August 2021 Board Report

Following a public hearing, the Illinois Valley Community College board gave final approval Thursday to a $34.4 million budget for fiscal 2022.

The budget is up seven percent over the previous year due to more than $3 million in pandemic-related federal funding.

IVCC received $3.2 million from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to address student and institutional needs resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak.

In other business, the board approved:

  • $50,000 in fuel cards for the Truck Driver Training Program from WEX Inc.
  • Janitorial supplies from Home Depot Pro for $35,000 and $30,524 in elevator maintenance services from ThyssenKrupp Elevator of Peoria.
  • A Treasurer’s bond for Vice President for Business Services and Finance Matt Seaton for three years for $28,788 from R.J. Galla and property/casualty insurance from Corkill Insurance Agency for $131,336.
  • Ellucian Colleague maintenance from Ellucian for $292,600; Microsoft maintenance from CDW for $27,303; and Cisco Smartnet networking and telephone system maintenance from Burwood Group for $89,287.
  • The resignation of English instructor Adam Oldaker after 14 years. “Most importantly, I have loved teaching and learning from IVCC’s wonderful students,” Oldaker said.
  • The resignation of Director of Nursing Jennifer Grobe.
  • The appointment of Thomas Quigley as Director of Admissions and Transfer Services. Quigley was a recruiter at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
  • The appointment of Cathy Lenkaitis as nursing lab instructor. Lenkaitis has 29 years’ nursing experience.
  • Seeking proposals for a cash farm lease for 146 acres of campus farmland.
  • Dean of Natural Sciences and Business Ron Groleau will take on additional duties as interim Dean of Humanities, Fine Arts, and Social Sciences.
  • Following closed session, the board adopted a motion to enter into a release pursuant to a claim being handled by the college’s insurance carrier that involved a personnel/technology issue.
  • Approve and retain closed session minutes from July 8.

Trustees learned:

  • Seven graduates were honored at the Aug. 5 therapeutic massage graduation. Program coordinator Roxanne Cherpeske also recognized program founder Cherie Monterastelli.
  • Shield Illinois will provide saliva-based COVID-19 testing twice-a-week starting Aug. 23. A mass vaccination clinic for students is Aug. 24. “We’re doing all we can to keep employees and students safe during these difficult times,” IVCC President Jerry Corcoran said.
  • “It hasn’t been easy and you’re never going to have 100 percent buy-in on sensitive matters like face masks, vaccinations and social distancing, but I’m proud of how things are being handled here and by all district schools,” Corcoran added.
  • The Facilities department’s busy spring and summer included upgrading air handlers, new keycard access, fireplace lounge accessibility, bleacher replacement and resurfacing of the perimeter road and two parking lots.
  • IVCC will waive the monthly rental fee for one year for food service provider DeMilio’s Italian Deli of Peru.
  • A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with AFT Local 1810 regarding the full-time counselor schedule.
  • Business Office staff accountant Ashley Gonzales resigned Aug. 6.
  • Chad Brokaw was hired as full-time theater/classroom technician.
  • The college terminated an intergovernmental agreement with Oglesby regarding use of Gandolfi Field as its home baseball diamond. IVCC is moving to Veteran’s Park in Peru, home of the Prospect League’s Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp.