SFCC Trustees OK Pay Raise, Budget

AVON PARK - With little discussion, college trustees on Wednesday approved a $20.8 million budget that is $393,000 smaller than the previous year.

Even though 6 percent growth is expected in student enrollment, the 2008-09 South Florida Community College budget contains $20,000 less in student fees, $24,500 less in gifts, $57,000 less in rent and commissions, and $33,000 less in interest, fines and other revenues.

A 2 percent raise was approved by the board, but a full-time administrator will not be replaced, another administrator has been moved to the teaching faculty, and $60,000 in cuts were made to the full time and part time staff.

However, plans are continuing to renovate the Lake Placid Center, which will cost $1.8 million.
"It's a whole bunch of little things," said Norm Stephens Jr., SFCC president. "There will be a new parking lot, an elevator to open up the whole second floor, and a new science lab."

The budget also contains $3.2 million in renovations to the auditorium at the Avon Park campus.
"We've hired the architect," said Stephens. "It's in the early creative stages now. We're going to modernize the auditorium, and give the audience a better view of the stage. We'll begin in April. They'll wrap in December 2009."

Renovations are also planned on buildings F, C, T and C2. A connector road between the Health & Science Education Center and the rest of the Avon Park campus is planned, and a new cooling tower was approved for the east chiller plant.