Creston— The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of directors met on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 5:30 p.m., in the Agricultural Sciences Center, for their regular board meeting.
Wayne Pantini, SWCC vice president of economic development, spoke to the board regarding construction of the skilled trades center by Shive-Hattery Architectural Engineering Firm. According to Pantini, the facility is estimated to have a footprint of 14,500-15,500 square feet and cost approximately $5.3 million. The fees of Shive-Hattery are estimated at $438,500.
Pantini said college administration is looking to use Hansen Company, Inc., for construction manager as advisor for the project because the college has utilized them in this role for past construction projects and gotten along well. Shive-Hattery and Hansen work together on various projects. As the construction managers, Hansen Company’s services are estimated at $485,000.
Following Pantini’s presentation, the board approved the agreements with both companies. Construction should begin this fall. The skills trades facility will be located on the east side of Technical Center II, north of the Performing Arts Center.
Brandi Shay, SWCC chief financial officer, presented uncollectible account write-offs to the board. Shay said the fiscal year (FY) 2025 amount for students account balances was $155,064.45, from 78 credit student account balances and one non-student account. Shay said this amount is higher than recent years because COVID relief dollars are no longer available to be applied to the balances. She said the SWCC business office staff have used multiple methods to attempt to collect the account balances, including direct contact and a collection agency. Students are encouraged to set up payment plans. Following her presentation, the board of directors approved the uncollectible account write-offs as presented.
Pantini told the board the college had come to a two-year agreement with the SWCC Education Association regarding the collective bargaining agreement. He said the agreement included a salary increase of 1.2023 percent to last year’s base, plus $6.23 per day. Full-time regular contracts are based upon 167 days of employment.
The board ratified the FY2025-27 collective bargaining agreement.
In personnel, the board approved the resignation of Maureen Weaver from her faculty position in the nursing department. Dr. John Franklin, SWCC vice president of instruction, said the instructional division recommends Weaver moving to a director of nursing position.
“As the college started to apply for national accreditation, the demands of the position increased …,” stated Franklin, “… therefore, we feel it is appropriate at this time to move her to a full-time position.”
The board agreed approving the employment of Maureen Weaver as the college’s director of nursing.
Also, in personnel, the resignation of Joe Nenneman, Red Oak carpentry instructor, was accepted.
Dr. Tony Cass, president of the SWCC board of directors, moved to extend the contracts of Lindsay Stoaks, president, Dr. John Franklin, vice president of instruction, and Susannah Miller, assistant to the vice president of instruction, through June 30, 2026, with a salary increase of 3.5 percent.
In an effort to comply with Iowa Code, Kim Bishop, dean of students, explained all coaching positions in the SWCC athletic department will now be in place through extracurricular contracts instead of extracurricular agreements. Due to this change, all coaching contracts will run through the board. During discussion, Stoaks added these agreements will be more formal than the coaching agreements completed in the past. The board of directors approved all 2025-26 extracurricular coaching contracts as presented.
Bishop spoke about the college’s FY2026-29 Strategic Plan. She reminded the board the planning process began when the board of directors reviewed the Purpose Statement in June 2024. Since then college employees have gone through a months-long process to finish the SWCC 2026-29 Strategic Plan. Initiatives of the plan include: Initiative 1 – Our Students; Initiative 2 – Our People; Initiative 3 – Our Campus; Initiative 4 – Our Community; and Initiative 5 – Our Dedication. Specific goals are included under all initiatives.
Bishop said summer enrollment at SWCC is at 433 students, up 8 students or 1.8 percent, from summer 2024.
Sue Stearns of Woodburn, board of director member and SWCC Community Colleges for Iowa representative, gave a short update on activity at the state level. She mentioned she is currently serving on the legislative liaison committee.
The board then toured the college’s new Transportation Training Center, learned more about CDL programming, and heard additional construction updates.
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