Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Mesalands Community College delayed approving its 2023-2024 fiscal year budget and latest budget-adjustment requests on request of its interim president.
Allen Moss was granted a special board of trustees meeting for 5:30 p.m. May 31 to approve those items.
He said there “still is a little work to be done” with Mesalands chief financial officer Blanca Pauliukevicius on next year’s budget and budget adjustments before they are approved.
Moss stated in his written report about the budget: “We will have the best we can manage at his point with he numbers that are available. Positions and employees may change even before we hit July 1. And we may see opportunities for savings and extra expenses.”
The college’s forthcoming budget will be under more scrutiny in light of its precarious financial position in recent months.
The board approved Pauliukevicius’ quarterly financial actions report and an April financial report that will be submitted to the state. Mesalands is under fiscal oversight due to its financial woes.
Pauliukevicius stated in her quarterly financial actions report the college has been able to make payroll payments as scheduled.
Mesalands had failed to make timely vendor payments since December due to “current cash flow deficiency” but in May managed to catch up to all outstanding balances and is up to date, she wrote.
Pauliukevicius reported that representatives from the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor had conducted an on-site visit to prepare audits for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, plus a special audit that includes the college’s foundation.
She said because of the lack of some financial data, some numbers are estimated, making it “a challenge” to write reports. Pauliukevicius said the college is saddled with two years of backdated or inaccurate reports.
The board also approved additional grant monies of $25,738 and $54,200 from Carl D. Perkins Basic Grants for the wind-energy program.
Other items
Mark Martinez, chief of campus operations, reported the gearbox for the college’s wind turbine had exceeded its lifespan, and he was looking for funding sources to replace that section.
“We’ve been fortunate it’s lasted this long,” he said, noting regular maintenance by wind-energy students kept it viable longer.
Primrose asked whether the turbine could have its blades replaced and its power output increased, much like what energy companies are doing with its turbines on the caprock.
Martinez responded that repowering the turbine would cost $1 million to $2 million. He indicated obtaining such funds would be a long-term goal.
— Josh McVey, enrollment management officer, offered a preview of an enrollment report he said he would give at June’s meeting.
He said enrollment at Mesalands this year rose 21%, and the number of students increased 11% the year before that. He said total student numbers rose past pre-pandemic levels, to more than 1,600.
McVey attributed some of the increases to dual enrollment and corrections students through the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship program, though one of the goals is for Mesalands to increase on-campus student numbers.
— Moss said he recently spoke at meetings of Tucumcari City Commission and Quay County Commission, and he would make that a regular occurrence.
“I think it’s important to build relationships,” he said.
— Board Chairman Richard Primrose was chosen unanimously to be a member of the Mesalands Community College Foundation along with current member Tom Sidwell.
Primrose replaces Jim Streetman, who resigned from the board and the foundation in March.
Sidwell, who said he favored continuing to have two members from the board of trustees on the foundation, nominated Primrose. Fellow board member Jimmy Sandoval seconded it.
— Rodeo coach Matt Hughes gave a report on his team’s season, including four athletes who qualified for the National College Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming, in June.
Hughes said the Stampede finished third in its region and was hampered by injuries, with four surgeries in two weeks to members of his points team.
He said nine of 11 athletes he recruited two years ago are graduating, and many are going on to four-year schools. He said his team members received compliments from sponsors on their conduct on and off the rodeo arena.
Hughes said he is recruiting more Australian athletes to Mesalands, plus North Dakota’s two-time high school bull-riding champion.
— Martinez reported several firms have responded to a request for proposals for legal services. He said the board likely would make a decision at its meeting in June. The college’s current legal counsel, Warren Frost of Logan, wishes to retire.
— Martinez said he is obtaining quotes to advance the college’s nursing program, including electrical work and audio-visual equipment.
— Duane Brooks, chief of staff, reported New Mexico Independent Community Colleges is using Lightcast to perform economic impact studies on all member colleges, including Mesalands. He said those results should be known by September. According to report by Moss, the cost of the study will be covered by the state.
— Brooks said the Jenzabar system typically takes 20 to 24 months to complete training and reimplementation.
— Martinez said David Arias, maintenance and custodial supervisor, was retiring from the college after 25 years.
— The board approved a date change of one of its regular meetings from Aug. 15 to Aug. 22 after Primrose requested it.
— The board met for about an hour in closed executive session to discuss personnel and litigation. No action was taken when open session resumed.