SAN MARCOS — With the campus back in session for the spring semester, the governing board will hold its first meeting of the term with Proposition M funds on the agenda.

The board’s decision will likely mark the end of what the 2006 bond will cover after years of infrastructure updates at both the main Palomar campus and its satellite sites. With many planned projects still pending and increasingly aging buildings, the board began exploring the possibility of securing a new bond from the county in late fall 2025, but ultimately decided to not move forward.

The public has been an active party during the last two winter meetings. Campus safety, Board Policy 3000, trust and governance were cited by the Council of Classified Employees (CCE) and Palomar Faculty Federation (PFF) as ongoing concerns informing their resolutions of no-confidence delivered during the December meeting. The employees’ grievances garnered support from the wider community, as the rally of about 100 allied students and faculty went on outside.

The board will have to reconcile their self-published goals for the 2025-2026 year, which emphasize long-term financial stability and meeting the needs of the community, with their ongoing dispute with their employees over a 2.3% cost of living adjustment (COLA), and 25% staffing shortage.

The same issues were highlighted again during the January meeting by multiple members of the public. During the public comment section of the Jan. 13 meeting, Trustee Kaiser was called out by Tracy Johnston, retired math professor, for texting during her time. Additionally, a number of other speakers, including CCE President Anel Gonzalez were met with resounding applause after their comments criticizing the board for “holding their COLA hostage.”

The meeting will take place in person at LRC-438 and via zoom at 5 p.m. on Feb. 18. The entire agenda can be viewed online. For information on submitting a public comment visit the Palomar Governing Board webpage.