The Flint Hills Tech College Board of Trustees will allocate up to $50,000 to match a grant and purchase an offset press for its graphic arts program, the group decided at its meeting Monday afternoon.
FHTC is receiving a technology and equipment grant from the state for $84,767. The grant is a 2-for-1 match, meaning that FHTC will be responsible for matching $42,384 of that money.
When FHTC applied for the grant, it applied for a second one to purchase the offset press. That grant was denied.
In a memo to board members, FHTC president Dean Hollenbeck said he had discussed the offset press with Bryan Crouch, of the school’s graphic arts technology department, who said he may be able to purchased a used offset press for $38,000.
“He is good with this and says ‘it will be as good as a new one,’” Hollenbeck said in the memo. “Bryan has also indicated that he will need this for the spring semester.”
Hollenbeck requested that the board allow the college to use a maximum of $50,000 from the reserve funds line item in the school’s budget, totaling $250,000, to purchase the offset press and help match the grant.
During discussion of the potential money allocation, Hollenbeck said the future would show that “a lot of opportunities and a lot of the future funding for technical education is going to come about in what we’re talking about right now, a competitive grant.” The board approved the allocation unanimously.
In other activities Monday, the board:
• Unanimously approved its up-to-date financial report, presented by FHTC director of accounting Nancy Thompson.
• Listened to a brief presentation by Lynn Cress, of the school’s division of information technology, on the potential implementation of a multimedia technology program.
• Recognized Kim Glover for earning her master’s certification in Microsoft Office; Kathy Bode of the school’s health and human services department, whose high school in Quincy, Ill., will honor her early next year for her dedication in the field of nursing; and Chris Renwick, a newly added welding instructuor.
• Listened to a report by Jason Brinkman on the graphic arts technology program. Brinkman reported that all five people who completed the program in 2007 are either employed or continuing their education.