Trustee responds to Marshall

In response to comments made during the public forum portion of the Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees' regular meeting Monday night, board President Robert Nelson said the board has not made a decision regarding any further potential partnership talks with Pittsburg State University.

Prior to a special board meeting on Oct. 28, FSCC was engaged in potential partnership discussions with PSU. The board voted 6-0 to discontinue enhanced affiliation talks with PSU during October's special board meeting.

"One of the reasons that you elect a board of trustees, is to make those kinds of decisions," Nelson said. "And as of this point, this board has not made any decision at all about any partnership or merging with any institution."

Citizen Bob Marshall, who made the public forum comments, reasserted his claim that Kansas Senate Bill 434, the SUCCESS Act, which was later amended into Senate substitute for House Bill 2506, was a "backdoor effort" by FSCC President Clayton Tatro and Kansas Sen. Ty Masterson to reestablish enhanced partnership discussions with PSU.

"As a far as the board is concerned at this point.... Senate Bill 434 is dead," Nelson said. "So, I hope that we won't hear this again. I think the board has enough brainpower to make those kinds of decisions. I don't see Fort Scott Community College going anywhere."

Marshall told The Tribune after the meeting that he "appreciated" Nelson's comments. However, Marshall said Nelson's comments did not accurately reflect what's been going on at the school in recent months.

"The president (Tatro) has continued to work on a Crawford County technical education center," Marshall said. "And, the board of trustees did not approve Dr. Tatro's speaking on behalf of Senate Bill 434 at the (Kansas) Senate Ways and Means Committee meeting in Topeka last month. They (the board) have not addressed that issue. What President Nelson said is not in agreement with what the Board of Trustees has done in the last six months in connection with the events that I'm talking about. Meaning, the Crawford County Technical Education Center, and the Pittsburg State-Fort Scott Community College merger. Which is what would happen out of Senate Bill 434."

Marshall said he thinks future efforts will be made in order to revive Senate Bill 434.

"I think efforts will be made either in the (upcoming) veto session or in 2015," Marshall said. "More aptly, they will be made in 2015."

Marshall said he was referring to Tatro as well as Sen. Masterson as the individuals who he thinks will continue to pursue SB 434 in 2015.

"I'm talking about Senator Masterson and President Tatro, if the Board of Trustees does not rein him (Tatro) in."

In an article from the April 18 edition of the Morning Sun, Crawford County Commissioner Carl Wood, in discussing plans for a new technical education center in Crawford County, states a "proposal had been made on a Vinylplex building in the Pittsburg Industrial Park by the Crawford County Workforce Coalition.

"To help pay for such a proposal, Wood said the coalition was waiting to hear on a couple major donations that would essentially pay for the cost of the center," according to the article.

"We'll know in July or August whether we got the funding or not," Wood said in the article. "Fort Scott Community College is on board. Pittsburg State is on board."

Marshall distributed a copy of the April 18 Morning Sun article to each of the board members and Tatro during the public forum.

"I think he (Commissioner Wood) made the comments because Fort Scott Community College has made a presentation to them of what their participation level would be," Marshall said.

During an executive session to discuss non-elected personnel, in which Tatro left after approximately 15 minutes, he spoke with The Tribune relating to Commissioner Wood's recent comments.

"I have had conversation with (USD 250 Superintendent of Schools) Destry Brown in Pittsburg, about the possibility down the road of doing continued work with USD 250," Tatro said. "I think it makes good sense for us to continue serving students in our service area. And so, when Carl says that 'Fort Scott is on board,' the only conversation that I've had with Destry is to affirm that we want to continue to maintain the operation that we have, no more no less -- in Crawford County."

Tatro said his discussion with Brown was "two or three weeks ago."

"Destry called me to see how things were going with our plans up here for Bourbon County," Tatro said. "And he asked if we would still be interested and willing to continue the programs that we are already offering down there. And I think that would be a wise move on our part."

Tatro said there was no specified date when FSCC's Crawford County programs would expire.

"There's no contract," Tatro said. "We have contracts for buildings. So we have a contract for the Harley Davidson building with the city of Frontenac. We have a contract (for the building) with the city of Frontenac for John Deere. We've got month-to-month contracts with other landlords. But you know, it's a situation where the program operation is what the school districts are interested in. They're not interested in facilities and contracts."

During a special meeting on Oct. 28, Tatro reviewed and read aloud a list of questions relating to the proposed merger with PSU. Tatro said the questions were compiled from board meetings and two community forums. Tatro provided a response to each of the listed questions, and this information was also made public. Tatro also said the questions were distributed to PSU "to make sure that we're all on the same page."

During his presentation, Tatro touched on many topics directly related to the proposed partnership, including: concerns about potential job loss and the economic impact to Fort Scott and Bourbon County; the possibility of general education courses moving to Pittsburg; specific responsibilities of the local board; concerns about faculty and staff becoming state employees through PSU; the possibility of a tuition increase for FSCC students; concerns about endowment funding; and, the question of whether PSU will recognize current programs at FSCC.

"Bob (Marshall) has said that president Tatro is in the process, or wanting to move Fort Scott Community College to Pittsburg," Nelson said Tuesday afternoon. "I'm assuming what he's saying is that Fort Scott Community College will become a part of Pittsburg State University. I don't see that happening. And, that doesn't make sense. And why in the world would Clayton (Tatro) want Fort Scott Community College to become a part of Pittsburg State? Would that put him out of a job? I don't know. I just don't get the connection."

Talks of the enhanced partnership with PSU began in January 2013. Senate Bill 434: the SUCCESS Act, which was submitted in early March, would have allowed community colleges in Kansas to reduce a portion of their mill levy in exchange for state dollars.

"It's a situation where, when the legislature moves that quickly, we only meet once a month as a board," Tatro said. "So it's nearly impossible for the board to direct every activity. So I think what you saw and heard was Mr. Nelson saying, there's absolutely been no board action. There's been no reason for concern. We need to let the process work. And if the board decided to take any action, they'll do that in due time."

Cosmetology furnishings

The board unanimously approved furnishing for the Cosmetology school in the amount of $97,000. According to information made available to the board, "Payment for the equipment will be a lease purchase. Financing bids will be presented for approval at the May 2014 meeting."

After 25 years, the Cosmetology department, currently located at 7 S. National Avenue, in downtown Fort Scott, is moving back to the campus. The target date for completion of the building, according to Crossland Construction officials, is mid-April. Tatro previously said that from the time of completion in mid-April, through June, the college will focus on furnishing the building in preparation for the start of July Cosmetology classes.