T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY Iowa Valley Community College board members Chris Brodin, front, Jackie Pippin, middle, and Clark Lawler, back, converse during the regular meeting held on the MCC campus Wednesday afternoon.

Despite the concerns raised by one board member, the Iowa Valley Community College District (IVCCD) board of directors voted to move forward with a contract to install a new mural at the Orpheum Theatre in Marshalltown in partnership with the Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance during Wednesday’s regular monthly meeting.

Board member Chris Brodin, whose district covers the Marshalltown area, asked the other directors and President Kristie Fisher why IVCCD was even involved as ownership of the historic building is set to transfer to the Marshalltown Community School District in the relatively near future.

“I understand that it’s for the timing. I just don’t understand why we need to deal with it,” Brodin said. “Is everyone going to think we paid for it?”

Jacque Goodman, the district’s vice president of education and training, explained that the Alliance and artist Jason Tetlak want to start on the painting by September, well before ownership is expected to be transferred. Currently, Marshall County and the state judicial branch are still utilizing the Orpheum for court proceedings under a lease agreement with IVCCD.

As previously mentioned, Brodin worried about the possibility of a perception that IVCCD is paying for the mural arising, but other district officials then reiterated several times that the Alliance has covered all of the cost itself through fundraising.

“I do think the Alliance is very purposeful about taking credit for it,” IVCDD President Kristie Fisher said. “I do think they’re vocal at making sure the community knows that they’re paying for it and they’re raising the funds.”

Ultimately, all of the directors except Brodin voted in favor of the contract, and it passed.

Later in the meeting, Fisher provided an update on various construction projects at the district’s three campuses, including the construction of a brand new esports lab on the MCC campus. While the project is exciting, she said she would be relieved to have it completed.

“It looks great, but we’re glad we got that one done,” she said.

An open house for the MCC campus improvements is scheduled for Sept. 15. Fisher also reported that overall enrollment is up about two percent from the same time last year at MCC and down seven percent at Ellsworth, but she said the number could change as some students are still waiting to move into their housing.

In other business, the board:

• Approved DataVision quotes for the Nutanix Cluster, which relates to data backup and IT infrastructure, at a total cost of $216,006.61 over three years.

• Approved a mental health services agreement with Achieve Mental Health Inc. and a contract with McFarland Clinic for nursing services at Ellsworth.

• Approved the consent agenda as listed.

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Contact Robert Maharry

at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.