NEW MEMBER APPOINTED TO IOWA LAKES BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Iowa Lakes Community College has a new member of the Board of Trustees following action at the regularly scheduled meeting late Tuesday afternoon.

Susan Zulk, Spencer, was appointed to the position of Trustee for District 4 by the President of the Board, John Hand. Following her appointment, Zulk was given the oath of office by Clark Marshall, Secretary to the Board. Zulk will complete the term of Ann Barry, who resigned last month since she is moving out of the District 4 which is basically the Spencer area. Zulk will serve through September of 2007, at which time she will need to be officially elected to the position to complete Barry’s original term which expires in 2008.

A public hearing was held on the 2008 Fiscal Year published budget. Budget expenditures for the ’08 Fiscal Year are estimated at $36 million. The college expects to levy $2,863,711 in property taxes for FY 08, compared to $3,197,353 for this year – a decline of 10.44 percent. Valuation in the district increased .75 percent, which was the lowest increase of any community college district in Iowa. The estimated total tax rate per $1,000 valuation is $.73711, compared to $.8320 for this year. The Trustees approved the published budget.

Also during the meeting, the Trustees approved job training agreements with several area companies; agreed to purchase land north of the Christensen Building in Estherville; gave permission to advertise building specifications for the two-phased expansion of the Sustainable Energy Education Center and then hold a special public hearing and present the bids in early April; set Tuesday, March 20 as the date for a public hearing and presentation of bids for the Regional Emergency Response Basic Training Center planned for Emmetsburg; and agreed to limited serving of beer and alcohol at The Max for a special gathering.

The next meeting of the Iowa Lakes Board of Trustees is scheduled for Tuesday, March 20, in Estherville.