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'CITY OF SAN BERIClRDINO - REQUEST ~R COUNCIL ACTION
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From: Councilman Ralph Hernandez
Su~~: Aviation Repair Program
Dept: Council Office
DM~ September 21, 1992
Synopsis of Previous Council action:
Recommended motion:
1. To hear this issue as an urgency item.
2. For the City of San Bernardino to support the local
Community College in their Aviation Repair Program at Norton Air
Force Base.
Signature
Contact person:
Councilman Ralph Hernandez
Phone: 384-5333
Supporting data Mtached:
yes
Ward:
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS:
Amount:
Source: (Acct. No.)
(Acct. Description)
Finance:
Council Notes:
To be considered as an urqency item as an issue that arose
after the aqenda was posted.
75.0262
Agenda Item No
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'CITY OF SAN BER~RDINO - REQUEST~OR COUNCIL ACTION
STAFF REPORT
A Texas Company that trains aircraft mechanics wants to locate
at Norton Air Force Base. On its face, this looks like a good deal
for Norton development - another company to pay rent. But in the
long term, I believe allowing this Texas Company to locate at
Norton will be short-sighted and work against our local interests
and local economic vitality.
Why?
San Bernardino Valley College has a fine aircraft mechanics
program and the college wants to move it's program to Norton so it
can expand. We have an opportunity that should not be missed.
A key foundation for our economic revitalization not only at
Norton, but City wide and County wide is the close working
relationship between industry and our education institutions _
Valley College, Crafton Hills College, Cal State and University of
Redlands. We have a chance to build on this to show the industry
that we have excellent institutions of higher education to work
hand-in hand with business for the kind of quality growth we need
and want.
I believe that we should enlist our Colleges and Universities
right now to become an integral part of our economic development
effort. Moreover, this Texas Company will charge our residents
more than 10 times what Valley College will charge for the courses.
This Texas Company will use this bloated tuition, that our
residents will have to pay, to pay the rent and take the profits
out of State.
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--..oRToN REUSE
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Norton
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.1; '. Valley College and a Texas aviation repair
j' =' .::e~ng_forthe same space at the Air
, .yGRAHAMWITHERALL
Sun Business Writer
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Loe;-- t'Ommunity college representatives said
Friday-....at their;.C>lans to otTer an aviation repaJr
course at Norton Air Force Base are threatened be-
cause a private Texas competitor may want the site.
The dispute arose this week when college om.
clals sought the cooperation of the San Bernardino
International Airport Authority to move their ivi-
atioR program from cramped San Bernardino Y&!_
ley College quarters to the base. : :;
The authority. run by representatives of live io-
cal cities and the county, is expected to receil1e
about 1,500 acres at Norton to create a civilian air-
, port when the San Bernardino base closes in M8,l'ch
1994.
College representatives say Norton Is ideal for
their program. But authority omcials told them a
private Texas school also was Interested In the site
and that base buildings would go to the highest bid.
der. .
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College Chancellor Stuart Bundy said the cash.
strapped district could not match the financial
might ofthe International Aviation and Travel Aca.
demy of Texas, which charges about $12,000 for a
14-month training course. The community college's
tuition is $850 for the program. I
"Money seems to be the only Issue here, not edu.
cation, not training, not the community," Bundy
said. , .
"We can otTer the identical training at a ft-aclicin
of the cost but they want to pay for the airport on
the backs of students." ,
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Swen Larson: chairman of the authority, said
the agency's top priority is securing the $4 to $6 mil.
lion needed annua\)y to run the airport and that it
can't live preferential treatment to the public col.
lege. . .\. ....
"There's nothing I'd like belter than to help
them and everyone else. But we're not in a position
to be altruistic or cutting sweetheart deals," Larson
said. "If they can compete In the open market, then
we're more than happy to work with them." ,',
Trevor Van Horn, an airport authority market.
ing consultant, said a\)owing the private and public
schools to compete is the fairest way to allocate the
space. , _
- ' ' 'f<~:'P~': . .
"This Is the &ee enterprise system: (The co\)ege
omclals) think that fIoee enterprise Is a dirty word"
But Donald Singer, president of the co\)e;e dI$-
,';frlc:t's board o( trustees, questioned the wisdom Of
putting hI a priv.ate sc~ool that CBJi; afford large
I~as<; payme~tsby ch!,,"il!,g.stud1::!s ~.g~rees..' .
..,' "This would just put l;tuden'\iID debt for a 101fg
~~I~~d y?u'd hav~.~I?t Of~~~~~~l-' who can't~.
. '". .' ('-If,' ..!..,i.....:_..-., _ ,..-'
'. 'International 'Avlatlon' and Travel Acadenl;
Services has taught aircraft . repair' for four yeats
and lias campuses In A~lIngtoil, Dallas and Houston.
, School Vice PreSident Ted Simmons 'acknowledgoo
, that the schoo! is extremely Interested in NortQJI
. but has Dot committed to the site: ',' '... '" .'
.,. .... . .~~_ __._'.__ '_d ..
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