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Regents set proposed tax rate, approve budget

Regents set proposed tax rate, approve budget

Published or Revised August 30, 2012

A budget and tax hearing held Monday evening by the Paris Junior College Board of Regents brought no comments from the public. The regents approved a proposed tax rate of .187, down from last year's .19, which should bring the college the same amount of revenue as in the previous year. A budget of more than $39 million for 2012-2013 was adopted. Coming out of the July budget workshop, PJC will institute three new certificate programs: enhanced nurse aide and electrician in fiscal year 2013, and plumbing/pipefitting in fiscal year 2014. The quality of teaching at PJC is good, according to ratings from student evaluations of instruction. Vice President of Academics Dwight Chaney and Vice President of Workforce Education John Spradling told the Regents that the survey gives a good reflection of the interactions of faculty with students. In other business, the Regents:
  • Heard from Vice President of Business Services John Eastman that PJC will end the fiscal year with a positive balance, capping a financially solid year.
  • Set the property deposit at zero, continuing to rely on PJC procedures that are working well to collect money in case of destruction of property.
  • Approved the bid from Pierson & Fendley and Norment & Landers insurance companies for PJC's general property insurance. The rate is guaranteed for three years.
  • Accepted the certified tax rolls of $1.5 billion in value.
  • Transferred $2.5 million to Renewals and Replacements to renovate the Grimes Natural Sciences Center (south side of Administration Building), beginning in January, and acquiring new air handlers for the Music Building and the Student Center, a new phone system, and landscaping for the new Math and Science Building.
  • Approved a 10-year tax abatement for $150 million in new equipment for Kimberly-Clark.
  • Discontinued offering federal student loans due to the large default rate. PJC has no control over whether students pay back the federal government, yet could be penalized for it by losing Pell grant funding at a point in the future.
  • Considered the MHMR lease of the metal building on the southeast corner of the campus. The lease will not be extended past Aug. 31, 2013.
  • Accepted combined bids from BKM and Lone Star Furnishings for new furniture in the Math and Sciences Building.
  • Approved the promotion/reassignment of Joe Jackson as Technical Services Librarian and Rita Pringle as Director of Continuing Education; employment of South Campus Residence Hall Supervisor Stacy Dangerfield, Women's Softball Coach Nicole Dickson, Student Recruiter/Academic Advisor Norma Edelhauser, Electro-Mechanical Technology Instructor Donald Harootunian, English Instructor Chris Nichols and Off-Campus Librarian Jay Strickland; and the resignation of Upward Bound Director Greg Kee.