A friend of mine gave me a tip today. He asked me to take a look at the new Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce Cityline propaganda newspaper. Well, I could not find the link on the Chamber’s website, but I had a copy that was sent to me. My friend was right. There was an inadvertently ironic editorial by the Chamber’s Executive Director, Mike Metzler.
In the editorial, Metzler wrote that he “recently attended the Chancellor’s Ball, held annually by the Rancho Santiago Community College District to highlight its annual achievements and honor outstanding educators, staff members and local organizations.”
Then Metzler went on to praise the administrators at RSCCD. “There I was, witnessing good leadership from John Hanna, President of the Board of Trustees for the District; Chancellor Eddie Hernandez; Santa Ana College President Erlinda Martinez; and Santiago Canyon College President Juan Vasquez, among others.”
Well, how ironic. Those are the very same people I wrote about yesterday, who knew the fire alarms at Santa Ana College did not work. But they either conspired to cover up the evidence, or ignore it. Either way, the folks at RSCCD and Santa Ana College have egg on their face this week. And here comes Metzler to praise them! What a complete shill.
But it gets better. Here is what Metzler says about these bogus, failed leaders, “They weren’t just doing their jobs, which you would expect, but they were going beyond that to tell us about the vision they have for their students and community – a vision that provides hope and opportunity for all.”
Barf! What a butt-kisser this Metzler is. As it turned out, most of these folks WERE NOT doing their jobs, were they? We very well could have had a massive, catastrophic fire at Santa Ana College, thanks to these knuckleheads.
I’ll tell you what Mikey, why don’t you call for their heads in your next “editorial?” Indeed, I hope Metzler writes an article praising the student journalists at the El Don Newspaper who found out about the faulty fire alarms and alerted the student body and the public. But that is not likely.
The only saving grace is that Metzler can no longer print and distribute his self-serving newspaper using Santa Ana taxpayer money, thank God. When is the Chamber’s board going to fire this windbag?
By the way, I applied for Chamber membership weeks ago. I heard initially from their COO, Vince Brantley, but since then, nothing. (Brantley is part of the Chamber’s all-white executive staff). I wonder if they treat all the Latino business owners in town this way? I may have to start up a chapter of the Latino Business Association here in Santa Ana.
Art, can you please get your facts straight? You did not write yesterday that SCC president Juan Vasquez, RSCCD Chancellor Eddie Hernandez or I knew the fire alarms did not work at Santa Ana College. You should clear that up.
We did not know nor would we have have known about this unless Santa Ana Fire Department personnel who conduct annual inspections of SAC would have informed us or SAC administrators or employees would have told us. Neither happened until October 16 when a brave faculty member reported the problem at a SAC Facilities Committee meeting where District personnel were in attendance and reported this information to the Chancellor.The Board was not informed about this until October 22. SCC President Vasquez would not be involved at all so why even mention him?
The El Don is the best student newspaper in the country and I’m proud of the article they wrote about this issue. Thank God for a free and vigorous press. Even when they bite you in the butt you have to respect them.
As I commented previously, the Board is furious about this failure to ensure the safety of our students, employees and visitors and the failure to provide this information to the District. Our first priority though was to get the alarms fixed. Chancellor Hernandez had the District essentially take over this job from SAC and the faulty alarms will all be repaired in the next 20-30 days. This could have and should have been done long ago. We’ve approved plans for a new system that will be state of the art but in the interim we will make sure that SAC officials properly maintain the alarms.
The second priority is to find out how this happened, who knew about the faulty alarms and why they failed to take corrective action, why the failures were either covered up or simply ignored and what steps to take to ensure that this does not occur again. We have an investigator working on this right now and the Board awaits a report the Chancellor has promised us. In the interim, the Board is not going to pre-judge any employees, all of whom have certain rights under the Education Code that must be respected. We will get to the bottom of this Art but we will respect and comply with State law in the process.
John,
If no one is fired over this you are going to have a very angry public to contend with. What happened at Santa Ana College was completely illegal and ridiculous. It was an utter failure. Quite frankly, if any of the administrators at that campus had any honor they would have resigned already.
Poster #1 writes ..
“In the interim, the Board is not going to pre-judge any employees, all of whom have certain rights under the Education Code that must be respected. We will get to the bottom of this Art but we will respect and comply with State law in the process.”
RSCC placed at risk, several thousand students, for a number of years and you’re concerned about Ed Code, respect and compliance as it pertains to RSCC personnel and board members. Here’s the meat of the matter …why weren’t you as diligent about Ed Code, respect and compliance as it pertains to the safety of the students?
Your barrel of excuses are meaningless. There should be consequences for this aggregious violation of student safety. And politicans wonder why the public has such low regard for these politicos. They’re damn good at dressing up their errors and not taking responsibility.
The buck stops at Dr. Vasquez and the board’s desk. The public hired you to do a job; you failed.
Spare us your excuses.
#3
regardless of your anger. Process rules the public sector. One must follow a pre-determined process in just about everything, so Hanna is only doing what he is legally bound to do in order to discipline staff.
If he does not follow process, then he will not be able to legally discipline, opening up the district to lawsuits by staff who feels that they have been wronged.
Santa Ana College Administration, knew about the inoperable fire alarm system.
LIAR
Starting with Bromberger, Bruce, 714-564-6311 Plant Manager Maintenance And Operations. The security dept. summited multiple reports and request for repair, which he ignored. It got so bad, that the fire alarm company would not respond and fix the problem because, Bruce would not pay them. the alarm company would not come out unless they received direct permission from Bruce to even check the system. Bruce would threaten the alarm company to withhold payment if they went over his head. You can ask any of the District Safety Officers and verify this!
A source within, told me, that when ever Bruce was called because of an alarm issue, he would yell and scream and act like a total jerk and refuse to authorize the alarm company to come out and even take a look at the system. If you want to know the truth talk to the Security Officers that had to deal with Bruce and his anger problem.
LIAR
Kanouse, Noemi Vice Pres/Admin Svcs 714-564-6303,
Noemi also received multiple reports, notices and verbal contacts about Bruce and his inept ability to maintain the campus safe. She also received the written reports from the alarm company which according to her own statement, never read! Walk into the Security Office and look at the Fire Alarm Panel, it looks like a Christmas tree that has been on and running for the past 3 years. The red, yellow and green lights have been illuminating the office for multiple years. Any college administrator that has seen it, was either a sleep or intoxicated for them not to have noticed it.
LIAR
CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE Edward Hernandez, Jr., Ed.D
Our Chancellor lied to the Board of Trustees, he along with the rest of his Administration team have known.
LIAR
Al Chin Director of Security
he is another that is to busy kissing Bruce’s and the rest of the Administrators Ass, instead of doing his job. Reports go to him from every guard, and his Supervisors like Lt. James Wooley.
BRAVE SOUL!
Lt. Wooley was the only who speaks with the truth, this man deserves a medal.Wooleys job is to summit the reports to Chin and Bruce, they chose to sit and do nothing.
Everyone with the exemption of James Wooley should be looking from and place of employment. John Hanna wants the truth; the question is, will he accept the truth and rid the college of incompetent Administration team. Anything short of this is unacceptable. James Wooley also deserves a promotion. But history has it, the incompetent Administrators will keep their jobs and they will go after James Wooley for speaking with the truth. Lt. Wooley, get yourself a good attorney and you will own “SAC” expect the retaliation to begin.
Everyone should get a copy of El Don newspaper, the OC Register and LA Times have not gone far enough. They should take a lesson from the college reporters. Great Job guys!
How much of the truth is the Board of trustees willing to hear and acknowledge, should be the question?
Art, is it too much to ask that when you get your facts wrong, that you own up and apologize for it? That’s what a grown-up does.
I wonder if they treat all the Latino business owners in town this way?
When did you become a “Latino business owner”, Art?
You’re a safety director for a company in Orange.
Art, can you please get your facts straight?
Mr. Hanna, you plead in vain. Art Pedroza could care less about getting his facts straight. You’re his newest pinata and he’s going to beat you until he gets bored and needs a different toy.
That’s what happens when you combine a blog with an arrested adolescent.
Poster 7,
I secured a Santa Ana business license a few weeks ago, so I could sell advertising on this blog.