Transparency and accountability were the topics of the night at the board of trustees meeting.

During the Wednesday, April 6 meeting Trustee John Paul Drayer spoke during public comment asking the community to join him in his campaign for transparency.

Echoing his remarks was Bellflower resident Luis Melliz, who during public comment talked about accountability while signaling out three board members.

Melliz was displeased with Trustee Carmen Avalos’ cash-in-lieu, which according to the board book is $104,603 over seven years, calling it disturbing.

Cash-in-lieu is the option to decline health care coverage under the employer’s health plan because they have this coverage under a spouse or different employer, receiving a taxable amount of opt out money.

He also claimed Trustee Bob Arthur cashed out $600,000 in cash-in-lieu- over 19 years on the board, but according to the board book Arthur’s total cash-in-lieu is $33,916.90 over 11 years.

Arthur stated, “I have not received $600,000.00 from the cash-in-lieu program. Not even close to that figure. The cash-in-lieu program began 11 years in 2005 not in 1997 (19 years) as stated by the speaker.”

He continued, “If I recall correctly the cash-in-lieu annual amounts paid out to eligible recipients has varied over the years due to the raising costs of health care

“This year my monthly cash-in-lieu amount is $433.26 monthly or $5,199.12 annually.”

Melliz, who stated that he suggested to Drayer to run for his board of trustees seat, also called on the area three trustee.

“John Paul, he said this is about accountability. Elected officials are meant to be held accountable, there should be transparency and [audits].

“Ultimately who watches the watchmen? If we’re not here they can do whatever they want. Those benefits can go up and who would know? No one.”

He continued, “You have part time instructors who don’t have benefits. That’s alarming. Your instructor may not have benefits while these people who meet twice a month have full benefits. And then they’re able to cash out thousands of dollars when their focus should be on education, not self interest.”

According to the board book, Drayer is the only board member at Cerritos College who opted out of the cash-in-lieu payments and has done so since 2012.

According to Drayer, he requested that discussion item No. 14 was brought forth after a public record’s request was made from his constituents.

He also requested discussion item No. 15, which is putting the end to credit card use.

A $388.65 expenditure made on the American Express card, which is issued to trustees when traveling and representing the college, at a Morton’s Steak House in Sacramento on Tuesday, Jan. 27 of the year 2015, was called into question.

Any expenditure over $60 should be approved by the president/superintendent, in which case ex Cerritos College President Linda Lacy was present at the meal and approved it.

Trustee Arthur, who was also present during the meal stated,” There are no other expenditures for any meals charged to the card for myself that day. There were five college representatives dining that evening so equal shares came to $77.77.

“Collectively we were $17.77 over the per diem or $88.85 combined. Dr. Lacy approved the expenditure. That restaurant was actually our third choice on where to dine that evening. The first two locations, unfortunately, we couldn’t get reservations.”

The area one trustee continued, “The American Express card the college has in its possession for my use when traveling on college business.

“It was issued in May 2008 and the college keeps the card and I only check it out when and if I am traveling on college business.”

Arthur noted that after returning from the business trip “the card was returned to the college along with receipts for all charges incurred for review and payment approval by the institution.”

Trustee Sandra Salazar stated that everyone in the board policy committee agreed with doing away with the credit cards.

This is an item that will need to be voted on.

“In terms of board members, I think agendizing and eliminating that will solve the [..] problem.”