By Juan Ibarra/editor-in-chief

The TCC district offices are planned to relocate to TR Campus after a contract was approved during the Sept. 19 board meeting.

The May Owen Center has housed the TCC district offices since 1983, but it has been confirmed that a contract with RBR Real Estate Holdings, LLC has now been approved for a sale of $14 million.

Chief operating officer Susan Alanis said the sale was confirmed after TCC obtained an appraisal to determine the fair market value and they negotiated the price with RBR.

“It is an opportunity to better integrate administrative activities of the District,” Alanis said.

The funds will be used to prepare space at TR Campus and to accommodate the relocation of staff to the new offices, according to Alanis.

The space becoming available at TR Campus and receiving a viable offer from RBR was the final piece of the relocation puzzle, final straw, Alanis said.

Two guests dropped by the meeting to give public comments.

The first to come up was state representative Roman Romero. Along with a bouquet of flowers, he brought a written resolution for vice president of the board Teresa Ayala.

The resolution was given to her “for becoming vice president and becoming the first ever Latina to have been not only a student, but adjunct professor and now vice president.”

Romero compared her to a big sister because of her ability to keep striving and succeeding in all she does, while he also poked fun at his past as a TCC drop out.

“Yes, I’m state representative, but Teresa Ayala is what happens when you stay in school,” he said.

Romero commented on the upcoming bond election before leaving the stand.

“I’m really looking forward to working with you on this big bond package,” Romero said. “I had an opportunity to go tour the South Campus and even though it’s in my neighborhood, it is a shame elected officials, like myself, don’t spend enough time on your campuses.”

Black Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Devoyd Jennings spoke about the TCC policy, Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprises.

This is a policy to form business alliances with certified Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) that result in successful opportunities for certain categories of products and services.

According to TCCD’s M/WBE master plan “The TCCD district wide goal is 20% for the construction related portion of the Capital Improvement Program.”

While TCC always reaches that goal, Jennings thinks it is possible to go above that 20%.

“You have a bond election that is coming up,” Jennings said. “And I’m going to suggest that you stretch that goal to 35%, because I believe you can make it.”

The community is willing and able to help TCC in order to reach that goal according to Jennings.

“One way is you can hire a lot of minority contractors,” Jennings said. “Or you can get a few contractors and make sure they get a large percentage of the contract.”

Jennings commented on the possible success of the upcoming bond proposal and made a point to say the Black Chamber of Commerce is in support of TCC.

“We believe in winners,” Jennings said. “You guys are winners, and we believe this is a win-win opportunity.”