Officials at Black Hawk College met Monday, July 25.
"Black Hawk College is a non-resident institution but offers a full array of recreational and athletic programs on each campus. Teams compete in the Arrowhead Athletic Conference of community colleges. Black Hawk College operates within Illinois Community College District #503, an area encompassing 2,200 square miles in nine counties of northwestern Illinois (Bureau, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Marshall, Mercer, Rock Island, Stark and Whiteside). In addition to full-service campuses in Moline and near Kewanee, the college owns the Outreach Center in East Moline, the Adult Learning Center in Rock Island, and the Community Education Center in Kewanee and leases space at the Illinois workNet Center in Moline. Black Hawk College serves more people than any other institution of higher education in the Quad-Cities area."
Here are the meeting minutes as provided by Black Hawk College:
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Emerick called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. in the Black Hawk Room of the Quad- Cities Campus, Moline, Illinois.
II. ROLL CALL
Present: Trustees Dorothy W. Beck, Tim A. Black, David L. Emerick, Jr., Richard P. Fiems, Fritz W. Larsen, Douglas L. Strand, and Carlos A. Martinez. Absent: Trustees Tim A. Black, Fritz W. Larsen, and Joseph B. Swan.
III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance.
IV. FACILITIES MASTER PLAN REVIEW
Vice President Frommelt provided an overview of the following:
• Operating Budget Revenue - $34.1M (tuition/fees, property tax, state and other)
Trustee Larsen arrived at 5:06 p.m.
• Operating Budget Expense - $34.1M (instruction, institutional support, facilities, academic support, student services, scholarships/grants/waivers, public services, and contingency.)
• Capital Expenditures Funding – Protection, Health and Safety (PHS) is at a tax levy of 5 cents per $100 of EAV (maximum allowance), operations and maintenance restricted funds, resource allocation management plan (RAMP), and Bond Funds. ICCB has encouraged the College to continue submitting the RAMP document which currently includes a new workforce development center. If the project would be funded, the College would have the opportunity to update the project request.
• General Obligation Bonds – governmental issue, capital expenditure purposes, and payments made from taxes received (tax levy established annually).
• BHC Debt Capacity – from FY2008 to FY2017. For FY2017, $27M outstanding debt and $105M available bonding capacity.
• Bond Issuance Process – in August the Board authorizes initiation, in September the Board approves the debt certificate issuance, in October the Board approves the resolution of intent, in November the Board holds a public hearing, and in December the Board adopts a bond resolution.
• Debt Repayment and Retirement – revenue received from annual property tax levy, payments are made December and June 1, repayment increases bonding capacity, and retirement when all principal and interest remitted.
• Impact on College Tax Rates – the 2016 tax levy rate is authorized by ICCB and fluctuates. BHC can levy for bonds and interest at $0.1700, including all levy purposes the total amount is $0.5586.
• Homeowner Expense Comparison – For FY2016, if the College levied at $0.5586 the cost per $100,000 home value would be $186.20, a change of $3.47. • ICCB Peer Group Data – the tax levy average for the seven colleges within BHC’s peer group is $0.5117
• Previous Bond Issuances - listing of the bond projects completed in 2004 ($5.3M), 2008 ($4.5M), 2010 ($20M), 2013 ($20M), and 2015 ($9.4M).
• Future Bond Issuances – levy for bond principal and interest is calculated based on actual payments, additional capacity exists in 2017 (2015A Bonds will be retired), and plan would be not to increase the existing levy associated with bonds.
• Existing General Obligation Bond Scenarios and Forecasted Tax Rates – 3 year debt schedule at $12M with a levy at 0.170/yr., 5 year at $21.4M with a levy at 1.170/yr., or 8 year at $35.5M with a levy at 0.170/yr.
Trustee Black arrived at 5:17 p.m.
Dominick Demonica of Demonica Kemper Architects presented Black Hawk College with the LEED Gold Certification for the Health Sciences Center. Some of the building features include 20% more energy efficient than a “baseline” building, highly efficient building enclosure, 55,000 gallons of water saved each year, high air quality and low VOC materials, 90% of occupied spaces have natural light and views to the outdoors, 50% of products were regionally manufactured, promotes opportunities for alternative transportation, and includes clean water run off to help purify the regional watershed.
Dominick Demonica and Greg Spitzer, DKA architects, reviewed the proposed Facilities Master Plan (FMP). The presentation included the following:
• Project Timeline: Focus group meetings were held January 14 and 15, 2016. The Steering Committee met February 2, May 2, June 20, and July 18, 2016.
• Planning Objectives: image, campus environment, campus life space, connectivity and organization, traffic management, safety and security, community engagement, flexibility, feasibility, and sustainability.
• Space Utilization Analysis: the classroom study by Paulien & Associates was used as the benchmark to analyze QC and EC classroom utilization.
o Weekly Room Hours – the number of hours per week that a teaching/learning space is
utilized. Assumed parameters of 11 hours per day x 5 days a week = 55 hours of space available per week. Classroom changes: 6 changes x 15 minutes = 1.5 hours/day or 7.5 hours/week. Available hours per week for credit, non-credit, and events is 47.5 hours per week. Of the 36 states, the average weekly classroom utilization rate is 35 weekly room hours. o Student Station Occupancy – the number of seats occupied within a teaching/learning space as a percentage of available seats, when the space is being utilized. Of the 36 states, the average classroom utilization guidelines for community colleges is 65%. o Analysis results for each building and classroom were provided. o The recommended square footage for classrooms is 800 sq. ft. or 20 sq. feet per student. o Overall results of the study show the College does not have an overabundance of classroom space and there is enough room to accommodate growth. The size of some classrooms could be larger but the demand for more classrooms is not justified. o Additional locations such as the ALC, Outreach, and CEC were difficult to determine because space utilization in those classrooms can vary – schedules are not the same for credit and non-credit classes. DKA had conversations with Glenda Nicke, the Dean of Adult and Continuing Education and classrooms are rarely empty. o East Campus has lower classroom utilization and there is plenty of room for growth - no additional space is needed. Similar to Outreach and the ALC, there was not an official analysis of the CEC and Welding and Skilled Trades Center due to non-credit classes and varying class schedules.
• Long Term Master Plan - QC: Greg Spitzer provided an overview of the long term master plan. Some of the plan includes a new Childcare Center, HCCTP/Facilities Storage building, expanded loading docks, QC Building 1 addition, renovations to QC Buildings 1, 2 and 3, and new cross- campus pedestrian connections. The total Long Term Master Plan cost for the QC Campus (includes all requests) was $65,305,000.
• Projects prioritized by the Steering Committee – QC: Building 1 renovation to include ILC renovation, replace ILC/Library Mechanical Unit (PHS), enrollment and financial aid renovation, classroom addition to levels 3 & 4, partial renovation at levels 3 & 4, and replace Building 1 mechanical unit (PHS). Building 2 includes a Forensics Lab renovation. Building 3 renovation includes partial classrooms and office renovations, partial/upgrades to Athletics, pool and locker room renovations and expansion, and replace building 3 mechanical unit (PHS). Outreach Center upgrades to HVAC, lighting, restrooms, IT room, security/access control, and fire alarm. Floor plan details for each building were provided. Prioritized costs are $37,545,000 less $5,350,000 potential PHS projects.
• Long Term Master Plan - EC: Greg Spitzer provided an overview of the long term master plan for EC. Some of the plan includes new student housing, a new facilities building, a new ag/auto mechanics building, renovations to Building C, new student center, and new stables. The total Long Term Master Plan cost for the EC Campus (includes all requests) was $49,615,000.
• Projects prioritized by the Steering Committee – EC: infrastructure upgrades to the stables (Building 5), demolish temporary Buildings 3 & 4, install a new well, and renovate temporary Buildings 1 & 2. Floor plan details for each building were provided. Prioritized costs are $3,500,000.
• Total project costs for both campuses, as recommended by the Steering Committee, are $41,045,000 less $5,530,000 in potential PHS funding.
Trustees Fiems and Black were members of the FMP Steering Committee. Both Trustees noted the FMP process was inclusive, deliberative, and well organized.
Trustee Larsen questioned whether it was wise to invest in the current Outreach Center building or if building new near the QC Campus would be a better option. The clientele that attend the Outreach Center like the current space and location. Dean Nicke does not believe additional space is needed and the visibility on Avenue of the Cities is a great benefit. Dominick Demonica noted most of the renovation costs to the Outreach Center are for HVAC and lighting improvements. He estimated the lifetime on the improvements would be at least 20 years. President Truitt noted very little furniture would need to be purchased for any of the renovations/upgrades because new furniture was purchased for classrooms and faculty offices in 2007.
Trustee Black was concerned with demolishing Buildings 3 and 4 at East Campus because there is no future plan for the space. President Truitt noted they are temporary buildings and not fully occupied, per the space utilization study. There is a utilities cost savings by removing them.
Chair Emerick thanked Trustees Fiems and Black for serving on the steering committee. He also thanked the architects and additional steering committee members for their time and effort.
Vice President Frommelt noted in addition to bonding for the Facilities Master Plan projects, the bonds need to include money for IT Refresh and concrete repairs. The estimated cost for the IT Refresh is between $600,000 and $800,000. The majority of the cost for IT Refresh is for classrooms. The estimated cost for the concrete work is between $200,000 and $250,000.
Vice President Frommelt is comfortable with a five or six year bonding cycle. A 12 year bonding cycle would cover the entire steering committee’s FMP recommendation ($35M).
There will be a board report for the August Board of Trustees meeting authorizing the initiation of bonds.
V. ADJOURN
Trustee Fiems moved to adjourn the special open session at 7:59 p.m., seconded by Trustee Strand. AYES: Trustees Beck, Black, Fiems, Larsen, Strand, and Emerick. ADVISORY VOTE: Trustee Martinez, AYE NAYS: None ABSENT: Trustee Joe Swan Motion passed.
_____________________________ _____________________________ David L. Emerick, Jr., Chair Dorothy W. Beck, Secretary Board of Trustees Board of Trustees
Alerts Sign-up