Coast board sends out first newsletter

In an effort to better communicate with employees, the Coast Community College District board of trustees is distributing a monthly report to staff members.

The first installment was emailed Dec. 12.

The body of the letter, written by board Vice President David Grant, explains that after receiving the results of the districtwide evaluation of the board in October, trustees realized the need for more-open communication.

“We hope you see this as a fresh start and that, together, we will forge a vital and honest partnership,” Grant wrote.

The report will be written by a trustee and will explain board decisions of interest to the community, Grant said.

“One of the many things we learned from the first ‘360’ evaluation of the board of trustees for the Coast District, is that we need to communicate much better with everyone,” Grant wrote.

The letter also encourages staff to voice their concerns with the board. Since board meetings tend to be sparsely attended, the report opens a new avenue of communication, Grant said.

“We need to get back to being more understanding of one another,” he said. “The board is not vindictive at all and is interested to hear what people have to say. We value it.”

Board President Mary Hornbuckle said the monthly communication will better help explain the board’s actions and foster a team environment.

“We hope to develop more of a team-like feeling so people feel that we’re working toward the same goals,” she said. “This will give staff a better understanding of where the district is headed, which doesn’t always get communicated to everyone.”