The Wilkes Community College Board of Trustees met on Wednesday, March 6 at the Walker Center. The business session began with approval of the minutes from the January 2019 Board of Trustees meeting.
Recognition of Outgoing WCC Foundation Board Member Jay Vannoy and Oath of Office to WCC Board of Trustees
Allison Phillips, WCC Foundation executive director and Arnold Lakey, WCC Foundation board chair recognized outgoing board member Jay Vannoy with a plaque to commemorate his 16 years of service to Wilkes Community College Foundation.
Allison Phillips, executive director, WCC Foundation; Jay Vannoy, and Arnold Lakey, WCC Foundation board chair.
Vannoy has been newly appointed to the WCC Board of Trustees and will begin his service immediately. Dr. Cox and board members welcomed Mr. Vannoy to his new role.
Dr. Jeff Cox, WCC president, Beth Vannoy, Jay Vannoy, Cynthia Alford, board liaison, and Terry Bumgarner, WCC board president.
Cynthia Alford, WCC board liaison administers the oath of office.
Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contract
The trustees discussed the proposed guaranteed energy savings performance contract. With this type of project, the college contracts with an energy services company to install various energy control measures (HVAC upgrades, lighting upgrades, etc.). The energy services company guarantees that the energy savings derived from the project will exceed the cost of the project over the term of the contract. The college has been working with Ameresco Inc. and the State Energy Office for approximately three years to evaluate current energy usage and to identify opportunities for savings.
Because the project includes up-front financing, it requires approval of the Local Government Commission. After evaluating the project and the costs associated with equipment upgrades and required annual monitoring, the staff of the Local Government Commission declined to submit the project for approval. The consensus was that the monitoring and other “soft” costs were significantly too high in relation to the amount of physical equipment upgrades being proposed.
College staff will review the project components to determine which energy savings upgrades can be undertaken with current available funding.
College President’s Report
WCC Policy Revision
Wilkes Community College recently underwent a comprehensive review and refurbishment of its policies through the aid of Campbell & Shatley, a law firm in Asheville, NC who serves as legal counsel for several North Carolina community colleges. Trustees and college administrators held the first reading of the revised policies. The new policy manual is expected to be ready for full board approval at the next trustee meeting on April 11, 2019.