SANTA ANA : Trustee Has Own Plans for College

When Chancellor Robert D. Jensen announced last week that he will leave the Rancho Santiago Community College District in June, Trustee Charles W. (Pete) Maddox didn’t attempt to mask his displeasure. He publicly criticized Jensen for seeking work at another college before his four-year contract had expired.

Such outspokenness has characterized Maddox’s turbulent four months as the newest member of the college district’s Board of Trustees--a group he has repeatedly rankled through a series of controversial actions.

“I want to make it a better district,” Maddox said in a recent interview. “The people who admit that problems exist come out far better in the long run than those who ignore problems until they grow into insurmountable proportions.”

After scoring an overwhelming victory at the polls last November over incumbent board president Vernon S. Evans, Maddox, 42, joined the governing body that he has battled since his days as a student journalist at the college in 1978.

Since his election, Maddox, a self-employed business planning specialist, has clashed with his colleagues on numerous occasions, starting on his first day in office last December.

Less than an hour after being sworn in, Maddox voted against fellow trustee and longtime foe Rodolfo Montejano for vice president of the board. He also objected to the election of Trustee John Dowden as clerk, and voted against giving a raise to Jensen.

The decade-long adversarial relationship between Maddox and Montejano was further strained last month when Maddox asked the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission to investigate what he said are possible conflicts of interest involving Montejano.

“He’s wasting the taxpayers’ money,” said Montejano, who called Maddox “an idiot” for requesting an investigation. “He makes unfounded allegations and forces the tax-supported agencies to spend their time looking at (them).”

Maddox came under fire several weeks after voting against Montejano for vice president when he called for a district attorney’s investigation into financial dealings of El Mercado, the privately run swap meet that had been held at the college until last month. He made the request without consulting the rest of the board, which retaliated by stripping him of appointments to countywide education committees.

“Pete hears a rumor and acts as though it’s true,” said Carol Enos, a board member for 20 years. “He acts on half-truths, and I think he does a great disservice to the college. I don’t think he has taken the time to explore the complexities of issues before going on the attack.”

Montejano, a board member for more than 20 years, called Maddox a “highly disruptive presence” at the college.

“This district has a tremendous reputation statewide and nationwide for academic excellence and its service to the community,” Montejano said. “Mr. Maddox and his companions have taken it upon themselves to try and destroy that.”

Maddox said his objective is not merely to stir up trouble, but to correct what he sees as serious problems within the district.

“I’m willing to work with the board and mend some of the bridges that I’ve scorched,” he said. “But don’t ask me to ignore illegal or unethical behavior.”

Maddox has found an ally in fellow board member Brian Conley, who has grown increasingly outspoken in recent months and has sided with Maddox on many issues. Conley joined Maddox in calling for the swap meet investigation and was also stripped of his committee appointments as a result.

“Pete has a great deal of integrity and concern for the college and he has committed himself to finding out the facts and investigating problems completely,” said Conley, who was elected to the board in 1988.

Judy Chitlik, president of the college’s 250-member teacher’s union, agrees.

“Pete’s style is confrontational and I think there’s a place for that on the board,” she said. “I think there are times when issues have to be dealt with head on and Pete is willing to do that.”