Washington Roofing wins bid
In action items Thursday, the BCC Board of Trustees:
• Washington Roofing, Great Bend, was awarded the bid to replace the roof of the Administration Building, for $51,850. Their foam roof was not the lowest bid, but was within the 5 percent allowance that can be given to a local firm, Dean Mark Dean said. High Plains Roofing, Hays, had the low bid of $50,095 for a mechanically fastened TPO replacement. Specifications called for either foam or TPO replacement. It comes with a 15 year warranty and replaces a roof that was added in 1985.
• The following new personnel were approved: John Peters, academic tutor, Center for Adult Basic Education, and Larned Correctional Facility; Kimberly Brennan, instructor & coordinator, Medical Support Programs, Barton campus; Maggie Robinson, admissions representative, Barton campus; and Jesse Nicholas, academic tutor, Center for Adult Basic Education, Fort Riley area.
• There was a 15-minute executive session to discuss personnel.
Barton Community College has taken its military training to at least 13 states, and is attempting to offer even more courses at Fort Sill, Okla., and at Fort Leavenworth.
William Nash, Barton’s associate dean of environmental technology and military programs, shared that news Thursday with the college’s board of trustees. Nash works at BCC’s Junction City/Fort Riley campus, and attends the monthly board meetings via a video connection.
At Fort Riley, courses taught by the college may include Ammunition Handler, Field Sanitation and Leadership Skills Enhancement. BCC military training has been offered in over 13 states, including Fort Sill, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Fort Knox, Ky.
"We’re trying to establish a presence (at Leavenworth) exactly like we have at Fort Riley," Nash said. That didn’t seem feasible in the past, since most courses are taken by enlisted soldiers, and 98 percent of the population at Fort Leavenworth was officers. But with the addition of two prisons, Fort Leavenworth has added some 4,000 enlisted people to its population, and that number could grow by another 8,000.
Meanwhile, BCC’s contract to offer training at Fort Sill is weeks away from expiring, but Nash said they are close to signing a four-year contract with Barton, with an option for a fifth year.
Nash’s comments came during the portion of the monthly trustees meeting devoted to monitoring reports on the ends set by the board. This month’s topic under review was regional workforce needs. Sixty percent of the courses taught by Nash’s department are through the military, but it also includes environmental technology, primarily offered through BCC’s Hazardous Materials and Emergency Services Training Institute at Grandview Plaza. Cities and business across the state send people there for training.
Also reporting on regional workforce needs was Dean of Workforce Training and Community Education Elaine Simmons. She said the college determines regional training needs by monitoring data and trends, seeking input from advisory boards and area employers, and working with 15 school districts. "Many times needs are found out through conversation," she said.
Trustees asked Simmons to add some information to her report, showing how long some of the college’s partnerships with businesses have existed. Trustee Mike Johnson said the Technical Education Authority needs to see how BCC addresses regional workforce needs. "We’re the leader here," he said. "We do appreciate all of our partners, large and small."
Asked if other community colleges have similar services, Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman answered, "I get the sense this is a unique enhancement we perform."
