Storm damage at FSCC could reach a million

The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees got a little clearer picture of damages caused by the April 7 hailstorm during its regular monthly meting on Monday.

Karla Armstrong, FSCC Dean of Finance and Operations said an insurance adjuster for EMC, FSCC's insurance carrier, believed a preliminary estimate of the damage at the college would be between $500,000 and $1 million.

She said she was confident EMC, who the college has worked with for a number of years, would "make whole" on the claim, which carries a $1,000 deductible.

"I think they have been very fair," Armstrong said.

Tatro said this is an ongoing process and there would likely be updates for the next three to four months.

He also said there are several buildings on campus that are aging past their expected use.

"We are pretty well maxing out on some of the lifespans of certain buildings," said FSCC President Clayton Tatro.

He said Armstrong is compiling a capital improvements list. Armstrong said more information would likely be available at next month's board meeting.

Also in Monday's meeting, trustees approved a couple of contracts totaling more than $100,000.

Trustees approved a $75,000 contract for technical assistance for wastewater systems between FSCC and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Under the contract, FSCC will provide technical assistance through Jerry Grant (former faculty member in the Environmental Water Technology program) with funding from the Kansas Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund.

The contract with FSCC is a KDHE project aimed at helping utilities stay compliant with laws, regulations, rules, permits and policies. It also is intended to help utilities effectively protect the health and environment of Kansans. The contract with FSCC will run from May 1 of this year to May 1, 2016.

Among numerous other responsibilities, Grant, on behalf of FSCC, will report to the KDHE on wastewater permit requirements, sampling procedures, and provide general operation and maintenance recommendations for facilities such as mechanical plants and lagoons.

The board also approved a $27,600 contract from Greenbush for the college to edit and reformat the SOSOSY ACRES (American Council on Rural Special Education) course. SOSOSY is a Consortium Incentive Grant funded by the Office of Migrant Education at the United States Department of Education in states with a growing secondary-aged migrant out-of-school youth population.

The course is translated into Spanish for migrant students and is part of the Kansas Migrant Education Program. The course will be shared with a 21-state consortium.

Tatro told the board the Miami County campus received a $48,500 grant from the Bayer Foundation for a new science lab.

Tatro also announced the FSCC nursing program received accreditation from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission through 2020.

"It is worth noting that we were hoping for accreditation through 2018, we are now accredited through the fall of 2020," Tatro said.

FSCC Phi Theta Kappa students Taylor Bailey, Jared Bahr and Heather Duncan updated the board on their recent trip to San Jose, Calif. for the International Phi Theta Kappa convention.

Bailey said one thing PTK has taught her is, "I need to work hard."

She said she got to meet her idol, tennis star Billie Jean King, and had a tennis racket cover autographed by the legendary player.

Bahr thanked FSCC for making so many opportunities available to him. Bahr was named as the first Coca-Cola Scholar ever at FSCC.

Duncan, of the FSCC Miami chapter of PTK, said being a member of PTK has "opened so many doors."

Trustees also received an updated security report including the process for submitting incident reports, relations with the Fort Scott Police Department, FSPD K9 drug searches in dormitories, the use of security cameras and the role of resident assistants in campus security.

Monday's meeting also included a 45-minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel with the possibility of real estate acquisition.

In other business:

*Trustees heard letters of appreciation from The Bourbon County Arts Council, Vanessa Poyner, Sharon Tanner, J.D. Ettore and Sarah Ettore.

*J.D. Handly, owner/publisher of the Bourbon County Review requested FSCC make his newspaper the official paper of record for the college.

*Approved the resignation of Kathleen Hinrichs as director of Public Relations, effective June 28.

*Approved the resignation of assistant football coach Lucien Antoine, effective April 4.

*Tatro reported work on the new rodeo practice facility has been slowed because of wet conditions.

*Tatro reported 1,365 students attended Aggie Day at the college on April 5.