The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of trustees held their regular board meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, at 5:30 p.m., in the Administration Center board room.
During the meeting, the election of officers for the board took place for the upcoming year. Dr. Tony Cass of Creston was re-elected as president. Cass joined the SWCC board member in February 2009; was the board’s vice president from 2015-17; and became president in October 2017. Fred Shearer of Corning was re-elected as vice president. Shearer joined the board in 2002 and became vice president in 2017. Carmalee Woods, SWCC assistant to the president and coordinator of special projects, was appointed as board secretary and Brandi Shay, SWCC chief financial officer, was appointed as board treasurer.
Two actions items, the audit report and consideration of the early retirement policy, were tabled until a later date. Cass explained both items were still under review.
Wayne Pantini, SWCC vice president of economic development, gave the board of trustees an update on the Osceola Regional Business and Industrial Technology (ORBIT) Center in Osceola. Pantini said the bids for construction of the center were due last Thursday and a bid was approved by the Clarke County Development Corporation (CCDC) on Friday, Dec. 8. A January pre-construction meeting is being scheduled to begin organizing all contractors.
Pantini said SWCC presented the CCDC with a lease agreement and it is currently being reviewed by the Economic Development Administration (EDA). He said construction on the ORBIT Center is scheduled to start in the spring and be completed by the end of 2024.
During the board member report, Cass announced Sue Stearns, SWCC board member of Woodburn, has agreed to be SWCC’s representative on the board for the Community Colleges for Iowa.
The meeting was then adjourned.
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