Parkland Board Approves FY 2022 Budget

Board of Trustees General Meeting, September 15

Parkland College's Board of Trustees has recognized faculty and staff award winners, received an update on the newest solar array, and approved the college's fiscal year 2022 budget.

At its regular meeting Wednesday, the board also received an update from Vice President for Student Services Michael Trame about recent measures the college has taken relating to COVID-19 and Governor Pritzker's Executive Order for vaccination and testing requirements for higher education.

Following college President Tom Ramage's remarks to the board, Beth Bachtold, director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, presented the following awards to staff members:

• Robert Bielmeier, the Staff Green Award (<5 Years' Service)

• Debbie Bucher, the 2021 Parkland Teaching Excellence Award

• Kena Chapman, the Staff Gold Award (>5 Years' Service)

• Nancy Roth, the 2021 ICCTA Adjunct Faculty Award

Next, Lisa Costello, Giertz Gallery director, and Mimi Nguyen, environmental safety and sustainability specialist, gave the board a summary of the solar array and energy savings projects. The eight-acre solar array has been in operation for over a year and in that time has produced over 2 megawatts of green electric energy, used exclusively on the Parkland College campus. This output has reduced the college's carbon footprint and saved over $24,000 in electrical expenses. A video showcasing the college's solar array is available to view here.

After an update on the Parkland Foundation by Executive Director Tracy Wahlfeldt, trustees approved the fiscal year 2022 budget, which includes a $426,199 operating deficit. Chief Financial Officer Chris Randles first presented the tentative budget in July, and the budget was on display for public review and input starting Aug. 1.

In other business, trustees approved:

• fountain courtyard reconstruction and exterior door replacement, a Protection, Health, and Safety project

• the filing of the following grant application:

  • Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA): FEMA Public Assistance Program (App. #2)

• the acceptance of funds from external sources:

  • Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE): FY21 Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education (FCAE)

  • Illinois Community College Board (ICCB): Early School Leaver Transition Program

  • Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE): Illinois Cooperative Work Study (ICWS) Grant

  • Illinois State Library/Secretary of State: Adult Volunteer Literacy Grant (Project READ)

  • Illinois State Library/Secretary of State: Penny Severns Family Literacy Program

  • Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT): FY21 Highway Construction Careers Training Program (HCCTP)

  • U.S. Department of Education: CARES Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF): SIP Portion (CRRSAA allocation)

• personnel appointments: 

  • W. Jason Strutz, Director of Technology Infrastructure, Campus Tech

  • Matthew Angel, Enterprise Applications Analyst, Campus Tech

  • Aaron Cunningham, Maintenance Technician/Plumber/HVAC, Physical Plant

  • Daniel Kirsanoff, Technical Support Specialist, Campus Tech

  • Anna Knipfer, Admissions Advisor/CRM Specialist, Admissions

  • HeatherAnn Layman, Parkland Presents Operations Assistant, Arts and Sciences

  • Logan Musgrove, Technical Support Specialist, Campus Tech

  • Daniel Reck, Technical Support Specialist, Campus Tech

  • Joy Sheehan, Dental Clinic Operations Assistant, Health Professions

  • Katelyn Sims, Athletics Department Assistant, Athletics

  • Reggie Walker, Custodian, Physical Pant

  • Maureen Wietecha, Marketing and Digital Content Manager, Marketing

  • Harvest Wolf, Technical Support Specialist, Campus Tech

  • Wendy Farmer, Registered Nursing Tenure-Track Faculty, Health Professions

  • Kyle Lyons, Senior Flight Instructor-Third Class/BasicMed Cert, Aviation

  • Mernice Wakefield, Adjunct Nursing Faculty, Health Professions

  • Jacob Fitton, Flight Instructor, Aviation

  • Heidi Trego, Flight Instructor, Aviation