Photo by Tom Adamo
A presentation in preparation for an official proposal for a brand new health and wellness center headlined the January 18 Board of Trustees meeting.
The Master Facilities Plan approved at the last meeting featured a number of projects and campus improvements that Moraine Valley would be looking into completing over the course of the next 10 years; a health and wellness center was one of them.
Ken Gorman CEO of Power Wellness, Brian Hummert VP of Power Wellness and Dominick Demonica of Demonica Kampert Architects teamed up to give a preliminary presentation to the board on what features a health and wellness center on the Moraine Valley would have, as well as the costs and impact on the community it would cause.
Gorman presented the board with features that an institution of Moraine Valley’s size would be able to include in its facility. He also informed the school of the role Power Wellness could play in the management and planning of the health and wellness center would be. Hummert demonstrated to the board the fact and figures that go into determining how many student, faculty and members of the community would utilize the facility as well as the estimated costs available at this early stage in the planning. Demonica displayed mockups and drafts of what the facility would look like as far as floor plan and outside appearance.
Focus groups and surveys were announced as taking place over the course of the next month in preparation for the group’s final proposal that would be presented at the February 22 board meeting.
Tammy Beckwith Schallmo made the first presentation to the board as an update on bond issues the group had discussed during last semesters board retreat. Due to favorable conditions in the municipal bond market Moraine Valley will be exploring the option of recalling bonds it holds in order to refinance their debt. State of Illinois general obligation bonds are the subjects of this refinancing which could help net the school upwards of $1 million if the market remains where it currently is.
The main issue to be discussed by the board involves the establishment of an escrow account, necessary for the recalling of these bonds. The board will be looking to come to decision on the matter by the February board meeting in order get the savings counted towards the taxes of the 2011 fiscal year.
Representatives from the Southwest Education Center were on hand to be recognized for the center being awarded a platinum certification from LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental design) as recognition for the buildings commitment to green and sustainable energy solutions. The Southwest Education Center scored a perfect score of 52 out of 52 possible points.
The Foundation Board announced it annual gala event taking place on March 31. Proceeds will benefit all college programs.
Trustees Patrick Kennedy, Susan Murphy and Mark Weber were absent for the meeting.
