Cost of Yuba College board meeting questioned

The $1,590 cost for the Yuba Community College District winter planning session — held at the Comfort Suites along North Beale Road two miles from the Linda campus — may send the wrong message, a trustee says.

Jim Kennedy said the cost, which includes $1,000 paid a media consultant to talk with trustees, is not a lot of money in the context of the college district budget.

"It does send a message," Kennedy added of the expense. "Some people think the money could be better spent."

Asked if he thinks so, Kennedy said, "Probably."

Kennedy questioned the $1,000 session with a Santa Cruz County-based consultant and former TV reporter who spoke with trustees about how to deal with the media.

"If it was my money, I wouldn't spend it," he said.

Food for the Jan. 10 planning session was from The Brick Coffee House Cafe in Marysville and cost $440, along with the Comfort Suites conference room rental of $150, the district said. The food for the Jan. 10 event was for about 25 people, including trustees, college district executives, staff and guests.

Board president Brent Hastey said gathering away from the campus can be helpful, that business meetings typically provide food and that the planning session proved productive.

"We spent all day getting a lot of work done," he said.

The college district no longer has a public information officer — resulting in a salary saving, Hastey said — and the media training was money well spent.

Trustee David Wheeler said he thought the media consultant's session was of limited value.

Wheeler said he does see the benefits of the longer planning sessions.

"We do need to have these complete days," Wheeler said. "We will have to do this from time to time."