John P. Dacey, a Senior Shareholder at Bergman & Dacey, Inc. has been named to an Independent Review Panel by Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Daniel LaVista to examine the District's $6 billion Building Program.

The 10-Member panel of distinguished citizens will examine various aspects of the construction program ongoing throughout LACCD's nine campuses with a goal of making recommendations for improvement of policies and processes. LACCD's Building Program is a 16-year, $6 billion program funded mostly by taxpayer-approved bonds and supplemented by additional funding from the state of California. With approximately $3 billion spent so far, the Building Program has hundreds of more projects in the planning or construction stages.

LACCD Board of Trustee Member Miguel Santiago said, "We're looking for an aggressive and focused approach to restore confidence in the District's stewardship of taxpayer dollars." Georgia Mercer, President of LACCD's Board of Trustees said, "I cannot thank the panel enough for its willingness to serve."

The Hon. Jack Scott, Chancellor of the California Community Colleges said, "I applaud the creation of a review panel to examine LACCD's building program. While the program has made great strides in remaking LACCD's nine campuses, it's a good time for an independent look at the program to see where the program can improve its operations and controls."

The Independent Review Panel will examine ethics, costs, planning and control processes, communications, checks and balances, and the effectiveness of program management. The 10-Member Panel reflects a variety of backgrounds, in construction, law, economic development, education, engineering, labor, and business. The Members are:

Roberto Barragan, President, Valley Economic Development Center, manages the largest business development non-profit organization in Southern California, serving businesses with financing, training, and direct business assistance.

John P. Dacey, Esq., Senior Shareholder, Bergman & Dacey, Inc., is legal counsel to numerous public entities throughout the state with responsibilities for construction and design contracts, program policies, practices, protocols, and disputed construction claims.

Jim Cowell, Associate Vice President for Facilities, California Institute of Technology, with responsibility for campus facilities, utilities, capital construction and sustainability; former Deputy Chief Facilities Executive for New Construction at LAUSD.

Fred Harris, Assistant Vice Chancellor, College Finance & Facilities Planning, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, with responsibilities for capital outlay policy development for the state’s 72 community college districts.

David Crippens, Consultant, School Construction Bond Oversight Committee, LAUSD; Chairperson, Unite-LA; and former Senior Vice President of Foundations and Education for KCET-TV.

Karen Hathaway, President and Managing Partner, Los Angeles Athletic Club, and First Vice Chair, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Robbie Hunter, Executive Secretary, Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, representing 140,000 members from 15 construction trades and 42 affiliated Craft Local Unions. Licensed Construction Structural Inspector.

Sarah Meeker Jensen, AIA, Founding Partner and President, Jensen and Partners, former Vice President of Engineering and Operations and former Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences Design and Construction, UCLA.

Gary Lee Moore, City Engineer of the City of Los Angeles, responsible for design and construction of all public facilities in the City of Los Angeles.

Rita Robinson, Deputy CEO, County of Los Angeles, for budget, finance and facilities asset management and development; former General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

Mr. Dacey has been litigating jury and bench trials for over 22 years. His practice focuses on complex construction problem solving, preventative risk analysis, and litigation.

To learn more about this panel or how Bergman & Dacey, Inc. can assist you with your construction and facilities legal needs, do not hesitate to contact us at any time.