Regents propose lower tax rate, adopt budget

Published or Revised August 30, 2013

After receiving no comments from the public at the Paris Junior College budget hearing Monday evening, the Board of Regents proposed a tax rate of .1866. Set to bring in the same amount of revenue as last year, the proposed rate is lower than the rates of the last two years of .187 and .19. It will be formally adopted at the regents' September meeting. The regents adopted a budget of $39,105,070, and approved a 10-year tax abatement for Potters Industries to bring 10 new jobs to the area. In other business, the Regents:

• Opted out of setting a property deposit, as PJC policies to collect in the event of destruction of property work well.
• Accepted the Certified Tax Rolls of $1,547,217,004, up a little more than $2 million from last year.
• Approved an interlocal agreement for PJC to participate in the Texas Community College Cooperative Purchasing Network, operated by the Texas Association of Community Colleges.
• Adopted a Memorandum of Understanding between PJC and the nonprofit Red River Valley Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. This extends the current agreement another three years.
• Received the results from the fall 2012 student evaluation of instruction. Regents were pleased to hear a large majority of students gave high marks to PJC instructors.
• Approved the transfer of up to $2 million from the PJC operating fund to the renewals and replacement fund.
• Approved the employment of Jonathan Belew, Instructor of Physics, Shannon Brown, Accounting Instructor and Entrepreneurship Certificate Coordinator; and Matt Siddens, Instructor of Welding; and the retirement of Counselor/Advisor Donna Glass. Extended the contract for PJC President, Dr. Pamela Anglin, for an additional year to maintain a three-year contract.