WC board holds July meeting

The Weatherford College Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting Thursday in the Allene Strain Community Room.

Rodeo Coach Johnny Emmons provided an update on the rodeo team, which competes in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association comprised of 130 colleges and universities with 3,500 student athletes. He was asked specifically about the local economic impact the individuals on the team have on the local community.

“The average cost of their horses is $25,000,” Emmons said. “These families have a $100,000 to $150,000 invested in their kids. It costs about $200 a month to take care of a horse and we had 125 horses on our team. So, you’re looking at students spending $25,000 a month in our local feed stores and vet clinics before including trailer maintenance and everything else.”

The board congratulated Emmons and his team for another successful season, which included the college’s first regional team championship for the women’s team.

The board also approved the transfer of several items to the Parker County Emergency Services District Number 1 for the continued operation of the WC Fire Academy. The college and ESD No. 1 are in discussions regarding the relocation of the fire academy to ESD-owned property in the short term and possibly long term. The transfer is pending approval of the ESD No. 1 Board of Commissioners.

“We are extremely proud of not only our Fire Science Academy, but of our entire First Responder Community,” WC President Tod Allen Farmer said. “They are true heroes. We are excited to have the opportunity to further enhance our program while simultaneously making it financially sustainable.”

During the meeting, the board also:

• Approved the minutes from the June 10 board meeting.
• Approved the financial reports ending June 30.
• Approved the renewal of sealed proposals for intercollegiate athletic insurance.
• Approved a request for proposals for an electrical and mechanical services contract.
• Approved a resolution to authorize a master intergovernmental cooperative purchasing agreement with Equalist Group, LLC.
• Approved a buyboard cooperative contract proposal on water fountain station replacements.
• Approved a local policy update.
• Received an academic and student services update.
• Received an update on the proposed 2021-22 budget.

In his President’s Report, Farmer:

• Congratulated the WC Ultrasound program for being ranked the best in Texas by the ranking organization Nursing Process, beating out 34 other programs in the state.
• Recognized Interim WC Police Chief Bill Cooper for maintaining campus safety and security while the college searches for a new police chief.
• Congratulated Dr. Deborah Cregger and the entire TRiO team on an excellent year which included a recent trip to the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston with their robotics students to learn more about potential STEM careers.
• Congratulated directors Elizabeth Baker and Erin Brownlee as well as the entire cast and crew of Moana, Jr. for a successful WC Summer Stage production which sold more than 1,600 tickets.
• Announced the resignations of Larry Slawson, vocational nursing instructor, and Michael Wylie, Student Support Services counselor.
• Provided an enrollment update: Year-to-date enrollment is down 4 percent for the summer and up 17 percent for the Fall 2021 semester. There are 1,783 students enrolled for the summer, compared with the record high of 1,844 last summer. With ongoing registration, the year-to-date Fall enrollment is currently at 2,529 students, compared to 2,141 this time last year.