College district board member returns for meeting

Amy R. Spurgeon

COSTA MESA -- Veteran Coast Community College District board member Paul

Berger will attend his first meeting Wednesday since he underwent surgery

in May to remove a cancerous left lung, officials said.

The 77-year-old Costa Mesa resident has been a trustee since 1987 and is

the former principal of Huntington Beach’s Marina High School.

Berger said he did not want to comment on his illness, but confirmed that

he will attend the next meeting.

Berger’s return coincides with a hot issue for the district, which is

considering leasing its Adams Avenue district headquarters -- appraised

at $8.1 million -- to Lowe’s Home Centers Inc.

Board president Jerry Patterson said the trustees wanted to make a

decision on the Lowe’s proposal to build a 150,000-square-foot retail

hardware store with all board members present.

However, Berger entered the hospital for surgery May 18 and his recovery

delayed the board’s discussion on the matter.

Officials said the board will probably made a decision at Wednesday’s

meeting.

“We need to get going on this thing,” Patterson said. “We need to let

them know if we are or aren’t interested.”

The board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the district’s

headquarters, 1370 Adams Ave., Costa Mesa.