Southwestern's board of trustees holds August 2024 meeting

Creston- The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of directors met on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. in the college's Administration Center for its regular board meeting.

The consent agenda was approved as presented.

Wayne Pantini, SWCC vice president of economic development, presented the college's five-year facilities maintenance plan. Pantini said the plan took consideration from an energy audit as well as the college's master facilities plan to determine priorities for the five-year facilities maintenance plan. Pantini said the plan will serve as a guideline, with the option to shift if contingencies arise. Two major projects on the plan for 2025 include updating the HVAC system in the Instructional Center and improvements to the main drive and main parking lot resulting in a more pedestrian friendly campus.

Following discussion about the five-year facilities maintenance plan, the board approved the plan as presented.

Pantini also presented to the board a proposal to acquire and install an access control system using a request for proposal process. The access control system will help improve campus security. With the access control system, keys would be replaced by electronic key cards. The system would allow buildings to be shut down at the end of business hours, or in the case of a lockdown, allow staff to lock all buildings in a matter of seconds.

Following discussion about the access control system, the board approved the proposal to acquire and install the system using a request for proposal process as presented.

Pantini then proposed upgrading the college's building automation control system. Pantini noted currently the college has two systems, one of which will no longer be supported by the vendor. Neither version currently allows for 100 percent control of the systems by SWCC's maintenance department. Pantini proposed approving a quote from Woodman Controls in the amount of $181,642 to upgrade to a singular building automation control system. Lindsay Stoaks, SWCC president, noted the system includes some of the components embedded within the college's applied engineering technology program.

Following discussion about the building automation control system, the board approved the proposal to upgrade to a singular system as presented.

In personnel, the board approved the employment of Matthew Deppe as agriculture instructor for the 2024-25 academic year. Dr. John Franklin, SWCC vice president of instruction, said Deppe has had a long career in agriculture in Iowa, most recently serving as the CEO for the Iowa Cattlemen's Association from 2011 to 2023.

During the president's report, Pantini provided an update on recent construction projects. Pantini reported the Spartan Hall parking lot had just been finished, striped, and will be ready for move-in weekend. Pantini said construction on the ORBIT Center in Osceola is progressing well, with the plan to be able to hold some noncredit training in the building next spring.

At the Agricultural Sciences Center, improvements have been made to the north drive and the parking lot. Pantini also reported construction has begun on the south side of the building on the Transportation Training Center, with work beginning on the driving range during the next month.

Pantini also gave a presentation on the Iowa Jobs Training 260F program, which provides training for existing workforce in the region. Pantini said during the past two years, SWCC provided training for 196 employees from more than 10 employers through the program.

Stoaks recognized Dr. Barb Brown, SWCC business instructor, who attended the board meeting as faculty representative.
Sue Stearns, SWCC board member and Community Colleges for Iowa representative, gave the board a brief summary of the 2025 legislative priorities, as well as summarizing the state conference.

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