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CCC trustees give update on presidential search

Tour of presidential residence follows meeting

CLOVIS — The Clovis Community College board of trustees updated many of its department heads on the search to find a new president, then took a look at its biggest off-campus asset for whoever assumes the position in January.

The board approved a slew of infrastructure items during its regular monthly meeting Wednesday at the college, then held a brief executive session on the house the college owns as a presidential residence on 1621 E. 21st St. After concluding the executive session with no action, board members adjourned and took a group tour with Interim President Robin Kuykendall and a few other CCC employees.

The three-bedroom house, last occupied by former President Becky Rowley, can be described as somewhere between spacious and cavernous with a mix of decades reflected in its appliances and electronics. It includes a two-car garage, an indoor pool currently unused due to a crack, a backyard entertaining area with several tiles loose, a solar power collector and a pair of large grass spaces enclosed by walls on the south and west ends.

“It’s got potential, great potential,” said board member Terry Martin, who works in the city’s building inspection department as his fulltime job. “Based on an in-depth inspection, we’ll have more of an idea. It’s in some disrepair, but the building is pretty solid.”

Disrepair aside, the property has some obvious benefits. Its large backyard areas could host various events, and its location is a 2.5-mile drive from CCC almost entirely on the major Clovis thoroughfares of 21st, Norris and Seventh streets.

The college can make minor repairs without board approval, and repairs are needed whether the board puts the house on the market or keeps it for the next president. Board member Raymond Mondragon said he’d lean toward selling the property and finding a different house for the next president, but also spoke of ways the property could be advantageous for that next president and CCC in general.

There is no appraisal for the house, but Realtor.com estimates the 1.65-acre property at $203,500 and estimated it as high as $448,500 three years ago. The Curry County Assessor’s Office lists the property as tax-exempt due to CCC’s ownership, with an assessed value of $481,194.

Regarding the presidential search, Mondragon told those attending the meeting a search committee has been created, with hand-delivered invitations and confidentiality agreements. The first meeting was June 7. Mondragon said the committee is made up of 13 members and two alternates, with his participation limited to greeting the members once the meeting is called to order and leaving.

“I’m being told we are getting some really outstanding candidates,” Mondragon said.

The board is working with the Association of Community College Trustees, which has performed more than 500 searches. The application period is open until Wednesday, with the following dates established:

• Aug. 27: The committee’s second meeting, with the applicant field narrowed to between seven and nine semifinalists.

• Sept. 12-13: The committee’s third meeting, taking place over two days, will select five finalists.

“Once we get that September (finalist) date,” Mondragon said, “things are going to move pretty quick.”

Finalist candidates will interview with the board in the week of Sept. 30 with the intent to hire in mid-October.

In other business at the Wednesday meeting:

• Kuykendall reviewed results of the school’s recent employee survey through Ruffalo Noel Levitz. Employees returned surveys at a 43% rate, which Kuykendall said “speaks volumes of our employees,” as most colleges hover around 20%.

The college scored above average in most categories, but needed to make some improvements in communication with both students and employees.

• The summer graduate list was approved with 40 associate degrees, 17 certificates of completion and one certificate of achievement. Kuykendall said there was a slight drop, which was expected because a healthcare certificate no longer earned bonus points toward the nursing program.

• Trustees approved the physical inventory of fixed assets. The list was too large of a file to be delivered in the agenda packets, to which Martin joked, “We’ve got a lot of junk.” The college did not remove any fixed assets from inventory, with Kuykendall responding in kind, “It means we held onto our junk.”

• The board approved a five-year contract with New Mexico Bank and Trust for depository services, with each year an optional renewal. If executed in full, the contract would be for $36,240.

• A pair of parking lot improvements were approved. Norman Kia, vice president of information technology and operations, said the $745,753 contract with Nick Griego and Sons would cover the parking lot by the welding building on the south side of campus and the parking lot at the Health and Fitness Center. The latter, he said, is used as overflow parking for the adjacent Allied Health Building.

n Kuykendall reminded trustees Aug. 27 is the filing date for the November election. Positions to be on the ballot are District 1 (currently held by Laura Leal), 3 (Lora Harlan) and 4 (Mondragon). The District 3 term will be for two years, as Harlan was appointed following the death of Russell Muffley, while the others will be four-year terms.

• The next meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. Sept. 4.