Lobbying Update

California Consulting Hosts Budget Briefing with State Senator Michael Rubio

On July 27, California Consulting, LLC hosted a "State Budget Briefing" at the Fresno COG Board Room.   The briefing featured an update from State Senator Michael Rubio. Fresno County Office of Education Superintendent Larry Powell provided an education update and spoke on the impact the State Budget will have on the school districts in Fresno County. More than thirty Fresno County area local elected officials, school district leaders, and community leaders attended the invitation only briefing.

Senator Rubio gave an overview of the recently passed State Budget. He also discussed RDA's, Prop 98, education funding, childcare funding, transportation and other issues important to cities and school districts. Senator Rubio also spoke about SB 325, his important bill to create a Central California Short Haul Rail Authority. Rubio was introduced at the briefing by Steve Samuelian, Owner of California Consulting, who praised Rubio's hard work on SB 325 and leadership on a variety of issues for the San Joaquin Valley.

Rubio took several questions from the local leaders and discussed the future of California and what to expect when the Legislature reconvenes. Senator Rubio expressed his desire to form a Central Valley Caucus, where Valley legislators could join forces and stand united on securing funding for issues unique and important to the Central Valley.

City of San Joaquin Mayor and Fresno COG chairman Ruby Dhaliwal, who participated in the event, said, "It is so refreshing to have a leader of Senator Rubio's caliber. He has worked very hard for all of us and in a short time has distinguished himself as a leader in Sacramento. We are fortunate to have Senator Rubio as our representative in the State Senate."

School Construction Updates

Zumwalt Construction

California Consulting, LLC announced that Zumwalt Construction, Inc. will be one of their preferred school construction vendors. The agreement is in response to the growing demand from California Consulting school district clients to find a highly reputable firm to construct their new education buildings, which comprise a large part of their district-wide projects. The joint effort is a natural partnership between two highly respected firms with long track records of success in helping school districts.

Kurt Zumwalt, President of Zumwalt Construction, stated, "I look forward to working with such a highly regarded company like California Consulting as we work together to provide quality service to our clients."   Zumwalt Construction is an award winning firm, which has built several state-of-the art and innovative buildings in the greater San Joaquin Valley, including Fresno High School (restoration), Woodward Park Regional Library, Webster Elementary School, Rowell Elementary School, Tuolumne-Madson Elementary School, University High School - CSU Campus, Mendota New Junior High School, Fresno County Employees Retirement Association, Downing Planetarium at CSU Campus, and the Clovis Memorial District - Theatre/Conference Center.

Liz Gomez, Senior Director of California Consulting, stated, "Many of our clients ask us to recommend a construction company to complete their projects once the financing has been secured. After performing much due diligence, Zumwalt Construction will now be one of our preferred vendors that we recommend for school construction. We look forward to this endeavor with a firm as well respected as Zumwalt Construction. California Consulting is growing in the education area across the State and as we add new school district clients, we are getting asked about who we recommend to build school facilities."

BVI Construction Inc.

California Consulting, LLC and BVI Construction, Inc. announced an affiliation agreement. BVI will be among the specially selected list of preferred school construction partners. The agreement is in response to the growing demand from California Consulting school district clients to find a highly reputable firm to construct their new education buildings, which comprise a large part of their district-wide projects. The joint effort is a natural partnership between California Consulting and construction vendors with long track records of successfully completing school campus construction projects.

         BVI Construction, Inc. is family owned and a highly regarded local California Corporation with a generation-deep involvement in the local construction industry. Kenneth Grey, CEO of BVI Construction, stated, "We live here, our employees live here in the communities of Dinuba, Selma, Visalia, Reedley, Kingsburg, Tulare, Hanford, Madera, Sanger, Fresno, and Clovis. We raise our families here and we have neighbors here. We spend our tax dollars here in the local economy and we pay on the bond measures that help to finance our local schools and public works projects."  BVI Construction, Inc. is a Class A and Class B General Engineering and General Building Contractor and the services that BVI can provide are for general contracts, construction management, and lease-leaseback projects.

          BVI has been involved with the following projects: Miramonte Elementary School Modernization, Old Sanger High School Modernization, Jackson Multi-Purpose Building, New Administration Building for Selma-Kingsburg-Fowler Sanitation District, Sanger High School Wrestling Room Addition, Liberty High School Phase 2 Addition, Reedley College Residence Hall, Orange Cove Branch Library, Fowler Branch Library, Fowler High School Phase 2 among others.

          California Consulting is growing in the area of education across the State.   As California Consulting adds new school district clients, California Consulting is often asked about who we recommend to build school facilities. BVI Construction joins Zumwalt Construction as construction industry partners of California Consulting in the Central Valley Region. California Consulting will soon be announcing other construction partners in other major areas of the State.

Client Spotlight: Central Valley Transportation Center

California Consulting Working with Action Learning Systems

California Consulting is pleased to announce our partnership with Action Learning Systems (ALS), based out of Pasadena, CA. ALS was founded in Los Angeles in 1995 to address three core beliefs: all students can succeed, success breeds more success, and schools must create the conditions of success. The company's founder, Dr. Kit Marshall, traveled the country to develop a visionary school reform model grounded in four simple principles: clear focus, tight alignment, high expectations, and expanded opportunities for success. Based on Dr. Marshall's work throughout the country in standards design and implementation, she developed a school reform model built on the Six Effective Practices of High-Performing Schools:

·        Standards-Based Curriculum and Assessment

·        Research-Based Strategy Instruction

·        Data-Driven Decision Making

·        Targeted Professional Development

·        Achievement-Driven Structure and Support

·        Academic-Centered Family and Community Engagement

ALS currently works in over 150 school districts across the state. Please click on the link below to view their website.

Action Learning Systems Website 

Staff Spotlight: Lance Tullis