West Valley­Mission Community College District Chancellor Stan Arterberry did everything he could to help the $235 million bond measure pass—even when it meant taking a vacation day on Nov. 2. He spent his time off on street corners near the college holding signs supporting Measure H, he said, "trying to get that last vote. We didn't take anything for granted."

According to unofficial election results from the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters as of Nov. 3, Measure H passed with 69,423 (59.75 percent) of the 116,198 total votes. The bond will provide funds for repairs and renovations on both the West Valley (Saratoga) and Mission (Santa Clara) campuses. The funding will help to upgrade facilities, renovate science and computer labs, replace roofs and upgrade technology. Improvements to energy, plumbing, heating and ventilation are also planned.

"I was very pleased," Arterberry said. "It is good for the district, and I consider it a total team effort by faculty, administrators, classified staff, managers, the board of trustees and the students."

Arterberry said the student body donated $20,000 toward the campaign. He also thanked the community for supporting Measure H and pledged to continue to provide quality education through the bond's passage.

Arterberry, as well as other district employees, stayed up well past midnight on Nov. 2 waiting to hear the election results. As of press time, Arterberry said they were still waiting for the outcome of yet-to-be-counted absentee ballots, but he said he's confident the measure has passed.

Arterberry couldn't say how soon they'd start selling bonds before construction could begin, but that they will be managed by an attorney or law firm that specializes in bond issuance. Implementation will also be supervised by a bond oversight committee made up of citizens.

Dr. Phil Hartley, president of West Valley College, said he was also thrilled with the Measure H election results, especially since it's only his 10th week as an employee of the district and everything has run so smoothly.

"It reflects a level of support from our community," said Hartley, adding that this time is clearly "a new dawn" in the relationship between the city of Saratoga and the college.

In the community college district's board of trustees race for Area 3, which includes Campbell and West San Jose, incumbents Chris Constantin (52,679 votes, 37 percent) and Joy Atkins (48,113 votes, 34 percent) were each re-elected. Incumbent Frank Jewett was defeated, obtaining 40,539 or 29 percent of the votes.

Within the community college district's Area 2, which includes Santa Clara and portions of San Jose, Christopher Stampolis, a planning commissioner for the city of Santa Clara, finished first with 61,308 votes (42 percent) and incumbent Robert Owens was re-elected with 57,298 votes (39 percent). Ronald Stasiak, a financial adviser, was defeated, earning only 27,324 (19 percent) of the votes.