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Board approves $101 million budget for FY 2015

The College of Lake County Board of Trustees approved a $101 million operating budget for Fiscal Year 2015, which begins July 1. The budget represents a 2.5 percent increase over the Fiscal Year 2014 budget of $98.7 million.

The action was taken following a public hearing held as part of the board's regularly scheduled monthly meeting on June 24.

According to David Agazzi, vice president for administrative affairs, the budget is based on projections of flat revenues from state funding, a 2.1 percent increase in property taxes and a $9 per credit hour increase in tuition and fees. In addition to normal operations, the budget will support expenditures that include $5.8 million for debt service for facilities improvements under the Sustainable Campus Master Plan, $1.8 million for initiatives to support college completion and transfer and $505,000 for contingencies.

Board Chairman Amanda D. Howland praised Vice President David Agazzi and college staff for their efforts in putting together a balanced budget that calls for minimum, targeted increases in expenditures.

"We made some difficult decisions in preparing the budget this year, calling for a tuition and fee increase, reallocation of resources and position reductions," said Howland after the meeting. "These measures are allowing us to invest in greater student success through coaching, tutoring and other support."

Other financial matters

The board authorized two transfers of funds to be applied toward the cost of constructing the Sustainable Campus Master Plan, one approving the transfer of up to $12 million from the operating funds to the operations and maintenance fund (restricted), and another, approving the transfer of up to $4 million from the auxiliary fund to the operations and maintenance fund (restricted).

In another action aimed at taking advantage of expected lower interest rates, the board approved the sale of up to $3.1 million in General Obligation Limited Refunding Bonds, Series 2014, to refinance outstanding bonds. The sale will be completed by Dec. 24, 2014.

And, as required by law, the trustees adopted a prevailing wage resolution, which informs bidders on college projects that they must conform to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act.

Contract with police union approved

Following earlier ratification by union members, the trustees approved a three-year contract with the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police representing non-management police department officers and staff. Police department employees unionized in 2011, and this is the college's first collective bargaining contract with the union. The contract provides for an average annual increase in base salaries of 3.01 percent in all three years.

Annexation of property into Grayslake

To bring all of CLC's Grayslake campus into the Village of Grayslake, the trustees approved submitting an annexation petition to the village for parcels of land located at 33860 N. U.S. Hwy. 45 and along Brae Loch Road. The tracts currently are part of unincorporated Lake County.

Resource Allocation Management Plan submitted to state

The board approved submission of the college's FY 2015 Resource Allocation Management Plan (RAMP) document to the Illinois Community College Board. The document sets the college's priorities for requests for state funding for new buildings and capital improvements. Projects included in the list can take a decade or more to receive funding. Projects requested include a classroom building on the Southlake Campus, student services and classroom buildings on the Grayslake campus and infrastructure repair on all three campuses.

Purchasing

The board awarded the following:

A contract with Stuckey Construction Company Inc. of Waukegan, to renovate Building 12 on the Grayslake campus as the Automotive Collision Repair program lab for $1,609,000.

A contract with Chicagoland Paving of Lake Zurich, for $409,900 to expand parking lot 8 on the Grayslake campus.

A contract with Midwest Computer Products of West Chicago, for AV technology components for three mockup classrooms for $215,838.30.

A contract with Delta Controls Chicago, Inc. of Lombard, to maintain and repair the college's electronic controls and programs building automation system, at a total cost of $98,500.

A contract with DK Contractors Inc. of Pleasant Prairie, Wisc., for storm sewer improvements at the Lakeshore Campus for $43,725.

A contract with SEM Works of Greensboro, N.C., to develop a strategic enrollment management plan at a cost of $41,150.

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