BUILDING PROJECTS MOVE AHEAD

The Board of Trustees of Iowa Lakes Community College held a public hearing late Tuesday afternoon and accepted a bid for the labor to renovate the exterior of the Criminal Justice building, which is being remodeled.  The work is needed on the former Estherville Campus student center building to upgrade the exterior due to unforeseen deterioration.  In addition, a new sidewalk will be built to access the student laundry.  The Trustees approved a bid of $43,924 from Ver Steeg Construction of Spencer.

Also, the Trustees approved a change order to the Algona Campus addition to construct a firewall at the facility for $6,924.

Tom Brotherton, the Executive Dean of the Emmetsburg Campus, started the Iowa Lakes Report.  The Ag Transfer program was featured with the coordinator, Neal Williamsen, introducing two students:  Marc Hardy from Lohrville, and Chad Niehus from LeMars.  Both students are in the Ag Transfer program at Iowa Lakes.  It is a fully transferable Associate in Arts degree for those students who desire to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in the field of Agriculture.  The program consists of 64 credits that include 12 credits of Ag courses in Soils, Agronomy, Animal Science and Animal Nutrition.  Current enrollment is 12 students who plan to transfer to Iowa State University, Northwest Missouri State University, South Dakota State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

Also during the meeting, the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees presented the results of the FY04 audit.  Williams and Company, Spencer, gave the audit an ‘unqualified opinion’ which means it was a ‘clean’ report.  Representative John Zulk from Williams and Company was on hand for the presentation by Bob L’Heureux, Chief Financial Officer. 

In other business, the Trustees approved bills; heard reports from fellow members on committees and councils; and listened to other routine reports from staff.

The next meeting of the Trustees will be held Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005.