Financial and personnel matters held the focus of the Three Rivers College Board of Trustees during its monthly meeting Wednesday.
Chief Financial Officer Charlotte Eubank presented the college's monthly financial report. She began by comparing numbers from July, the first month of the current fiscal year, to those of last year.
Eubank said as of July 31, revenues were slightly below 2016's numbers, which she said is to be expected with decreasing enrollment. Other categories are largely similar, she added.
When comparing July's expenses to last year, Eubank said salaries and benefits are "a little lower." Despite decreased expenses, Eubank said the bottom line ended $81,000 behind July 2016.
Eubank also reported on the current fiscal year, which is 17 percent complete. She said 34 percent of overall budgeted revenues have been received, including 54 percent of budgeted revenues from tuition and fees, comprised of portions of the summer and fall 2017 semesters.
Regarding expenses, Eubank said 15 percent of budgeted expenses have been obligated thus far.
After soliciting bids for TRC's athletic team travel provider, Eubank recommended Four Winds Travel, LLC, of Poplar Bluff, which presented a bid of $104,607. It was the lowest bid Eubank received. Trustees voted to accept the financial report and travel recommendation.
During the President's Report, Dr. Wesley Payne presented a construction update on the Libla Family Sports Complex, parking lot and sidewalk improvements.
"We are making progress," Payne said. "We will start to see some concrete work on the inside now that all of the steel work out on the top side has been completed."
Payne said the sidewalks are taking shape and the parking lots are coming along.
"As you park in the parking lot and start to look up, it becomes immediately obvious where the pathways are to where you need to go."
Payne said the curbing is finished along the parking lots, the roads are torn up, and because of the construction, alternate routes will be taken through campus.
Payne said the Missouri Dept. of Health and Senior Services awarded a $500 mini-grant to TRC to improve facilities for nursing mothers. He said the college has received the grant previously and used the funds to enhance lactation services in Dexter, Mo.
"We're looking to see which one of our external locations will receive the upgrade this year," Payne said.
Trustees voted unanimously to approve updates to two board policies. First was a name change regarding the Higher Education Learning Commission, which dropped "North Central Association" from its title and added "regional" for clarification.
The second was an annual approval of the general administration policy regarding public relations and information, which saw slight updates also aiming to enhance clarity.
Trustees approved an amendment to the agenda to add a discussion item considering the appeal of former Language Dept. professor Sandra Ward and to take action on the item. Trustees then voted unanimously to uphold the decision of administration to terminate Ward's contract with TRC.
Upcoming events at TRC include Golden Sounds of the Platters at 7 p.m. tonight at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $15 each. The next Patrons of the Arts event will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 when Chinese Acrobats perform.
Payne announced the Fulfilling Dreams Scholarship Reception will be held Sept. 28 and fall break will close the college Oct. 5-6.
The next Three Rivers College Board of Trustees meeting will be held at noon Wednesday, Oct. 18, at the Doniphan Career Center in Doniphan, Mo.