Approval of the fiscal year 24 and projected FY 25 budget, several purchase approvals and revisions to board regulations are scheduled to be voted on during the semester’s first Board of Trustees meeting in the Grand Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union at 1 p.m.
Purchase approvals include spending for conference dues and associated fees for the arbiter system, an annual supply of fuel and gasoline and fixing the storm draining issues at the Student Recreation Center.
The arbiter system is a system in place to pay officials and the purchase is required as part of the Ohio Valley Membership.
Costs for this expense will be pulled from appropriated funds and includes $70,000 in conference dues and $255,500 in arbiter fees, with a total of $325,500.
In April 2021, the Board approved an annual $300,000 refilling contract from July 2021 through June 2026, but due to potential unexpected weather conditions and utility company South Central FS Inc. in Effingham request to alter fuel source, approval is required to increase the net amount to $350,000 per year.
Monies for the purchase are being pulled from appropriated, local and revenue bond funds.
The final expenditure proposal is an estimated budget amounting to $1.7 million dollars for the recreation center storm drains.
The amount recommended for completion of the project totals to around $250,000 or more. The budget is high compared to the requested amount because the university has to send out bids in accordance with state law to determine the lowest, fair bid for the project.
Funds will be sourced from the campus projects reserve.
Four contracts and annual salaries will be voted upon by the Board for three head coaches and one director. In every contract, new diversity and anti-hazing language was added.
The Director of Track and Field James Gildon’s $85,000 contract will end on May 31, 2026, Head Volleyball Coach Sara Thomas’s contract of around $66,000 will end around Dec. 31, 2025, and Head Women’s Soccer Coach Dirk Bennett’s contract of around d $50,000 will end Dec. 31, 2025.
The Board will also vote on extending Head Women’s Basketball Coach Matt Bollant’s existing contract by two years, ending April of 2027, with an annual salary of around $122,500.
The board will have a preliminary hearing about university faculty and administrative employee reassignment, contract non renewal, and termination.
Rob Le Cates can be reached at 581-2812 or at Deneic@gmail.com.
