APRIL 2026
Message from the CHAIR OF THE CBOC
Dear Voters and Taxpayers of the Santa Barbara Community College District,
I am happy to share with you the first annual report of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) on expenditures under the Measure P Bond Extension. It has been an honor to work with a group of dedicated community volunteers who have agreed to serve you by assuring that Measure P bond funds are used effectively for their intended purpose, that bond expenditures occur transparently, and that the Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Board of Trustees and the college administration are accountable to you, the community.
The Measure P Bond Extension will raise $198 million for infrastructure improvements, a very large and significant investment by our community in the future of both SBCC and the students it serves. Voters approved this bond with 66.14% of the vote, and with that approval implicitly placed trust in the CBOC to assure that bond funds would be stewarded carefully, spent responsibly, and in alignment with promises made during the bond campaign. The CBOC plays a central role in serving as a liaison for trust between the college and the community.
The CBOC brings together individual volunteers with diverse professional and personal backgrounds –from finance, government, education, business, and more. Each member contributes his or her own unique experience and insights, and I am pleased to introduce the following members:
The nine CBOC representatives are:
1. Bobbi Abram, Support Organization Representative (SBCC Foundation)
2. Celeste Barber, At Large Community Representative
3. Sam Gustafson, Associated Student Government Representative (SBCC ASG President)
4. Lucille Boss, At Large Community Representative
5. Aruni Boteju, Business Organization Representative (BMO Bank)
6. Katherine Davidson, At Large Community Representative
7. Dale Francisco (Chair), Taxpayer’s Organization Representative (Santa Barbara County Taxpayer Advocacy Center)
8. Steven Fellows, At Large Community Representative
9. Karen Hickman, Senior Citizen Group Representative (Meals on Wheels)
The primary goals of the Measure P CBOC are clear and focused. First, to ensure accountability: verifying that bond funds are used strictly for the infrastructure and facility projects which the community voted to support. Secondly, to promote transparency: reviewing and evaluating financial and performance audits and sharing information with the public. And lastly, we strive to maintain and build public confidence in the use of Measure P bond funds by serving as an independent body that reflects the community’s voice and safeguards its investment.
By taking the time to read and reflect on this report, you too are showing commitment to this important undertaking. We hope that if you have questions or concerns you will bring them to us. Together, through thoughtful oversight and shared commitment to an open and transparent process, we will help ensure that the Measure P Bond Extension fulfills its promise to strengthen SBCC facilities while supporting student success. Thank you for the trust you have placed in us. We look forward to serving you.
Sincerely,
Dale Francisco Chair of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee
What is the CBOC?
A Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) is a state-mandated committee of local volunteers whose job is to oversee the expenditure of school bond funds and report their findings to the community.
The SBCC Board of Trustees is required by law to appoint the members of the CBOC within 60 days of affirming the bond election results (that affirmation occurred on December 19, 2024).
Applications to serve on the CBOC were open from December 19, 2024 to January 8, 2025.
The CBOC applicants were interviewed and then nine members were appointed by the Board of Trustees on January 16, 2025. The CBOC’s first quarterly meeting was held on March 24, 2025 and it has met quarterly thereafter.
The Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee plays a critical role in ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of Proposition 39 bond funds. According to SBCC Administrative Procedure 6470, the committee’s purpose is to:
• Inform the public about the expenditure of Proposition 39 bond funds;
• Review and report on the proper expenditure of Proposition 39 bond funds for facility construction; and
• Advise the public on the District’s compliance with Proposition 39 requirements as contained in the California Constitution.
Members of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee may engage in the following activities:
• Reviewing annual independent performance and financial audits;
• Inspecting facilities and grounds to verify proper expenditure of bond funds;
• Reviewing deferred maintenance proposals or plans; and
• Assessing the District’s efforts to maximize bond funds through cost-saving measures.
The SBCC Bond Workgroup, established in February 2026 and comprised of SBCC employees, is responsible for prioritizing and recommending future projects to be paid for with bond funds. Their recommendations go to the SBCC College Planning Council, then to the Superintendent/President, and ultimately to the SBCC Board of Trustees. The Trustees consider and then vote on the recommendations - approving projects, timelines, contracts, etc. The CBOC’s responsibility is to review the Trustee’s fiscal decisions, confirm that the bond fund expenditures are appropriate, and report their conclusions to the public in annual reports.
The Physical Education & Athletics Building REPLACEMENT PROJECT
The Physical Education & Athletics Building Replacement project involves dismantling the existing building (initially built in 1963), recycling all materials (95%), and building a new structure in the original footprint.
The new building will be a four-story, 77,187 square foot structure that will include programmatic spaces for an NCAA gymnasium, multi-disciplinary classrooms, dance and exercise rooms, fitness center, and employee offices. The new building will be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible, fulfill Title IX requirements, and serve as a large-scale event space and convention center for Santa Barbara. It will also serve as a community emergency/disaster recovery center, as it has in the past when it housed a Red Cross temporary shelter in the wake of the post-Thomas Fire debris flow in January, 2018. The new building and surrounding site development will be more open, allowing for more ocean views and blending in with the natural environment of the area.
The State of California provided $34 million in matching state funds for the new PE & Athletics Building. The $34 million adds to the Measure P Bond Extension’s $198 million which will allow for more bond funds to go to other projects.
The project began on June 16, 2025 with the construction management firm Kitchell as the most affordable bid and selected contractor for the duration of the project.
The Physical Education & Athletics Building REPLACEMENT PROJECT
The Physical Education & Athletics Building REPLACEMENT PROJECT: BOND EXPENDITURES
$10,437,708
The Physical Education & Athletics Building
REPLACEMENT PROJECT: STATE EXPENDITURES
The Physical Education & Athletics Building REPLACEMENT PROJECT: TOTAL BOND
& STATE EXPENDITURES
As of December 2025, a combined total of $7.34 million in expenses has accrued. The balance available column reflects the budgeted contingency and state contingency that will be spent.
The Physical Education & Athletics Building REPLACEMENT PROJECT: LOCAL EXPENDITURES
Locally funded Swing Space expenses have been primarily for equipment rentals (locker rooms, restrooms, storage facilities), temporary space upgrades (for physical education, athletics, campus safety, and the warehouse), and use of alternate facilities for athletics competitions.
Parking Lot PAVING PROJECT
This budget will be adjusted to reflect needed expenditures, such as legal fees, architect and engineer fees, etc. The paving project includes all SBCC campus parking lots including those on the Schott, Cliff, and Wake campuses. The project will be completed in phases, with the Schott Campus lots and the Cliff Campus Lot 1A to be repaved first.
budget will be adjusted to reflect needed expenditures, such as architect and engineer fees, etc.
Schott Campus parking lot
Cliff Campus ENTRANCE IMPROVEMENTS
This budget will need to be supplemented when we reach the construction phase, anticipated for calendar year 2027, in alignment with the City’s Cliff Drive Vision Zero Project.
supplemented when we reach the construction phase, anticipated for calendar year 2027, in
Measure P Funding FISCAL SUMMARY
$80 million of the $198 million maximum has been allocated.
$70,476,960
$380,419 $9,142,343
$79,999,722
Timeline of CBOC
$3,373,932 $56,665,320
$44,794 $335,625 $59,620 $0
$3,478,346 $57,000,945
$10,437,708 $0 $9,082,723 $19,520,431 Measure P Bond finances from July 2025 - December 2025
The Bond Workgroup will meet to recommend prioritization of future projects using the remaining Measure P Bond Extension Funds
• June 2024
SBCC Board of Trustees resolves to order a Bond election
• July 2024 - November 2024
Measure P Bond Extension campaign
• November 4, 2024
Measure P Bond Extension passes with 66.14% of the vote
• December 2024
Board of Trustees approves Measure P - Series A, $80m issuance
• January 16, 2025 CBOC formed
• April 17, 2025
Board of Trustees moves forward with PE & Athletics Building Replacement Project to get $34 million state matching funds
• March 17, March 24, June 3, September 16, December 16, 2025 CBOC Meetings
• February 2026
SBCC Bond Workgroup is formed to prioritize future projects for the bond funds
• March 2026
Quarterly Bond spending reports
• June 16, September 15, December 15, 2026 Future CBOC Meetings
