BLINN BOARD APPROVES BUDGET, AUTHORIZES PURCHASE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION ANNEX AT HODDE CENTER

  

The Blinn Board of Trustees addressed a number of financial, administrative and legislative items at its meeting Tuesday.

The board approved a $119.8 million budget for the 2019-20 Fiscal Year. The approved budget is $4.5 million above last year’s approved budget of $115.3 million, a 3.9 percent increase.

Vice Chancellor Richard Cervantes said revenue sources for this year are spread out the same way they were last year, but operational expenses are slightly different. Cervantes said staff should be happy to know that there were no increases to health insurance.

You can view the budget breakdown here.

The board also authorized the College to purchase the Technical Education Annex at the A.W. Hodde Jr. Technical Education Center, from the Brenham Economic Development Foundation (EDF). The College will be named as the substitute grant recipient under the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s 2016 federal grant.

In 2016, Blinn joined numerous community organizations, including the Brenham EDF, in obtaining a federal grant to expand the Hodde Center with the addition of the Technical Education Annex. At that time, Blinn entered into a lease agreement with the Brenham EDF, which provided an option for Blinn to purchase the annex.

Under the purchase agreement, Blinn will assume all financial responsibilities for the operation and maintenance of the Technical Education Annex and the land. Under the current lease agreement, Blinn is already paying these expenses.

In other action, the board:

• Approved a $120,316 contract with American Mechanical Services of Houston, LLC, for the replacement and installation of the boiler in the Brenham Campus Administration Building.
• Approved a $3.2 million contract with United Restoration & Preservation, Inc., for cast stone replacement and exterior wall rehabilitation to five academic buildings located on the Blinn-Bryan Campus.  Construction is scheduled to begin in July and be completed by next April.