The Cloud County Community College board of trustees last night approved the publication of a summary budget requesting $1,947,052 in property tax to fund the 2010-2011 general fund.
The board is requesting another $288,490 in property tax to fund the capital outlay levy for a total of $2,235,865. That is the same amount that was levied for the 2009-2010 school year.
However, the mill levy required to fund the budget requests has dropped from 30.97 mills last year to an estimated 29.563 mills in 2010-2011. The reason for the decline in the mill levy is an estimated increase of $3,427,665 in the county's assessed valuation.
Vice president for administrative services Bob Maxson said the estimated value of the Tax Increment Finance district is $6,941,103, while assessed valuation increases in the neighborhood revitalization program are estimated at $133,564. The TIF district has an impact of reducing the general fund request by $88,890.71 and the capital outlay levy by an estimated $13,186.46, Maxson said. “Neighborhood revitalization will reduce our total request by an estimated $4,132,60,” he said.
“The total certified budgeted expenditures for the college for the 2010-2011 year have increased by $2,038,799 which is almost entirely caused by the heating and air conditioning project expenditures,”Maxson said.
The board also set Tuesday, Aug. 10, at 7 p.m. for the public hearing on the budget.
Maxson said that the college finished the year in sound fiscal condition because of enrollment increases and budget management and controls. The college began the year with a projected $240,000 deficit and finished in positive position, he said.
During the 2009-2010 school year the college had revenues of $13,111,062 and expenditures of $12,836,638 for a gain of $274,423.
Maxson also reported that occupancy for the fall term in college housing stands at 100 percent. With the opening this August of the new 78 bed apartment building, the college can accommodate 364 student residents, he said.
As of now there will be 78 more students on campus for the fall semester, Maxson said. Brenda Edleston, director of the Geary County Campus, reported that enrollment so far on the Junction City campus is 308 as compared to 243 last year.
In other financial matters, the board approved the transfer of $104,840.26 from the fiscal year operating funds to the Board of Trustees Fund for the purchase of $54,840.26 worth of equipment for the Agri-Biotechnology Program and allow the board to transfer the remaining $50,000 to the Contingency Fund.
The board also approved the use of $233,835 in 2011 Federal Stimulus Funds for the geothermal HVAC replacement project. Previously, the board had appropriated $100,000 of the federal stimulus funds for tuition mitigation; however, the motion was rescinded because with enrollment growth the money was not needed.
In personnel matters, the board approved a contract for Cynthia Lamberty as a chemistry teacher at the Geary County campus with a salary of $36,900 annually. Since 1994, she has been an instructor at Nicholls State University.
Chris Wilson, director of human resources, recommended that the board suspend the employment for four TriO grant employees until the college receives notification of the grant's renewal. The current grant expires Aug. 31.
College president Danette Toone thanked the staff for the reception she has received since her arrival on campus and particularly the reception before the meeting.
Toone reported that since the two turbines went on line March 21, the college has saved approximately $10,000 in energy costs.
Toone said that she will be attending a meeting of the Association of Community College Trustees in Topeka to discuss a new Kansas Cost Model for the funding of higher education. If the cost model is enacted, Cloud County stands to lose funding, Toone said.
Currently, the state appropriation funds one-third of the institution's budget and at least we will hope for a hold harmless clause, she said.