Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees Capital Funding Request and Technology Services

CENTRALIA, IL - The Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. on the KC main campus. Trustees present included Chairman John W. Bill Hawley (Odin), Louis Kalert (Centralia), Linda Stover (Centralia), Bryan Holthaus (Carlyle), Laura Wedekemper (Shattuc), and Jim Beasley (Centralia). Trustee Craig Finke (Nashville) was absent.

During the meeting, the board renewed the College's Blue Cross Blue Shield medical insurance package, including dental and vision coverage, effective September 1, 2026. The renewal reflects a 9.8% increase in premiums.

The board also authorized Kaskaskia College President George Evans to secure the lobbying services of Madiar Government Relations for Fiscal Year 2027 at a cost not to exceed $60,000. For the past five years, the College has partnered with the firm to support efforts to obtain state and federal capital funding for deferred maintenance and campus modernization projects.

As part of its long-term facilities planning, the board adopted the College's Fiscal Year 2028 Resource Allocation and Management Plan, or RAMP, capital request application. The application serves as the College's official request for state funding to address immediate capital improvement needs prioritized by the administration.

The proposed projects include roof replacements at the Harry L. Crisp Manufacturing and Trades Education Center, the Trenton Education Center, the Health and Professional Careers Building, and the John D. Cavaletto Agricultural Center. The request also includes heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning improvements at portions of the Greenville Education Center, John D. Cavaletto Agricultural Center, Salem Education Center, Vandalia Education Center, and Kaskaskia College Sports and Activities Center. The total estimated cost of the proposed improvements is $11,926,461.

To support KC student-athletes, the board authorized a $57,525 agreement with Southern Illinois Healthcare's Herrin Hospital to provide athletic training services during the 202627 academic year.

The College will also purchase Amatrol learning systems, software and curriculum from Moss Enterprises of Johnston, Iowa, for $159,605. Fully funded through a manufacturing grant, the equipment will support KC's Industrial Technology program by providing hands-on instruction in plastics technology, including molding and blow molding, as well as mechanical fabrication, electric motor control and variable-frequency drive technology.

In support of the College's information technology strategic plan, the board authorized the purchase of Meraki wireless access points from Data Center Warehouse of Laguna Hills, California, for $68,149. The equipment will help maintain a modern and reliable wireless network infrastructure across the College.

Several annual technology renewals were approved, including Hyland Perceptive Content for an amount not to exceed $64,838.90. The electronic document management system supports paperless workflows and securely stores records related to budgets and students. The College also renewed its Microsoft Campus License Agreement through CDW-G of Chicago for $30,425.49 and its Canvas learning management system license with Instructure Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah, for $64,810.68.

In other business, the board authorized a 60-month lease for mailing equipment from Pitney Bowes Inc. through the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing program. The total cost of the lease is $34,295.40.

The board also accepted the resignations of David Stine, Precision Agriculture Facilitator, and Shawn Connelly, Director of Campus Operations.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, August 24, 2026, on the College's main campus.