The Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees swore in Anthony Contreras in a provisional appointment to serve as Area 1 Trustee.
The early resignation of Barbara Dickerson created a vacancy on the board to be filled within 60 days. The board accepted applications until Sept. 25 to appoint a new member instead of the usual path of the public electing members of the board.
The acting appointment of the Area 1 candidate was moved up from Nov. 17 to Oct. 6, immediately after the public hearing and vote on the candidates.
“We originally thought we had 60 days simply to make the provisional appointment and we thought we could seat the board member later, but we had to complete both within the 60 days,” Director of Human Resources Robert Sammis said.
Contreras will serve as trustee from Oct. 6 to Nov. 1, 2022. His appointed area covers Azusa and portions of Duarte.
Applicants Contreras, Xilonin Cruz-Gonzales, Shawn M. Millner and Victor Eduardo Muñoz interviewed for 10 min each, and the board decided on the trustee after.
Contreras said his family has lived in the area since the 1930s, his parents attended Citrus High School, he later attended Citrus College and was a first-generation graduate.
As a Citrus graduate, he said his ties to the college and the surrounding community played a big part in his life and decision to apply for the position.
“Citrus started my dream: my bachelor’s, my masters, my doctorate— it all started at Citrus College,” Contreras said.
Contreras was a planning commissioner for the city of Azusa, a member of the Downtown North Business Advisory Committee, a member of the Knights of Columbus and was a former commissioner for the Junior Basketball Association.
“Anywhere I can enrich someone’s life, that’s where I like to place my time and energy,” Contreras said.
He said he strongly believes in supporting students. Contreras worked in public education for over 30 years and said he loves to build personal connections with his students. “Helping students accomplish dreams, their goals, support their families— that’s invigorating,” he said. “That’s part of my why; we are not only bettering the individual, we are bettering the community and society.”
