FSCC Trustees select Meyer as board member

Loretta George/Tribune photo Liz Meyers is sworn in by Fort Scott City Clerk Diane Clay as a Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees member Monday evening at the board's monthly meeting.

The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees voted Liz Meyer into their body at Monday's monthly meeting.

Following presentations from four candidates, Meyer received the majority of three out of five votes to win the contest. Meyer replaces Dick Hedges, who is currently serving as interim president of the college, following the mutually agreed upon separation of former college president Clayton Tatro. Other candidates were Dana McKenney, Randall Readinger and Don Tucker. Tina Rockhold sent a communication that she would not be a candidate as was her original intention.

Highlights from Monday's meeting:

* Trustee President Mark McCoy announced that FSCC was recognized as the ninth best community college in the nation, looking at 700 community colleges, according to SmartAsset, a financial advice business, he said.

* Over the past year and a half, efforts have been made through volunteer donations to build a rodeo practice facility. Following a request by administration, the board approved transferring dorm funds in the amount of $120,000 to complete the facility.

* The trustees approved the negotiations team's agreement to give each faculty member in the bargaining unit a vertical step on the salary schedule in his/her respective column. Also, as part of the agreement, adjunct faculty will receive an additional $10 per credit hour. Staff who are eligible for an annual increase as of July 1, 2014 will receive an annual pay increase of $300. Employees hired on or after May 1 are not eligible for the cost of living raises during that year.

* Surplus property remaining from previous the cosmetology location and other unneeded items throughout the FSCC campus will be auctioned at a later date.

More on Monday's meeting will be in a future Tribune report.