The Paris Junior College Board of Regents held a public hearing on the proposed tax rate and the 2019-2020 budget. No public comment was received.
After adjourning the public hearing, the Regents went into the regular meeting and gave formal approval to the tax rate of $0.084/$100 valuation, a reduction from the previous year’s rate of $0.85, and the 2019-2020 budget.
The 2019-2020 PJC budget will be $36,320,422, up $1.7 million from last year. This reflects an increase in tuition and fee revenue, with seven new positions added including three deans, additional faculty and one new campus police officer.
In other business, the Regents:
• Approved a policy requiring a property deposit fee of zero. Procedures to collect damages for destruction of property from students continue to work without the need of a deposit.
• Accepted the Certified Tax Rolls of $3.1 billion for property taxable by Paris Junior College, as presented by the Lamar County Chief Appraiser. Last year’s amount was $3.4 billion; the change reflects an increase to $438,086,442 million in property values frozen for those 65 and older and those who are disabled.
“It’s very confusing the way they backed out that $438 million in property value that’s frozen,” said PJC President Dr. Pam Anglin. “The amount of taxes attributable to that frozen amount is $339,000. It’s complicated because of the way they back it out and then add taxes back in.”
• Approved a transfer of $1 million to the Facilities Renewals and Replacements Fund, to address such needs as upgrades to the campus HVAC system.
• Adopted a change to the 2019-2020 Academic Calendar to reflect a change to the start of Winter Break – from Dec. 13 to Dec. 17. Graduation will still be on Dec. 13, but the college will remain open through Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019 and then close until Jan. 2, 2020.
• Received the Annual Licensure Report from Vice President of Workforce Development John Spradling.
• Approved an amendment to the 2013 Campbell Soup Tax Abatement to lower the number of employees from 57 to 54 and the amount of new equipment from $46 million to $41.6 million. The Regents also approved termination of the agreement, after amending it.
• Moved the September Board of Regents Meeting from September 23 to September 30 due to scheduling
• An early report on fall enrollment shows that the current head count is 4,795. Registration continues through the final week of August.
• Accepted the employment of Instructor of Biology Jeanmarie Stiles, Instructor of Economics Mike McCoy, Instructor/Coordinator Medical Records Coding Jennifer Washington, Instructor of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Christopher Bardrick, Instructor of Mathematics Charla Holzbog, Instructor of Jewelry/Gemology/CAD Arby Magill, and Instructor of Welding Johnny Glasco.
Also accepted employment of Instructors of Licensed Vocational Nursing Dwana Hollidai and Jenny Sullivan, Student Recruiter/Academic Advisor Misty McMikel, Student Success Coach/Financial Aid Advisor Angela Ellis, Student Success Coach/ADA Coordinator Ansley Hoskins, Assistant Baseball Coach Greg May, and effective Jan. 2020, Instructor of Licensed Vocational Nursing Danielle Gerhardt-Gillbreath; the resignations of Talent Search Advisor Jessica Newman and Upward Bound Coordinator Kreagan Scott; and the retirement of Instructor of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Charlie Hodgkiss, effective Aug. 31.
• Approved purchase of the land under the Recreation Center.
