The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of trustees met for their regular meeting on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at 5:30 p.m., in the Administration Center board room on the SWCC Creston campus.
The board approved the consent agenda including annual dues to the Community Colleges for Iowa.
SWCC Vice President of Economic Development Wayne Pantini spoke to the board regarding the college’s five-rear facilities maintenance plan. Pantini said this item is on the agenda each year for the board of trustees’ review. He said this year will be a little different because the college is embarking on an updated 10-year master facilities plan as well.
Pantini pointed out a few priority items in the five-year facilities maintenance plan, such as a request for proposal being drafted for an exterior door access control system; comprehensive assessment of the college’s mechanical systems; and necessary sidewalk and parking lot repairs.
Following Pantini’s presentation, the board approved the college’s five-year facilities maintenance plan.
Interim College President Lindsay Stoaks and Pantini, presented to the board regarding a memorandum of understanding (MOU) being requested for the Osceola Regional Business and Industrial Technology (ORBIT) Center, a $3.3 to $3.4 million construction project, proposed to be located just west of the SWCC Osceola Center on Highway 34. When complete, the ORBIT Center, being spearheaded by the Clarke County Development Corporation (CCDC), would be a regional training facility to be used for industrial training needs of private companies, regional secondary schools, and the college.
The CCDC received a $2 million grant from the United States Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) during fall 2022 to initiate the project. Since then, the CCDC has raised approximately $1.27 million in additional funds, putting them $50,000 from the goal. The finished facility will be approximately 9,000 square feet. Stoaks said the CCDC has been working with Denovo Solutions of West Des Moines for construction management.
Stoaks spent time explaining to the board college responsibilities during the project, as well as the CCDC’s responsibilities. The CCDC will be responsible for securing all funding necessary to construct the facility; contract and pay for the design and construction; operate, maintain, repair, and replace all elements of the facility, except those elements for which SWCC specifically assumes maintenance responsibility; lease mutually agreed upon space within the facility to the college; and insure the facility against loss. The college will provide input to appropriate firms and CCDC on the facility design; provide instructors, curriculum, and materials; maintain records for activities; provide classroom space at the SWCC Osceola Center; provide instructional equipment; provide general maintenance; contract and pay for utilities; and provide the CCDC a certificate of insurance naming the CCDC as additional insured on SWCC’s general liability policy.
Following Stoaks’ and Pantini’s presentation, the board approved the MOU for the ORBIT Center. Stoaks said January 2025 would be the earliest SWCC would be able to offer programming in this facility.
During the president’s report, Stoaks spoke briefly about the Community Colleges for Iowa annual trustees conference held July 19-20 at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids and touched on staffing changes at the Community Colleges for Iowa office.
The meeting adjourned following Stoaks’ report.