Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball has won the bid to handle Barton Community College’s next three audits. At Thursday’s BCC Board of Trustees meeting, the Great Bend firm won the contract because it submitted the low bid: $116,870 for three years.
BKD, whose closest office is in Wichita, submitted a bid that was comparable at $114,450 plus travel and lodging, which it estimated at $3,000. The only other bid, also the highest, came from D. McMillen, which currently handles the college’s audits. It was for $131,100.
Dean of Administration Mark Dean noted that all three firms met the qualifications from the bid specifications and are capable of performing the audit work. But changing firms will involve a “learning curve” and will require some extra work, at first, from both the auditor and BCC staff. That will be the case any time a change is made, Dean commented, and recommended accepting the low bid.
The board also made plans for its annual retreat. Trustees will travel to Junction City the evening of March 6 and will stay at the Courtyard Marriott. On March 7 they will travel to Fort Leavenworth, and that evening they’ll be back in Junction City to meet with officials from Fort Riley. BCC now has a presence at both military bases, and classrooms at Grandview Plaza, near Junction City.
On the morning of March 8, trustees will stay at the Courtyard Marriott for meetings with more of the Fort Riley campus staff. Other topics to be addressed that morning are: Proposed tobacco-free campus discussion; college safety; and the financial statement.
The trustees concluded Thursday’s meeting after a 15-minute executive session to discuss nonelected personnel.
Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman reported on pending state legislation, including various bills that would allow “concealed carry” in public places. Most versions would also allow local control, so community colleges could continue to ban firearms.
During Thursday’s meeting, trustees also voted to change the date of the May board meeting to  Wednesday, May 22, due to Ft. Riley graduation taking place on May 23, and they hired Linda Hogg for a new part-time position with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. Her title is volunteer coordinator of Central KS Connection