— courtesy VGCC

VGCC Trustees OK Budget Requests For County Funding

The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees approved a proposed total budget request of $3,190,150 for the 2018-2019 fiscal year for Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties at its bimonthly meeting on the college’s Main Campus on Monday, March 19.

In other action, the board also heard updates on the college’s recent grant success, the state’s audit of energy consumption, and the annual financial audit by the state.

VGCC’s budget requests for plant operations and maintenance funding, which include $2,578,710 in current expenses and $611,440 in capital outlay, now go to the board of county commissioners in each of the four counties served by VGCC. The capital outlay budget is composed of $95,960 in recurring needs and $515,480 in one-time needs.

“We are requesting level funding for operating funds for each of our campuses from our counties this year,” said Steven Graham, VGCC’s vice president of finance and operations. “We have projected that our continuation costs are in line with the amount of funding that we are currently receiving from our respective counties.”

Of the $2.57 million current expense county budget, $1,151,597 is being proposed for Vance County for the Main Campus and the nursing simulation lab at Maria Parham Health; $752,184 for Granville County for Main Campus, South Campus and the Culinary Arts location in Oxford; $369,168 for Franklin’s campus; and $225,625 for Warren’s campus. The college will be using $80,136 in institutional monies to fund current expenses.

Of the $95,960 in recurring capital outlay requests for facility improvement needs, funding by county is: Vance, $41,220; Granville, $28,740; Franklin, $20,000; and Warren, $6,000.

The college is requesting the one-time capital outlay funds of $515,480 for the Main Campus in accordance with VGCC’s Capital Improvement Plan submitted to Vance County, said Graham. Vance and Granville share in the funding of the campus between Henderson and Oxford on a 3:1 ratio. A total of $386,610 is being requested from Vance County and $128,870 from Granville.

“The majority of that requested funding will go towards parking lot repairs and resurfacing here at the Main Campus,” said Graham, adding that the funds will also help with the replacement of groundskeeping equipment and a campus police vehicle.

County funding represents approximately 9.5 percent of the college’s overall budget.

Grants Update

Vance-Granville has received grants totaling $1,615,222 for 2017-2018, according to a report delivered to the board by Dr. Ken Lewis, the college’s vice president of institutional research and technology.

The grants include: Perkins, $185,266; NCWorks Career Coach, $116,000; Duke Energy/Piedmont Natural Gas Apprenticeship, $200,000; Department of Transportation Summer Institute, $35,000; Basic Skills Continuation, $827,504; Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, $205,000; Heavy Equipment Operator, $31,452; and NC Tobacco Trust Fund, $15,000.

Additional grants are in progress, including the NC TechHire Alliance, Governor’s Innovation Grant, Siemens Solid Edge CAD and Tecnomatix, and Cannon Foundation, Dr. Lewis noted.

The update was provided from the board’s Curriculum Committee, chaired by Trustee Barbara Cates Harris.

Environmental Assessment

Vance-Granville has saved more than $1 million in energy and water costs over the past decade, according to the results of a State Energy Office assessment recently announced by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.

“We are pleased to report that Vance-Granville is 30 percent below the baseline for community colleges in energy consumption and 27 percent below our 2007-2008 consumption,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, VGCC’s president, in making the announcement to the board.

The environmental quality assessment gave VGCC a ranking of 12th out of the 58 community colleges in lowest consumption, which Dr. Williams described as “extraordinary given the age of our buildings.”

Danny W. Wright, VGCC’s chair of the Board of Trustees, said, “This demonstrates great stewardship on the part of the people who manage plant operations.”

State Financial Audit

The State Auditor’s Office gave Vance-Granville a clean financial statement audit for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, according to an announcement from Dr. Williams.

“The results of our tests disclosed no deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting that we consider to be material weaknesses in relation to our audit scope or any instances of noncompliance or other matters that are required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards,” said State Auditor Beth Wood in a letter to the college’s Board of Trustees.

“This is a great credit to our Business Office as well as all of the employees throughout the college who deal with financial information,” said Dr. Williams. “I know that I speak for all of the board in commending all staff involved.”

State Budget Priorities

The North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) has adopted seven legislative priorities for the 2018-2019 session of the North Carolina General Assembly, Dr. Williams informed the trustees.

Totaling $52.6 million in recurring funds and $15.2 million in non-recurring funds statewide, the priorities are: closing the skills gap by investing in short-term workforce training programs leading to industry credentials; modernizing the information technology system; ensuring colleges continue to have direct access to information technology staff; incentivizing student access and completion; ensuring high school students are career and college ready; ensuring students have access to 21st Century equipment; and supporting faculty and staff.

The NCCCS adopted a comprehensive strategic plan in February, “Putting Education to Work,” that will guide the system through 2022, focusing on student interest and access, clear and supported pathways for student progress and success, economic and workforce impact, and system effectiveness.

Building Projects

A final assessment of field work has been submitted to the college for the replacement of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and fire alarm systems on the Main Campus, according to a report of the board’s Building Committee, delivered by Trustee Donald C. Seifert, Sr., chair.

The fire alarm replacement work will be completed first, with the initial HVAC system renovation projects for two of the Main Campus buildings being completed in 2019.

With design work and construction documents scheduled to be completed in April, bids are scheduled to go out in May for the renovation of a 3,200-square-foot area at the back of Building 10 to accommodate a practical simulation lab for the Fire/Rescue, Basic Law Enforcement Training and Emergency Medical Services programs. The renovation should be completed this summer.

Renovations to the Welding lab and a demonstration area in the Welding classroom at Franklin County Campus are expected to be completed in early April.

Each project is being funded by monies allocated by the Connect NC Bond passed in March 2016 by North Carolina voters.

Exterior masonry renovations on the Main Campus, which are scheduled to be bid out in April and to begin in May, are being funded by the bond funds and a remaining balance of $69,000 from county resources used for structural renovations to roofs and masonry.

Other Action

In other action:

• Sovanny “Sophie” Taylor of Louisburg, student trustee and president of the Student Government Association, detailed recent and upcoming events for students.

• The Investment Committee, chaired by Trustee L. Opie Frazier, Jr., reported on college’s investments.

• Trustee Sara C. Wester, chair of the Personnel Committee, updated board members on new employees, retirements and resignations, and she informed the board of the plans for the annual evaluation of the president.

• Dr. Williams announced the following events: Sixth Annual Dinner Theater, April 26-27; Endowment Fund Golf Tournament, May 1; Vance-Granville Community Band concert, May 7; and Graduation, May 11. She said the board will have its annual retreat on Aug. 27.

The next meeting of the VGCC Board of Trustees will be held on Monday, May 21, at the Main Campus.

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