The Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees approved several personal changes including a slew of contract non-renewals and the formation of a new Director of Community Safety/Chief position during their regular meeting on Feb. 10. The board also appointed Andrea Epps as Interim Vice Chancellor of Human Resources & Employee Relations, who has been tapped for the second time.
10 employee contracts chosen for non-renewal in closed session
During the closed session portion of the board meeting, the trustees voted to approve the non renewal of 10 administrator positions. The employee numbers for one district administrator and nine college administrators were listed. Trustee Sheweet Yohannes was the lone abstention on the non-renewals.
The Citizen filed a Public Records Act request with the district for the employee names affiliated with the numbers read out at the meeting, but the district claimed that “Employee names linked directly to personnel actions are exempt from production under Government Code § 7927.700.”
Deputy Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, Greg Nelson, wrote to The Citizen that the district “cannot comment on personnel items discussed during closed session at this time.”
Parcel tax resolution approved
The board approved a resolution to put the parcel tax back on the Alameda County ballot this coming June. A parcel tax is a form of property tax that is based on the characteristics of a unit, instead of its assessed value.
The measure, known as the Peralta Colleges Affordable Education Reauthorization Measure, would bring in roughly $8 million annually for the district by placing a $48 tax per parcel.
According to the measure’s text, The additional $8 million would be used for educational and instructional purposes which funds course curriculums, as well as programs to prepare students for jobs and university transfer.
HR changes
Former Vice Chancellor of Human Resources & Employee Relations Sharon Jamila Buckner has been released from her position effective on Feb. 23. She began the role in July 2025 and was originally contracted through June 2027. Before coming to Peralta, Buckner previously worked in human resources at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank.
The Director of Employee Relations and Diversity, Andrea Epps, will assume the role as interim vice chancellor of human resources and employee relations on Feb. 24 and will be serving through June 2027, fulfilling the remainder of Buckner’s contract. Epps previously served in the interim role in August 2024 following a failed hiring search process.
Gilkerson said at the time, “despite interviewing strong candidates, the Vice Chancellor of Human Resources role is so crucial that I have decided to continue the search to fill it permanently.” The position is responsible for overseeing recruitment, labor negotiations, and district-wide HR policy.
New executive director of community safety position
The board unanimously approved the creation of the Executive Director of Community Safety/Chief position, which is aimed at consolidating district-wide public safety, emergency management, and security oversight into a single leadership role.
According to the role description, responsibilities include safety program development, emergency preparedness coordination, and liaison duties with law enforcement and first responders.
The adoption of the new chief position will phase out the current Interim Director of Public Safety role.
The new position is placed in the district’s management salary range 4 tier, placing it in a senior pay grade used for executive level administrators. According to the district’s salary schedule, Range 4 annual salaries begin in the mid-six figures and reflect the role’s scope of responsibility.
More money for Merritt College programs; work on Milvia Street project
The board ratified a $1,915,115 amendment for construction management services with Kitchell/CEM, Inc. to support project closeouts at Merritt College and BCC, bringing the total amount approved for the project to $4,256,097. The amendment covers final oversight and coordination work on bond-funded facilities at Merritt, including a child development, substations, and the Merritt College Landscape Horticulture project.
Kitchell/CEM added several project management staff to help complete the final stages of construction of the Milvia Street building for BCC. The Milvia Street expansion project will add a second campus directly across the street from BCC’s main campus.
The board approved a $1,150,000 grant agreement with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to support infrastructure improvements for the nursing program at Merritt. Funds will come through the Rebuilding Nursing Infrastructure Program, a statewide program with the purpose to “expand nursing programs and partnerships, address nursing shortages, and increase, educate, and maintain the next generation of registered nurses through the community college system.”
The board approved a $230,866 grant increase to the Merritt College Rising Scholars Initiative, a statewide program which provides academic and reentry support services for students impacted by the Juvenile Justice system. Additionally, the board approved a $208,000 independent contractor agreement with Workforce Innovation Labs for the second phase of the The contract funds continued program development, including increasing enrollment capacity, the recruitment of additional faculty, and purchasing equipment needed for training.
Rising Scholars is described as “a bridge connecting education, employment, and reentry success, offering students a cohesive pathway toward self-sufficiency and opportunity.”
The next board meeting will be held at BCC’s main campus at 6 p.m. today.
