Embattled MPC Board Incumbent Fights Politically Connected Challengers

An election battle is brewing at Monterey Peninsula College, where a board of trustees incumbent is fighting both public scrutiny and three opponents, including a former Marina mayor.

In July, incumbent Margaret-Anne Coppernoll was skewered by former trustees Jim Tunney, Lynn Davis and Charlie Page, who in a letter to The Monterey County Herald criticized her work performance and the lawsuit she filed after getting injured in a 2011 school dance class.

Coppernoll says the incident left her with a severe spinal injury. She’s attended the last seven board meetings out of nine this year, some by phone beginning later in the sessions, board records show. “I’m just trying to do the best job I can with integrity,” she says. “I’ve contributed all my energy, and I’m dedicated to this position.”

She points to several achievements, including updating the school’s safety policies, creating a list of written goals for the board, helping put in place a scholarship for public high school students and bringing a mobile health van to campus to serve MPC’s rising veteran population.

But the criticism directed at her has provided ample fodder for some of her opponents, who are vying to represent the wide district covering much of Marina and parts of Seaside.

One challenger, Gary Wilmot, says Coppernoll’s lawsuit is a conflict of interest with her trustee position. Wilmot, an IBM software engineer, contends he’d make a better representative, especially given his years of experience in local politics. His tenure on the Marina City Council includes a temporary stint as acting mayor when former Mayor Ila Mettee-McCutchon was appointed to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors in 2008.

Wilmot’s priorities include expanding the Marina campus by 600 students to bring more state funding to the school, broadening course selection to attract more students and generating revenue to avoid more budget shrinkage. “You cut, you cut, and the last person out the door turns out the lights,” he says.

Challenger Leigh Rodriguez declines to comment on Coppernoll, instead touting his experience as an attorney: “I possess critical thinking skills based on my background.”

Rodriguez, who’s sat on various boards including the United Way of Monterey County, has the backing of several political action groups, including the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council.

One of his priorities is to expand vocational programs. He says one of his clients chose Hartnell Community College instead of MPC because of a long waiting list for MPC’s nursing program.

The odd candidate out may be Charles Fuller, a newcomer who says he has no local political connections. He moved to Marina with his wife in February and translates e-books from English to Chinese part-time. Fuller attended the Defense Language Institute four decades ago when he was in the Air Force, and was previously a community college geography professor. He says he has time and experience to dedicate to the district.

“I know how community college functions,” he says. “My only desire is to work with other board members and the school president.”  

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Margaret-Anne Coppernoll attended three of nine board meetings this year. She participated in seven meetings, sometimes attending by telephone after the initial roll call.