TAMA NEWS-HERALD- IOWA FALLS – Approval of a longstanding five-week Machine Operator Training program with Fisher Controls was given when the Iowa Valley Community College District (IVCCD) Board of Directors met this month. The Iowa Jobs Training Contract, in the amount of $56,276, will provide for the training of 40 people on machine operations, CNC lathes, leadership, and change management.

Jacque Goodman, Vice Chancellor of Iowa Valley Continuing Education, explained that this is marks the 7th year that Iowa Valley has partnered with Fisher Controls to offer the Machine Operator Training program, and that it’s been a win-win-win project for the community college, Fisher Controls, and the trainees.

In other action, the IVCCD Board approved agreements with 10 area high schools to provide college-level instruction for the high school students: AGWSR, BCLUW, Grundy Center, Hampton-Dumont, Iowa Falls, Marshalltown, Northeast Hamilton, South Hardin, South Tama, and West Marshall. Depending on the needs of the student and the course(s) taken, the instruction may be offered either at the high school, on the Marshalltown/Ellsworth/Grinnell campus, or online. It was noted that agreements with additional school districts will be presented in October.

Numerous gifts were accepted by the Board, including $1,000 from Mechdyne Corporation for the “Show Me The Way” conference, and gifts from Don and Martha Benbow and Anita Hensley to the Orpheum Theater. The other gifts, all for the MCC Tiger Days Golf Outing, were from Rainbow Car Wash, Elmwood Country Club/Jerry Johnson Pro Shop, Adland Engraving, Phyllis Mazour, U.S. Bank, Home Rental Center, Sub City, Hardees, Lowe’s Flowers, Pepsi Americas, Acme Tools, Lincoln Valley Golf Course, Westwood Golf Course, H&F Distributing, Culvers, Earl May, Ninth Street Gallery, Browns Shoes, United Bank & Trust, John Schrempf Pro Shop, and ST Meats.

Metrologist Andrew Blackburn gave a presentation on the recent NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology) certification of the state metrology lab on the Ellsworth campus in Iowa Falls, and he discussed current and anticipated operations and revenue for the lab.

In other matters, the Board: approved an agreement for Ellsworth Community College’s use of Iowa Falls School District athletic facilities (football practice field, football field and baseball field), approved revisions to a policy related to personnel definitions, approved an articulation agreement with Ashford University, approved a resolution revising signatories on the District’s bank account at Home Federal Savings Bank, and held a first reading on a recently-reviewed policy related to jury duty.

The next regular meeting of the IVCCD Board of Directors will be its organizational meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 4 p.m. in the District Office in Marshalltown; newly-elected Board members will be sworn in and officers elected at this meeting.