Rancher tapped for MCC board

Tom Sidwell, co-owner of the JX Ranch south of Tucumcari, was tapped last week to serve on the Mesalands Community College board of directors.

Board Chairman Jim Streetman announced the appointment after a 20-minute closed session during the board's regular meeting Aug. 18. Sidwell takes over for Craig Currell, who died last month after an extended illness. The board unanimously approved Sidwell's appointment.

"He should be a really good asset for our board," Streetman said after the vote.

Streetman, who noted Sidwell once gave a range management seminar at the college, said he looked at four candidates for the vacant board position.

He said he approached Sidwell first about the post, and Sidwell responded a few days later to affirm interest.

"We've been here 16 years, and I've watched the community college from a distance and the achievements they have made," Sidwell said in a phone interview Wednesday. "It's an impressive community college, and that's what attracted me to it. What they've done in the last few years, I think it'd be great to be a part of that."

"I don't think we could have made a better choice," Streetman said of Sidwell during a phone interview Wednesday. "He's replacing somebody who meant a lot to me."

Sidwell is past president of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association and serves as its finance chairman and on its board of directors' executive committee. He also is a supervisor of the Southwest Quay Soil and Water Conservation District and serves on several regional and state agricultural advisory committees.

Streetman said Sidwell likely would be sworn in to the board of trustees during a virtual special meeting this week.

Currell won re-election for a six-year term in November after running unopposed. Sidwell would have to win an election in November 2021 to fill the final four years of Currell's term.

Streetman also announced Wednesday the makeup of a presidential search committee to find a replacement for John Groesbeck, fired in April.

On the committee are Streetman; Sidwell; Natalie Gillard, Mesalands vice president of academic affairs and acting president; Jim Morgan, director of Mesalands' wind energy center and physical plant; Janet Griffith, a member of the college's pre-collegiate faculty; Diane Grap, grant-writing specialist and Mesalands Community College Foundation coordinator; David Arias, the college's maintenance and custodial supervisor; Phil Bidegain, a local rancher and foundation member; and Cooper Glover, senior vice president of Citizens Bank in Tucumcari.

Streetman said earlier this month he hopes to have a new president seated within three months but acknowledged it could take longer.

In other business during the meeting:

• The board authorized Morgan, director of the college's wind energy center, to spend nearly $300,000 in previously allocated state money on solar panels, converters and inverters.

Former president Groesbeck envisioned having the college train students on microgrid control circuitry for solar, wind and gravity-feed energy, which would be a unique course offering in the state.

Morgan said about $56,000 of the money has been spent on acquiring a wind turbine nacelle that became "a good training aid for the college."

Morgan said because of the state's budget problems, he feared the longer the college waited before making a purchase, the greater likelihood the state would take back its funds. Streetman agreed, saying "I think we need to move" on the purchase. Morgan said he likely would concentrate on a solar-oriented purchase because solar is cheaper than wind energy.

• Aaron Kennedy, vice president of student affairs, gave a report on the college's historical enrollment data. He said Mesalands' headcount, full-time equivalent count and total credit hours fell between 15% and 19% during the 2019-2020 school year, mostly in the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kennedy also presented the college's annual enrollment plan. Mesalands' goal is to increase enrollment by 6% each year. The college's retention rate of students has remained above the state average for community colleges.

• The board gave authority to director of institutional technology Larry Wickham to pursue a computer server upgrade of up to $40,000, possibly using money from the federal CARES Act. Wickham said the college's current server, installed in 2012, generally has a three- to five-year lifespan. He said recent disk failures indicate signs of imminent bigger failures. Streetman said because Mesalands is more dependent on the internet during the pandemic, "we're pushing our luck" with the current server. Streetman indicated he could reconvene the board to approve additional funds for an upgrade if Wickham requires it.

• The board tabled action on acquiring a virtual credit card for the college. Wickham had recommended it because of its security and other advantages. But Amanda Hammer, vice president of administrative affairs, said she didn't support it because of its $600 annual fee and the two to three additional steps required to use it. She said the college has a free debit card from FNB that employees can use.

• The board, at Hammer's urging, waived several student fees for the fall semester primarily because of the pandemic. Hammer urged the waiving of the student activity and outdoor activity fees because the state forbids public gatherings. She also recommended waiving the late-enrollment fee because of the college's limited hours during the pandemic.

• Gillard, during her academic affairs report, said faculty and staff are accommodating students and being flexible during the pandemic. She said 13 recently arrived out-of-state students are self-quarantining for the state-mandated 14 days at Stampede Village. Gillard said the New Mexico Department of Higher Education also approved the college's reopening plan.

• The board approved a purchase requisition of $21,600 with Brady Industries of New Mexico, based in Las Vegas, for custodial supplies. Hammer said the supplies should last the entire school year.

• The board approved changes to the administrative affairs handbook that mostly reflected date changes and title changes with employees.