Mesalands signs pact with Impact Wind

The Mesalands Community College board of trustees last week approved contracts with two businesses that are opening offices on campus, including a fast-growing wind-energy firm that will train technicians.

The training program agreement between Mesalands and Houston-based Impact Wind LLC is subject to final approval by the college’s attorney, though Mark Martinez, executive director of operations and procurement, anticipated it would involve only minor wording changes.

Lawrence Uresti III, Impact Wind’s executive vice president, told the board the company started in 2019 with six employees. It now has 72 employees, with a goal of 200. It provides technical support to wind turbines across the United States.

Uresti said Impact would have 24 people enrolled in two-week training for Global Wind Organization certifications at the college’s wind energy center by early March. He said he wants to expand other classes so enrollees can receive certifications and have jobs waiting for them when they graduate.

Uresti also said Mesalands and Impact Wind will be one of only two places in the U.S. that will provide additional training for wind-technician trainers.

Jon Bishop, vice president of the company, said one key reason it was drawn to Mesalands was because it has a working wind turbine.

Impact also received favorable reports about Mesalands from Rene Teerlink, a former FieldCore instructor who now is resources manager at the company.

Uresti said eight to 10 Impact Wind employees live in Tucumcari.

Mesalands interim president Allen Moss said Impact also is providing housing for students at local motels.

“The potential for this is huge,” Moss said. “Nothing but positive I see of.”

Board Chairman Richard Primrose said the Impact Wind arrangement is “a win-win for the college.”

“And the community,” board member Teresa Stephenson added.

Impact Wind will hold a ceremonial ribbon-cutting in a bay of the wind-energy center at 11 a.m. March 20, with a country-music concert by Joe Peters later that day at the Tucumcari Convention Center. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the college’s scholarship program.

Joel Kiser, vice president of academic affairs, said the partnership also will provide an opportunity to improve the college’s facilities, including training simulators.

“It puts our wind program and Impact Wind in a really wonderful relationship,” he said.

Andy Swapp, a faculty member of the wind program, said: “I am in awe. This is an incredible opportunity.”

Martinez said the Impact contract would be a one-year deal, with three consecutive renewal options. He said the contract might contain a clause to waive the lease of $2,600 a month if enrollment reaches a certain level.

The other lease the board approved was with the Stantec engineering firm, which is moving from Camino del Coronado in Tucumcari to a vacant office in the former armory building on campus.

Moss said Stantec’s current office lacks high-speed internet and having it installed there would be costly.

He said the lease was “an opportunity to save a business in Tucumcari.”

The college’s lease with Stantec for $500 a month would run through the rest of the current fiscal year to June 30, plus three consecutive lease renewal options.

In other business:

— During the board’s approval of the January financial report and quarterly financial report, Moss reported the college is estimated to end the fiscal year $60,000 in the red.

However, he said Mesalands’ finances “will be much better than that.”

Moss vowed the college will be in the black financially “one way or the other” because officials were closely watching expenses.

Moss also said the college also has about $1 million in cash on hand, which was stable.

During his president’s report, Moss said Mesalands has drawn down about $490,000 in state funds so far this fiscal year. He said some of the remainder of that money will pay for remaining audits and additional staff in the business office, leaving about $1 million. Moss was hopeful leftover funds could be used in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

He said the New Mexico Legislature allocated no extra funds for the college in its recently completed session, which was expected because needed audits hadn’t been completed.

— Moss said an exit meeting had been scheduled that night with Denna M. Trujillo of the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor regarding the 2022 audit, but she had to cancel.

He said the board of trustees may schedule a special meeting with Trujillo or during its next regular meeting on March 12.

— Stephenson casually mentioned that Moss marked his one-year anniversary as interim president on Feb. 14.

Moss became president after his predecessor, Gregory Busch, left town and later resigned after the executive staff, faculty senate and staff senate issued no-confidence votes against him amid reports of Mesalands’ deteriorating financial condition.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Primrose said to Moss.

In his written note about his anniversary, Moss stated: “We have come a long way, and I am so thankful for this great team that we currently have. People that have stuck with the college through much adversity and given above and beyond to get things back in order. We still have a long way to go, but I am optimistic for our future.”

— Board members briefly discussed the full, 90-page Economic Impact Study Report on the college by the Lightcast market analysis firm.

The board received the summary report during an earlier meeting. It stated Mesalands added almost $14 million to the region’s economy and supported nearly 250 jobs during the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

Primrose said the full report was “extremely detailed.”

“I think it will be a useful tool to show how important the college is to our region,” he said.

Moss said the full report was forwarded to the state’s Higher Education Department and legislators.

— Kiser said the college’s 32 courses offered at 10 state prisons were nearly all full — “unheard of for us.”

Because of the strong demand, Kiser said Mesalands would “build out” a few courses and was sending textbooks to those enrolled inmates.

— Dean Garcia, director of adult education, reported those programs at Mesalands served a total of 218 students.

The college received $179,000 in funding for those programs, which include courses for high-school equivalency and English as a second language.

Garcia said the growth of adult education has resulted in more students on campus. He said it’s likely the college will receive more funding for those programs.

— Martinez said improvements were being made to the college’s 24-hour fitness center because of substantial increase in memberships.

— Moss mentioned that Larry Wickham, director of information technology, suggested moving board meetings back to Building G, where they were years ago.

Moss said Wickham told him Building G had better technology and better sound than the current board meeting room in Building A. After the move, the room could be converted to instructional space.

Board members voiced no objection to the idea. Moss said he would introduce a resolution for the move at its March meeting, and the board would move back into Building G by its April meeting.

— During the chairman’s report, Richard Primrose thanked chef Larry Moore and numerous volunteers for organizing a successful Mesalands Community College Foundation shrimp boil earlier this month at the Elks Club.

Primrose said he received many positive comments about the event, and many said they were looking forward to attending next year.

The Tucumcari chapter of Altrusa International organized a dessert action for the fundraiser. The Elks Club split the cost of the band with the foundation.

Moss agreed the shrimp boil was a success, adding: “I think it’s great the foundation is show they’re active.”

— Primrose suggested a “Trustee 101” webinar from the Association of Community College Trustees for Mesalands board members. He said the Higher Learning Commission has suggested more training for the board in the wake of the college’s financial troubles.