NICC seeks support for bond levy continuance

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times

Ken Reimer, president of the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Board of Trustees, and Erica Nosbisch, director of NICC’s Waukon Center, spoke to the MFL MarMac School Board at its Aug. 13 meeting, seeking support for NICC’s bond levy continuance.

The measure, which will be on the ballot for an election held Tuesday, Sept. 11, in the college’s district, will ask voters if they would like to continue the current tax levy. NICC’s district includes the public school districts in Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek counties, along with sections of Bremer, Buchanan, Jones, Jackson and Mitchell counties.

The measure must be posed during a special election, rather than at the November general election, because school districts and merged areas in the state are not allowed to place items on the general election ballot per the Iowa Code.

According to NICC, the $39 million bond levy measure is not a new tax, but a continuation of the current 28.8-cent bond and interest fund levy rate per $1,000 assessed valuation. For a homeowner with an assessed valuation of $150,000, that would mean $1.89 per month or about $23 each year.

Nosbisch said voters passed a $35 million bond levy 10 years ago. “The money was used very wisely,” she noted. 

Projects included a new industrial technologies building and renovated wing on the main building at the Peosta campus, as well as a new student center and renovations to the Wilder Business Center and industrial technologies building at the Calmar campus.

However, additional renovations and updates are needed, said Nosbisch.

NICC has identified four priority areas where funds would go. The first would be educational programming and services, including the creation of flexible, updated and collaborative learning spaces. Another would be infrastructure, notably renovations to the main building on the Peosta campus and Max Clark Hall on the Calmar campus. For security, NICC would facilitate district-wide camera and door security systems to enhance safety. In the area of technology, network servers and cybersecurity systems would be replaced.

“We won’t be building anything new. It will be mostly repairs,” Reimer explained. “Hopefully this will help us continue doing what we do.”

Projects will likely be completed in the next three to seven years.

NICC says these projects will keep the college competitive and attract students who want to continue to live and work in northeast Iowa communities. Updated curriculum and equipment will also make students more marketable to area businesses and industries.

Nosbisch said NICC has a big impact in Clayton County. Of the 6,290 students currently enrolled at the college, 413 hail from Clayton County. One in 10 Clayton County residents is served by NICC, and over $5 million in state training funds has been secured for companies in the county since 1985, supporting 1,598 new and existing jobs.

According to Nosbisch, 10 percent of MFL MarMac’s graduates attend NICC. Sixty-eight high school students have participated in the college’s career learning links program, and 15 have received CNA training. NICC has also helped with over 50 mock interviews at the school district. 

“We want to be able to continue training individuals in our communities,” she said.

School board member Brian Meyer was impressed with NICC’s impact.

“I think what you do is great, and we need it more and more,” he said. “Not everyone can go to a four-year university.”

For more information, contact feedback@nicc.edu. 

Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at two locations in the MFL MarMac School District on Sept. 11. Voters in Giard, Grand Meadow, Monona, Wagner and Farmersburg townships and the cities of Farmersburg and Monona will vote at the Monona Community Center, 104 S. Egbert St. This also includes qualified voters of MFL MarMac Community School District residing in Allamakee County. Voters in Clayton and Mendon townships and the cities of Marquette and McGregor will vote at the Marquette Community Center, 102 North St.

Contracts approved

The board approved several new contracts at the meeting, including the hiring of Pat Wille for high school physical education and as a paraprofessional. Lisa Weigand was also hired as a paraprofessional. Kyle Kirkestue will be the new head coach for high school boys track.

Crozier provides updates

During his report, superintendent Dale Crozier said the district will have a security audit performed through its insurance company in September, checking details like doors and door locks.

“They’ll come up with a report on what we have to do to be the safest,” he explained.

The district is already upgrading door locks, he said, so that doors can be locked quickly from the inside.

Crozier also told the school board the exhaust fans in the high school gym will need to be replaced, at a cost of $16,000. Replacing the fans will lessen humidity in the gym and increase circulation, especially during events, he said.