Southern Illinois News

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Board of Trustees met July 15.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

1. Call to Order & Roll Call - Chairman Gary Carter called the meeting to order at 6:15 p.m. and directed Board Secretary Sonja Wease to call the roll.

Susan Batchelor: Present

Roger Browning: Present

Gary Carter: Present

Brenda Culver: Present

John McLaughlin: Absent

Jan Ridgely: Present

Mireya Rose (Student Trustee): Present

Barbara Shimer: Present

Present: 6, Absent: 1.

2. Welcome from the Chair - Chairman Carter welcomed all who were present for the meeting.

3. Recognition of Visitors and Guests

3.A. Visitors and Guests - Amy Tarr & Nixie Hnetkovsky

3.B. IECCEA Representative - None

4. Budget Hearing

Motion to recess the regular meeting for the purpose of conducting a budget hearing and that the Board reconvene its regular meeting immediately following the conclusion of the hearing. This motion, made by Brenda Culver and seconded by Susan Batchelor, Carried.

John McLaughlin: Absent, Susan Batchelor: Yea, Roger Browning: Yea, Gary Carter: Yea, Brenda Culver: Yea, Jan Ridgely: Yea, Mireya Rose (Student Trustee): Yea, Barbara Shimer: Yea

Yea: 6, Nay: 0, Absent: 1

Motion to convene a budget hearing on this 15th day of July 2025, pursuant to the published notice. The purpose of the budget hearing is to receive public comments on the FY2026 Budget of the District. This motion, made by Brenda Culver and seconded by Jan Ridgely, Carried. John McLaughlin: Absent, Susan Batchelor: Yea, Roger Browning: Yea, Gary Carter: Yea, Brenda Culver: Yea, Jan Ridgely: Yea, Mireya Rose (Student Trustee): Yea, Barbara Shimer: Yea

Yea: 6, Nay: 0, Absent: 1

Having received no public comment, Brenda Culver made a motion to adjourn the budget hearing. This motion, made by Brenda Culver and seconded by Susan Batchelor, Carried. John McLaughlin: Absent, Susan Batchelor: Yea, Roger Browning: Yea, Gary Carter: Yea, Brenda Culver: Yea, Jan Ridgely: Yea, Mireya Rose (Student Trustee): Yea, Barbara Shimer: Yea

Yea: 6, Nay: 0, Absent: 1

Pursuant to the earlier motion by Trustee Culver, the regular meeting was reconvened immediately following the adjournment of the budget hearing.

5. Public Comments - None

6. Reports

6.A. Trustees - None

6.B. Chancellor - Chancellor Gower noted that July 15th was the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Illinois Community College Act. He noted IECC's linkage to that historic day through the involvement of a young legislator, Mr. Terry Bruce, who later became a 23 year CEO for IECC.

6.C. Presidents & Divisions - Reports were presented by the Presidents & Vice Chancellors of each division.

6.D. Capital Projects Report - Mr. Nicholas Knapp provided the Board with an oral report on current and pending Capital Projects.

7. Approval of Consent Agenda

Motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. This motion, made by Susan Batchelor and seconded by Jan Ridgely, Carried.

John McLaughlin: Absent, Susan Batchelor: Yea, Roger Browning: Yea, Gary Carter: Yea, Brenda Culver: Yea, Jan Ridgely: Yea, Mireya Rose (Student Trustee): Yea, Barbara Shimer: Yea

Yea: 6, Nay: 0, Absent: 1

7.A. Disposition of Minutes - Open meeting minutes as prepared for the regular meeting held on June 17, 2025 were presented for approval.

7.B. Acceptance of 2025-2026 Academic Catalog - The Board accepted the 2025-2026 IECC academic catalog. It can be found on the IECC website at (https://iecc.edu/catalog).

7.C. Policy 400.12 Vacation Leave - Revisions to the Vacation Leave Policy 400.12 to reflect a change to the maximum accumulation of vacation leave for Non-Exempt and Classified employees from 25 to 30 days were presented for approval. This policy does not impact the number of vacation days earned by employees. Document Registry 25-07-01

7.D. Policy 400.36 Remote Work - Revisions to the Remote Work Policy 400.36 were presented for approval to ensure a consistent and equitable approach to off-site work arrangements across the District. Document Registry 25-07-02

7.E. Board Retreat - The Board authorized approval of a special meeting to be held on August 4, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. at the Terry L. Bruce West Richland Center. The meeting will serve as both a Board training day and a working retreat for the Board, with a primary focus on the future operations and strategic direction of the District. No formal action will be taken during this meeting.

8. Action on Items Removed from Consent Agenda - None

9. Policy First Reading (and Possible Approval) - None.

10. Policy Second Reading - None.

11. Staff Recommendations for Approval

11.A. RAMP FY27

Motion to approve the Resource Allocation and Management Plan (RAMP) for Fiscal Year 2027. This is a capital improvement request focused on restroom accessibility and ADA compliance. Document Registry 25-07-03 This motion, made by Barbara Shimer and seconded by Roger Browning, Carried.

John McLaughlin: Absent, Susan Batchelor: Yea, Roger Browning: Yea, Gary Carter: Yea, Brenda Culver: Yea, Jan Ridgely: Yea, Mireya Rose (Student Trustee): Yea, Barbara Shimer: Yea

Yea: 6, Nay: 0, Absent: 1

11.B. FY26 Budget

Motion to approve the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget for the District with projected revenues of $34,937,033 and expenses of $33,306,466 for the upcoming year. This motion, made by Roger Browning and seconded by Barbara Shimer, Carried.

John McLaughlin: Absent, Susan Batchelor: Yea, Roger Browning: Yea, Gary Carter: Yea, Brenda Culver: Yea, Jan Ridgely: Yea, Mireya Rose (Student Trustee): Yea, Barbara Shimer: Yea

Yea: 6, Nay: 0, Absent: 1

12. Bid Committee Report - None.

13. District Finance

13.A. Financial Report

13.B. Approval of Financial Obligations

Motion to approve payment of district obligations for June 2025 in the total amount of $779,356.90. This motion, made by Jan Ridgely and seconded by Brenda Culver, Carried. John McLaughlin: Absent, Susan Batchelor: Yea, Roger Browning: Yea, Gary Carter: Yea, Brenda Culver: Yea, Jan Ridgely: Yea, Mireya Rose (Student Trustee): Yea, Barbara Shimer: Yea

Yea: 6, Nay: 0, Absent: 1

14. Executive Session - None

15. Approval of Executive Session Minutes - None

16. Approval of Personnel Report

400.1 Employment of Personnel

1. Jack Knittle, Math Instructor, WVC, Academic Affairs effective August 13, 2025

400.2 Resignation Ratification(s)

1. Jayden Pinkston, Information Systems Technician, LTC, DO effective July 1, 2025

Motion to approve the personnel report as presented. This motion, made by Susan Batchelor and seconded by Barbara Shimer, Carried.

John McLaughlin: Absent, Susan Batchelor: Yea, Roger Browning: Yea, Gary Carter: Yea, Brenda Culver: Yea, Jan Ridgely: Yea, Mireya Rose (Student Trustee): Yea, Barbara Shimer: Yea

Yea: 6, Nay: 0, Absent: 1

17. Litigation - None

18. Other Items - None

19. Adjournment

Motion to adjourn at 7:26 p.m. This motion, made by Mireya Rose (Student Trustee) and seconded by Barbara Shimer, Carried.

John McLaughlin: Absent, Susan Batchelor: Yea, Roger Browning: Yea, Gary Carter: Yea, Brenda Culver: Yea, Jan Ridgely: Yea, Mireya Rose (Student Trustee): Yea, Barbara Shimer: Yea

Yea: 6, Nay: 0, Absent: 1

https://meetings.boardbook.org/Documents/CustomMinutesForMeeting/2652?meeting=698857