Terance Frazier, the nonprofit leader who for years operated Granite Park, has filed to run for the State Center Community College District board, encompassing central and south Fresno.

Frazier filed for the District 5 seat held by Robert Fuentes, who is running for Fresno City Council District 1 instead of standing for re-election in November. The deadline to file for candidacy ends Aug. 7.

According to Transparent California, board members earn about $9,000 a year in addition to health benefits.

The race would pit Frazier against Marcos Osorio, who holds an MBA and a master’s of education from University of Washington, according to his LinkedIn.

Frazier, a longtime developer who donated land to help create the district’s West Fresno campus, said running for trustee “is the next chapter in my years of service to this district.”

“I will bring the proven experience needed to keep SCCCD on strong financial footing, upgrade and expand facilities, and grow the programs that open doors for students across our region,” Frazier told GV Wire in a statement. “State Center deserves board leadership that is accountable, deeply invested in student success, and ready to lead and I am ready.”

Osorio Has Worked for Adam Gray, Central Valley Community Foundation

Osorio, according to his LinkedIn, previously worked as a campaign organizer for Rep. Adam Gray and before that, as a program officer with the Central Valley Community Foundation. He currently runs Stride Strategy Partners, a government relations company.

“This is about students, about the community. I believe our community colleges need trustees who listen, ask questions, and keep students, faculty, and taxpayers at the center of every decision,” Osorio told GV Wire. “Community colleges are important to me. I am the first in my family to graduate from community college and I owe everything to public education, and I just want to be a part of that.”

Candidates Tout Their Resumes

Frazier, a former Fresno State and professional baseball player, runs TFS Investments, a development company, and the Central Cal Baseball Academy, a nonprofit teaching baseball to children.

He has also served on the foundation board of the State Center Community College District. He was an adjunct professor at Fresno City College.

“As a member of the the board of the State Center Community College District Foundation, I helped raise millions of dollars to expand opportunity, support students, and strengthen program that serve families across the Valley,” Frazier said. “As a former adjunct professor, I know firsthand what it means to teach, to learn, and to invest in someone’s future.”

Osorio has also served an instructor and lecturer. He said he understands the needs of both students and faculty. He said he wants to expand opportunities for students who may want alternatives to a four-year education.

“I had to work full-time and at one point had multiple jobs while going to school and attending different campuses to try to get these classes, so I know what the speed bumps are for students. …” he said. “I’ve also been a non-tenured instructor in the past. And I know some of the issues that faculty face.”

Granite Park Fight Lasted Nearly a Decade

Frazier has waged a long fight with the city of Fresno regarding operations at Granite Park in east-central Fresno.

At the end of June, the city of Fresno changed the locks on facility, seemingly ending the years-long dispute between the city, which owns Granite Park, and Frazier, who operated it through his Central Valley Community Sports Foundation.

For his part, Frazier has maintained that he turned the park around, revitalizing it and bringing many activities and festivals to the site. The city has said that since taking over, they have needed to do significant clean up.

Back in 2018, the city of Fresno initiated an audit into the park’s operations after Frazier requested an increase on the city subsidy to operate the park.

The audit revealed accounting irregularities and mismanagement, but not enough to warrant an eviction. In response, Frazier filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city that continues.

Earlier this year, the city won a lawsuit allowing it to evict Frazier. The courts ruled that Frazier had not paid the city its share of billboard revenue and lacked needed insurance.

Frazier still asserts that the city owes the nonprofit money over capital improvements, according to the Fresno Bee.