The board accepted the 2016 tax levy, payable in 2017, which will be filed in accord with Truth in Taxation compliance laws. The corporate and special purpose levy was set at $3,379,083, an increase of 4.99 percent over the previous year's levy of $3,218,520. The debt service levy of $1,807,491 represents a 0.06 percent increase over last year's levy of $1,806,469. In aggregate, the combined levy of $5,186,574 is an increase of 3.22 percent over last year's aggregate of $5,024,989. Because the combined levy is not greater than 105 percent of last year's levy, no Truth in Taxation hearing is required.
Holly Heisner, Radiologic Technology Program Director, was granted tenure. "Holly is a knowledgable radiology instructor; she continues to keep herself up to date with changes in the health care field," said her supervisor, Kim Wilkerson, Dean of Allied Health. "Holly encourages students to think and analyze critical situations that could arise in the radiology field. She has made a significant contribution of time and effort in our recent accreditation site visit and continues to move our Radiologic Technology program forward."
Heather Sanders was appointed as Financial Aid Specialist effective Oct. 24. She holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern Indiana and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She most recently worked as an admissions and records representative for SIUC.
The board approved two new courses, Active Shooter Training and Firearms Training, and authorized their submission to the Illinois Community College Board for action. Active Shooter Training is an instructor-led class providing preparation and a plan for individuals and organizations on how to more proactively handle the threat of an aggressive intruder or active shooter event. The class is based on tactics which have become the accepted response, versus the traditional "lockdown only" approach. The Firearms Training course is designed to satisfy the training requirements for those certified by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation to work as armed private investigators and security agents.
In addition, two new hybrid courses, Integrating Technology and Introduction to Robotics, were approved for development and submission to ICCB, and a change to the Transition to Practical Nursing course also was approved. Course and sequence changes for the Biomedical Electronics degree received approval as well.
Four bids were accepted in relation to the Economic Development Administration grant the college received. Bids accepted were: four industrial robot trainers from Williams Crow Inc., doing business as Aidex Corp., for $142,016; four programmable logic controller trainers from Williams Crow for $25,076; five laptop computers from PCM-G, doing business as Global GovEd, for $3,400; and two network switches and ancillary equipment from PCM-G for $11,200.
The resignation of Marvin Briscoe, Custodial Supervisor, was accepted with regret effective Oct. 14. He had been employed full-time with the college since July 2014. "I've greatly enjoyed and appreciated the opportunities I've had to learn how to manage a large group of diverse people and to find ways to make things better for not only them but for this institution," Briscoe wrote in his resignation letter.
In a related action, the board approved combining the job duties of the custodial supervisor and grounds supervisor, revising the job description, creating the position and advertising for a custodial / grounds supervisor. The position of grounds supervisor was vacated with the promotion of Donnie Millenbine to Physical Plant Director and had not been filled. Combining the two positions builds on the current duties and needs of the department.