury Report

Grand Jury Report: Klein's Charges "utterly without merit." Klein "sowed seeds of chaos."

2006-04-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

Grand jury: Sierra trustee sowed chaos
Ex-president was wrongly accused of misconduct, Placer panel finds.By Kim Minugh -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, March 24, 2006Story appeared on Page A1 of The Bee

A Sierra College trustee tarnished his institution's reputation and helped force former President Kevin Ramirez from office by leveling unfounded allegations of misconduct, the Placer County grand jury has found.

For irresponsible actions that led to damning publicity and chaos in the college community, trustee Aaron Klein owes the public an apology, states a grand jury report obtained Thursday by The Bee. The grand jury also called for the Sierra Joint Community College District trustees to acknowledge Klein's error and apologize to Ramirez and the public.
After reading the grand jury report absolving him of financial and other wrongdoing, Ramirez said, he "cried like a baby."

"It's certainly a vindication for me and my family," he said.
Ramirez praised the grand jury for having the "courage and heart and integrity and sense of obligation to right a wrong like this."

Though recognizing Klein's sincerity, grand jury members found that he failed to fully investigate his concerns that Ramirez might have overseen a money-laundering scheme in 2004 involving the Sierra College Foundation's role in campaigns for three bond measures to improve college facilities.

No such scheme existed, and the foundation's role as an intermediary between donors and political action committees was legal, the grand jury determined.
In a three-page letter filed with the Placer County clerk on Dec. 20, 2004, Klein outlined what he thought to be potential violations of campaign finance law regarding more than $100,000 in donations and held Ramirez ultimately responsible.
Several days later, Klein called for Ramirez's resignation, leading to lengthy public hearings, late-night closed sessions and unrest on campus. Within a month, Ramirez was gone.

The grand jurors did find some discrepancies. The report states that the foundation violated public disclosure laws in several instances but described the errors as "relatively minor." They attributed the errors to "inexperience, inattention to detail and confusing underlying documentation."

Nonetheless, the report chastises Klein for his actions, describing widespread and damaging consequences.

"We concluded that (Klein) told the truth as he believed it, but he exercised little due diligence," the report states. "As a result, the truth he told was unfounded and his complaint ... inflicted damage on a senior public employee, demoralized the Sierra College community and risked the reputation of Sierra College."

Klein did not return phone calls but faxed a written statement to The Bee, stating that he "respectfully disagrees" with the grand jury's findings that the violations were minor.

"The law has a purpose: to shine the light of public disclosure on political campaigns," he wrote in the statement. "We have a legal, moral and ethical responsibility to the public to provide that information before elections, not after they occur."

Klein said that the Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating the matter. A commission spokesman would not confirm or deny an investigation. Bill Halldin, president of the foundation's board, said he continues to believe the foundation acted properly in the campaigns for Measures E, G and H. He stressed that the foundation is composed of volunteers "who are involved because the college is an important part of the community." The grand jury report emphasized that many people involved with the foundation were unfamiliar with campaign finance law or their disclosure obligations.

Halldin said he is unsure if the foundation again will act as an intermediary in the campaign for Measure B, a $78.2 million bond for facility repairs that will go before voters in June.

Though official word from the Sierra board was that Ramirez's departure in January 2005 was mutually agreed upon, Ramirez said Thursday that the grand jury was accurate in finding Klein's complaint was "a contributing and unjustified" factor in his departure.

"That was the straw that certainly broke my back," he said. The other factor, Ramirez said, was a Dec. 14 private meeting in which Ramirez alleges that board President Jerry Simmons said he wanted him to leave the college.

Simmons did not return phone calls Thursday. He previously has said that he told Ramirez he did not support him but did not call for his resignation.

According to college officials, Ramirez's retirement settlement cost the college $464,950. The college also had to pay $54,750 to conduct a national search for a new president. Leo Chavez - announced as the new president this week - will earn $210,000 a year. Ramirez's annual salary was $168,000 a year.

Ramirez, now a consultant for several community college districts, also agrees with the grand jury's assertion that Klein's actions had far-reaching consequences. He described the ordeal as "personally devastating" to his family, as well as the college community.

"I think (the allegations) continue to be very, very damaging and emotionally difficult for the college," he said.

The grand jury's report outlined some of those difficulties in anecdotal terms. It said the foundation's executive director, Sonbol Aliabadi, told the jury that for a period after Klein's allegations became public, donations subsided and one major contributor withheld his gift until "the college gets its act together."
"The campus joke, according to one interviewee, was that 'Every time an article about Sierra College hits a local paper, American River College opens another class,' " the report states.

Though acknowledging that many factors can cause enrollment to fluctuate, a college spokeswoman said enrollment in January 2005 - a few weeks after Klein's complaint was filed - rose only 2 percent from the previous year. Just before Klein's complaint, enrollment had been up 11 percent from the year before.
The report also notes that four senior staff members were driven to tears while being interviewed.

"These matters are all subjective," the report states, "but they are also significant and cannot be lightly dismissed."

Ramirez said he is not waiting for any apologies. "I have forgiven Jerry Simmons and Aaron Klein for what they've done," he said. "I've moved on."

Ramirez a Victim

2005-04-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

Buck Stoval
The Union -April 14, 2005

Our Sierra College board of trustees was elected on a Republican-funded platform to defeat future construction of Sierra College in Grass Valley. Vengeance was what they responded with when winning the seats but losing the measure, and Kevin Ramirez was the name they picked when citing imaginary laws being violated.

Now the trustees are stuck with spending educational money they didn't want raised, and we are left with a frightened educational institution turning sharply toward disintegrative individualism. We should all know by now that when we ignore our children, they will turn to the drama of the streets. Ignoring their educational needs will ensure that they do.

Sadly, we can now once again learn about revenge, ignorance and intolerance from our schools, not just in them. Even locally, we are living in an upside-down world where our conservative values are neither conservative nor values, and our last guard of freedom, an educated electorate, is under constant attack both by Christian extremists and historical revisionists.

Buck Stoval
Grass Valley

Follow the Money

2005-04-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

Columnists

A puppetmaster in Sierra theater?
From the Left

By: Rex Bloomfield
Wednesday, March 23, 2005 12:46 AM PST

When Election Day rolls around, we're swamped with choices. As we work our way down the ballot from the president to candidates for the local water district, our knowledge of the candidates and what they stand for starts to diminish rapidly. So, candidates must build name recognition to increase their chances for victory. This requires money, thus over 90 percent of the time, the candidate with the most money wins.

That's what happened in the race for the Sierra College board of trustees. Both Aaron Klein and Scott Leslie set records for campaign spending for that office. They spent over 10 times the previous record. Fueled by a vast war chest, the son of our state assemblyman and the negative campaign czar for the Placer County Republican Central Committee combined their resources and bought their seats on the college board.

We all know what happened next. Four board members banded together and ousted the Sierra College president, Kevin Ramirez. It didn't matter that Sierra College ranks nationally in the top 1 percent for community colleges or that Ramirez is considered the top administrator in the state. The reasons given were flimsy and unsubstantiated.

Using the classic campaign technique of the Big Lie, which is simply just repeating their claims over and over again, the new board members hoped people would start to believe that something must be wrong because the new board members kept making the same accusations. Their chief spokesman, Klein, repeatedly made allegations without any evidence or proof. With four votes owing allegiance to those who made it possible for them to get elected, Ramirez was toast, but not until the taxpayers were soaked with a hefty buyout package.

The youngest (26) and most outspoken member, Klein, has risen rapidly within the party. While trying to create a name for himself five years ago, he and newly seated supervisor, Bruce Kranz, led a group that tried to ban books in Placer County libraries. Since then he has endeared himself to his brethren on the Republican Central Committee with his dogged campaign work and his impassioned assaults on anything or anybody not adhering to the strict doctrine of the central committee.

With a little help from dad, Scott Leslie has secured his first elected position. Scott has taken a low profile on the Sierra College board and speaks rarely. However, when it comes time to vote, he falls in line with his other colleagues.

Serving as chairman of the Sierra College board, Jerry Simmons, who has strong ties to the Placer County Republican Central Commit-tee, helped mastermind the ouster of our college president. Articulate and manipulative, Simmons, at only 31 years of age, is a force to be underestimated at one's peril.

But what the heck did Ramirez do to get summarily dismissed? No one knows for sure, but the rumor getting some traction lately goes something like this ... Ten years ago, John Doolittle asked Ramirez for his assistance in making a campaign video on the Sierra College campus. Ramirez expressed concern to Congressman Doolittle that since the congressman was not a strong supporter of public education, it might be inappropriate to use the college for his political campaigns. Doolittle never made that video or forgot Ramirez's impudence.

It always helps to follow the money to find out to whom these Sierra College board members owe allegiance. Of course, one must start with the most prolific fundraiser and godfather of Republican politics in Placer County, Congressman Doolittle. John Doolittle figured prominently in the election of the four board members who sacked Kevin.

Even though Congressman Doolittle is known to hold a grudge, would he be so vindictive as to destroy a person's career over a petty transgression? Common sense would say no, but then why did Doolittle and the Republican Central Committee dump a boatload of money on a school board election?

Former Placer County supervisor Rex Bloomfield will write a monthly column on local politics.

Klein defends stance against education.

2005-03-29T15:20:00.000-08:00

Now Klein takes on the elementary crowd.
Remember, Klein has absolutely NO experience in education. He's never even attended primary, secondary school or college. Fiscal responsibility? Does Klein know that California ranks 42nd in the nation in per student educational spending??

Politics at work in parcel tax?
Meadow Vista resident questions Republican opposition to Measure D

By: Ryan Sabalow, Journal Staff Writer
Sunday, March 27, 2005 11:52 PM PST

The recent political upheaval at Sierra College has moved from the hallways of the Rocklin campus to the rolling hills of Meadow Vista.

Meadow Vista resident Judy Creek, the wife of Sierra College Trustee Dave Creek, said Friday the Placer County Republican Party's choice to oppose a Placer Hills Union School District parcel tax is a direct result of meddling from Sierra College trustees Jerry Simmons and Aaron Klein.

Klein and Simmons sit on the Placer County Republican Central Committee and were part of the five-member endorsement committee that recently voted unanimously to oppose Measure D, a $48 annual parcel tax.

Proponents of Measure D say it would help the district ease a budget shortfall that could result in cuts to student programs and the layoff of at least 15 staff members.

"It's politics as a sport," Judy Creek said. "They just rampaged through Sierra College. Now they found the next school to go after."

The idea there's a correlation between the recent turmoil at Sierra College and opposition to the Meadow Vista tax is "silly," said Ken Campbell, chairman of the Placer County Republican Party.

"Come on," Campbell said. "Ask her if she sees black helicopters and G-men behind the trees."

Both Simmons and Klein deny any sort of political maneuvering, saying their party's disdain for taxes and the poor fiscal responsibility within Placer Hills motivated them to oppose the tax.

Klein, a resident of Colfax, whose family lives in Meadow Vista, said anyone who knows him is very much aware he's against raising taxes unnecessarily.

Klein said he was approached by Meadow Vista resident Ben Mavy, who was upset Placer Hills was trying to increase taxes after what he claimed were years of financial mismanagement.

He came to realize Mavy's concerns about Placer Hills had merit, Klein said.

"I'm a Republican," Klein said. "I've been opposed to tax increases a lot longer than I've ever been a trustee at Sierra College."

Judy Creek, herself a registered Republican and former Central Committee member, suggests ulterior motives are at work.

She said it was ironic that the adopted grandson of former Sierra College president Kevin Ramirez attended a Placer Hills school. Ramirez could not be reached for comment Friday to confirm Creek's claim.

"That's about as silly as her pal Rex Bloomfield's conspiracy theories in his editorial the other day," Klein said, referring to Wednesday's guest editorial in the Journal by Bloomfield.

Bloomfield alleged Klein, Simmons and Sierra Trustee Scott Leslie are part of ultra-conservative Republican conspiracy ultimately led by U.S. Rep. John Doolittle, R-Roseville, to take over Placer County.

This isn't the first time a rivalry between the Creeks and Klein has made its way into the public eye.

Judy Creek was Bloomfield's campaign manager in his November campaign for the Placer County District 5 supervisor seat. Klein was campaign manager for Bloomfield's opponent, Bruce Kranz, who won the supervisor race.

Dave Creek was also the first to call for Klein's recall after the newly-elected Sierra College trustee allegedly pressured Ramirez to resign.

After sending e-mails and speaking critically of Ramirez to faculty and staff, Klein filed a complaint with the Placer County Elections Department, stating Ramirez had used unethical means to fund facilities improvement bond measures at the college.

Ramirez denies any wrongdoing, and the complaint has been forwarded to the California Fair Political Practices Commission. The commission has yet to issue a ruling.

Close to a week after Klein filed, Ramirez announced he wished to retire. After nearly a month of closed-door meetings, Ramirez received a $405,000 retirement settlement from the board, along with potentially millions in State of California retirement benefits.

Ramirez is to remain at Sierra College receiving a full salary as president emeritus until this summer, as his replacement, Morgan Lynn, serves as interim president.

Dave Creek was the only Sierra trustee to vote against Ramirez's settlement, saying in earlier interviews it was ironic that Klein, who campaigned for trustee in November on the platform of fiscal responsibility, wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay Ramirez not to work.

Dave Creek declined to comment on the Placer Hills issue, saying he may bring it up at the next Sierra College board meeting.

But Judy Creek said Klein and Simmons are only using area schools to further their political ambitions. They don't care about the communities they serve, she said.

"We just had these guys make a decision that cost taxpayers a half a million bucks - now they're opposing a small, $48-a-year tax," she said. "These guys treat politics like it's a video game."

Save us from the Babbits of the World

2005-03-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

The Union
February 26, 2005
Save us from the Babbitts of the world
Timothy May
February 26, 2005

"May God prevent us from becoming 'right-thinking men' - that is to say, men who agree perfectly with their own police." - Thomas Merton

Among the various claims advanced by young Aaron Klein, Sierra College Trustee for Nevada County, one of the most audacious, but certainly not the most astute, is that certain "folks" do not care for his agenda because, "they don't like being challenged to achieve greatness."

In a recent guest column, our newly elected college trustee identifies himself as a 26-year-old software salesman with four years of experience running a business of 10 people. He offers no explanation, simply legal cover, for his attacks upon ex-president Kevin Ramirez. Young Klein offers no apology for the utter turmoil that he has caused the faculty, staff, administrators and students of Sierra College. And Mr. Klein makes no mention of the $45,000 contributed by Rocklin power brokers to bankroll his election.

"I know and am confident beyond a shadow of a doubt," writes Klein, "that every single action I have taken as a Sierra College trustee has absolutely been in the best interests of Sierra College, its students, and the taxpayers."

After reciting a simplistic shopping list of his "goals" for the college, (training people for jobs, hiring good teachers, investing in growth, attracting high school grads, etc.) young Klein ends his editorial with a slick shift to a high key. "With your help," he writes, "we will make Sierra College the best community college in America."

If Aaron Klein were running for student body president, this self-promoting stump speech of his could be acceptable, clichés and all. Yet Klein is not running for student office. Younger and less experienced than the average community college student, Mr. Klein has unfortunately been entrusted with the shared management of a multi-million dollar budget. He has been handed a trustee position-one purchased by Placer County partisans-and now his actions are adversely affecting the professional lives of thousands and the collegiate dreams of still thousands more.

"Nothing in the world," said Dr. Martin Luther King, "is more dangerous than sincere ignorance."

After reading Klein's column, I believe this young man is probably sincere. As a college English professor, I come into contact with hundreds of young minds each year. Some are brilliant and imaginative. Others evoke the concern expressed by Dr. King. But because they are young and willing to learn, we work with and challenge such young people. These same qualities in an elected public official, however, are simply unacceptable.

Klein says he is absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, right.

"We all feel we are right," Igor Stravinsky once said. "But we felt the same way twenty years ago and today we know we weren't always right."

Listen to that voice-it is the voice of wisdom, the voice of maturity. Measure such a voice against that of young Mr. Klein, who insists he is absolutely, positively right. Which is to say Klein agrees perfectly with himself. Never mind the collective wisdom of the Sierra College faculty, staff, administrators and students. Never mind the thousands of Nevada County voters who were fed vague campaign slogans in November, and simply official silence ever since - even after Klein's ugly political hit job was completed. "Now it's time to move on and look to the future," says Klein, "and I'm very excited."

The dominant theme of Klein's essay and his actions is babbittry - the term used to describe the narrow, self-righteous, "go-getting" outlook represented in Sinclair Lewis' 1922 novel, "Babbitt." Lewis knew a certain American character quite well: George Babbitt is a young, self-important salesman whose economic, political, and even moral beliefs are summed up by his favorite expression, "What we need around here is a good business administration." Let's handle things with zip and zowie! Let's together be the very best in America!

May god save us from the right-thinking Babbitts of this world. Let them run for office in Babbitt County, where their "go-getting" talk and ethical complacency should feel right at home.

Timothy May lives in Rough and Ready and has taught English at Yuba College for the last 28 years.

Sierra Women's B-Ball Coach on Kevin Ramirez

2005-03-10T18:20:00.000-08:00

These women are like night and Day
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, March 10, 2005
Sacramento Bee
Roz Goldenberg is a lot of things in a game-day suit and pumps, and it's never friendly.
Fiery, feisty, ferocious with a bark that would make even the meanest mongrel flee are more apt descriptions for the Sierra College women's basketball coach.

She admits to all of it, but there's a Christina Day factor in the works now. Goldenberg's star pupil has chipped away at that Bobby Knight exterior and exposed Roz the Ruler into something of a postgame Roz the Cuddly Bear of late, though the coach might look over her shoulder to see if anyone is watching.

Goldenberg, about as personable as a sweaty wet sock on game day, even allowed some tears following a playoff win the other night. And upon realizing her Wolverines had advanced to the State Community College Basketball Championships - the two-year college version of the Elite 8 - that starts Friday in San Diego, Goldenberg allowed even more affection.
There were hugs to be had.

"I'm not a huggy kind of coach, but I can't help but relent to Christina Day," Goldenberg said.

Day would be Sierra's sophomore forward from Colfax High School. She is as spiritual and sassy and silly as she is basketball-skilled.

It's not a normal day if Day isn't up to her old tricks: impersonations or getting her coach to laugh. Day has provided comedic relief for a team that needed to have its collective funny bone tickled after a 7-5 start.

Goldenberg, one of the most decorated coaches in the state during her 14-year Sierra run with 330 wins and a 1998-99 state championship, needed something to grin about after a trying winter away from the gym.

Goldenberg and a host of Sierra coaches, faculty and students are still numbed by the news of their popular president, Kevin Ramirez, and the firestorm that swept the Rocklin campus. Ramirez, a regular for all Sierra athletic events, came to a controversial agreement about his retirement with the district board of trustees, though Sierra coaches wonder if he wasn't forced out the door.

"Day has really turned it around for me," Goldenberg admitted. "She's rejuvenated me. I got a little stale coming to work this season, walking through those doors, thinking, 'Well, here's work.' The whole Kevin thing, we're still sad about it.

"The negative things that were going on, the atmosphere, it wasn't any fun. I felt distracted. I felt that I wasn't giving it 100 percent. I wondered if I even wanted to do this anymore.

"But then there was Day. She raised me up, picked me up, got me to love this again."

But it wasn't always this way.

When Goldenberg would venture to Colfax to check out this 5-foot-11 wonder in high school, Day initially wanted to run. She had heard about Goldenberg's reputation and iron fist, not always a good fit for such a free spirit.

"At first, I was so intimidated by her, completely afraid of her," Day said. "I wasn't myself. Then I came out of my shell."

Now she keeps on her coach like a pest, teasing her mentor that it's too early in the day for the game suit, wondering what sort of pedigree she really has.

"I give it to Coach all the time," Day said. "I tease her. I've never seen her shoot a ball, never seen game film. 'What you got, Coach?' I love her. Under her hard front, deep down, she's a softy. I try to bring that out of her.

"And she's been great for me. She's impacted my life. She's made me a better player because she wants to be a better coach."

Goldenberg said she has been moved by the genuine humanness of Day. When she was 10 years old, a beam fell on Day's left foot. She lost three toes, but she never lost her balance. She marched forward, head held high, and shares her story when asked.

At a Sierra summer camp, Day told her tale with all the seriousness of a woman who knows what it's like to deal with adversity. Then she yanked off her shoe and sock to the glee of a room full of 8-year-old gawkers who had never seen such a site.

"Telling my story, that might help a kid who has something different about them," Day said.

Goldenberg said she got emotional after her club downed San Jose City College on Saturday, the same team that clobbered the Wolverines by 24 points earlier this season, because it dawned on her that this was indeed a special group.

Sierra (22-7) has won 15 of 16 since the slow start behind guards Rebekah Calvert and Phieban Mulatu, forwards Kobea Tudsbury, Kelly Mezger, Nicole Scott, and of course, Day, the leading scorer.

Goldenberg said the capper was seeing Ramirez after the game, the man who hired her to be coach in 1991, the man who let her vent over the years about Title IX issues, the man who supported her when she accepted the Sierra men's basketball post 10 years ago and still supported her when she abruptly stepped down after being harassed on campus by one of the men's assistant coaches.

Now, more than ever, there are tears and hugs and too much Day to comprehend. When earlier this season Goldenberg wondered if she wanted to coach another hour, she now has extended that timetable another three years, at least.

Now when she barks at Day during a practice or a game - and it will happen because a coach can't change all her colors - she'll finish by snapping, "All right? All right!" Then she'll smile.

"I'm getting to her," Day said.

Republican Assembly gave Klein $35,942 to run for the nonpartisan Sierra College board.

2005-03-10T13:47:00.000-08:00

Klein recall effort folds
Backers say cost of special vote would be too damaging to college
By: Ryan Sabalow, Journal Staff WriterThursday, March 10, 2005 12:19 AM PST

Aaron Klein
After only a month and a handful of meetings, the group seeking the recall of Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein has decided to call it quits.Kent Pollock, the part-time Sierra College journalism instructor spearheading the recall effort, issued a press release early Wednesday morning saying his organization had decided a recall wasn't in the best interest of the college.The recall's hefty price tag, estimated to be close to $325,000 - and the controversy associated with gathering signatures and campaigning against the newly elected trustee - would do more harm than good."We can't afford to do any more damage to Sierra College," he said. "A recall would have done so."Klein said Wednesday he was happy that the college could begin to move forward without the distractions of a costly recall effort.

"I am obviously grateful I won't have to spend the time dealing with the recall, no matter how confident I was of the eventual outcome," he said.Pollock said in earlier interviews his group had met several times to discuss the logistics of recalling Klein and was moving to appoint a steering committee to lead the charge against the 26-year-old trustee.The Web sites http://www.recallaaronklein.com/ and http://www.recallaaronklein.org/ had also been purchased, he said.Pollock said the group decided to hold back on its efforts because it would be hypocritical to use the same personal defamation tactics during a recall campaign that he alleges Klein used to paint a negative image of former President Kevin Ramirez."We earnestly, truly want to put this behind us," Pollock said. "No one has a stomach for picking a fight. We want the college to move on."

Even the most vocal of Klein's detractors have lost the recall fever.Joe Medeiros, biology instructor at Sierra College, one of the first to discuss a recall effort, also changed his tune.Medeiros agreed that it's time to move forward, but he's still mistrustful of Klein."He's going to have to prove his merit," Medeiros said. "So far he deserves a D-minus - he's that close to flunking."Klein's supporters say the recall had slim chance of success and was for all the wrong reasons."They were a vocal minority who didn't have enough support," said Sierra College counselor Hank Akana. "The people who voted in Klein ... wouldn't have supported it anyway."

Pollock, Medeiros and others called for Klein's recall in January, saying the trustee had pressured Ramirez to resign because of a right-wing Republican Party conspiracy ultimately led by U.S. Rep. John Doolittle, R-Rocklin.According to financial disclosure statements from the Placer County Elections Department, the Placer County Republican Assembly gave Klein $35,942 to run for the nonpartisan board in November's elections. Klein denies having a partisan agenda, but few can deny he has become a polarizing figure at Sierra College. After sending e-mails and speaking critically of Ramirez to faculty and staff, Klein filed a complaint with the Placer County Elections Department, stating Ramirez had used unethical means to fund campus bond measures. Ramirez denies any wrongdoing, and the complaint has been forwarded to the California Fair Political Practices Commission. The commission has yet to issue a ruling.

Close to a week after Klein filed, Ramirez announced he wished to retire. After nearly a month of closed-door meetings, Ramirez received a $405,000 retirement settlement. He is to remain as "President Emeritus" until this summer, while Morgan Lynn serves as interim president until a replacement can be found.Combined with state retirement benefits, Ramirez is in line to collect more than $10,000 a month for the rest of his life, Sierra College officials said. If Ramirez lived to be 86 years old, he would receive more than $3.5 million from State of California employee paychecks. Klein's critics cited these high costs as reason enough for the recall effort against the newly elected trustee. Soon after retiring, Ramirez received word that he would receive the Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award - the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a college administrator, further raising the ire of Klein's critics.

In spite of his frustration, Pollock said the bickering at Sierra needs to stop. "Ramirez said he was retiring to get the focus back on the college and its incredible accomplishments," Pollock said in the press release. "We're dropping the recall effort for the same reason. "Klein had similar sentiments."I prefer to look forward to making Sierra College the No. 1 community college in America," Klein said. "It's time to work together. There's no limit what a united Sierra College can achieve."

Klein speech defends actions.

2005-03-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

Klein speech reignites Sierra battle
Payout for Ramirez retirement will cost college $405,000

By: Ryan Sabalow, Gold Country News Service
Tuesday, March 1, 2005 4:13 PM PST
Placer Herald

Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein drew both praise and criticism from area community leaders after defending his recent actions in a speech to the Auburn Chamber forum Feb. 22.

In the early morning presentation at City Hall, Klein said he stands behind his choice to be critical of former Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez.

He was also the first trustee since Ramirez's contract buyout was announced last month to give an exact figure on the settlement, saying the final payout would be $405,000.

Ramirez is also in line to collect more than $10,000 a month in state retirement benefits for the rest of his life, Sierra College officials said.

If Ramirez lived to be 86 years old, he would receive more than $3.5 million from State of California employee paychecks, when retirement is combined with his buyout package.

Klein said he was perturbed that Ramirez's settlement forbids him or other members of the board from publicly discussing the settlement.

"I think it is unfortunate that the recent settlement agreement with (Ramirez) forbids trustees to tell the facts of what actually happened ... ," Klein said.

Former Auburn Mayor Cheryl Maki told Klein after his speech that although she supported him during the election, his choice to push the former president to resign was unduly costly to the college.

"It's naïveté to think that the atmosphere you created didn't force him to leave," she said.

She said Ramirez's settlement and the costs associated with replacing him were poor choices, since his contract expired in a year and a half. She said if Klein took issue with Ramirez's leadership, he should have let his contract expire.

Although he was one of six trustees to eventually approve the settlement, Klein said he originally voted against the buyout because of its high cost.

He said he agreed to the final settlement only because the board needed "to speak with one voice and be united."

Klein's statement that Ramirez would receive $405,000 was the first time a trustee had given anything but vague responses to the settlement figure. Some trustees said it would be as high as $500,000.

Board Chairman Jerry Simmons confirmed Tuesday that Klein's figure was accurate and that Ramirez would also receive more than $10,000 a month from the state's retirement system for the rest of his life.

"It's sort of like Social Security," Simmons said. "But we don't have any obligation except where we have to pay him for the (next) six months he's working for the campus."

Many of Klein's critics cite these high costs as reasons why some are pursuing a recall effort against the newly elected trustee.

"Mr. Klein is painting the picture that what he did only cost the district some four-hundred-odd-thousand dollars," said Kent Pollock, a part-time Sierra College journalism instructor spearheading the recall effort against Klein.

Pollock said other unstated costs include having both Interim President Morgan Lynn and Ramirez employed at the same time, along with the expensive costs of searching for a replacement and buying out Ramirez's pension.

The large figures didn't stop forum attendee Tom Dwelle from speaking in favor of Klein during the meeting. Dwelle said Klein was on the right track.

"He's a smart guy. I love him," Dwelle said after the meeting. "He's enthusiastic and capable."

Throughout the speech and ensuing discussion, Klein returned to his oft-repeated theme that all of his actions were for the best interest of the college, community and taxpayers.

He said under Ramirez's leadership, the college cut student programs and increased its debt as administrators took pay increases.

He was also critical of the failed Measure E bond and cited past Placer County grand jury investigations of Ramirez and Sierra College.

"It was then that I knew Sierra College needed new leadership on the board of trustees," Klein said. "The college had been doing great things for the community, but its direction for the future was dead wrong."

Klein also responded to the claim by many of his critics that he is a right-wing extremist with strong ties to ultra-conservative members of the Republican Party.

"Time has not been kind to their story," Klein said. "The facts sort of got in the way."

He said by agreeing to appoint Lynn - a registered Democrat - it shows he's not being partisan.

Her appointment would also put the reins of power at the college back into the hands of the trustees, he said.

"(Lynn) believes that the board of trustees is elected by the people, and that the trustees are her boss," he said. "Not the other way around."

Controversy has followed Klein since he was sworn in as trustee last month. After sending e-mails in which he spoke critically of Ramirez to Sierra faculty, Klein filed a complaint with the Placer County Elections Department, stating Ramirez had used unethical means to fund campus bond measures.

Ramirez denies any wrongdoing, and the complaint has been forwarded to the California Fair Political Practices Commission. The commission has yet to issue a ruling.

Close to a week after Klein filed, Ramirez announced to the board that he wished to retire, and after nearly a month of closed-door meetings, Ramirez received his retirement settlement.

He is to remain as "President Emeritus" until this summer, while Lynn serves as interim president until a replacement can be found. Soon after retiring, Ramirez received word that he would receive the Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award - the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a college administrator.

The high costs associated with removing the popular president and Klein's stated mission of fiscal accountability don't sit well with many Sierra instructors.

"I don't know how (Klein) can defend his actions," said Ramirez supporter Joe Medeiros, biology professor at Sierra College. "He was one of those who spearheaded taking out a man who is a state champion. I don't see how he can justify that at all."

Victor Uhouse, another forum attendee, said he didn't view Klein's actions as controversial, saying the newly-elected trustee has kept taxpayer interests at heart.

"Waiting a year and a half to (to buy out Ramirez's contract) may not have been in the best interest of the college," Uhouse said.

Sacramento Bee: Sierra College in Turmoil - The 90-day clock is ticking

2005-02-21T13:10:00.000-08:00

Sierra College in turmoil
The rapid departure of a popular president divides the Placer County campus.
By Kim Minugh -- Bee Staff WriterPublished 2:15 am PST Monday, February 21, 2005

After two months of upheaval and uncertainty at Sierra College, at least one thing is clear: For many at the Placer County college, forgiving, forgetting and forging ahead are easier said than done. The departure last month of President Kevin Ramirez has been a destabilizing force on campus, one that has ignited talks about a trustee recall campaign and unionization of the management team.

"The mixture of outrage, bewilderment, frustration and confusion about all that has gone on - I'm not sure this thing wraps up easily or simply," said Dan DeFoe, a history and communication studies professor. For now, an interim president has been appointed and classes are back in session, but the 20,500-student community college is markedly different from when students were last here.

Two new trustees, Aaron Klein and Scott Leslie, are being blamed for what many call the biggest upset in the college's history: the rapid departure of a popular president who, just two months after being publicly blasted by Klein, was recognized with the highest award given to administrators by the Association for California Community College Administrators.

"The college is going through a very tough time right now," said Nancy Palmer, a trustee since 1994. "This is the most difficult thing we've ever done." Many of Ramirez's supporters refuse to accept the official explanation that, after 12 years as president, Ramirez wanted to leave, and that he was not forced out in a power play by Klein, Leslie and board President Jerry Simmons.

"In my opinion, Sierra College is in a lot of trouble," said history professor Barbara Fairchild. "There's an agenda playing out here." That perceived agenda is the heart of a divisive debate on campus.
Many faculty members have questioned the motivations of Klein, Simmons and Leslie, all of whom are involved in local or statewide Republican politics. Some speculate the trustees are trying to make a name for themselves, and possibly gearing up for future political endeavors. That's the best-case scenario, Fairchild said. "The worst-case scenario is they'll try to control hiring and curriculum."

Klein and Leslie's fund-raising abilities have fueled the concerns. In 2002, trustee David Creek raised the most money for a Sierra College board seat in 15 years, with $7,250. In the November election, Klein and Leslie set a record, raising $44,000 and $53,000, respectively. Many of the contributions came from Republican groups or figures. "I believe they do come with a partisan agenda, with a strong idea of how things should be," said counselor Vicki Skeels. "It looks like they are trying to build careers on some grandstanding."

But Klein said his critics are using his Republican Party affiliation as an excuse to derail his agenda of fiscal accountability. "The only place where the Republican Party affects the Sierra College trustee role is that they supported me during the campaign. They're my friends," Klein said.

The turmoil began on Dec. 20, when Klein called for Ramirez's resignation and submitted a complaint to the Placer County registrar alleging that Ramirez had violated campaign finance law regarding a bond measure. The complaint was forwarded to the state Fair Political Practices Commission, which has declined to say whether an investigation is being pursued.

After five meetings and closed-door deliberations, trustees voted 6-1 to approve a retirement agreement for Ramirez that could cost the college $500,000 or more. Klein is now the target of a budding recall campaign being organized by about 35 faculty members and the community, said part-time journalism professor Kent Pollock.

"Aaron Klein was the irresponsible pit bull who led the charge," he said. "This is a guy who attempted to defame and steal a man's integrity in order to advance his own political power base." Paperwork for a recall cannot be filed until early March, when a 90-day waiting period after the swearing-in of a trustee is up.
Additionally, the college's management team is taking the unusual step of seeking union representation to ward off any more drastic administrative changes.

"If a board can fire a president on something other than job performance, on politics ... I assume they can fire any one of us," said Brian Haley, president of the management senate and dean of learning resources. "Our concern was we didn't know who they were going to go after next." All trustees interviewed - six of the seven - said the concerns about further personnel changes are unwarranted and, to assuage fears, the board recently renewed managers' yearlong contracts ahead of schedule.

Simmons said the board has been dominated by Republicans for some time, and there have been few disagreements between the board's Republicans and lone Democrat David Ferrari. Leslie agreed, saying he expects the board's future votes to be 7-0, not 4-3. "People can characterize the board however they want, but the goal of the board is to work together collaboratively in the best interests of the college," he said. But for many, the jury is still out.

Faculty members, and even some trustees, have pledged to watch closely how the board proceeds with business. "Do I have a worry? Yes. But ... we have to digest a few meals here and see what happens," said trustee Creek. Referring to the recall regulations, he added, "The 90-day clock is ticking."

Klein's public education experience- a surprising ZIP

2005-02-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

Ponder this

Aaron Klein never attended public schools (elementary or secondary). He never attended college.

Given his lack of any experience whatsoever with public education, doesn't it makes you wonder why he wanted to be elected to the Sierra College Board of Trustees. It certainly wasn't because of his experience and knowledge. Could it possibly be that he has ulterior motives?

Sierra Trustees have hidden agenda

2005-02-17T13:49:00.000-08:00

From Letters to the Editor. Roseville Tribune
February 14, 2005

I have been teaching part-time at Sierra College for seven years. Recently, along with about 500 faculty and staff, I attended Sierra's convocation where it became clear we are losing our popular president, primarily due to the irresponsible actions of two new board members who seem to have no interest in the well being of the college.

A very sad President Kevin Ramirez received numerous long, standing ovations from those who have worked for him for the past 11 years. Clearly this was a man who was very appreciated. Those of us who have been involved at Sierra College are appalled at the recent activities of these new board members.

By spending 10 times more than anyone has ever spent to become elected, Scott Leslie and Aaron Klein, for some reason, feel they have a mandate to force their own political agenda onto the school.For these aggressive, negative power brokers, Sierra College is nothing but a stepping-stone into the big time of Sacramento politics.

No one elected Klein and Leslie to target and hound specific individuals, to create an atmosphere of fear and hostility, and generally to bring ill will and unrest to what has been a thriving institution of learning. How long before we start burning books?

Mary Helen Fein, Sierra College AdjunctProfessor of Applied Art

Union Editorial: Time has come for full disclosure from new college trustee

2005-02-17T13:43:00.000-08:00

Time has come for full disclosure from new college trustee
Editorial
February 2, 2005
Sierra College trustees (specifically Trustee Aaron Klein) and administrators owe their shareholders - each one of us - an explanation. And not in the form of a three- or four-paragraph press release generated from days of closed-door meetings with lawyers and advisers. We're talking full disclosure. The who, what, when, where and ... most of all ... the why.

They need to tell us why they paid former college President Kevin Ramirez $252,000 to leave with three years remaining on an employment agreement that paid him an estimated $168,000 per year, plus various perks. That severance doesn't even include his salary and benefits through July 1, during a time when an interim president will be handling his duties.

They need to tell us what he did that caused newly elected Trustee Aaron Klein to demand his resignation last month. Klein, who represents Nevada County on that board, said Ramirez mishandled campaign money associated with the failed districtwide Measure E bond effort that would have provided $394 million for projects at both the Rocklin and Grass Valley Sierra College campuses. This November, voters approved Measure H, a bond that will go toward building a permanent Truckee-Tahoe campus.

For now, we can only speculate. If Ramirez did, in fact, mishandle those funds, chances are the trustees would not have agreed to such a generous "retirement" buyout. On the other hand, perhaps Ramirez decided he didn't have the appetite to deal with renegade board members who were out to get him. In a press release last month, Klein called on Ramirez to resign for what he termed "a lack of public confidence in President Ramirez that is too great to overcome."

Perhaps we are too far removed up here, but we hadn't heard anything about that public lack of confidence. In fact, voters here seemed to believe the college was running very well under the leadership of Ramirez, or they wouldn't have approved the bond in last November's election.

In his concluding remarks on that very public press release, Klein accused Ramirez of "fiscal mismanagement and unethical behavior." Those are pretty strong allegations to drop on anyone, let alone the president of one of the best community colleges in the state.

In his response, Ramirez strongly alluded to possible litigation. He has a right to protect his professional reputation against such serious allegations. Perhaps the college recognized its legal exposure from Klein's remarks and decided to settle in the form of a buyout. But it's more likely that Ramirez simply decided, in the best interest of the college and its students, to go away quietly. Maybe he no longer wanted to be the focal point of the board's efforts and realized that he would be, so long as Klein wanted him out.

If that was the case, our newly elected Trustee Klein has some explaining to do. Without that explanation, it appears he cost the district and its citizens a lot of money. And, sadly, the loss of a good and decent administrator.- First published in the The Union on Jan. 29.

The Union: Citizens' group forms to launch recall of newly elected Sierra College trustee

2005-02-16T16:03:00.000-08:00

By: Ryan Sabalow, Journal Staff WriterTuesday,
February 15, 2005 12:02 PM PST

A citizens' group is working to recall Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein. More than 35 concerned community members and Sierra College faculty gathered Thursday at Hacienda Mexican Restaurant in Rocklin to discuss how to best recall the newly elected, 26-year-old trustee.

Kent Pollock, a part-time Sierra College journalism instructor and past director of the California First Amendment Coalition, said the group decided to meet again this week to appoint a steering committee to lead the charge against Klein.The meeting's date, time and location will be announced later this week, he said.

The group also bought the rights to the domain for Web sites www.recallaaronklein.com and www.recallaaronklein.org and will be putting Web pages together soon, Pollock said.Pollock said Thursday's meeting most importantly served as chance to vent frustrations against Klein, who after being sworn-in this January, led the charge to pressure former Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez to resign.

Officials say Ramirez's settlement could cost the college close to $500,000."There was a lot of anger expressed at the meeting," Pollock said. "People don't like to see bullies win."

Klein declined to comment on the recall effort Monday, issuing instead an e-mail that echoed previous statements to the Journal.

A recall would be costly for Sierra College. According to figures from the Placer County Elections Department, if a special election was called by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, it would cost the college at least $325,000. If a standalone election were called, it could cost as much as $909,000. Recall proponents would also need to gather at least 26,000 signatures from its district, which extends into Placer, El Dorado, Nevada and Sacramento counties. And any action taken would have to be after March 3 - 90 days after Klein's official swear-in date.

Pollock said he acknowledged that a recall would be costly and logistically challenging for Sierra College, but it would be worth every penny. He said Klein was working to further his own political aspirations when he filed paperwork with the Placer County Elections Department in January, which stated Ramirez unethically used a non-profit agency to fund campus bond measures. Klein's allegations have yet to be substantiated, and Ramirez denies any wrongdoing.

Pollock said he was also concerned Klein would take more actions similar to Ramirez's buyout that would negatively affect the college financially."Three-hundred-twenty-five-thousand dollars, though not a small number, might be worth it to save more wasted money," Pollock said.

..those in attendance at Thursday's meeting say Klein's role in Ramirez's resignation was enough to oust the trustee. "I think we should stand up and say 'You're out of line,'" said Brent Moore, 46, of Rocklin, who is considering sitting on the steering committee. "We need to send a message back that says ... you're going to be held accountable." Linda Hall, chairwoman of the Placer County Democratic Central Committee, expressed interest in sitting on the steering committee as well after attending last Thursday's meeting, although she said her fellow Democrats have yet to come to an official consensus on the recall.

"In my opinion, (Klein) slandered Ramirez using inflammatory language and half-truths," Hall said. "The whole way he went about this just reeks of a personal agenda." She said the committee will hold a regular meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Placer County Elections Office to discuss and make a decision on whether to back the recall.

Although Democrats may have a personal grudge against Klein, who received more than $30,000 from Placer County Republican groups for November's election, Pollock said the recall effort isn't about partisanship. "An awful lot of Republicans don't agree with what the board did," he said. "I don't want this to come across as the Democrats against Republicans, because that's not what it is."