The Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting on Monday, October 23, 2023. Board members included Bill Hawley (Odin), Linda Stover (Centralia), Louis Kalert (Centralia), Jim Beasley (Centralia), Craig Finke (Nashville), Laura Wedekemper (Shattuc), Bryan Holthaus (Carlyle) and Madison Johnson (Student Trustee).
The board signed a resolution in recognition and support for the upcoming National Apprenticeship week that begins November 13. Three KC students’ apprentices and two representatives from KC’s newest manufacturing partnership, Intermountain Electronics, were in attendance for the signing. The welding apprentices in attendance were Thomas Jones (Salem) who apprentices at Americana and Caden Harris (Salem) and Logan Smith (Centralia) who are fitter-fabricator apprentices with Velocity Metalworks.
“We’re proud to continue growing our apprenticeship program as well as growing our strong regional partnerships to combat the skills gap in the manufacturing and vocational trades,” said KC Dean of Workforce Engagement and Industrial Career Service Joy Fitts. “We have a strong career pathway that is providing local employers the opportunity to gain skilled workers to succeed in local, in high-demand careers.”
The board approved a resolution of intent to adopt an aggregate tax levy of 105% over the amount levied in 2022. A truth-in-taxation hearing regarding the levy request will be held before the November board meeting. The levy increase is a result of the expected increase in the district’s equalized assessed value (EAV); it is not due to an increase in the tax rate.
The board also approved levying the equity tax. The purpose of the equity tax is to crease the college’s taxing authority for operating funds (education and operations/maintenance) so districts with lower EAVs can attempt to be funded at a level comparable to wealthier districts, wealthy in the terms of local property tax revenue. The Illinois Community College system was only funded at 81% of the calculated equalization for fiscal year 2024. The fiscal impact of the equity tax for a taxpayer for a home valued at $100,000 amounts to $11.09, which is unchanged from last year.
The schedule for the 2024 board of trustees monthly meeting was set and will be available at www.kaskaskia.edu.
In personnel items, the board approved to promote Staci Palm from Director of Academic Advising to Dean of Enrollment Services, Sarah Ratermann from Financial Aid Advisor to Director of Financial Aid, and Whitley Wyciskalla from Enrollment Specialist to Academic Advisor. Additionally, Linza Brachear was hired to fill a second Academic Advisor position. Other new hires include Kendra Mueller as an Assistant Professor of Health Information Technology, Rachel Johnson as an Administrative Assistant for the Centralia Correctional Center KC Programs, and Kimberly Basch as the Nursing and Allied Health Success Coach.
Front row: KC BOT Chairman Bill Hawley and KC BOT Secretary Laura Wedekemper; back row: KC Welding Program Coordinator Cory Wellen, KC Apprentice Logan Smith, KC Apprentice Caden Harris, KC Apprentice Thomas Jones, KC Dean of Workforce Engagement Joy Fitts, and representatives from Intermountain Electronics.
