September 9, 2013 Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes


The Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Board of Trustees convened a meeting on Monday, September 9, 2013, at 3:30 p.m. in Magnolia Dining Room. Joe Brumit, Chair, presided.

The following members of the Board were present: Tom Alexander, Troy Ball, Chair Joe Brumit, Mary Ruth Fowler, Bill Hart, Richard Hurley, Don Locke, Kaye Myers, John Parham, Carol Peterson, Vice Chair Ray Spells, Mandy Stone, David Wyatt, and Jayne English.

Others present for the meeting included: Hank Dunn, President, Brian Willis, Vice President for Information Technology/CIO, Lisa Evans, Interim Vice President Business & Finance, Dennis King, Special Assistant to the President for Accreditation, Kaye Waugh, Vice President Human Resources and Organizational Development, Shelley White, Senior Executive Director for Economic and Workforce Development/Continuing Education, Melissa Quinley, Vice President for Instructional Services, Terry Brasier, Vice President for Student Services, Joe Bace, Executive Director Facilities and Operations, Kerri Glover, Director, Communications Relations and Marketing, Wilma Sherrill, and Martha Shanks, Secretary to the Board.

 

Call To Order

Mr. Brumit read the ethics statement, and no conflicts of interest were reported. Ms. Shanks called roll. A quorum was present.

 

Introductions

Hot Food Team: Ms. Sheila Tillman, Associate Dean, Hospitality Education, gave an overview of the Student Hot Food Team’s accomplishments at recent local, state, and national culinary competitions and introduced Chef Eric Backer. Chef Backer introduced the winning team, comprised of Josh Page, Cassie Stockton, Kristin Allen, Ashley Sweeney, and Rita Sigmon (Rita was not present at the Board meeting).

Interim Vice President Business and Finance: Ms. Lisa Evans was introduced by Dr. Dunn as the interim VP of Business and Finance, due to the departure of former VP/CFO Scott McKinney.

Faculty Association: Ms. Marlene Roden was introduced as the new President of the Faculty Association for 2013-2014. She will be sitting in on the Executive Leadership team's weekly meetings.

Ms. Kerri Glover was introduced as the new Director of Community Relations and Marketing.

 

Consent Agenda

Mr. Hurley moved to approve the Consent Agenda as presented: A. Minutes of June 21, 2013, Special Called Board Meeting, B. Minutes of July 8, 2013, Monthly Board Meeting, C. Minutes of August 5, 2013, Monthly Board Meeting, D. Personnel Actions. Mr. Alexander stated that the minutes from the July 8 meeting need to be corrected as follows: Under the “Discussion of A-B Tech Building Program”, the first bullet point should read “Build a new five-story Health and Workforce Building…” versus “a new four-story…building…”.

The motion was seconded by Mr. Wyatt and approved unanimously by the Board.

 

Trustee Business

2.A. Ms. Fowler, as head of the Board nominating committee, nominated Carolyn Rice, Executive Assistant to the President, as the new Board Secretary. Dr. Locke moved to table the motion until a discussion regarding the nomination can take place in a closed session. Ms. Peterson seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

2. B. Mr. Alexander updated the Board on meetings of A-B Tech staff, County staff, and Max Queen regarding the parking deck and new health building to be built by the County on A-B Tech’s Victoria Road campus. Keith Hargrove is the architect for the parking deck, with a limited role due to the fact that the deck will utilize the same design as the County’s parking deck in downtown Asheville. Plans for the new health building will be submitted to the City in time to start the project in early 2014.

Also coming out of the combined meetings is a recommendation to not spend $6 million on repairs to the Technology Commercialization Building at A-B Tech Enka. Ms. Peterson requested that this issue be brought to the October 7 Board meeting, Trustees agreed. Dr. Locke stated he would like a tour of the building, which will be arranged by Mr. Bace. Mr. Wyatt expressed concern regarding the additional time and cost of changes to the building plans as previously approved by the Board before authority was transferred to the County by the state legislature in 2013.

Mr. Alexander discussed the contract with Max Queen, drafted by the County and A-B Tech attorneys. The County will pay all expenses of the contract, and A-B Tech will have no financial obligation. The contract will extend through March 2014, with contractual reporting requirements to both the County and A-B Tech. Dr. Locke moved to approve the signing of the contract by Chair Brumit. Ms. Peterson seconded the motion, approved unanimously by the Board.

Mr. Alexander provided talking points for Mr. Brumit to use in a taped interview for Asheville Radio Group’s public affairs show on WRES 100.7FM.

2. C. Dr. Locke summarized highlights from the September 4-6, 2013 NCACCT Leadership Conference. Ms. Myers reminded Trustees of the importance of always keeping students the core focus of Board activities and decisions.

 

President's Report

The SACSCOC reaccreditation on-site team will be on campus from September 17 – 19. Dr. King summarized preparation activities, which included six training sessions for employees. He shared two documents with the Board, one regarding the College’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Student Online Success. The second summarized useful information to prepare for the SACSCOC team’s visit.

Fall enrollment headcount is down slightly, just under one percent. A major push is being made to increase enrollment for the second eight-week fall session.

The state system office is holding three regional dinners in celebration of the system’s 50th anniversary. The western region dinner will be held on October 9 in Conover, NC. Mr. Brumit, Dr. Locke, and Mr. Spells will attend the dinner, along with A-B Tech staff, faculty, and a student.

The College was offered a free live online radio show due to its continuing advertisement package on WRES 100.7 FM. Each show will be re-broadcast three times for increased exposure at no cost.

The project to pave parking lots and install sidewalks is moving forward.

 

Closed Session

Mr. Alexander moved to enter into a closed session at 4:33 p.m. pursuant to G.S. 143-318.11(a) (3) in order to discuss matters protected by the attorney-client privilege, to review the Closed Session minutes from the

March 21 and April 3, 2013, Special Called meetings, and pursuant to subsection (a)(1) in order to discuss confidential personnel issues in accordance with G.S. 115D-27-29. Ms. Peterson seconded the motion. Trustees recommended that Ms. Sherrill be sworn in as a new Trustee, replacing Tom Alexander, before sitting in on the closed session.

Dr. Locke moved to the table the closed session motion in order to swear in Ms. Sherrill. Ms. Myers seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously by the Board.

Buncombe County Judge Alan Thornburg and Chair Brumit swore in Ms. Wilma Sherrill as a new Trustee of the Board.

Mr. Campbell stated that the motion to go into closed session needed to be amended as follows: “pursuant to (a)(5) to discuss the purchase of a real property”. Dr. Locke and Ms. Myers agreed to the addition to the motion to go into a closed session. Trustees unanimously approved the motion as amended and went into closed session at 4:47 PM. Ms. Shanks, Dr. Dunn, and Mr. Alexander were in the closed session for portions of the session.

On a motion properly made, the Board returned to open session at 6:51 p.m.

Ms. Fowler, as head of the Board nominating committee, moved to bring the prior motion out of tabled status to nominate Carolyn Rice, Executive Assistant to the President, as new Board Secretary. Mr. Spells seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.

The Board then voted on the motion to appoint Ms. Rice.

In favor of the motion: Mr. Brumit, Dr. Parham, Ms. Sherrill, Mr. Wyatt, Ms. Fowler, Mr. Hurley, Mr. Spells

Opposed to the motion: Ms. Ball, Mr. Hart, Dr. Locke, Ms. Myers, Ms. Peterson, Ms. Stone

The motion carried seven to six. There will be no title change or change in position between Ms. Shanks and Ms. Rice as a result of this motion.

 

Adjourn

On a motion by Ms. Peterson, seconded by Ms. Stone, the meeting was adjourned at 6:56 p.m. by unanimous consent.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Martha L. Shanks
Board Secretary