The Barton Community College Board of Trustees on Thursday approved next year’s operating budget and publication of a proposed budget. The estimated local tax would be 32.77 mills, similar to the last two years.
At a study session earlier this month, BCC Dean of Business Management Mark Dean said he doesn’t anticipate a mill levy increase for next year’s budget, but the final figure will depend on county valuation. The total tax levied for 2011-12 was just under $8.5 million, and the amount to be levied for the proposed budget of 2012-13 is just under $8.8 million.
The public budget hearing will be on Aug. 2.
The board had two options for next year’s operating budget, and opted for the one that spends some of the college’s cash reserves in order to make one-time capital improvements. These were also discussed at the study session and reported on in the July 6 edition of the Great Bend Tribune. These include renovating the Fine Arts Auditorium and making repairs such as carpet replacement in other buildings on campus. Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman recommended the budget with capital improvements. “I believe it is a great opportunity as this time, with the reserve funds, to address the projects.”
Mike Johnson, chairman of the board of trustees, agreed. “These are all projects that have been on the back burner for several years,” he said.
The board elected 2012-13 officers Thursday, keeping Johnson as president of the trustees and as  BCC representative to the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees for another year; trustee John Moshier as vice president; trustee Brett Middleton as secretary; and Dean Dean as treasurer.
The board also approved items discussed at the study session, including athletic insurance, a revised meeting schedule and revisions to the education programs in cattle production.
The board approved hiring the following personnel: Becky Fryberger, assistant director of the Shafer Art Gallery; Virgil Tucker, automotive instructor; Vincent Orth, gas measurement instructor; Peter Solie, communications and journalism instructor; and Karly Roberts, coordinator of Community Education, all at the Barton campus; and Todd Mobray, multimedia specialist at the Fort Riley Area.
There was a 20-minute executive session for discussion of personnel.
Information items included a presentation on EduKan; a meeting with Emergency Medical Service officials from the service area; a monitoring report on student satisfaction with their “Barton experience”; and comments on issues before the Kansas Board of Regents, which oversees community colleges.