Trustees of Barton Community College have approved a "mission of purpose" statement for a future Camp Aldrich advisory committee that will have input on the future of the college-owned conference center/camp facility located near Cheyenne Bottoms.

The action taken at Thursday’s board meeting is the first step in the creation of the committee. Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman will now begin looking for possible advisory board members. Board members said the group should have approximately 12 members, including a college trustee.

"It’s an unknown to where this will lead," Heilman said. The advisory group will take into account recent feasibility studies and the fact that Camp Aldrich is the only existing camp of its kind serving the Wings & Wetlands Scenic Byway region.

The advisory group’s purposes will be:

• developing a vision of the camp’s role, goals, and potential;

• identify the underlying purposes of the camp in meeting the vision; and

• recommend operational considerations for the college so as to best integrate camp operations with regional eco-tourism initiatives.

In other action Thursday, the board:

• Approved curriculum changes to the Crop Protection Program, and the curriculum for a new Welding Technology Certificate Program.

• Approved renewing the property, casualty and workers compensation insurance with EMC/Cincinnati Insurance (Conrade Insurance Group). The rates for next year are $261,886, which is approximately 6 percent lower than the current premium.

• Hired Jenilyn Moon to fill the position of Custodian I on the Barton County campus, and Shawn Uhlenhake the fill the position of head coach for women’s soccer.