SMC Public Records Follow-Up Email

Below is the email I recently wrote to Robert Sammis regarding the outstanding public records of Santa Monica Community College District. I now share this email with you on the blog.

-- Des Manttari,
Editor-in-Chief,
Phoenix Genesis

(c) 2005: Phoenix Genesis/MBS LP

--------------------------MY EMAIL TO SAMMIS-------------------

November 18, 2005

ATTENTION: ROBERT SAMMIS
VP, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
VIA EMAIL

Dear Mr. Sammis,

I have been away the last week attending to personal matters so this is why you have not heard back from me. Hopefully, this has given you a chance to attend to your recent knee injury and to recuperate a bit.

As you promised, the missing SMC Board of Trustee minutes for the year 2000 are now posted on the SMC website. Thank you.

As I promised, here's the contact information for eCollege:
Margee Elias, Esq., 1 North LaSalle #1800, Chicago, IL 60202
her assistant's name is Dana who can be reached at 312-706-1710
eCollege's toll free number is 888-884-7325

Please let me know when you can obtain the eCollege Master Services and License Agreement with Santa Monica College and when I will be able to receive a copy of this document.

I am still in the process of making a spreadsheet of missing documents under my written request pursuant to the CPRA. So, I will have that done at the beginning of next week.

I do know that we are still missing the Animatics (Studio Animatics) consultant contract with SMCCD as referenced in the SMC Board of Trustee minutes for April 3, 2000 as well as any invoices, receipts, proposals, etc. per my written request of July 15, 2005. These public records are long outstanding and I would appreciate knowing when we can receive this information. Additionally, each consultant with SMC was required to sign a statement in order for SMCCD to comply with current tax laws in which the consultant described his or her organization and any dba status which is signed and dated by the consultant and used for Form 1099. You provided this document with the consultant records of Joan Abrahamson, but not for any of the three Animatics/Studio Animatics contracts. Please provide this document as well for each contract.

Also, in the recent request to Katharine Muller, dated September 29, 2005, we did not receive any of the enrollment figures for the Academy nor did we receive any bills, receipts, invoices, etc. for any purchases. Please update me on the status of this documentation. Additionally, other than two copies of the printout from the California Post Secondary Commission of their report granting the Academy status as an educational center in 1997, we have received no documentation in support either to and from SMC, AET, and the CPSC. Please let me know when we can expect these documents.

Additionally, we have received no documents from the $1.25 million given from then Governor Pete Wilson to the Academy. Here is the link from SMC's website regarding this transaction:
http://www.smc.edu/events/pressreleases/1997/august/opening.htm

This is not an exhaustive list of the documents outstanding due to us under the CPRA, but a simple list of a few things which we have not yet received. If you require any additional information to aid you in finding these documents, please let me know.

Also, we have not received the application/proposal from Professor Jim Keeshen for the sabbatical granted to him by SMC during the Fall Semester 2003. I contend that this information is not confidential as other professors who secured sabbaticals for themselves by and through SMC district funds placed their sabbatical applications and reports on SMC's website and past proposals were available to any professor at SMC to use as guidelines in drafting their own proposals/applications. Furthermore, pursuant to the summary of Prof. Keeshen's sabbatical, the sabbatical was allegedly undertaken to benefit the students at the Academy and "that the outcome will create greater opportunities for students in SMC’s AET program to network and develop professional relationships with animation artists, directors and human resource personnel." Given these facts, Prof. Keeshen's application should be disclosed.

When we last met with Mr. Curran, you confirmed that you did not provide us with the summary report of Prof. Keeshen's sabbatical as he never filed such a report despite the fact that he was required to file several copies of the report within 60 days of his return to work from his sabbatical.

Please let me know when we can meet next to receive additional documents which are outstanding as well as to finally begin inspection of files under the CPRA.

Very Truly Yours,
Des Manttari

Feel free to link or print this; just include the SAVE SMC URL: http://savesmc.blogspot.com/

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