ROCK SPRINGS — The Western Wyoming Community College Board of Trustees welcomed three new members at their Thursday meeting: Stephen Allen, Jenissa Meredith, and Neil Kourbelas. The new board members were seated shortly after the start of the meeting, with election of new officers following soon thereafter.

Dr. Veronica Donaldson was re-elected unanimously as board president. James Jessen was elected board vice president. Kenneth Lorimer is board treasurer, while Regina Clark is board secretary. All of the votes for the officers for the next term were unanimous and without discussion. Board members also unanimously approved regular meeting dates for 2023 on January 12, February 9, March 9, April 13, May 11, June 8, July 13, August 10 (Green River Campus), September 14, October 12, November 9, and December 14.

BOCES Approved
The board approved an agreement with the Sweetwater Board of Educational Cooperative Services (SBOCES). The agreement essentially continues the previously existing agreement between Western and the SBOCES, with only minor wording changes.

SBOCES Executive Director Bernadine Craft gave the board a brief history of SBOCES and its purpose. Created in 1988, Craft said, SBOCES allows “alternative funding” for Western and Sweetwater School Districts No. 1 and No. 2 to go forward with projects which they cannot fund themselves. Funded by property tax mills, BOCES projects include scientific and cultural activities and produces $4 worth of projects for every dollar invested. BOCES also funds the Sweetwater Scholarship, “which must be used at Western,” Craft said, later adding, “We’re pretty out there,” referring to BOCES’s footprint in the local community.

Last summer, BOCES funded the play “Matilda” which was performed at the Western theater, and which allowed between two and three dozen younger-age kids the opportunity to sing, dance, and be on stage in a musical performance.

Security and Facebook Upgrades
Vice President for Administrative Services Burt Reynolds addressed the board to explain that all of Western’s exterior doors, including those at the dormitory, can now be remotely locked if there is ever a situation that calls for it.

“I’m glad that project is in the rearview mirror,” Reynolds said. He later added that the $11 million HVAC project is ahead of its three-year schedule, with upgrades on the heating and chilling pipes taking place.

Representing the Western Marketing Department, Kim Rembacz gave a report in which she explained that there are 114 “dormant” Facebook pages which Western still has, and she is trying to close the unused Facebook pages. Currently, the Western Facebook platform has approximately 30,000 followers. Rembacz said 55 percent of the marketing budget is used for “direct response” purposes. Western also contracts with local theaters and billboard providers for marketing purposes. Rembacz said she hopes to increase the “organic content” of Western’s outreach, and she further explained that she meets one time each month with representatives of Western’s sister community colleges, in particular to discuss obtaining grants.

Land Sale
Board members unanimously approved the sale of two vacant parcels of college-owned land, at 901 Gateway Boulevard (Lot 5) and 1001 Gateway Boulevard (Lot 8). The two lots are being sold for $435,750 and $456,750, respectively.

“We have no plans to use those lots,” Reynolds said.

The only question about the sale came from Trustee Allen, who asked if the two lots were contiguous. Reynolds responded that they were.

Audit Report
Reynolds briefly discussed the annual Western audit report performed by the Cheyenne firm of McGee, Hearne & Paiz, LLP for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022. The report, dated November 28, 2022, drew no comments or questions from the board.

Under “Significant Accounting Policies” the audit stated, “We did not identify any significant accounting policies in controversial or emerging areas for which there is a lack of authoritative guidance or consensus.”

Later the audit adds, “We encountered no disagreements with management over the application of significant accounting principles, the basis for management’s judgments on any significant matters, the scope of the audit or significant disclosures to be included in the basic financial statements…We did not encounter any significant difficulties in dealing with management during the audit…We did not encounter any significant and difficult or contentious matters that required consultation outside the engagement team.”