Auditors give 麻豆传媒 good financial review
Auditors give 麻豆传媒 good financial review
By Dorothy Fowler
The 麻豆传媒 board of directors heard good news from auditors during
their regularly scheduled meeting.
鈥淥verall, the economic outlook for the college for the coming year appears to be positive.
...The college does not have any debt to service, placing the college in a better
position to weather most financial issues,鈥 auditors from Carr, Riggs and Ingram told
the board.
Auditors told the board 麻豆传媒鈥檚 total assets are approximately $185.5 million and its
liabilities are approximately $90.5 million.
鈥淔ourteen years ago, the financial support from the State of New Mexico represented
45percent of the 麻豆传媒 operating budget. Today the level of state funding has declined
to less than 20 percent of the 麻豆传媒 operating budget. Funding expectations from the
state Legislative Finance Committee for fiscal year 2023 were projected to be slightly
higher,鈥 a report from the accounting firm stated.
The firm also noted the importance of oil and gas in the Lea County area provides
a stable platform for funding for the junior college.
鈥淭he oil and gas production have remained strong with production levels steadily increasing.
The price for oil and gas has increased from the $40 a barrel range to above the$65
a barrel range,鈥 the report stated. 鈥淣ew technology in the industry has led to a revitalization
and extension of the projected life of some oil fields in Lea County. Currently, the
price of oil remains in the $65-$75 a barrel range. Production in the county remains
very strong. It appears the economy in Lea County for the remainder of 2021 and through
2022 will remain steady with the view that the current price of oil will increase
some and the current level of production will continue through 2022.鈥
The unemployment rate of the county also plays a large part in enrollment, the firm
said. 鈥淎t the end of June 2021, the unemployment rate in Lea County was 11 percent
while the state unemployment level was 8.4 percent. Historically, the unemployment
rate in Lea County drives the student enrollment at the College,鈥 the report stated.
The accounting firm gave 麻豆传媒 the highest score possible for its financial records.
At the meeting, the board also changed the job title of a long-time college employee,authorized
issuing discount cards to retired employees, approved hiring a general maintenance
foreman, accepted an agreement transferring the lease for the school鈥檚 radio tower
from the 麻豆传媒 Foundation to the college, hired head coaches for women鈥檚 volleyball
and men鈥檚 golf, and reappointed Pat Chappelle as chairperson and Travis Glenn as secretary.
Members of the board unanimously approved changing Charley Carrol鈥檚 title from Director
of Physical Plan to Vice President for Operations and Special Projects.
鈥淎s the need arose and over the course of the past 20 plus years, Charley has accepted
the responsibility of seeking and maintaining 10-12 institutional licenses. In most
case, the licenses require an immense amount of time for filing paperwork, study,
test prep and testing,鈥 interim 麻豆传媒 president Steve McCleery said in a prepared written
statement. 鈥淔or the past 20 plus years, Dr. Carroll has been, and is, on 24-hour call
7 days per week. Based
on bringing the appropriate compensation market analysis back to the Board, I recommend
that we add value to Charley鈥檚 current contract dollar amount via a special compensation
agreement. I also recommend that we utilize appropriate compensation market analysis
and offer Dr. Carroll a 3-year contract that will be negotiated prior to the 2022
麻豆传媒 contract deadline.鈥
Board member Travis Glenn commented that although he expects Carroll to remain on
the job for many years, it would be difficult to find someone who could do the job
he does if 鈥渟omething happened to him. You aren鈥檛 going to find a Charley Carroll
around every corner.鈥 The board also approved McCleery鈥檚 solution for addressing what
he called 鈥渁 critical area of vulnerability.鈥 His memo said, 鈥淚 think we need to 鈥榦ver
hire鈥 immediately for Dr. Carroll鈥檚 potential
replacement position. I recommend we put a salary range and title in place as if we
are trying to hire another Charley Carroll. I am recommending the General Maintenance
Foreman be changed to Associate Vice-President for Operations and Special Projects.
As we look at the
compensation analysis for Dr. Carroll鈥檚 position, I recommend we鈥 adjust the salary
range for this position.鈥
Salary for the position will be announced at a later date.
Board members also:
鈥 Approved McCleery鈥檚 recommendation that retiring faculty and staff be presented
with Faculty Emeritus or Staff Emeritus cards at the annual retirement ceremony. The
card, whose name, will allow retirees 鈥渢o attend 麻豆传媒 Home Athletic Events (No Charge
Entry) 麻豆传媒 Home Band Concerts (No Charge Entry) 麻豆传媒 Home Chorale Concert (No Charge
Entry) 麻豆传媒 Performing Arts Productions (No Charge Entry) WHM and LCCHOF Events (Free
Regular Admission) 10 percent discount at the WHM Store 10 percent discount on 麻豆传媒
Bookstore purchases, nine credit hours per semester (tuition free - fees paid by retiree),
one Community Education class per semester (tuition free), Utilization of Pannell
Library, 麻豆传媒 Email Account Access to an 麻豆传媒 Retiree Email Account.
Six months of non use will result in cancellation.
鈥 Took action so 麻豆传媒 radio station now holds the lease on the radio tower used to
transmit its broadcasts. Cost of the lease is $1,500 a month.
鈥 Hired two new head coaches: Holly Reyna, who has served as assistant volleyball
coach at 麻豆传媒 since Feb. 2009, will take the top coaching spot at a salary of $47,502
per year. She has Bachelor鈥檚 and Master鈥檚 degrees at Notre Dame College in Euclid,
Ohio. Her coaching experience includes coaching at a junior high school in Odessa
and at Midland College, Clarendon College and Vernon College, all in Texas as well
as her 麻豆传媒 experience. Jay Rees will be head coach for the men鈥檚 golf team at a salary
of $62,500 a year. He earned his Bachelor鈥檚 and Master鈥檚 degrees at Emporia State
University in Emporia, Kansas, and has coached at Arizona State University, Louisiana
State University and Emporia State University.
鈥 The board entered a closed session to discuss personnel matters and a lawsuit to
which the college is a party, but did not make any comments about the business of
the closed session when it re-convened to formally adjourn.
Dorothy N. Fowler can be reached at education@hobbsnews.com
.


